Its carnival time in Rio de Janeiro, and Brazil's second-largest city has been overwhelmed by a quioxtic panoply of beautiful Samba dancers, fantasy floats and steel drums.
Tuesday is the last day of the celebrations before the start of Lent, during which believes abstain from things which bring them bodily pleasure.
The festival's official website says: "Carnival, with all its excesses, celebrated as a profane event, can be considered an act of farewell to the pleasures of the flesh."
During the parade, majestic floats are seen packed with dancers wearing huge headgear, feathers, and sequins. Around 13 samba schools take part in the parades, with each school representing one neighbourhood of the city.
In the parade, the main attractions are the Samba queens who are chosen in a contest. They need to be beautiful, confident and infused with a carnival spirit.
The queens show off their near-perfect bodies at the head of their schools, clad in the most amazing costumes. The Carnival Designer has complete creative control of the parade, and designs every costume worn by those who take part.
A number of TV and film personalities and sports stars have visited Brazil to soak up this year's carnival, including Megan Fox, Gangnam Style rapper Psy, reality star Kim Kardashian and her boyfriend, rapper Kanye West.
Scroll down to see the images of the best floats and Brazilian beauties at the Rio carnival.
A reveller dances on a float of the Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school on the first night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome, February 10, 2013.REUTERS/Sergio MoraesA reveller from the Vila Isabel samba school participates in the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome February 12, 2013.REUTERS/Sergio MoraesRevellers dance on a float of the Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school on the first night of the annual carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome, February 10, 2013.REUTERS/Sergio MoraesRevellers dance atop a float of the Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school on the first night of the annual carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome, February 10, 2013.REUTERS/Ricardo MoraesRevellers from the Beija Flor samba school participate during the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome, February 11, 2013.REUTERS/Pilar OlivaresDrum Queen Carla Prata of Grande Rio samba school participates during the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome, February 12, 2013.REUTERS/Pilar OlivaresRevellers from the Beija Flor samba school participate during the annual carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome, February 11, 2013.REUTERS/Sergio MoraesDrum queen Cris Vianna from Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school participates during the annual carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome, February 12, 2013.REUTERS/Pilar OlivaresA reveller from Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school participates during the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome, February 12, 2013.REUTERS/Ricardo MoraesA reveller from Vila Isabel samba school participates during the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome, February 12, 2013.REUTERS/Pilar OlivaresA reveller from the Vila Isabel samba school participates in the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome February 12, 2013.REUTERS/Pilar OlivaresRevellers from the Vila Isabel samba school participate in the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome February 12, 2013.REUTERS/Sergio MoraesRevellers from the Vila Isabel samba school participate in the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome February 12, 2013.REUTERS/Sergio MoraesRevellers from the Vila Isabel samba school participate in the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome February 12, 2013.REUTERS/Ricardo MoraesRevellers from the Vila Isabel samba school participate in the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome February 12, 2013.REUTERS/Ricardo MoraesA reveller from Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school participates during the annual carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome, February 12, 2013.REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes
