costumes – Snapping The Globe

Carnivale Time!

Being a Louisiana native, experiencing Mardi Gras is something that I was able to check off of my bucket list many times over the years.

If attending Mardi Gras was number one on my list of all-time greatest parties, then experiencing Rio’s Carnivale was a close second.

The thought of attending Carnivale in Rio was something that had intrigued me for many years. I had been to Rio before and although I had navigated the city without incident, I must admit, I understood that it wasn’t the safest of places, so trying to find a hotel room and trying to figure out how the parades worked scared me off.

Luckily, I found myself in the position to be able to travel to Rio for work during Carnivale and actually be there for a whole forty-eight hours! The hotel room was secured, but I still had a lot of work to do to figure out how to go to the parades and festivities. And where were they by the way?

After phone calls to a friend with contacts in the city and a lot of googling, I learned a lot. Mainly that Carnival’s festivities differ a bit from Mardi Gras.

A friend explained that she had visited before and took part in the street parties that navigated the roadways in many of the neighborhoods. She described the costumes that the participants wore (a lot of tu-tus and bikini tops) and how crowded the areas could become thus necessitating many security measures. It was definitely something I probably would not want to do alone. She had never, however, gone to the Sambadrome to see the parades that roll through nightly.

Hmmm. Costumes needed to be packed and I was informed that the hotel would probably have a schedule for the street parties. But…this was not what I envisioned.

The Sambadrome…this was what I wanted to do! How could I say I had been to Rio’s Carnivale and not get to truly experience it in the Sambadrome? It did not take long to find a few websites advertising tickets for the parades. And yes…we were arriving Saturday morning and there were still tickets for that night’s festivities in the Sambadrome! Now, I just had to find friends to join me or would I be comfortable going by myself?

Reaching out to my coworkers, I found that a couple were excited to accompany me. We purchased tickets for Saturday night and everything was in place for a fun time.

And then I got the text.

Another of my coworkers, who originally hails from Rio, received a call from a friend. Did she or anyone else want to be a part of the Santa Cruz Samba school in the parade Saturday night?

Even though we had just purchased our tickets to watch the parade, we decided that this was an opportunity that we could not pass up! We could actually be IN the parade! This was truly the opportunity of a lifetime!

Quickly forwarding our costume sizes, we then found that we had to learn a song for our debut in the Sambadrome!

In Portuguese!

The day before the parade!

We embraced the challenge and wrote the song out phonetically…a bit of nonsensical jargon that only we could understand and any Brazilian would laugh at! Practicing all night, on our flight to Rio…it was quite comical!

Upon our arrival in Rio de Janeiro, we were quite exhausted but nevertheless excited. After finding a way to get our costumes, which were located an hour away, my Brazilian friend called us down into the lobby of the hotel to give us the huge bags with what we would be wearing that night.

Next on the list…finding the hotel where our tickets were to be picked up. We had ordered through a company called Bookers International. The website was easy to use and their representatives were extremely friendly and helpful when I reached out with the many questions that I had. Their setup at the Atlantic Hotel Copacabana was in a meeting room adjacent to the lobby and after a short wait outside, we were ushered in and our ticket packet was handed over to us.

Now, we only had a short time to get money (not easy when many of the ATMs were boarded up) and have dinner!

Getting dressed was thrilling! This was really happening and when we arrived in the lobby, all eyes were on us! There were many people who wanted to take pictures with us! Later, I would think back on this time and our costumes. They were interesting, but quite bulky…in fact, I think we looked a bit like green and white power rangers! When I finally saw some of the other costumes in the Sambadrome, I realized how much better they could have been!

Getting to the Sambadrome was not an easy feat. After investigating shuttle options, my friend decided that we would take Uber. Only because she was a native speaker was the reason that I agreed, as I had read that private cars were not allowed on the roadways near the Sambadrome. She was convinced, however, that we could get close enough.

The traffic was heavy and we barely fit inside the car with our unwieldy outfits. True to what I had learned, traffic was detoured a few blocks from the venue. Pulling over to the curb, we gathered our headdresses and made our way down the road, eyeing the lighted stadium in the distance.

The streets were wet from an earlier rainfall and the cheap shoes given to us made it hard to walk comfortably, each step causing distress on our soles. Finally, however, the roar of the crowd became deafening and we made our way into the ring. Walking along the outer reaches, we found the area where the many samba schools and floats were lined up.

