Party time starts as Brazil enjoys carnival

After a 20 minute rain delay, the Sao Clemente samba group exploded into the Sambadrome in a hail of fireworks to kick off this year’s Rio carnival parade.

To the riveting beat of a 300 piece drum section, thousands of elaborately sequined and feathered dancers charged into the stadium singing a samba whose irreverent refrain: “Sao Clemente makes us believe that in Brazil what is serious is carnival,” set the evening’s tone.