As anyone knows, first impressions matter & Brazil, specifically Rio, made quite the first impression at Carnival.  Ben had traveled to Brazil 5 years earlier & loved it, & he couldn’t wait to be back & show me everything he enjoyed. Rio, a city known for its spectacular landscape & culture, proved itself to transform for this annual celebration into a beast of its own.  To be fair it is Carnival, not exactly the picture of a quiet peaceful city. We expected it to be a bit of a madhouse, you know with Murphy’s law & all if something were to go awry it was going to be in Rio. We went in prepared.