Weaving our way around elegantly bedecked participants and huge, colorful floats, we walked for what seemed like miles. Even though we were running late, it was too hard not to lag behind and take these one-of-a-kind photos of the calm before the storm. Realizing that we had gone the wrong way, we finally turned in the opposite direction before finally spotting others dressed like us! The Santa Cruz Samba School!

Our entrance into the Sambadrome had been scheduled for eleven o’clock, however, the early rainstorms that had plagued the city had caused some major delays. We had a couple of drinks. We waited in line for the bathroom. We sat on the curb. We took a walk. We made friends. That eleven o’clock march into the Sambadrome finally turned into one o’clock in the morning. And by this time, the rain had returned.

*Free seats for observers who want to watch the line-ups or for those unable to purchase seats in the Sambadrome*

Excitement was high as we linked arms with those marching beside us. Lining up in rows of twelve, we finally moved forward entering the amazing Sambadrome.

The crowds roared and our song played.

Santa Cruz de Barbalha-Um Conto Popular No Cariri Cearense

Saudade tenho do meu Cariri
Minha terra onde nasci
E deixei meu coração
O verde admirava da varanda
Era doce minha lida
O suor do meu sertão

Êh muié guerreira
Batiza o meu lugar
A bênção a Padim Padi Ciço
Vi capitão Virgulino
Que se chamou Lampião
Maria Bunita da saia rendada
Me ensina menina prendada
A cantar como o Rei do Baião

Oh moça solteira
Oh pau da bandeira iaiá
Oh moça solteira
Pede ao santo padroeiro
Um sinhô pra ser seu par

Onde versa o trovador
Nasce a fé e alegria
No Araripe o soldadinho
Anuncia um novo dia
Nos altares eu pedi ao pai
E na fonte agradeci em paz

Lava a minha alma e cura minha dor
No peito a Santa Cruz do amor

Vou voltar
Santo Antônio de Barbalha
Ilumine essa batalha
Minha gente pede ao céu
Vou voltar
Santo Antônio de Barbalha
Ceará tem paraíso em forma de cordel

Onde plantei o meu valor
Colhi meus ideais
Vai ressoar o meu tambor
A voz que ecoa dos canaviais

Having been told that we were under the scrutiny of the judges, stationed along the length of the venue, we needed to dance, sing and smile for the entire duration. We started out strong and it was quite overwhelming to see the bystanders lining the route. They were all having a great time drinking, dancing and taking our photos!

As thrilling as it was, it was quite exhausting! Singing the same song over and over and continually dancing…in the light rain…with shoes that were falling apart…halfway through, I wondered if anyone would notice if I jumped the barrier and joined the revelers! Continual movement for over an hour and for almost half a mile, for each school to complete their performance is a LONG time!

Finally, reaching the end of the route, we mingled with the other participants in the Praça da Apoteose (Apotheosis Square), each removing as much of our costumes as we could and graciously accepting water from the volunteers assigned to make sure that we were all hydrated.

*Completion of parades at Praça da Apoteose*

Following my friend, we made our way to our assigned seats, grabbing a beer and some snacks along the way. Watching the parade from this viewpoint gave us a whole different perspective and as I watched each of the remaining schools, I learned that there were many aspects that each school was being judged on.

First and foremost, each school had between sixty-five and seventy-five minutes to make their way through the Sambadrome. No more, no less or points would be deducted. Each school had a theme and a song written specifically for that school and their theme. Most of the wealthier schools had fireworks ignited for their introduction and as we watched I began to notice similarities. Each school began their march with a dancing duo followed by percussionists, spinning ladies in their large ballgowns, the marching groups, the floats and the groups of dancers all spectacularly adorned. Be warned, however, though the costumes are elaborate, there is lots of skin being shown off!

As tired as were were, I was glad that we stayed through the night watching one of the greatest shows on earth!

Having had the experience of being in the parade and watching from above, I think next time, we all agreed that it would be nice to purchase tickets to watch from the ground level in the Camarotes (VIP boxes) where some of our friends had spent the evening. Making our way back to the hotel, we realized that we had lots of time to make a plan for the next year. The sun was rising, our beds were calling and we had the rest of the day to enjoy the beach in one of the most breathtaking cities in South America!

