Carnaval Madness is Over

With Carnaval madness over for another year Rio has returned to to its normal laid back way of dealing with everyday life.

However it's a perfect time to reflect on what carnaval means to the people of Brazil. For some it's simply an excuse to buy some exotic new headgear:

For others the heady mix of sun and samba causes them to instantly fall in love;

While others are driven to within an inch of gender reassignment:

Roll on Carnaval 2012!!