Day 11 - GAME DAY - Bel v Rus

We have a limited number of tickets to the historic Maracanã: it's Ivan & Diana and Phil & I that go to the game. Gwen, Kate and Dean head out to try
the Sugar Loaf again.... More about that later....

We have a nice breakfast at the hotel buffet, and see a really tall guy (seems 7' tall) - Ivan happens to walk behind him and is Ivan's eye level is at the guy's lower back - kind of funny. But not nearly as funny as us all going down into the subway to catch the train to the stadium. We get a floor down before we realize we entered a parking garage instead of the subway station.

When we resurface, the nice attendant asks "metro"? Smiles, and tells us that it happens all the time, and gives us directions to find the real entrance. The subway/metro ride is just fine and spills us out right at the stadium. There's a large crowd of people which swarms me when they realize I am selling a game ticket (to the R16 in RIO - we only got 1 ticket to that game and it would cost us a ton to change flights, hotels, etc.)

The short walk from the subway to the stadium was interesting as we had to walk through 4 lines of guards towards the stadium - each time, having to show our game ticket to get through. Afterwards, we turn down the steps to the ground (to get to our entrance gate) and the area is completely open (did not make any sense in regards to the entry from the subway). The stadium was really unimpressive from the outside.

We are really early because we had thought that the subway would have taken longer than it did. There were plenty of festive outfits and a surprising number of USA fans as well. Ivan was trying to photo bomb anywhere he could. ESPN Brazil was there taping and interviewing - Ivan and I photo bombed the interview (we could be famous now - on Brazilian TV?)...

Whereas Diana went for the straight-forward approach...

One of the guards, stopped us and ask "Landon Donovon?" - "He is your best player, why is he not here? Injury?" - Phil told him in Portuguese, the the coach wanted to prove he was the boss/chief.

The inside is much nicer, Phil did another one of his impressions - this time a white British fan sun bathing...

Game Photos:

The subway was crowded on the way back - more reminisce of the experience from Germany...

Team Sugar Loaf: They got to go up - no lines - but unfortunately it was foggy as well.

They also head to Copacabana area to check out that area - found a large fan store and did some shopping.

We all met up again to prepare for the USA game and have dinner. Gwen says her good-byes and head over to the airport for her return flight. Pretty weird to be staying behind without her. I finally have the Churrasco (Brazilian BBQ). The US played much better - but such heartbreak to let Portugal tie at that 95 minute... Oh well, so more work left to do...