Down and Dirty Block of Mud Carnival
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Partakers of the traditional ‘Bloco da Lama’ — Block of Mud — group got down and dirty this weekend as they performed on Jabaquara beach in the city of Paraty, 163 miles (263 kilometers) from Rio de Janeiro. Even the city’s name has the connotation of revelry — minus a vowel, but it’s actually pronounced as Par-a-CHEE.
Photo Reuters / Sergio Moraes – Brazil
Among other things, people dress up as cave men, don hand-made masks galore, cover themselves with mud and parade through the streets during the carnival festivities, which run throughout Brazil until February 6th.
Photo Reuters / Sergio Moraes – Brazil
‘Blocos’ are typically associated with a particular neighborhood or suburb and while most revolve around music or dancing, others like the Bloco da Lama have their own peculiar twist — in this case it’s all about the mud.
Photo Reuters / Sergio Moraes – Brazil
Paraty is a small colonial town on the west coast of Rio de Janeiro. With beautiful beaches and undisturbed nature it boasts more than 400 years of history.
It was one of most important ports of Brazil and its name was synonymous with cachaça — the most popular and exclusively produced distilled alcoholic beverage in Brazil with1.3 billion liters manufactured each year.
Cachaça is said to differ from rum in that it’s made from sugarcane juice while rum is made from either molasses or sugarcane juice then aged in oak barrels. Cachaça has an alcohol strength between 38% and 48% by volume.
Photo Reuters / Sergio Moraes – Brazil
During the colonial times Paraty was overflowing with painters, poets and intellectuals. The enchanting architecture and tranquil life continue to attract artists world-wide to this day. The cobblestone streets and colonial architecture continues to inspire all forms of artworks.
Photo Reuters / Sergio Moraes – Brazil
Photo Reuters / Sergio Moraes – Brazil
Photo Xinhua / Reuters
Photo Xinhua / Reuters
Photo Adelaide Now
Photo Adelaide Now
Photo Adelaide Now
Photo Adelaide Now
Photo Adelaide Now
Photo Adelaide Now
Photo Adelaide Now
Photo Adelaide Now
Paraty is a popular tourist area, renowned for the beauty of the city and the magnificence of the coast and mountains in the region. The town is located on the Bay of Ilha Grande, which is dotted with many tropical islands. Rising up some 3,300 feet (1,000 meters) behind the city are tropical forests, mountains, and numerous waterfalls.
Paraty is surrounded by many Nature Parks including Serra da Bocaina National Park, Serra do Mar State Park, the Park Reserve of Joatinga and the Environmentally Protected Area of Cairuçu, where the village of Trindade is located.
Bloco da Lama Carnival in Paraty
Source: Wikipedia
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You know, when I think of Rio, I think of sexy. I guess they’re allowed to get dirty and muddy once in awhile
They all are looking like people from dark side.I dont know how much time it will take to get the stink out of them.
that party looks like a raging good time. and sharon (comment 5169), mud is sexy.. just think mud wrestling.
Hi Deborah,
I know what they are, having more mud than anybody else, they’re “Mudder Frolickers”!
However, this looks like a lot of fun. My first cousin and I used to dig small holes in our backyard when we were about 8 years old. We’d fill this up with water and crush the soil with our hands until it turns to mud, then put it all over ourselves. The earthworms we placed on top of our heads. Then we’d go and meet my sister and her guests who were celebrating her birthday party, and enjoy hearing them shriek and run away.
Funny thing is every time there is mischief, relatives always point to me as the instigator. The same was true in school. I wonder why? But the mud thing was one of the best we thought of at that age. –Durano, done!
Yes Sharon, I think that many associate Rio with being sexy, with a lot of hot looking women in particular
Haha, that’s hilarious Weight
Mud wrestling … that’s what came to my mind when I first learned about this carnival, Mattress
I could really do this myself, it looks like such a blast. It would make for a great women’s-only vacation 
Of course the men would likely disagree, hehe.
Hahaha, good one Durano
That’s hilarious what you did as a kid, and i’d likely have screamed myself over the worms.
Now why am I not surprised that you were often labeled as an instigator? I guess it takes one to know one
Many a time my name was called out over the PA in school to go to the principal’s office.
Yes, the mud ploy was pretty ingenious, haha. Scares me to think what you come up with now
These are horrible but if there were womens in bikini then it would be awesome. Mud wrestling is cool unless you are a hygiene freak.
It actually looks like fun to me, Bob
These are cute pictures if you remove mud from it.
Perhaps, Kalvin, but it would be a helluva lot of fun for a mud fight
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There wasn’t enough girls in bikinis! Just kidding, good photos! Looks like fun, getting all messy in the mud!