On Carnaval Sunday, we decided to take a break from all the parades and costumes and head for the beach. It was a nice, hot day, and Leblon was having one of those rare days that are perfect for families with small children: small, mellow waves, and a high tide that formed mini-pools up on the sand for the kiddies to splash around. Carolina put on her Princess Ariel bikini, and off she went!

Digging... digging... oops! I think we sprung a leak!

Carol's favorite game: Throw all the nice shells daddy saved for me back into the sea.

Talking to the sand crabs

Guess she didn't like what they had to say

Dada was on call at the hospital that night. Guess that means no Carnaval fun, right? Wrong! As luck (or pure statistical odds) would have it, there was a bloco forming right outside her hospital an hour or two before her shift. It was called “Maracangalha”, probably named after the samba / bossa nova tune of the same name (“Eu vou pra Maracangalha, eu vou…“), but they seemed to be playing a mix of samba-enredo and marchinhas, probably just as a ruse to be allowed to wander around in the middle of the street drinking beer.

Ready... aim...

...fire!

Carolina and friends - Pedro on the left, Bia on the right, and Helena, the butterfly in the background

Helena with mom Lina (as a zebra), daddy as a... Winnie the Pooh gringo thing, and Carol as "Grandma Kat"

Confetti seems to go farther the higher up you are when you throw

What's better than cat ears? Cat AND mouse ears!

A quick look at the zaniness... less costumes = more beer, less fun. The car over there is the mini "trio elêtrico".