Carnaval 2007!!!! Salvador da Bahia 2/15/07 -- 2/22/07

Carnaval in Salvador, Bahia is famous for being a large street party attracting millions of people to drink, dance, and celebrate happiness. Spanning a distance of 7 km over 6 days, carnaval is a festival leading up to Lent yet seems to continue for weeks on end. As compared to the flashy costumes and stadium venue of Rio, carnaval in Bahia is best describe by the quote from Carlinhos Brown, a Bahian superstar, who says, "We play, not for money, but to celebrate happiness. Our carnival is a street carnival. It is for everyone, not just for those with money."
So we put on our best makeup....

...which kept getting more creative as the days went on (even Mishka got into his groove thang)Flexed out lean-mean-fighting machinges muscles. . .
and hit the streets HARD!
During carnaval, each day starts in the afternoon, at the beach,with drums in the background, a skol in your hand, and some locals clapping out a wicked beat....ahhhhhhhh! And each day ends with some cracked out smiles, peeled makeup, exhausted bodies . . . and finally rest, it doesn´t matter how. . . as long as the eyes are closed!If anyone has ever read the ``Dangers and Annoyances`` section of the Lonely Planet, or if you have any kind of common sense at all, you don´t:
1. wear skirts
2. wear anything that can be pulled off
3. wear jewelry that costs more than 2 dollars
4. give too much attention any one man for over 2 minutes seconds. Remember, first it´s a dance, then they want a kiss, then it´s a staucker situation on the loose.
5. carry any money in your pockets. The whole night you will be sticking your hand in your pockets and pulling arms out.
6. carry a camera of course, which is why there is a lack of pictures of the actual carnaval!!! Lots of props to Ivie, Anna, and Erika for supplying the little bit that I have....

Here are some highlights:

Props go out to the man himself...the amazing Greyson Products!!!! Amazin´Greyson!!


This is B´Ni, the coolest man on this planet!! A lover of life, and man of the people!


Also, my baby vistited me during carnaval which made me a very happy woman:) Thank you darling for being an amazing man and marvelous boyfriend!
After the commotion of Carnaval, Talia and I decided to visit Praia de Forte. It was a bit touristy but the beach did have a reserve for turtles...which we had more pictures, but this is all we could muster. Huge turtles, little baby turtles, fish, sharks, and a beautiful beach to boot. And as a wonderful side note...I was sitting on the beach enjoying the nice breeze when two guys on horseback offered to give me a free ride down to some natural lagoons a few miles down the beach. There I was, a true damsel, bouncing up and down the beach on a glorious white mare...ahh, life is good to me!!!