A Complex and Beautiful Culture
A Brazilian cruise would be best timed to coincide with the country's world-famous festival, Carnival. The festival originated when the Church incorporated pagan celebrations of thanksgiving into its calendar. Portugal was particularly fond of these celebrations, and brought it to the New World where it caught on quickly. Carnival occurs to mark the start of Lent, as a "farewell to the pleasures of the flesh". The occasion is marked by elaborate costumes, several parades, incredible regional music, and samba performances.
Brazil's music diverges from other musical styles of South America. The country is famous for samba, bossa nova, frevo, and foro. The samba is Brazil's unofficial national music style. Its roots are African, and it is full of intricate harmonies made with drums and a type of guitar.
Paulo Coelho has marked the Brazilian literary scene of modern times. His great works include The Alchemist, By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept, and The Pilgrimage.
And, of course, a Brazilian cruise should include a football (soccer) game. The Brazilian football team is world famous, with five World Cup championships under their belt. Brazil is often considered the strongest football nation in the world, and so the sport is very much a part of Brazilian culture.
Brazil is also becoming known for capoeira, which is a fight-dance and marshal art. It was created by enslaved Africans as a sly method of maintaining their skills and physical shape under the watchful eyes of their masters. It is highly fluid, skillful, and beautiful to watch.
