WOW. what an awesome day. Went for run this morning and just had a walk about most afternoon. It raining all day. But this evening, wow wow wow. we went to see a football match with Vasco vs Botafogo. We arrived, and first things first, i had to visit the little boys room. Where the use of urinals and toilets was optional. LOOOVVELY. We went through into the stadium which was packed. There are of course no seats just hundreds of concrete steps full of serious Vasco fans. So following our guide we went to the middle, not quite next to the crazy mad fans. As the teams came out the atmosphere rose again! incredible. Whistle went for end of the half, and our guide called his mate who was with all the crazy mad fans, and we went over to them at the top of the stands. This was incredible with everyone treating each other as family! Second half started and within 15 minutes Romario had scored. The home crowd erupted and the place exploded. It was unreal. For the next 30 mins, flares where going off, the constant tribal-esque beat made my heart and lungs shudder. We then left the stadium and had to wait for our taxi. We stood on the pavment but our guide made us cross the road to other side and for some reason there where about 20 military police standing around us, so to say the least we felt quite secure. There was then a huge bang and we all thought a gun had gone, but our guide said, oh it was only a BOMB!!! we got rather worried, to later find out a bomb is also the same as a noise bomb; firecracker. Anyway an incredible experience, but not to be done without a guide at first.