In the meantime...

While many in the U.S. (and rest of the world, for that matter) are going about their business completely unawares, only a couple of weeks ago, the worlds biggest party took place: Carnaval. For those who don't know (and you can thank me later), Carnaval is a weeklong party which a friend described, quite appropriately as 'the only party i've ever been to that has lived up to the hype.' And for the record, the hype for Carnaval in Brazil is enormous; from the day the festivities end, people are talking about next year's Carnaval. It is unlike anything else on earth.

Now if you are just a novice, you might book your ticket directly to Rio de Janeiro and enjoy a week of elaborate costumes and a lot of samba. I can't knock that. I love samba and I love elaborate costumes, particularly on Brazilian women. However, if you've got an inside source, or maybe you're just the type of person who likes to go the extra mile in your research, you will most likely be headed to Salvador.

Normally I would spend the next hour detailing all of the wild aspects and stories of Carnaval in Salvador (for the festivities, the city's population doubles), but unfortunately, I don't have that kind of time. Therefore, I am going to recycle the experiences of my two compatriots at the time (and the other 2/3 of the Bahia Boys Coalition); O Chefao (David 'Silkk' Williams) and O Atrevido (James 'I don't want girlfriends, I just want girls to be my friends' Hairston). I think you will find their observations clear and insightful (and at times, perhaps a bit surreal), and before you know it, you may find yourself on www.expedia.com, trying to book your tickets for next year's Carnaval.

Enjoy!