Calm before the storm

The Maracanã

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February 16th 2009
Seeing this stadium was something I wanted to do since I was a young 'un and my dad had told me about this stadium in exotic Rio that had once held 200,000 spectators. The great thing about travelling in South America is that getting a football match in is every bit as important as seeing a museaum or a famous monument. Going to a match is on the agenda of even the most cynical and sneering non fa ... read more

South America » Brazil » Rio de Janeiro

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Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil overcame more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of t... ... read more