Attending Carnival in Rio is one of those things that should be on everybody’s to-do list. There is simply nothing quite like it. Very rarely have I experienced such a celebration of life. The whole city comes alive in a way that seems to break down barriers and embrace the experience we all have as human beings.

We stayed in an apartment in the area between Ipanema and Copacabana. It was a festive neighborhood and every street was teeming with crowds. People were drinking and dancing in the streets, and I wanted to be caught up in it all. I like a good party, but I especially love an event that brings all kinds of people together and celebrates this crazy journey we’re all on.

Even with all of the craziness in the streets, the highlight of the experience was going to the Sambadrome and watching the actual Samba schools compete. The experience was still something I will never forget.

When you walk into the venue, there are multiple vendors selling food and tchotchkes, much like at a regular sporting event. The only difference is that instead of the roar of the crowds you heard the thump of music. Actually, you feel the pulse of the music. It was as if the earth was vibrating with the excitement of human celebration.

We took our seats and the spectacle that unfolded was incredible. The costumes were out of this world. The dancing was epic. The music grabbed you and pushed you up into a state of euphoria. There really was nothing like the atmosphere in that stadium.

From where we were sitting we could look up to our left and see the Christ the Redeemer statute up high on a hill. I’m not religious, but I appreciate that statue as an emblem of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil. It watches over the city like a guardian, and I felt like it was smiling at us, proud of what its city was displaying. In that stadium, it felt like all of Brazil was proud and I was happy to proud with them.