Do you want a trip to Rio de Janeiro?

MANILA, Philippines - Only one city can make you and millions of people dance on the streets with the upbeat tune of samba. That is Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city in Brazil next to Sao Paulo.

A trip to Rio de Janeiro is a journey to culture, breathtaking views, and entertainment, where you do nothing but explore and enjoy. And what makes Rio de Janeiro stand out from the rest of the cities around the world is the grandeur seen only during Rio Carnival.

Euphoric is the word that best describes Rio Carnival, where over 500,000 foreign visitors join locals to watch a variety of great performances or to participate in street festivals. A four-day celebration of dance, colors, and music held every 40 days before Easter, Rio Carnival is not just a form of entertainment, but a chance to familiarize oneself with the rich culture of Brazil. Due to its unique celebration that is a feast for the eyes of locals and tourists, Rio Carnival was hailed as the biggest and the most interesting carnival around the globe, making Rio de Janeiro the World’s Carnival Capital.

One of the major highlights of Rio Carnival is the Samba Parade. Here, samba schools dance in thematic costumes as they parade their giant, multicolored floats along the runway of the Sambodromo stadium. Samba schools are composed of social clubs and local neighbors, and themes are based on a particular era or well-known Meanwhile, most of the glamour and the elegance of the celebration are seen at Rio Carnival balls, where guests attend in stylish evening dresses and sophisticated costumes to revel in live music. On the other hand, street festivals on several spots of Rio de Janeiro are where most of the noise and the dancing happen as bands set the mood with loud sounds and tunes.

Atop the 2,300-foott peak of Corcovado mountain rests “Cristo Redentor” or Christ the Redeemer, the world’s fifth largest statue of Jesus Christ and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The giant statue stands 100-feet tall on a 20-foot pedestal and is visible from many of its neighboring communities.

With the tons of fun and excitement present in Rio Carnival, everybody who knows about it will definitely want to attend the event. And now, Ipanema gives everyone the chance to witness the upcoming Rio Carnival in 2012 with the “Spoil Your Soil to Rio Carnival Raffle” promo—the ultimate search for one lucky travel buff who will fly as a VIP to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with his chosen friend to join the Rio Carnival celebration for two days.

But the trip does not end with Rio Carnival. A series of exciting tours to the different wonders of Rio de Janiero — Sugarloaf Mountain with its magnificent architecture, Corocovado with the statue of Jesus Christ atop its peak, and Petropolis the imperial city —  is also waiting for the lucky raffle winner and his friend. And just like VIPs, they will indulge in the comforts of a first-class limousine ride assisted by an English tour guide. 

If this trip-of-a-lifetime sounds good to you, you better start grabbing comfortable pairs of Ipanema slippers for a chance to join the Rio Carnival celebration and to spoil your feet to the wonders of Rio de Janeiro.

A printed promo code that will serve as your raffle entry will be given upon purchase of every pair. Then, visit the Ipanema Philippines Facebook Fan Page to register and for more information.

The lucky travel buff who will win the trip-of-a-lifetime in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for two will be drawn on Jan. 3, 2012. So grab your Ipanema pairs and send your entries before the promo ends on Dec. 31.

For more updates on the promo, join our official Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/IpanemaPhilippines.