Invitation To A Dream

"Miss Brianna Logan, you are cordially invited to this years annual Carnival Ball. The theme for the Ball is bright colors."

I'm here in Rio for the first time to experience Carnival and I get invited to the most extravagant Carnival Ball. Am I reading this correctly. I'm invited to the hottest party in the entire world. I don't have the words to explain.

Me Brianna Logan invited to the Carnival Ball. Wow, this is so cool. Now I just have to figure out what to wear.

The theme for the ball is bright colors. I have to come up with the most outrageous yet beautiful dress.

What I see in the pictures is a lot of different colors, which is good because the theme is bright colors.

I also see big head pieces with feathers on it. Those big head pieces are not my style, maybe a mask.

What you have to know about Carnival Ball is that there are many to choose from. Some are elegant and some are crazy fun with lots of dancing.

I like to have fun and extravagant is not my thing so I choose to go to the most crazy, outlandish Carnival Ball.

I'm still trying to get ideas about my dress. So, I go out into the streets of Rio. The pictures I saw were nice, but now I need to see the real thing up close. I walk out of the hotel I'm staying and walk the streets of Rio.

It is so lively out here. The people are happy setting up for Carnival. This will be my first Carnival.

So walking the streets of Rio is giving me all these different ideas about my dress. I want the dress to stand out and yet I don't want my dress to be too old.

I have the dress in my head. I have the color of my dress and the style. I call my friend Alexandra and tell her about my dress. She is here in Rio for Carnival.

Alexandra is a fashion designer. She knows what I like and is going to design and make my dress. This dress is a surprise so you will have to wait until Alexandra finishes the dress so I can show you.

Alexandra has called me a few times giving me updates about the progress of my dress. I am pleased with what she has so far.

Here is a little hint about my dress. The color of my dress is pink. That's all you are going to get.

I love the color pink. It's bright and it fits the theme for Carnival. The rest you will have to wait for.

Now for my hair. What should I do about my hair? My hair is long with full curls.

I'm thinking of leaving my hair wild and crazy. My curls are wild and crazy. I just need to style my hair really well.

Tonight, is Carnival. Alexandra just called me. My dress is ready. Alexandra is coming with any dress. She has her dress too. We are both going to Carnival Ball together.

Alexandra is here. I can't to see my dress. I take my dress and hang it on the wall.

Right now, me and Alexandra are doing each other's hair and makeup.

I never thought too much about makeup then again this is carnival. Everything has to be crazy.

Alexandra is doing my makeup. She tells me it's going to just as spectacular as my dress, but she won't allow me to see myself until it's finished.

As Alexandra is doing my makeup I sit and think about Carnival. You hear about Carnival and see all the images of how beautiful and mesmerizing Carnival is and just think I get to experience a Carnival Ball.

This is going to be the most magical night ever and I get to experience all this with my best friend. We are going to dance the night away.

Alexandra has finished my makeup. My hair is finished. I'm doing Alexandra's makeup now.

I'm done with her makeup. I go and open my dress bag and she opens her dress bag. I take out the most beautiful and magical dress I have ever seen. It's the exact style and color I wanted.

"You like."

I tell Alexandra "I love it." I put my dress on. The dress fits perfectly. I watch Alexandra as she puts her dress on.

We both look at each other. Alexandra looks stunning. Her dress is a strapless purple dress with a belt around the waist and a bow with a diamond in the middle. The dress starts off as light purple as the dress gradually goes down the purple gets darker and darker and at the bottom of the dress are butterflies.

Alexandra looks absolutely stunning like a princess and now for my dress. I close my eyes. Alexandra puts the mirror in front of me.

I open my eyes and see a totally different person. My dress is also strapless. My dress is long in the back and short in the front, not too short. There are all these gems going down the front and intricate designs in the front and back of the dress. I feel like a princess. Now for the last part. Me and Alexandra put on the mask she's made. I love the way the mask looks on me. It's simple, yet me and the shoes are so gorgeous.

Me and Alexandra are off to Carnival Ball.

Wow, look at Rio. It's so magical and beautiful. Look at all the costumes. So very cool. I love it.

Me and Alexandra head into the parade of people. We are dancing with the people.

We follow the crowd to the Cinelandia Square for the Cinelandia street ball. This is so crazy. I love it. Being here with regular people is so much fun.

I got invited to the Magic Ball where all the rich people go, but I love this one better.

We're on the streets dancing, the crowd is going crazy. Me and Alexandra are doing the Salsa, moving our hips to the music.

After sometime in Cinelandia Square me and Alexandra leave and go to Copacabana Beach for what the locals call a singles ball.

What is a singles ball?

A singles ball is one of many Carnival Balls and it is where tourist like me and Alexandra can mingle with the locals, unlike in the Cinelandia Square where we just danced in the streets and it's for everyone. The singles ball is just for single people, where we get to meet and talk with the locals and of course dance with them.

Me and Alexandra arrive at Copacabana Beach and as you can image, it's filled with so many people.

Wow, incredible. Copacabana Beach is just how I imagined. The music is blaring, the people are dancing. Me and Alexandra make our way to the dance floor.

We start dancing and all eyes are on us. I'm not even nervous. Out of the corner of my eyes I see a guy walking to Alexandra.

Alexandra and the guy begin to dance. The way they move together is beautiful. I'm still on the dance floor when I feel something touching my shoulder. I turn around and see the most handsome man.

He extends his hand out to me. I grab his hand. We begin to dance. The music is slow and sensual. We are dancing as one. HIs eyes are captivating.

There is no one but us on the dance floor. He grabs me and lifts me into the air. He brings me down and dips me as the music ends.

Wow, my heart is racing. I look up into the eyes of the handsome stranger, he walks away from me. I'm disappointed, but I don't let him ruin my night.

Throughout the rest of the night me and Alexandra dance and meet interesting people. We also drink cocktails.

I love carnival. I'm glad I came to Rio.

Me and Alexandra continue to dance the night away.