There is something magical about Latin America: whenever I have told some of my friends to visit this part of the world, they inevitably throw their hands up in despair and begin whining about how long the journey is. It is actually very simple to get to Rio. I took the marvellous Emirates flight (direct) from Dubai leaving Dubai at 8 am and getting into Rio at 2.30pm in the afternoon: a 14 hour flight but with zero jet lag.The World Cup of Football is perhaps the most watched sporting event in the world and yes, I am not stupid to ask Messi if he knows who Tendulkar is. But that apart, Rio remains vibrantly stunning every time I come here and this time it was all the more exalted. I always believed the Brazilians would pull off the World Cup and they did. The FIFA Fan Fest on the Copacabana beach and the thousands milling around to catch a glimpse of the game was a surreal scene as any.I got into Rio well in advance and yet again took in the sights and sounds of Rio. It was at Christ the Redeemer that I also bumped into Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek and the ever polite Bachchan grandson Agasthya Nanda: Agasthya is a fine public speaker even at this age and will morph into a superb gentleman.Rio, over the years, has become home to some of the finest eateries in the world, leave alone Latin America: I went out and ate at the magnificent Mr Lam, a world-class Chinese restaurant in Leblon; I went back to the Copacabana Palace Hotel and yet again relished the grilled chicken wrapped in tortillas served at their pool-side restaurant, Pergula. I also went off to a dive called Mekong and then soaked in a lot of the beach-side cafes which is where the heart of every Brazilian lies.In the hotel I was at, we also had the German team staying but there was none of the hullaballoo which even a small-time cricketer causes, when in India. The Germans, as always, were extremely disciplined and were willing to pose for photos without a fuss. No starry airs unlike some of the blokes in India. On match day, I left for the Maracana Stadium almost four hours before the game was to commence and am glad I did. The traffic was horrendous but yet again there was patience thick in the air. NO honking or bellowing or any kind of abusive behaviour. I guess for those who live in Rio, patience is not a virtue but a necessity given the abysmal conditions of traffic. The stadium was brilliantly done up. I have been to the Maracana before but this time was special. From the hospitality suites to the unobtrusive security to the wonderful ushers, Brazil put on a show which will make every football lover so proud.The match was riveting to say the least but I won't bore you with the details since I am assuming you must have seen it on television wherever you were on that lovely sunny day of July 13. The after-parties were even greater fun and I wound my way back to the Copacabana Palace Hotel for dinner at yet another outstanding restaurant called Mee (yes that's how it's spelt) serving some eclectic pan-Asian food.It always saddens one's heart to leave Rio but given this was my ninth trip to Rio, I can say with confidence that every time I come to Rio, it uplifts the senses in every way and am glad I did this time too.Rio was on show and she made such a great spectacle of herself. 

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