GOURMET TRAVELLER 153Sowhenit’smyturn,I feelpositivelyunderstated
anddemureina full-lengthsequinclaret-huedRixo
Londongown.AndI’veevenreluctantlyforcedmyself
intohighheels,buthappilymypartycommutefrom
hotelroomtoballroomis mereseconds.Afterrunning
thegauntletofflashingpaparazzibulbsandpopping
Champagnecorks,I finallymakeit totheballroom,
wheremyflash-dazzledeyesaredazzledalloveragain
bytheextravagantlydecoratedballroom.Intheweeks
runninguptotheball,thedécoranddesignis a
hotlyguardedsecret,withworkersandcontractors
onlypermittedtoworkononesmallsectionat a time,
undernon-disclosureagreementsandsternglares,
lestthedetailsbeleakedtothepressbeforehand.
The 2019 themeis DolceCarnevale,a tribute
toVeniceanditssistercarnival,witheachroom
extravagantlybedeckedwithVenetiansplendour.Rio
hasofficiallyout-VenicedVenice.Professionaldancers
dressedas maskedgondolierssweeparoundtheroom,
usheringguestsfromonesalontothenext,andit’s
impossiblenottogaspwhenyoufirstglimpsethe
GoldenRoom,thein-houseconcerthallthathashosted
a franklyridiculousrepertoireofinternationalartists
includingDionneWarwick,JosephineBaker,Marlene
Dietrich,ÉdithPiaf,NatKingColeandTonyBennett.
I’veneverseena banquetquitelikethespread
surroundingme,withtablescreakingundertheweight
ofmonumentalmoundsoflobstertailsandsilver
plattersofoysters.It trulyis a modern-dayVersailles,but
thedancing– samba– is a lotsultrier.Andthewelcome
is similarly warm. Smiles are exchanged as we slide➤Clockwisefrom
topleft:Pérgula
restaurant,the
pool,beach
view,andthe
partyscene,
allatBelmond
Copacabana
Palacehotel.
Opposite,from
top:viewof
IpanemaBeach,
MorroDoisIrmãos
andRio;samba
dancerson
IpanemaBeach.
PREVIOUSPAGES
Left:a sceneat
theSambadrome.
Right:beach-
volleyball
playersat
Ipanema Beach.