Samba downtown on Saturdays

A lot of people must come to Rio thinking it's all-carnaval, all-the-time; samba in the streets 24/7. And of course, it's not. Then again, it is. You just need to know where to look. Besides the samba schools and touristy samba-glam shows of Copacabana there actually is a great, fresh samba scene that never, ever stops. It's just a bit more underground outside the normal carnaval seaon. It has little to do with the samba parade that happens one week out of the year - and everything to do with the real music that is the blood supply of the televised event.

In Rio de Janeiro, one of the best "rodas de samba" happens every weekend downtown (centro), on Saturdays. The locus being the streets around the Folha Seca Livraria, R. do Ouvidor, 37 - Centro, Rio de Janeiro

Starting at about 2 pm, the faithful wander in to a lovely few blocks in the older part of downtown near praça quinze (15). Everyone slides into the narrow cobblestone streets, and there are always plenty of tables to be claimed. It;s really a good opportunity to crowd in with the locals and get acquainted. Really.

Little by little musicians appear with the odd instruments of the trade: rhythm and strings. Cheap beer, Cariocas (locals) from all around Rio and of all ages conerge in search of the same vibe: SAMBA. The mix is always broad, the only requirement being that one is a lover of the music, the beer and the weather. This is a street event and as such, there is no cost for admission. For the ladies, there are bathrooms easy to find inside the bars and bookstore. Gents follow the local custom of marking their spot in any nearby alley.

Did I mentio the music? S-a-m-b-a ... from the heart. With soul and plenty of roots. feel your feet start to move unaided by the sonic boom and darkness of a discotheque. Feel the air breeze you away...

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