Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 32oC, very hot, sunny and stormy.
A lazy day! Why a lazy day? No early morning exercise, no online study and few classes to give.
It is the eve of the carnival, and already, the atmosphere in Rio is different. People have resigned from working at their normal pace, and now it is a countdown for Friday, the first day of the carnival.
Copacabana is packed with people, tourists, partygoers, etc, like faces pressed against a train or bus window. It is both good and bad. It’s good because there is movement in the streets, interesting and beautiful people everywhere, and some ugly ones too.
Excitement fills the air as people eagerly anticipate the upcoming festivities. Street parades, processions, drinking, and flirting are all on the agenda. In fact, a kiss during carnival is almost a certainty, much like the inevitability of death.
Brazil is currently facing significant political and economic problems. It makes me wonder if we have truly progressed much in the last 2,000 years since the time of the Romans. This thought is especially striking given that Brazil is a young and relatively immature country, with a society that is only 500 years old.
During Roman times, Caesar would control the people with bread, water and a spectacle. Today, in Brazil, we have The World Cup, The Olympics, Carnival and even Brazilian soap operas to distract us and maybe provide a little hope. However, these distractions are only temporary, and when they end, we return to our harsh reality.
In Brazil, most people struggle to survive and work hard to provide for their families. Distractions like a shot, a joint, or a flight only offer a brief escape from the hardships of life. When we return, we find ourselves in a worse situation than before.
The World Cup is a never-ending cycle. As soon as one tournament ends, the qualifying rounds for the next one begin shortly after. It’s one of the few international tournaments where Brazil is respected globally. However, Senna and Pele, who were once Brazil’s pride, are no longer with us.
Carnival is an event that takes place every year and serves as a perfect escape valve for people. Brazilian soap operas provide bottled hope to the viewers. They are usually aired for 10 months, during which the villains continually mess up everybody’s lives. However, in the last episode, the villain dies, and everyone lives happily ever after.
In bed by 8:30 p.m.
Thank you.
Thanks for reading my blog. Check out my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments.
Richard
