2014 World Cup - Day 13 - Brasilia to Rio de Janeiro

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Today was another travel day, this time from Brasilia to Rio de Janeiro with a quick stop in Sao Paulo to change flights. In the 1.5 layover, I grabbed my ticket to the France vs Germany game, cancelled a flight and ate lunch. Both flights were quick and smooth.

In Rio, we landed at the airport that sits right in front of the Sugar Loaf. I waited there for my friend Bruno who was coming to the airport to pick up his wife Antonia and daughter Nina. I had seen them in Blumenau on Saturday night and they were to land in Rio about 40 minutes after me. While waiting, I all of a sudden noticed Brazilian soccer legend Rivellino standing right in front of me. He was a star in the 70’s and was on the 1970 World Cup winning team alongside Pele. He used to play for my team Fluminense as well.

After meeting Bruno, we all grabbed a cab to their apartment in Leme, which is right beside Copacabana. In fact, Leme and Copacabana are one beach and Bruno and Antonia’s apartment faces the ocean. Directly in front of the building, you can see one beach soccer field after another, and volleyball nets. I counter over 20 combined. When I visited Bruno here in 2001 and stayed 10 days, all I did was play soccer on the beach. I was at home you can say. Haha

After we grabbed a quick bite to eat, Bruno had to return to work. A little while later, Antonia, Nina (who’s about to turn 3) and I went for a walk all the way to the end of Leme, which is not that far. Antonia brought the stroller but all Nina wanted was for me to carry her, and all she did was grab my ears all the way there and back. She’s a little brat and full of energy, right up my alley. She’s also very sweet and says the funniest things, and asks tons of questions all the time. It’s a fun age.

On the way back, we kept walking all the way to the Copacabana Palace hotel. Tons of people are out at night walking, jogging, exercising in some way, so different from back home. On the way, we walked right past Rio’s FIFA Fan Fest, which is right on the beach. I also finally found what I looked for in Porto Alegre and Brasilia but did not find: an official FIFA Store. There, I will buy a few shirts and little souvenirs like I always do. Up to this point, I had only seen these stores at the stadiums and airports. The ones at the stadiums were impossible to go inside, and the ones at the airports were empty (no stock).

Once we turned around, Antonia suggested we grab a beer and head to a little bar where Brazilian soccer legend Jairzinho usually hangs out. Jairzinho also played on the 1970 World Cup winning team alongside Pele and Rivellino. He is the only player in the history of the game to have scored a goal in every game of a World Cup, doing so in 1970. As soon as we got there, a samba band was playing a song and there he was singing away at the top of his lungs. The song was about himself no less, something along the lines of “and Brazil has lots of love for Jairzinho”. Haha Lots of fans were walking up to him to take photos and say hello, and he was happy to oblige. Once he had a little break, I shook his hand and said a quick hello. I don’t like bothering players I run into, but a quick hello is not invasive I find.

At this point, Nina was asleep in the stroller. We sat down at a table and waited for Bruno to join us. Once he arrived, we ordered more beers and an appetizer. We stayed at the bar until 11pm or so, catching up on each other’s lives after all these years. I hadn’t seen Bruno since 2001 if I’m not mistaken, just like my cousin Luiz. Bruno, in fact, is Luiz’s cousin.

I’m happy to be in Rio finally. This is the epicentre of the World Cup, where the Final will be played. This is where soccer stars live and enjoy the beach like regular folks.

Tomorrow, we’ll go to the beach in the morning. Friday is a holiday here in Rio because it hosts the France vs Germany I’m going to. On the weekend, we’re going to go visit my favorite soccer club, Fluminense, and see the new trophy room they recently built. I will take the opportunity to get Owen a shirt so I can raise him properly. haha

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