FOR EXCITING VIDEOS and more pictures check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe. Also check out Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.com.

Note: All photos were taken with an Iphone, due to the security aspect and because I could not carry my Canon in the parade. Therefore, pictures taken from the grandstands are not as clear as if I had taken them with the Canon due to the distance factor.

Rio Carnivale

Manneken Peace

Every woman loves a good outfit!

Why shouldn’t a statue?

Mannekin Pis, the statue which is a huge part of Brussels’ cultural heritage, is one of my favorite landmarks to take new visitors to the city to see. So when my husband joined me on a recent trip, the first place I took him was to see the little “Pissing Boy.”

I have visited this statue on many occasions, but this time, as luck would have it, was the first time I was able to see him in one of his costumes! This was such a coincidence as we were also on our way to the statue’s own special museum. The Garderobe Manneken Pis is located just down the street and houses the statue’s vast collection of costumes. It’s like his own personal closet!

Once housed in the Maison du Roi on the Grand Place, the wardrobe was moved to its current location in February 2017. It was surprising to find it to be such a small museum as I knew that his wardrobe consists of nearly 1,000 items.

The museum displays a selection of more than one hundred costumes, (some dating back to the 17th century) that are presented according to seven themes, geography, folklore, charity and citizens’ associations, trades, celebrities and characters, sports and designers. He is gifted with about fifteen or so new costumes each year and regularly wears the costumes from his collection, being dressed up about 130 times per year.

But where do his costumes come from?

In order to present Manneken Pis with a costume, a request must be made to the Mayor and the Aldermen of the City of Brussels. Certain stipulations must be met before the costume can be accepted, such as the quality of the fabric and that the costume is not being used to promote political purposes, political beliefs or advertising. If the proposal is accepted, the donors are responsible for the creation of the costume according to strict instructions. An official ceremony is then scheduled to be held in City Hall where the new costume is formally received. A procession to the fountain follows the ceremony, where the official dresser presents the new outfit to Manneken Pis and his is outfitted in his newest duds. He wears this new outfit for the rest of the day and it then officially becomes part of his wardrobe. From this time on, the donors can then make a request for Manneken Pis to be dressed in their costume for specific occasions, such as national days of celebrations, a meeting for members of an association or fellowship or to mark a sporting, cultural or charity event.

The costumes were stunning, whimsical, unique and classical. Many come from all over the world, though a great deal (not surprisingly) were donated from his home country of Beligium. My favorites included Mickey Mouse (1969), a traditional costume from Bolivia (2007) and a replica of the original costume given by King Louis XV of France in 1745, which is the oldest outfit in Manneken Pis’s wardrobe.

Some pieces have not withstood the test of time, so in order to view the entire collection, the museum offers an interactive terminal. My favorite thing, however, was the area for visitor’s to dress a replica of Manneken Pis, which, of course, I had to do!

Wouldn’t it be fun to be Manneken Pis’s dresser? I think that this must be a highly coveted job and I wouldn’t mind a piece of that action…keeping Manneken Pis clothed to celebrate events and traditions! Must give him peace to know that he doesn’t have to always be naked! 🙂

For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.

Garderobe Manneken Pis

https://www.brusselsmuseums.be/en/museums/garderobe-mannekenpis
Address: Rue du Chêne 19 Bruxelles
Hours: Tuesday- Sunday, 1000-1700. Closed on Mondays and on January 1, January 5, January 11, November 11, December 25 and December 31. Closes at 1600 on December 24 and December 31.
Admission: Adults ages 18+, 4€. Under age 18 and citizens of Brussels, free. Free with Brussels card and on the first Sunday of the month. You can purchase a combined ticket for both the Garderobe Manneken Pis and the BrusselsCity Museum, 8€.
Getting There: Metro, station Bourse/Beurs, lines 3 and 4. Bus stops, Grand Place/Grote Markt and Cesar de Paepe.

Full List of costumes and origination dates

My Favourite Palace

Fascinated by Britain’s Royal family?

Many people love to follow the Royal family. Though I am not one of them, I do enjoy seeing the way others live, including the Royal family.

Never having had the opportunity to procure tickets to Buckingham Palace, I have, however, had the opportunity to visit Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle, Hampton Court and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. It is quite interesting to view the ornate rooms and learn of the history of those who resided in these opulant manors.

