Only
people who have spent New Year's Eve in Rio can understand why this is the second
most important event on the city's calendar. Nowhere else in the world could
white-clad crowds of two million people gather in a setting as breathtaking
as Copacabana beach, honoring the departing year and greeting the twelve months
that lie
ahead
in total harmony, peace and safety. The velvety summer sky is the backdrop to
one of the world's most spectacular fireworks display. On the sand, white-robed
believers light thousands of flickering candles and toss flowers as offerings
to Iemanjá, queen of the waters, all to an irresistible Brazilian beat. December
31 at midnight on Copacabana Beach is a magical moment every year. Thrilling,
unforgettable and incomparable, it truly reflects all the faces of Rio.
