Carnival "Blocos" in Brazil Bring Thousands to the Streets

02/09/2015 - 09h23

The last weekend before Carnival brought thousands to the streets to take part in "blocos," a type of pre-revelry street party.

In São Paulo, the 41 blocos that paraded on Sunday (8) attracted 120,000 people, according to city officials.

The largest agglomeration of revelers took to the streets of Vila Madalena -the same neighborhood that was the most popular during the World Cup- and Pinheiros, in the west end of the city, with more than 50,000 people.

The theme for costumes was city's current water crisis.

Engineer Diego Estrozi, 29, left home wearing only a towel, a shower cap and sneakers.

"The water was turned off while I was showering and I couldn't put on clean clothes," he sneered.

In Rio, the Petra Bloco, started by Preta Gil, daughter of Gilberto Gil, brought out 350,000 people.

Translated by JILL LANGLOIS

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