I heart Fortal

Last night we took students to Fortal, the regional equivalent of the famed Carnaval of Rio de Janeiro and Bahia. Courtesy of GLA (and the exhorbitant amount of money students paid to be part of the program) we rocked the VIP section that was elevated above the parade path (see Brasil knows how to get down - Photo #1). Once we locked the students in and forbade them to leave the VIP boxes, Dawn and I fled to the streets to investigate the party scene. Staying on the periphery of the festivities, our escape started out innocently: walking around eating caramel popcorn, giggling at all the public displays of affection, and snapping photos of the hoards of partygoers dancing frenetically alongside the moving concerts on floats (see Brasil knows how to get down - Photo #2 and #3). And then, we turned to the dark side...

Melanie: Do you want to go in and dance with the parade?
Dawn: Yeah, ok!
(5 minutes later)
Both of us jumping and pumping our fists
Dawn: Wanna get a beer?
Melanie: Yeah, ok!
(2 hours later)
Melanie (voice now hoarse): Maybe we should go back and check on the students.
Dawn (with flat affect): Mmm.

I heart Fortal. Next time I come back somebody please remind me not to bring 36 teenagers that I'm legally responsible for. Such a buzz kill.

Brasil knows how to get down- Photo #1
(note our VIP section in the background)

Brasil knows how to get down - Photo #2 and #3

In conclusion,
Fortal = debauchery + PDA + moving concerts on floats + tasty libations + caramel popcorn MINUS 36 teenagers