Sometimes your dream comes true earlier than expected. One of mine has been participating in carnival. I’ve seen it on films and TV and have imagined myself in the middle of folklore with happy people dancing in glamorous, tiny costumes to samba rhythms. Of course you all know it’s supposed to be a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus and a public street party. I’ve also read that the Carnival Season is a holiday period during the two weeks before the traditional Christian fasting of Lent. In my mind it also contains hot, sensual movements with belly dancing girls and partying all night long. In my mind until now, it also takes place in a warm climate and countries like Brazil, Colombia or Honduras.
Last weekend, my dream came true! We had a couple friends over in our vacation house in Sweden and were looking up “what’s on this weekend” on the net. It says: “Karneval in MaRIOstad”! Typically referring to Rio de Janeiro and setting people in the right mood. We where so exited and could hardly wait until Saturday evening as the parade would take place at 7PM. I charged my mobile phone to the fullest and was ready to soak in the spectacular scenery. So I went crazy, shot 50 pictures and two videos and for me it’s great to declare that carnival can take place in cool Scandinavia, the best place to chill:-)
Bear with my excitements – I’ve also seen better photos – but I’m true to my profile of showing my daily life documented with my mobile phone shots. Some of my post is about ordinary things and some from special occasions. For me, this was a thrill money can’t buy.
Some performers were of a more local kind, but they all had a great time and participated with heart and soul. They where singing and dancing and gave the audience a jolly good time. Some were even very enthusiastic and eager to be photographed and for all I know, was hoping to be a star or the winner of the best costume or performance trophies.
One truck, full of children, caught my eye more than others though. When I saw them, I was thinking a new star is born. Maybe a new Agnetha Fältskog, as in Abba. They became famous after winning the European Song Contest in 1974 singing Waterloo. This girl and her fellow friends could have started her career at this very Carnival in MaRIOstad – who knows:-) At least they did their best and as you can see had great fun doing it. That’s the right carnival attitude, don’t you think? Off course I had to try the video function on my mobile phone and this is how it came out:
If you like to see more pics, please see my Flickr account. For those who want more information about this town, click here and have a look around. It’s a charming town and maybe you will party with us at the next carnival in September 2007? We have plenty of room in our vacation house:-)
Trinidad is also quite famous for its Carnival celebration. i wrote about it back in february if you want to dig around my archives a bit. Trinis are very proud of their carnival. i had no idea there was a carnival in norway. very interesting! you definitely cannot hear that m,usic and resist the urge to dance can you?
Mamma Mia! Well, she certainly can carry a tune, and she is a cute little thing. I’m not holding out huge hopes for her recording career though. Those kids have something of the deer-in-headlights about them.
Hope you had a nice weekend, Renny!
Oh, you so impress me! You are doing what we are attempting to do in our hometown, and now I want to do an “Exchange Blogger” thing. I have to figure out how to get us to MaRIOstad and you to Sault Ste. Marie for the Summer of 2007.
… any ideas…?
wow^0^ lovely shots Renny!
my sept.1 entry or post was about samba
parade, held nearby our place…
hot belly dancers*wink*
check it out!
okay i’ll think about partying with
you on the next carnival! hahaha
Wow so cool! I love the video, the pictures and how I wished that we have some kind of celebration here!
Nice shots there remmy!
and honestly, i thought what you meant by being part of a carnival is you’re really one of those performing :)
Cool! I must confess I first didn’t believed my eyes. A carnival in Sweden…Quite unexpected.
From your pictures I can see it was “hot”!
So, did you danced the samba with one of those sexy girls ? ;-)
Great post! Hope to get to Rio for a big Carnival one day…care to join me??? I am sending a link of this to my friend from Brasi, I am sure she will love it.
Scarlet
An open invitation to stay at your home. Careful we could accept!
Hey RennyBA,
Looks like you had a great time!
I simply must visit someday, although by then your couch will be booked for years in advance, what with all this good advertising about how lovely it is there!
That’s rather exotic in Scandinavia. Great pics, it captured the revelry of the occasion. :-) I so want to go to Brazil and get lost in the middle of the Mardi Gras! Crosses fingers!
You are such a great blogger, Renny! I declare. And your dream came true!! That little video is classic home-town fun and excitement. I still can’t get over what a great job your mobile phone does at taking pics. Such a great over-all feel of your special Scandinavian carnival. Who ever would have thought!
@Lime: Your Trinidad carnival was great! I really had the urge to dance – yes!
@Nome: You might be right, but she was a great amateur.
@LesBecker: What a great idea this ‘Exchange blogger thing’!! I would love to go to Sault Ste. Marie next summer and having you over would be a thrill. I know we can work something out – let’s join our creativeness and keep in touch!
@yorokobee: Your carnival post was tempting and great too – thanks for sharing! How nice to hear you will come next year too. It will be a great blog carnival gathering and by watching your portfolio, you would make it great in that sort of costumes!
@Charles: You have to come with next year too then!
@Grish: Thanks for the compliments.
@Tin-Tin: You’ve got me. I’m the man in the pic to the left of these girls singing in the car LoL!!
