When the Cheshire emerges...

With all the speculation of whether Brazil could pull off the World Cup in time, being in the thick of it suggests there is nothing to worry about. Perhaps it's just that the condition of the stadiums (among other things) are taking a backseat to the building vibe of the country's two biggest cities. But this very proud nation is anticipating the start of the world's biggest tournament with nothing but high expectations.






There have been stark messages still protesting against the World Cup, from simple graffiti on Rio De Janeiro bus stops defaming FIFA to union strikes in Sao Paulo too well timed that led to the suspension of their metro system for days.






Multiple tour guides, who make their livelihood from displaying the best of what their city has to offer, tell of the country's darker side. A country struggling to help its people with good health care, focusing on the wrong things and neglecting what's really needed. They agreed the World Cup would always be a good thing for the importance of football worldwide as well as the Brazilian economy (not to mention national pride), but understood the anger of those not as sports-minded.










It's even a case of uncertainty for many teams. Major injuries have ruled out players like Franck Ribery and Marco Reus, leaving the door open for any possibility throughout the tournament. Spectators will appreciate that more than teams and the tournament organisers.








So with all of that, the tourists are the winners - for now. In Rio De Janeiro, the visible influx of media, sponsor officials and spectators across a two-day period gave rise to a buzz unlike anything else, where high spirits were mixed with the kind found in a caipirinha. And now in Sao Paulo, host to the opening game where the world will closely watch Brazil's form, tourists are around for nothing else. Particularly males - for this writer, it is felt strongly in her budget accommodation of choice; a 'shared' dorm not hosting other females and struggling to spot a non-staff female in the building.






Whatever a tourist or local's circumstance, the feeling is electric. Knowing the world will stop in just a couple of days and being in the centre of it all can do nothing but raise emotion in the best way possible. It's a wonderful ability that sport has in bringing the world together.