 |
| A member of the Grande Rio samba school gives the final touches to an eagle atop a float at Samba City in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on February 16, 2009. |
 |
| A woman prepares a float of the Grande Rio samba school before performing in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009.(. |
 |
| A member of Academicos do Grande Rio samba school work on a float in Samba City in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on February 18, 2009. |
 |
| French cabaret dancers from the Moulin Rouge pose during a photo call in Rio de Janeiro February 20, 2009. The dancers are in Rio de Janeiro from 20-24 February to participate in the carnival festivities by the top samba groups. |
 |
|
Revelers cover themselves with mud during the annual 'Bloco de Lama' carnival celebrations in Parati, Brazil, Saturday, Feb, 21, 2009. |
 |
| A man is seen covered in mud during the annual 'Bloco de Lama' carnival celebrations in Parati, Brazil, Saturday, Feb, 21, 2009.( |
 |
| Members of Tom Maior samba school parade atop of a float at the Sambadrome, as part of Carnival celebrations, in Sao Paulo, Brazil early February 21, 2009. |
 |
| A painted member of Leandro de Itaquera samba school parades at the Sambadrome, as part of Carnival celebrations in Sao Paulo, Brazil, late on February 21, 2009. |
 |
| Disabled participants from Leandro de Itaquera samba school parade on wheelchairs at the Sambadrome in Sao Paulo, Brazil, late on February 21, 2009. |
 |
|
A woman from Perola Negra samba school parades during the carnival in Sao Paulo February 22, 2009. |
 |
| Dancers perform on a float during the parade of the Mocidade Alegre samba school in Sao Paulo, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009. |
 |
| Drumers of Mocidade Alegre samba school parade at the Sambadrome, as part of Carnival celebrations in Sao Paulo, Brazil, early on February 22, 2009. |
 |
| A member of Mocidade Alegre samba school parades in Sao Paulo, Brazil, early on February 22, 2009. |
 |
|
A costumed reveler poses along the canal near San Marco square in Venice on February 14, 2009 at the beginning of the annual Venice Carnival "Sensation 2009". |
 |
| Missoni fashion house heir Margherita Missoni is lowered by cable while suspended above Saint Mark's square in Venice, Italy February 15, 2009. The event, called Flight of the Angel, marked the start of the Carnival in the lagoon city. |
 |
| A participant attends a masked carnival ball at the Manoel Theatre, built in 1731, in Valletta , Malta early February 22, 2009. |
 |
| A horse is seen inside La Fenice theatre during a rehearsal of the Cavalchina Grand Ball, one of the highlights of the Carnival in Venice, Italy February 21, 2009. |
 |
| Mounted men personifying Sartiglia Knights ride ahead of the reenactment of the game Sartiglia in Oristano, west Sardinia on February 22, 2009 at the end of the 544th Carnival of Sardinia. Sartiglia, an equestrian game of ancient origins, where masked knights on horseback joust for a star hung along a track at man height. Contenders try to pass the star onto their sword as they ride along. |
 |
| Revellers take part in the annual carnival in the Adriatic city of Imotski, Croatia on February 22, 2009. |
 |
| A majorette jumps through the air as she takes part in the "Rose Monday" carnival parade in the western German city of Cologne on February 23, 2009. |
 |
|
Haitians celebrate Carnival on February 15, 2009 in the city of Jacmel, Haiti. |
 |
|
Beija-Flor samba school dancers parade at the Sambodrome on the first night of the Carnival samba school parade in Rio de Janeiro on February 23, 2009. |
 |
| A Beija Flor samba school float parades at the Sambodrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 23, 2009 |
 |
|
A group of jesters spit fire during a carnival parade in Barranquilla, Colombia, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009. |
 |
| A dancer performs atop a Vila Isabel samba school float at the Sambodrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 23, 2009. |
 |
|
A member of Unidos do Peruche samba school parades at the Sambadrome, as part of carnival celebrations, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, late February 20, 2009. |
 |
| A float representing a dragon, parades during the 125th Nice Carnival, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, in Nice, southern France. |
 |
|
Revellers from the Tom Maior samba school parade during the carnival in Sao Paulo February 20, 2009. |
 |
|
Dancers of Mocidade samba school perform during the first night of the Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome, early February 23, 2009. |
 |
|
Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school dancers perform on the first night of the Carnival samba school parade in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on February 23, 2009. |
 |
|
A reveller wearing a handmade mask takes part in the annual carnival in the town of La Vega, Dominican Republic on February 22, 2009. |
 |
|
A dancer takes her position on a float as she prepares to enter Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome for the first night of the Carnival parade early February 23, 2009. |
 |
|
A woman performs atop a Beija Flor samba school float at the Sambodrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 23, 2009. |