annika hagen

in Brazil, Carnival is not enough. They must have several Pre-Carnivals!!

I joined in on this one in São Paulo this past weekend in the district of Pompeia. Amazing fun!

I was told before hand that this was just going to be a small little thing. If this is their definition of small..... holy moly. It was wild, exuberant, full of awesome people and some of the most fun I've had at a street party. From block to block this crowd traveled as one, circumnavigating about 20 blocks in a square. We were entrenched for several hours and I imagine it was going to continue long into the night. What a great vibe, what great stomping samba beats.... the only thing separating me from the rest of the hundreds of people there..... I was the only person not singing along to every song. I have some carnival samba songs to learn! I think I will start with “Me dá um Dinheiro aí” which, as the song was translated to me, goes "hey you, give me your money!"

found this video on youtube to give a better idea - fun to watch even if you don't speak portuguese... there's a quick moment you can spot me next to the bateria dancing.