Today's the day we move to another hotel in Ipanema. This next one is not so close to the beach but with Carnaval starting tomorrow, accommodation is harder to come by than ever.
Talking of accommodation, we've heard this morning that the flat we were hoping to get has fallen through which is a pain but may be a blessing in disguise as the landlady was a very odd character. So we're back to square one....
Since the last blog I've partaken in a couple of social events on my own (much like my namesake HRH!). I met up with a nice Dutch woman and went to a Carnaval themed Cafezinho the other morning organised by the International Club out here. I'd decided before we left the UK that I'd feel more comfortable in that environment than saluting the flag / celebrating the Queen's birthday or Burns night with the British & Commonwealth or the St Andrew's Societies & the InC people did seem a nice bunch. I even met a Scot from Auchterarder & tried to avoid falling on her neck! Americans were definitely in the majority but I suppose that's inevitable in this oil patch. I also took myself to the cinema to see the new George Clooney film which I can't say I was madly impressed by but I think reading subtitles could be a good way to improve my Portuguese.
We've spent less time on the beach this week and there have been a couple of days when there have been signs up warning people not to swim because of the currents. Not that anyone seemed to take any
notice...The waves were definitely bigger and the sea also got rather dirty and smelly but that didn't last long. We've now found a website that monitors the state of the beaches!
Carnaval is what's dominating everything at the moment however. Last weekend we spent a happy hour or so watching the world go by at a local square where samba bands were drawing vast crowds who then drifted onto the beach road for a street party. Vast quantities of cold beer were consumed but the atmosphere remained very convivial which probably wouldn't have been the case at home. We've put a few photos on the blog if anyone's interested.
We found it fascinating how the Brazilians joined in by dressing up - even the cool 16 year olds - and also how while the wealthy (judged by the braces on their teeth!) teenagers drank beer & socialised with their mates, there were kids (& adults) scavenging for their empty beer cans with no obvious tension between the two groups. And this was happening all over Rio. You wonder where all the people come from.
This week the numbers in the city & on the beach have increased massively & you hear many more foreign voices. We bit the bullet and have bought tickets for the Sambadromo - a purpose-built Niemeyer-designed parade ground on the edge of Rio - on Monday evening. We're going to be seeing 5 1st division samba bands doing their thing & collected our tickets yesterday from a delightfully (in retrospect only!) chaotic tourist office after a long wait in a small room without air-conditioning filled with people of all nationalities. The first band comes on at 9pm & as each one has to parade for 90 mins we could be there until about 4am! Somehow I don't think we'll stay the course.
The competition between the bands is very fierce & they're judged on various different levels - floats, music, theme, costume, dancing etc. We're expecting a mix between the Edinburgh Tattoo & West Linton's Whipman Festival - only with better weather!
Anyway I think I should make these blog entries more frequent but shorter. Everything is still so different & exciting! I'll finish with some urls that we've found or been sent that give extra insight on the life we're leading out here. Thanks everyone!

Very much our neck of the woods:
www.independent.co.uk/travel/americas/seeking-the-girl-from-ipanema-in-ipanema-6774202.html

So sorry we missed this (not!):
www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2012/feb/13/brazil-animal-carnival-in-pictures#/%3fpicture%3d385893216%26/index%3d0

All the fun of the carnival:
www.rio-carnival.net/rio_carnival_programs.php

And finally, a very interesting article entitled "Fortune favours the favelas" by Joseph Leahy in the FT on 9/2 but not freely available online...

That's it folks!!