as the weekend officially kicks into gear, rio de janeiro descends into an unstoppable crescendo of joy, with live shows just about everywhere. at the heart of it all is rio's bohemian neighborhood, lapa - the piece de resistance of lapa's weekly soiree, is the lapa random street party at the arches. every friday, the surrounding streets are closed for a party that is reminiscent of réveillon celebrations - amidst the excitement, buskers perform samba beats, alleyways blast out funky tunes, and street stalls sell ice-cold drinks.