@Sidney: It was unexpected for me too! But noooo, stupid me, I did not danced with this sexy girl. Was to occupied with photographing – but next time:-)
@Scarlet: Of course I would love to go to Rio with you dear – any time:-)
@TravelItaly: Challenge us – you’re welcome!
@BarefootMistress: We will always find room for you and your family Susie:-)
@Mark: I cross both fingers and toes for being in Mardi Gras too!
@Ginnie: Thanks for the declaration – I’m flattered! Yes it was an exciting adventure as I would never thought it was possible here in Scandinavia. But dreams might come true some times you know:-)
Your festival sounds really special. Calling over from to say hi from `The Queer Chef’, best wishes, The Artist
Hi RennyBa,
I feel that in 1 1/2 weeks of not being able to spend as much time on the computer that I have lost so much of my in touch.
I love the piece. I am quite curious about this guy above me a few up from Sault Ste Marie.
He is 7 hrs away from me. I will have to look up his blog….
In our area it is the harvest festival fair time.
Wow! It looks and sounds like such a fun time. Thanks for sharing!!
BTW, baseball is a fun sport to watch and play. It’s too bad it’s not popular there :(
What’s up Renny. I hear ya on wanting to participate in a carnival. Me and my brother got to lead the Irish Fest parade through downtown Milwaukee, WI (where I live). It was awesome because there were probably 10,000 people at the parade and we got to carry the opening banner. Looks like you had a good time. Cheers!
You can read my brother’s post about the parade at one of his blogs here: http://milwaukeemark.blogspot.com/2006/03/its-not-every-day-you-lead-parade.html
wow renny! You’ve got the fan club and you looked like you had a great time…
I’d love to be traveling… I have no clue what’s in store for my travels more than feeling homesick and traveless.
But I definitely need to get to Norway area for summer photos!!! Ireland wins out firsst unfortunately though!
still – sounds like so much fun!
I have never been to a carnival, although I have attended many parades and festivals which were usually over-crowded and super-noisy and not that much fun. I think that the carnival might be more entertaining, though; I’ll have to let you know once I actually have the pleasure of experiencing one!
you’re the one driving? i don’t think so. doesn’t look like you :)
well, it’s nice that you finally got to experience carnival. if you are ever in london in august, the carnival is HUUUGGEEE. you’d really think you were in rio. it’s like the real thing. sounds like you had a good time!
omg, thats really cool! i love those kind of parade :)
The You Tube is cool :) meaning your mobile the best ever!!!
That looks like the NOttinghill festival here in London!
@TheArtist: It was special. Thanks so much for the visit and welcome back any time!
@Lynn: I know how it is and thanks for the compliments.
Yes do check LesB – I think it is a great idea, don’t you?
@Teena: Your welcome! Well, outside US, I think football or soccer as you call it, is the most popular.
@Bluesphee: Thanks for sharing and I just love it. Been to your brother’s and it was great too!
@ExpatTraveler: Glad you liked it too. It’s hard to accept that Iceland is on top of the list, but as long as you finally make it to Norway, I’ll forgive you LoL
@Mrs.Loquacious: Well in Sweden it is in a much smaller scale you know. Please keep me posted if you experience one!
@Tin-tin: No, no, I meant the picture to the left of that pic LoL!!
@April: I just have to go to London in August then – will you guide me?
@Ethel: Thanks – nicely said!
@Missy: Is that the same as April is talking about – in August?
Sounds like fun to me!!
BTW, thanks for stoppin by my blog.
i’m so sorry. i didn’t recognize you. it’s really you! hahahaha. just kidding :)
Thanks for coming to visit my blog from 25 peeps!
I love to hear from someone in Norway! That is where my grandmother and grandfather on my mother’s side came from! So I am very interested!
I will have to blogroll you!
Sweden sounds like a fun place! Is there a Norwegian equivalent?
Wow lucky you renny! you don’t need to fly to Brazil to experience all these!
btw, can you do samba?:)
Have a great one,too! take care!!
There seem to be a lot of cultural activities going on in Norway – lucky you!
@Mark: It was real fun – your welcome!
@Tin-tin: You recognise my tie, right? :-)
@Karen!: Great to have new readers and also with families from Norway! Thanks for blogrolling me, I’ve returned the favour:-)
@Barbara: We have a lot of parades in different kinds, but I’ve never seen a carnival like this.
@CheH: Yea, great to save some money you know! Yes I can do Samba – actually I was a competitive dancer when I was young and Latin American’s dance was my specialty.
@Richard: Well, actually this was in Sweden, but Scandinavia all the same.
Just tell me when and I will be there. I hope you have a guest room.
You always have such fabulous pictures on here. It is truly a great place to visit…
@Amber: I’ll keep you posted and if there will be plenty of you, there are very nice accommodations in Mariestad:-)
@LoveMom: I’m glad you like them and please come back any time for more adventures and pics!
That looks like lots of fun.. I’d love to party with you, but I’m really not sure how to go back in time to 2007! ;-)
I feel like a trip like this would be equal for us to go to Seattle.
This years carnival seems to be the best so far.
btw. Have the the Town changed name? Ref yout title