Mardi Gras midnight before Ash Wednesday. In earlier times, parades were held on New Year's Day. Other cities famous for Mardi Gras celebrations include Rio de Janeiro; Barranquilla, Colombia; George Town, Cayman Islands; Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago; Quebec City, Quebec, Canada; and Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico. Carnival is an important celebration in Anglican and Catholic European nations. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the week before Ash Wednesday is called "Shrovetide", ending on Shrove Tuesday. It has its popular celebratory aspects, as well. Pancakes are a traditional food. Pancakes and related fried breads or pastries made with sugar, fat, and eggs
Greater Rio de Janeiro Greater Rio de Janeiro Greater Rio de Janeiro, officially Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region ("Grande Rio", officially "Região Metropolitana do Rio de Janeiro", in Portuguese) is a large metropolitan area located in Rio de Janeiro state in Brazil, the second largest in Brazil and third largest in South America. It consists of 21 municipalities, including the capital of the State, Rio de Janeiro. The metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro is known as a historical, cultural and economic centre of Brazil, with a total population of 12.6 million inhabitants. The region was first officially defined on July 1, 1974, less