A day-long beach carnival featuring samba, tango, barbecue, Colombian hammocks and a myriad of other Latin American exotics on Sunday drew hundreds of local visitors to the picturesque island of Lantau.

The fiesta, one of the serial activities of a mega Latin American culture show that runs in Hong Kong and Macao from Oct. 28 till the end of November, danced party-goers all the way to near midnight.

"The Latin American culture is unique and energy-sparking, and here I am to perceive the vigor and enthusiasm by myself," said Walt Tan, a 40-year-old Hong Kong office worker who spared nearly a whole day for the beach party.

Liliana Bettina Alvez, a 28-year-old Brazilian who has been in Hong Kong for a year, said she enjoyed the gathering very much.

"Hong Kong is nice, developed, and above all very safe. I enjoythe life here and hope such kind of parties will get me more involved with my friends and local people alike," she said.

"I've come here to enjoy the Latin American food, music and dancing," said Tina Burchell from Canada. The 42-year-old teacher said with diversified cultures, Hong Kong's melting pot of a society will "teach my 13-year-old son to be more tolerant toward others."

Co-launched by the group of Latin America Consulates (GRULAC), the month-long "Latin America in Hong Kong" festival will "celebrate all things in Latin America and is expected to take HongKong and Macao by storm," according to Ricardo Forrester, the GRULA spokesman and consul general of Argentina in Hong Kong.

Composed of consulates of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela in Hong Kong, the GRULAC members will team up to bring their culture, traditions, and folklore to Asia through exhibitions, performances, cinema, folkloric show, food tasting and open forums during the period.

Forrester said the GRULAC will make the show an annual event from 2004.

Source: Xinhua