Rio comes to Prague for one day only

One could have been mistaken for thinking oneself to be anywhere other than Prague this weekend, as the streets came alive with Latin music and Brazilian flags. This was however neither an attempted takeover from across the Atlantic nor a confused expression of misplaced cultural identity. It was the city's annual carnival. Beginning on a Prague square, winding its way through the streets of Smichov to Prague's artificial beach where the party continued, the festival was an attempt to turn the potentially depressing end of the holiday season into a cause for celebration; and it certainly seemed to have the right effect.

Photo: CTK

For one afternoon, revelers had the chance to experience Prague in a way rarely possible, but it wasn't just hedonists who enjoyed the procession. People were there from all kinds of backgrounds. Elderly women watched from their ground floor windows with what appeared to be expressions of indulgent levity. Other participants were mere toddlers. Even the police, who had the relatively easy job of keeping order, seemed to be enjoying themselves.

But why hold a festival with a Brazilian theme in the centre of Europe? Vendula Cihakova is one of the organisers of the annual event:

Photo: CTK

"This is the third year of the festival. The topic of the festival this year is water and everyone has clothes like some water man, and it's really fun. It's for people who are in the Czech Republic, in Prague and they want to have fun here and dance, and there's Mojito here and Bacardi and everyone can drink. It's the end of the holiday here in the Czech Republic and people are coming back from their weekend house and they want to have fun here in Prague too. This is absolutely untypical in Prague in normal life, Prague is living and no one is going to work everyone is dancing and drinking and having fun."

Photo: CTK

So what did the parade involve? At the head, a large orange, van-mounted swan lead the way, accompanied by Latin music. This was followed by several floats of dancers, and groups of stilt walkers. The centrepiece, apart from the scantily clad dancers of course, was a group of players from Prague's school of Samba Tam-Tam Batacuda. At the carnival, the orchestra consisted of around thirty players, and the sound was impressive.

The parade seemed to go off without a hitch, almost as if it were spontaneous. It was however the result of much cooperation and planning. Vendula Cihakova again:

"There are many, many dancing groups, it's really great here, we have Samba Online, Salsa Online, and we have many people who are cooperating on this parade."