Gazing through the aircraft window at the lit-up skyscrapers lining the majestic Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, World Cup football, for a moment, takes a backseat and the descent into Rio de Janeiro takes centrestage.
To use the cliche, the entry is actually a 'sight to behold' and vindicates the advertisement that 'Brazil's talent goes beyond football', which dots the wall in the Guarluhos International Airport in Sao Paulo, as well as the one in Rio de Janeiro.
It is only after one gets a glimpse of the historic Maracana Stadium, on way to the city, that the thought of football and World Cup comes gushing back all over again.
Thanks to the extravaganza, gates to some of the posh night clubs are open almost through the night and people -- foreigners and locals -- can be seen and heard talking football and about the ones who are expected to leave a mark on the game's biggest stage at its mecca.
Again, courtesy the tournament, officers sitting at the immigration desks ensure a smooth exit for the tourists, and the ones manning the security are all ready to help with a broad smile, and of course, without frisking.
The Brazilian flags, the brazuca replica balls can be seen here and there and, from book stores to the cover page of in-house magazine of a domestic airline, images of Neymar, Oscar, David Luiz and Paulinho are easily available.
They haven't forgotten Ronaldo, and Pele comes on TV on and off.
"People from everywhere, from all over the world, their fans and supporters are coming here for the tournament," was what security officials in Rio and Sao Paulo said.
