Football is Brazils number one passion, closely followed by samba, so I couldn't leave Rio without experiencing a football match with the locals.We got tickets to see Fluminense, from Rio, versus Ceara, from the north of Brazil, at the Olympic stadium right in-between two rival favelas. We followed the stream of green, red and white and the gigantic Fluminense flags. We entered the stadium that could have been mistaken for a samba club as the Fluminense fans played steel drums to football chants whilst others danced and jumped along. The Fluminense crowd where very welcoming of us 'gringos', encouraging us to sing and dance along with them to support their beloved team. It was an incredibly lively atmosphere. The drums could be heard throughout the entire game and even when it wasn't looking good for Fluminense, spirits were high and the drums continued to play. And when a red card was given to a Ceara player, the drums went wild! When Fluminense scored, the celebrations were spectacular.
As the sun set over the stadium, the final whistle was blown, 4-0 to Fluminense. The Rio crowd went home a very happy bunch and the drums could still be heard even after we had left the stadium.
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