Lent excess before Lent begins. Some of the most famous are the Carnival of Barranquilla, the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the Carnival of Venice, Cologne Carnival, the New Orleans Mardi Gras, the Rio de Janeiro carnival, and the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. The day immediately preceding Lent is variously called Mardi Gras ("Fat Tuesday"), Pancake Tuesday, or Shrove Tuesday. Sometimes, it is the peak of the pre-Lenten festival, while sometimes it is largely occupied with preparations for Lent. The observances vary from culture to culture, and even from town to town. Originally, in Lebanon and Syria, the last Thursday
Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro right armpit of Rio de Janeiro's most prominent landmark, Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) statue. Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro Jardim Botânico () is a residential neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, located north of Ipanema and Leblon, just across Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas and east of Gávea. Jardim Botânico lies in the South Zone of Rio de Janeiro. The district got its name as it grew around the city's Botanical Garden. The residents are generally upper-middle to upper-class and do not live near a favela, which is rare in the city. It differs from most of Rio's neighbourhoods due