Copenhagen Carnival 2010 – in Fælledparken 21, 22, 23 May

Copenhagen carnival - the electronic stage

Copenhagen Carnival is a cultural event being held every year at Fælledparken in Copenhagen. Copenhagen Carnival is a three-day music festival organized by the Fonden Copenhagen Carnival.

Copenhagen Carnival is one of Copenhagen’s largest cultural events, with the three-day festival in Fælledparken and its impressive parade, every year offers a wide and varied selection of music and experiences.

Copenhagen Carnival was expanded in 2009 with several new initiatives. Among others a club-oriented scene with a wide range of exciting names from home and abroad.

Carnival was first held in 1982 with the theme “The street is the stage and you’re the entertainer”, the time of unification “Carnival in May” (KIM). The event was later taken over by the National Association Carnival in Copenhagen (KIK), which organized the carnival until 2007.

Carnival in May was started by the resident British artist John Little in 1981. He had experienced carnival in the Caribbean and was impressed by the joy and imagination it expressed. In Denmark John started Carnival in May, (KIM) as the group was called, got a small office in Krystal gade to raise money, do PR and start local groups that were trained in samba by Simba, a carnival dancer. PR effort included the small local parades, such as the football game in the Sports Park and around the streets and a compilation of press.

The PR group expected 200,000 participants to carnival in Fælledparken in 1982, and it made all the headlines. Since the weather was good the carnival was a huge success. Aside from cleaning up which ended up costing the city a fortune due to the many broken bottles that had been used to beat rhythm with.

The following year was purchased large quantities of cheap rhythm instruments in Brazil, which the inner circle of the Carnival Committee had sponsored tickets for inspiration, take pictures, make movies and shopping together with magasin and the Brazilian airline VARIG who flew the purchases to Denmark for free.

The carnival got an explovsive growth and this culminated in 1986 when around two million people, according to police and newspapers, visited Strøget and the inner city.

In 1994 new people took over and and formed the National Association KIK (Carnival in Copenhagen), which was an umbrella organization of the samba schools, carnival groups, stage bands, entertainer troupes and other groups and associations that deal with popular culture in Denmark.

The National Association Carnival in Copenhagen, however, had difficulty in making the ends meet and had to close down in 2008.

Long it seemed that there would not be be organized carnival in 2008, but the Copenhagen samba schools entered into a collaboration and hired a professional management, with Morten Sørensen in the front, to run the carnival.

This decision proved to be vital for Copenhagen carnival. For the first time in several years the carnival came out with a surplus, despite the new leadership having had less than two months to get everything in place.

The great result created optimism in the carnival environment and to ensure continuity in the organization of the annual carnival in Copenhagen, they decided to create Fonden Copenhagen Carnival.

Fonden Copenhagen Carnival is also working to publicize the music and culture from all countries of the world through various musical and cultural events – but with special focus on Brazil and samba.

Children’s Carnival is also in Fælledparken with workshops, play areas etc. Saturday and Sunday until, at 18:00. Friday is the institution carnival with workshops and children’s performances on stage.

Over time the carnival evolved to be Denmark’s biggest festival of world music. More than 100 orchestras, groups and artists each year make a contribute to the festivities. The event is free for all, and you can experience music from a variety of scenes in Fælledparken.

This is an event you should absolutely not miss. Whether you are into music or not -it’s a perfect opportunity to meet with your friends in the park and just have a fun day out.

NB: Information about the carnival was found on Wikipedia and the picture above is from the electronic scene in Fælledparken.

Ilha Grande: A tropical paradise in Brazil

Ilha Grande: A tropical paradise in Brazil
Ilha Grande: A tropical paradise in Brazil

Ilha Grande is a beautiful island located 150 km southwest of Rio de Janeiro. It is Brazil’s third largest island and has a tropical scenery and nice beaches. The hillsides are covered in lush forests which are remnants of the Mata Atlantica ecosystem. The land area is 193 km ² and the highest point is Pico da Pedra D’Água, at 1031 m.

