Getting into the Carnival Swing

We had a lovely evening with Claudio and Simone, who introduced us to Bar Brasil in São Salvador in the area of Flamengo.

Claudio was one of the trainee teachers on the CELTA I ran here in a Rio in (gulp!) January 2008. It was my first experience of staying in Rio on my own and my first experience of running a CELTA out of the centre where I worked full-time (Budapest at that time). I needn't have worried as the trainees were absolutely lovely and the school and staff very welcoming. It was also my first real taste of Copacabana, as Bb and I had always stayed in Ipanema on visits to Rio. And last but not least, it was the first time I walked down the street here in which Bb now own our little studio. It was a beautiful Saturday morning and I called Bb to tell him about the lovely tree-lined street I'd found and that I'd bring him back here on our next visit. The next time we found ourselves on the street, by pure chance, was three years later when the estate agency brought us here to show us the first property. I recognized it immediately!

Anyway....back to now. Lovely seeing Claudio again, meeting his lovely wife Simone and being introduced to a great square in Flamengo, where the carnival is how I think it should be: informal, spontaneous, inclusive and lots of fun!

Claudio and Simone may pop in here to say hello by the way and may even join blip!

Bb's shot of the square