Saturday, June 10, 2006

Rio drivers "Taxed"

Residents of soccer crazy Rio de Janeiro are "taxing" motorists to raise funds to decorate their streets in the green and yellow of the Brazilian flag for the World Cup.

Cars have been stopped by rope barriers in side streets and drivers asked to make contributions.

In one recent such incident in Rio's hilltop Santa Teresa district, a young man in T-shirt and shorts approached a halted car.

But instead of drawing a gun, as often happens in this crime-plagued city, the man politely asked: "any change to buy decorations?"

On payment of a couple of reais, the rope was dropped.

Before the opening ceremony in Germany, across this huge seaside city locals have been stringing yellow and green tinsel across streets, hanging flags and painting portraits of soccer stars on walls and roads before the big kick-off in Germany.

Brazil's first game is against Croatia on Tuesday.

2 comments:

yellowdoggranny said...

oh...here's the truth..with the exception of england and the usa, i dont give a flying fuck about the rest of the teams...and for me to get up on a sat to watch a soccer game between paraquay and england..is a true test of friendship..
bunch of guys in shorts running up and down the field kicking the ball and occasionally using their heads is just plum silly...but for you...i watched...and only because there is a fund raiser on pbs which i normally watch on sat...and is boring me to tears.. i am watching sweden and trinadad..which is zip to zip...oooooh that's exciting...hahah...

dom said...

C'mon JS tell the truth you were eyeing up their legs and butts !
Trinidad did brilliantly