Brazil Finalizes Carnival Details
Feverish preparations are underway in the large cabins where the "samba schools" are preparing their bright and colorful floats and costumes for the world famous Rio de Janeiro Carnival next week.

Actually, the carnival officially started Friday when Mayor Cesar Maia gave the key to the city to King Momo -Alex Olivera.

Brazilian concerns about violence, economy, and even policy are brushed aside. Only soccer, the national passion, can compete with the carnival for a population that has been getting ready throughout the entire year to "legally really samba" in the great runway of Sapucai.

Some groups were already on the streets this week, and four of them are parading through different neighborhoods today, while 17 children s guilds have begun a parade that will last until midnight.

"Cordao da Bola Preta," the most important and oldest group (1918), will parade on Saturday. Last year this group drew 200,000 people in the center of the city.