In London, with time to kill, I decided that I had to venture out into the cold, but clear day. The sky was a vivid blue and although frigid, it was enjoyable to venture down High Street with no particular destination in mind. Soon finding myself in Kensington Gardens, drawn in by the sparkling lake and well manicured lawn, I stood before Kensington Palace.

Having seen the Oscar nominated movie, The Favourite, I was intrigued to learn that an exhibit on the movie’s costumes was being held within the palace.

Why not?

Paying my admission, I began my re-exploration of the royal residence that has been in the family since the 17th century and is currently the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (William and Kate), the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (Harry and Meghan), Princess Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, the Duke and Duchess of Glouchester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.

Though you won’t see any of these high profile residents roaming the halls, it is interesting to venture through the State Rooms which display many paintings and other objects from the Royal Collection.

The self guided tour directed me through the King’s State Apartments, which were the public rooms where George II and Queen Caroline entertained important guests. In the early 1700s, the King and Queen moved into the palace after the death of his father George I. Grand parties were hosted here in the lavish rooms and you can take note of the elaborate murals and paintings that grace the walls and ceilings.

Moving through the King’s Gallery, I learned that it was refurbished by George II after his arrival and was intended as a gallery for the finest pictures of the Royal Collection. The Cupola Room was used for entertaining more than official business and was the site of musical performance dancing and gambling.

Arriving at the Queen’s Apartments, the oldest part of the palace, it was here that Queen Mary II, who ruled with her husband, King Willam III in the 17th century, spent much of her time. Many portraits of William III, Mary II, Charles I and Henry VIII were hung in the Privy Chamber by Caroline to reinforce the German born couple’s legitimate right to the British throne.

The red damask covered Presence Chamber, offered a look at the space where King George II received ambassadors, men of ideas and ordinary people. An audience with the King could change a person’s life and many were brought here asking for favors or seeking royal approval. In 1734, the King and Queen received an Indian chief and his attendants from the new Americas colony, Georgia.

The Queen’s Drawing Room was where Mary spent much of her time. Her beautifully adorned bed can be seen in the Queen’s Bedroom and was where Mary’s half-brother may have been born at St. James’ Palace in 1688.

The Dining Room was a bit smaller than I imagined and possibly the place where Mary took in her meals when she desired privacy. Moving through the Queen’s closet, I learned of the story of how Mary contracted smallpox, dying and leaving William to rule alone.

Finally, it was in the extended Gallery where I finally discovered the exhibition of the costumes from The Favourite. Though there were some paper mache duplications that I had encountered in the King’s State Apartments, it was here that the actual costumes were on display. It was quite thrilling to see them up close and remember the scenes that they played a vital role.

Princess Diana, though now gone for almost twenty-two years, has remained fondly in the memory of the world. The palace recognizes that there are many who are still fascinated with her lifestyle and legacy and I was glad to see the permanent exhibit, Diana, Her Fashion Story was still available for viewing. Pictures of Diana grace the walls, along with quotes and stories, however, it is the glass cases that contain the showstoppers…a large number of Diana’s outfits worn for various occasions. Each outfit contains a placard and picture that describes the occasion worn as well as the designer of the ensemble.

The last room that we were able to inspect contained some of the royal jewels, including Queen Victoria’s Emerald Necklace, Earrings and Broach, The Fife Diamond Tiara, given to Princess Louise, Queen Victoria’s granddaughter, by her husband, the Duke of Fife and Princess Louise’s Diamond Necklace Tiara, gifts from her parents which can also be transformed into a necklace.

Eventually, I made my way through the gift shop and out into the gardens. Though the pond was drained for winter maintenance and nothing was in bloom, it was interesting to stop and imagine what it might look like in a couple of months with the approaching warmer weather.

With an hour of so of daylight remaining, I decided to make the most of the afternoon and walked out to the lake. Hundreds of birds, including graceful swans swam through the cold water looking for a handout from the children who had come prepared with bags of bread crusts. Though I am a bit afraid of the aggressive, feathered creatures, it was nice to capture some close-up photographs.

Eventually, with waning light, it was time to head back to High Street to search for dinner. Though I had visited the Palace a few years prior, it was nice to see it once again and especially to enjoy The Favourite exhibition.

Makes me want to go and see the movie again!

