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
Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro Duque de Caxias (, "Duke of Caxias") is a city on Guanabara Bay and part of Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area, being the third most populous in Rio de Janeiro state, southeastern Brazil. It is bordered by Rio de Janeiro city to the south. Its population was 873,921 (2013) and its area is 465 km², making it the second most populous suburb of Rio de Janeiro city The city is the third most populous in Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Area. The current mayor is Alexandre Cardoso. It is named after Luís Alves de Lima