Carnival time again

Hi everyone,
Before you start thinking I'm going crazy, since we still in january, I must remind you all that Carnival is not only a one week party! All the work is done throughout the year and for that, the samba schools need to do an early start. All of them have already chosen their music for the 2006 parade, all the floats and costumes are being done and people are already practicing on the streets. So, you are around for Rio now, and feel sorry not to see Carnival, you can taste a bit of that at the reharshals. There are many kinds, for all tastes and sizes!
Ok, you want to taste the thing, but you are afraid to leave the confort zone of south zone to the suburbs. Cool, no problem! Some samba schools thought about this audience and they are also performing in clubs around south zone and downtown.

On friday, you can see Mangueira performing at Scala, in Leblon (Rua Afrânio de Mello Franco, 296), starting around 10 pm. Tickets costs R$ 20 (ladies) and R$ 30 (gents).
Another school performing on friday away from their home is Beija-Flor, last year winner. The will be playing until february 24th, starting also at 10 pm, at Claro Hall (its a music hall under Via Parque Shopping in Barra). Tickets goes from R$ 60 to R$ 130.

On saturdays, the options are Portela and Porto da Pedra. Portela, the traditional white and blue from Madureira will perform in Lapa, at the Circo Voador (Rua dos Arcos, s/n), starting at 11 pm. Tickets costs R$ 30 and bloco Quizomba opens for them.
Porto da Pedra, from Niterói, plays at Clube Sirio Libanês in Botafogo (Rua marquês de olinda, 38), starting at 10 pm. Tickets costs R$ 10 (ladies) and R$ 20 (gents).

But for those looking for the real thing, the best option is to go to the suburbs, on their home field, where the people that will parade hang out every weekend, where english is not that spoken and where it takes around an hour to get buy taxi (and costs around R$ 25 - 35 the ride). But worth it! Here is a selection of three good schools, easy to get and not that far from the south zone.

Mangueira is one of the most popular samba schools in Rio. Therefore, their reharshals are always full of famous people, actors, politcians and tourists. The practice on saturdays at their gym at Rua Visconde de Niterói, 1.072 (MUST GO BY TAXI - ITS ON THE BOTTON OF THE FAVELA) and tickets costs R$ 20, starting at 10 pm.

Salgueiro is known for its beautiful people on their area, in the traditional Tijuca, a neighborhood on the north zone. Not being on the favela is a plus, and thats why many tourist buses drop by many gringos every saturday night. They are at Rua Silva Telles, 104. Tickets costs R$ 30, starting around 10 pm.

Vila Isabel is also a traditional samba school, but spent the 90'ies and early 2000 on the second division, after winning the 1988 first division parade . 2006 will be their second year back to the elite of the samba schools. They reharsh every saturday night (starting around 10 pm), at their gym on the end of Boulevard 28 de setembro (main street of the neighborhood). No tourists (so far), lots of locals, old people, children and tickets not over R$ 10 (last time I went they charged me one real, but may varies when is near february).


Thats not all, but I must go. I will comeback during the week with more info about the street blocos from carnival, other night clubs and, summer main event - Rolling Stones in Rio!

Have fun!
Gabriela