let your hair down she says
it's  time to put some sense
to Rio de Janeiro
Though Carnival doesn't start until next month, you can already see blocos, groups of musicians and revelers, celebrating in Rio's streets. The wild-and-wonderful, can't-miss event begins February 1 and includes extravagant parades featuring elaborate floats and over-the-top costumes with feathers, sequins, coins, glitter, and body paint. The samba schools that organize these parades don't take Carnival lightly: They rehearse all year and begin making costumes eight months in advance.