Bajans enjoy football in Brazil

All work in Sao Paulo came to a standstill for just over 90 minutes (unless you were serving drinks in a bar) as World Cup favourites Brazil took on Portugal in a second-round match yesterday. Though the game ended in a goalless draw, that did not stop the partying in this South American town.From early in the morning it was obvious that something was happening as hardly anyone was seen on the streets in colours other than green and yellow. While the multi-storeyed apartments displayed Brazilian flags and jerseys from almost every window and balcony, green and yellow bunting cascading down to the streets from skyscrapers made for an awesome sight.When the whistle was blown for the kick-off, millions of eyes became glued to televisions in homes, sports bars and gas stations as workers had very little to do because only in emergency cases were Brazilians leaving their homes.The popular Salve Jorge Sports Bar and Restaurant, where Barbados’ Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy and Walter Stokes of the Barbados Tourism Authority, watched the game, was filled to overflowing. The excitement in the atmosphere was almost tangible, with screams of celebrations or anguish in abundant supply.While the walls of that establishment displayed trophies of Brazil’s footballing achievements and stars from the past, the ceiling contained racks of hundreds of empty over-sized beer bottles as proof of how those achievements were acknowledged. Sealy and an entourage of media personnel from Barbados may have arrived in Sao Paulo to herald the inaugural flight of GAO from Brazil to Barbados tonight, but that group received even more reasons as to why this arrangement must be successful.Both Sealy and Stokes were bowled over by the setting, which previewed the establishment of the direct flight between Barbados and Brazil, and the cultural, sporting and commercial possibilities between the two nations.  “The jump between Barbados and Brazil will now be six hours non-stop as opposed to the previous situation of 20 hours going the Miami trip,” Stokes pointed out. “And Barbadians will not need visas to come to Brazil,” he added.