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Kensington Palaceh

https://www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/#gs.1yxbr4
Address: Kensington Gardens, London W8 4PX, UK
Hours: Daily, 1000-1800, last admission, 1700
Admission: Adults, £19.50, Children, £9.70
Getting There: London Underground, High Street Kensington Station, Circle and District lines and 10-15 minute walk. Queensway Station, Central line and 10-15 minute walk, Notting Hill Station, Central, Circle and District lines and 20-25 minute walk. Bus, routes 70, 94, 148, 390 (to Bayswater Road) and
routes 9, 10, 49, 52, 70, 452 (to Kensington High Street).

01/05/1698	0	Habit rich Maximilian (see No. 677)
31/05/1747	1	Habit given by King Louis XV
01/01/1770	2	Gala costume, City of Brussels (exact date unknown)
01/01/1790	3	Marquis (exact date unknown)
01/01/1820	4	Gala Habit (exact date unknown)
01/01/1830	6	Volunteer of the Belgian Revolution (exact date unknown) – New outfit available in 2006, see No. 781 (date précise inconnue) – Nouveau costume offert en 2006, voir n°781
01/01/1852	5	1852 gala dress (exact date unknown)
29/11/1918	7	“Jass” of the 12th regiment of Line Petite out dress – Gift of the City of Brussels with the money made by the elders of 1870 and 14/18
06/03/1919	8	19th Battalion of the French foot Hunters – Don Ducornez the Commander. 11/10/45 wore to visit the General De Gaulle
19/11/1921	9	Student of the ULB (see No. 690)
11/06/1922	10	Boy Scout Baden Powell – 10th anniversary of the police Brussels
22/04/1923	11	Alsace – Don bourgeois Colmar
11/05/1927	12	Service clubs “The Gays Fellows” – 50th anniversary of the Royal Circle and Philanthropy
16/01/1928	13	Jimbaori costume Samurai, Asahi Journal
07/01/1929	14	Gille de Binche (see No. 916)
17/02/1929	15	Huntsman Brabant Brabant Rally. Master Crews from Belgium
21/06/1930	16	1st Regiment Carabinieri 100th anniversary Grande held in use until 1914
12/10/1930	17	Minor in the region of Mons President of the Society of United Decorated Charbonnages West from Mons to Boussu. Visit to Brussels to Labor Day
09/01/1931	18	India child Parsee religion, Bombay (or 14/01/1931)
03/03/1932	19	Sioux Indian Circus Sarrasini (demonstration in Monoment fairground)
11/12/1932	20	Gunner, 2nd Artillery Regiment Fraternal old Raiment in use until 1914
01/10/1933	21	“Piot” 10th anniversary of the 9th Regiment of the Line Fraternal Petite out dress before 1914
27/05/1934	22	Conservatory System Old 35th anniversary of philanthropy
04/06/1935	23	Polynesian dancer
03/08/1935	24	Alsatian
26/09/1935	25	Great Daimyo armor shops Matsu Zakaia Remembrance visiting If Mr Thys, Special Ambassador for the emperor to announce the death of Albert I and the advent of Leopold III
05/05/1936	26	Mr. Noble Kigo Japanese architect in Osaka
26/01/1937	27	1st Regiment of Grenadiers Regiment Centennial
31/05/1937	28	Lawyer toga
05/07/1938	29	Boater, Circle 60th Anniversary Regatta
19/02/1939	30	Pierrot the circle “The Nameless” Cercle Royal choral and philanthropy founded in 1883
27/02/1939	31	Student Liège Royal Association of medical students and pharmacy (or 02.28.1939)
20/05/1941	32	Corporal Don 9th Line Regiment Lady-Ackermans Top
29/07/1945	33	Sergeant Welsh Guards – Raiment peacetime. Commemoration of September 3, 1944
04/09/1945	34	Liberation Brigade Piron – Jean Piron Brigade Commander
20/10/1945	35	Belgian paratrooper Special Air Service
21/10/1945	36	Member of the National Movement MNB Belgian. MP receives honorary brigade municipal utilities and provincial lecommandement
27/10/1945	37	US Marine Commander Don Boas Dressed October 27, “Navy Day” in the USA
15/12/1945	38	Sergeant Pilot RAF December 15: the anniversary of the Battle of Britain (8 / 08-31 / 10/40)
13/02/1946	39	Sergeant Major of the PM April 6: the anniversary of the entry into the war the Army of the USA in 14/18