This year’s theme at Carnaval de Loulé was superheroes, brought to life across thirteen floats. Hovering above it all was Zé Povinho—the satirical stand-in for the Portuguese working class—dressed in a green-and-red Superman suit and clutching a closed umbrella, a superstition meant to keep the rain away. His superpowers were less about saving the world than surviving it: rising living costs, chronic housing shortages, and the ongoing struggles of the public health system.
What followed was Super Streaming: a steady flow of capes, streamers, satire, and spectacle moving down the street.
Super Childish
There were many super floats in the parade, and the ones created for the younger audience were full of imagination, intrigue, and inclusion.
Super Infância
This float reimagined superheroes as LEGO figures. Leading the float: Batman and Spiderman. Riding on the float: Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, and Superman.
Batmóvel
The Batmobile set the stage for the float directly behind it.
Os Super Batmans
A Batman minion marched alongside a car designed for inclusion, adapted for people with reduced mobility — reminding us that access is often the real superpower.
Os Super Alunos
A “school for superheroes,” training Spider-Man, Ant-Man, Iron Man, Hulk, and others in their first acts of heroism.
Super Pretty
Two floats were pure spectacle, color, and fantasy.
Brasil ao Natural
An explosion of fauna and flora celebrating Brazil and Africa, two enduring influences on this Carnival. Color, movement, and rhythm take center stage.
Samba e Beija-Flor
A fantasy interlude: birds, plants, and alien elements from a parallel universe.
Something Political
This is where Carnaval earns its reputation. Satire, frustration, and very specific references—local and global—wrapped in capes and sequins.
O Reino é Meu
A pointed nod to the controversies surrounding football legend Cristiano Ronaldo.
Apitos Dourados
Football politics dressed as comic-book combat: the Presidents of Portugal’s “big three” football clubs appear in superhero form.
Os Piratas da Greta
Referencing the humanitarian flotilla to Gaza, this float depicted Greta Thunberg alongside Portuguese activists Mariana Mortágua and Sofia Aparício.
Aquamelo, o Super dos Mares
Portuguese presidential politics go underwater. Equal parts absurd and accurate.
Guerra dos Tronos
The war in Ukraine returns to the parade, imagined through Russian matryoshka dolls transformed into drones launched from tanks. Bright colors, dark implications.
A Justiça do Joker
Former Prime Minister José Sócrates is cast as the Joker—grinning, evasive—while Portuguese Justice appears not blind at all, weighing millions on her scales.
O Super Petróleo
Nicolás Maduro’s drug-laden boat is intercepted in Caribbean waters by Captain America, donning an awkward garter around his leg.
Super Fun
Not everything rides on a float. Dancers, musicians, and roaming performers filled in the gaps—often becoming the most joyful, human moments of the parade.
Get Streaming
Together, the parade categories blur—as they should. Carnaval isn’t orderly. It’s layered. Childish, beautiful, political, and fun all at once. Here is a 💎 highlight reel.
Here is a Carnaval playlist, from the songs I heard at the parades:
- A Barata, Só Pra Contrariar
- Balada, Gusttavo Lima
- Cavalinho, Pedro Sampaio, Gasparzinho & MC Meno K
- Cidade Elétrica, Metinho
- Citação: é Difícil, Ivete Sangalo
- Levantando las Manos, El Símbolo
- Mel Nesse Trem, Cleber & Cauan
- Mulata Yêyêyê, Banda Gol
- Pamrampampam, João Lucas & Diogo
- Pererê, Ivete Sangalo
- Preciso de Você, Netinho
- Samba Da Nega Maluca / Cadeirudo, As Menina
- Xibom Bombom, As Meninas
Recently Captured
Rooftop Drying
Dryers are not prevalent in this part of the world and it makes sense to me now: why use energy when you already have a natural source? When it rains, we hang indoors and it is dry by morning.
Rooftop Viewing
We’ve had some expressive skies this past week. From the rooftop of our apartment, you can see the sunset stretching to the southwest. The arrow pointing at Castelo de Tavira.
Bird Viewing
Birds are enjoying the good weather, and the cats are enjoying watching the birds. There is a wait for the prime viewing spot, so the joke goes: The wait time to watch the birds is 1 hour. There is currently 1 cat ahead of you.
Snail Viewing
This will be more obtuse. Sunday had glorious weather and we rode our bikes to Quinta do Caracol to play some social (non-competitive, not serious) pickleball. Caracol is the portuguese word for snail. After, we had coffee and 💎 heard tips from a tennis pro.
More Portugal
Read more about daily life, the embarrassing moments, and the process for having a long stay in Portugal. If you are more of a picture person, follow me on Instagram.
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