I’ve been meaning to head to Guanabara for a very long time after having done salsa lessons all those years ago. Though the salsa lessons are now a distant memory the beat of the music is still in my blood and with Notting Hill Carnival on my door step Brazil is never far from my mind!

I hadn’t actually planned for a big night out tonight as I thought I’d just be grabbing some dinner with Pauline and Anna however Pauline had other plans so we found ourselves in the line for Guanabara. Once we got inside it must have been just after 10.30 and the place was jam packed and full of energy. Apparently the band which had won this year’s Notting Hill Carnival steel band comp (or something) was on stage and they were drumming up a storm!

The club itself was smaller than I thought with a teeny tiny dance floor surrounded by loads of long communal style tables and as a result the dance floor was packed! Especially with all the keen salsa and latin dancers out there who were obviously regulars. Strangely enough by about 1 or 2 am the areas away from the dance floor were quite … well, quiet and not as busy as I thought it would be on a Friday night or Saturday morning …

I liked the live music and its different from most other clubs in the area.