Futebol Brasileiro

Today I went to my first Brazilian soccer game.  This is something everyone should put on their bucket list.  It is an awesome experience.  When we got there one of the security guards stopped me and started speaking beautiful, fast, impossible-to-understand Portuguese.  Luckily for me, my host dad stepped in and explained something to the man who then smiled and waved me on.  I later learned that they were concerned that I would use my camera, Lulu, as a weapon if a fight was started.  These people are serious.  It was a beautiful, warm day and the stands were filled with tons of people who are passionate for the game.  They were shouting and cheering and cursing at every play.  If the ball got anywhere close to the goal, almost everyone in the stands would stand up with excitement and either cheer or boo depending on the success of the shot. And the passion in the stands was doubled on the field.  These people loved futebol.  Every player was incredibly talented, fast and determined to win.  The energy in the stands and on the field was incredibly contagious and I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat and watching attentively.  What is amazing about all this is that the teams were just from local towns, nothing professional or anything.  I can’t imagine what a professional soccer game in Brazil looks like, but I know that I want to find out.