This Atlantic rainforest holds some of the largest remaining populations of many endangered species, including the red-ruffed fruitcrow (Pyroderus scutatus), the brown howler monkey (Alouatta fusca), the maned sloth (Bradypus torquatus), the red-browed Amazon parrot (Amazona rhodocorytha), and the broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris).

The seas around the island, which are also protected, has a unique mix of tropical, subtropical, and temperate-zone marine life, and may be the only waters in the world where it is possible to see corals and tropical fish along with Magellanic penguins and southern right whales.

The entire island is a protected area, with most of its territory included in Ilha Grande State Park, and the rest subject to stringent development restrictions. Small-scale ecotourism, however, is encouraged, and the island, which is road-less and off-limits to cars, features over 150 km of hiking trails connecting the handful of coastal villages and hamlets, where lodging is available, to one another and to the many beaches, mountain peaks, waterfalls, and pristine forests.

I visited there during the winter of 2009, but the weather was still pleasant. The island was the scene of a devastating mudslide on January 1st 2010 killing at least 19 people.

Video: Rio De Janeiro – the most beautiful big city in the world

Rio De Janeiro truly occupies the most spectacular setting on the earth. I have never been to a city with a more beautiful location. The city may have a reputation for being dangerous as well – but believe me -it’s worth a visit. Gorgeous mountains, rain forest and white-sand amazing beaches…what more can you possibly wish for?!? By nightfall, the seductive sound of samba fills the streets, and if you are not seduced by the incredibly friendly Brazilians, you will for surely be seduced by the music and dancing.

Few things you definitely should not miss while in Rio: the stunning view from Cristo Redentor, sunsets on Ipanema, people watching at Copacabana beach, a stroll through Santa Teresa and samba clubs in Lapa…all amazing things to do!

I am not a city person – but i really loved Rio De Janeiro and would love to return one day.

Podcast: Amazon River boat trip, Brazil

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We made this podcast on a 6 day boat trip upriver (East to West) from Manaus in the Amazonas region of Brazil, to Tabatinga, on the Peruvian / Brazilian border.

In the podcast we discuss how to find a boat in Manaus (Brazil), the costs of river boat travel, hammocks Vs. cabins, being a vegetarian on board (and general food options), and the risk of malaria and using anti-malarials like Larium. We also report live after our boat suffered a break down and started drifting helplessly back downstream!

Amazon River Boat Trip - Manaus to Tabatinga in Brazil

Links

More photos of Manaus and our Amazon river boat trip

COMING SOON – Video of our Amazon river boat trip

Video: Boat trip up Rio Amazonas in Brazil

Sailing up the Rio Amazonas in Brazil was a dream come true. When you board in Manaus and head for Tabatinga (on the border with Peru) you are sailing up river and the trip is longer than vice-verse. We spent 7 days on the boat.

Make sure to see the boats in Tabatinga before you buy a ticket. There are big quality differences. I would highly recommend “Fenix” which is the boat we took. The food was good (if you eat meat…which I don’t) and the captain and crew very organised.

It is not that you see a lot of the Amazonas when you sail on the river, but the fact that you are on a slow boat and can do absolutely nothing except sleeping, reading, writing articles, making love (if you are a couple…which we were not) etc. makes it extremely relaxing to be on-board. And you also get an insight into life in the small towns along the river where the boat load and unload goods.

We paid to have a cabin for 7 days. This cost us 300$ for two – so 150$ each. The cabin was small, but cosy with wooden walls, air conditioner and bathroom inside (with brown river-water…but it was a bathroom :-))

To string up your hammock on the deck for 7 days would cost around 100$, so if you are two people it is well-worth your money to pay the extra 50$ each and have the luxury and security (for your things) of a cabin.

I absolutely loved the Rio Amazonas boat trip and highly recommend it.

The video above gives you an idea what a cargo boat trip on the Rio Amazonas entails.