For me, the year of the festivities in the translation work was 2008, but no celebration was not possible to overshadow the famous "general breath". Him with Ukrainian researchers of South American culture "infected" in Rio.
Always considered the festival rather standard. Perfectly in vain. It turns out to be the only one goes on several sites. On one extremals, dirt-soot dirty dirty, poured with water. So they glorify the traditions of Brazil, spoiled by the portuguese navigators here.
In the second platform of merchant, on the contrary, migrants from Portugal, who made ordinary folk walking like a fantastic show. Mandatory participants of the exciting procession: jesters, dead, Indians, maidens with flags, demons. All of them are boldly exposed, but not completely. Global bare is prohibited.
On the third fans of the dance perform the samba, which is famous for this hot corner of the world. This is the young tradition of the carnival, but it does not limit the age of competing. The main requirement: belonging to various schools. There is a carnival in all sorts of directions, but all, even foreigners, unite to choose the queen and king of the celebration, their jester.