Carnival in Rio is Hot!
Mr. and Mrs. Sleuth have just returned from a cruise to Carnival in Rio—stopping first in Barbados to “sleuth out” Rihanna’s childhood home and Sandy Lane golf resort’s 19th hole, the site of Tiger Woods’ marriage to Elin. But that was just “fore•play” for the main event …
“The origins of Carnival are unclear,” notes one historian, “but most agree it started as a pagan celebration in ancient Rome or Greece”—“carne vale” literally means “go away, meat”—the last gasp before fasting for Lent. “Carnival balls were imported to Rio de Janeiro from Italy in the late 19th century, and had their golden era in the 1930s through 50s, with the most legendary ball taking place at the historic Copacabana Palace.”
The Sleuths were lucky enough to attend the Copa’s “Magic Ball” this year … other guests included Madonna, former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger and perennial party girl Paris Hilton …. and they were blown away by the elaboratenes—and explicitness—of the attendees’ costumes! The only problem was in guessing the gender of the revealing revelers—even the restrooms were unisex—though Sleuth is pretty sure that this dancer in décolletage he snapped as she samba’d by was a girl.