many people expected the olympic games
here in rio de janeiro this year to be a
complete disaster perhaps even the worst
ever there were concerns over pollution
violent crime the Zika epidemic protests
surely infrastructure and terrorism
Brazil is also facing its worst
recession on record and the country's
president is likely to be impeached
shortly after the closing ceremony
however so far the worst predictions
haven't come true sure enough there have
been problems u.s. gold medalist swimmer
ryan lochte was robbed at gunpoint over
the weekend or several athletes of even
complained of theft within the olympic
village however the majority of visitors
here in Rio are pleasantly surprised oh
we heard that it was going to be
dangerous and overcrowded and dirty and
a mess really that's what we heard
before we had come fabulous so people
have been very welcoming and it's been
clean we felt safe everywhere we've gone
it's been great since we've been here
really a 180 I mean it is it's been
fabulous I would come again for sure it
helps of course that the main olympic
park is situated in one of Rio's
wealthiest neighborhoods over an hour's
drive from downtown Rio most of the
Olympic venues are here in Baja which as
you can see is very different to the
rest of Rio the avenues are huge there
are big shopping malls is relatively
safe clean and organized in fact
Brazilians call it a mini Miami in Rio
however even seasoned Olympic sisters
are impressed during comparisons with
the London Games in 2012 I believe it
took quite a good one I have been four
years in London Wasps i was suppressed
also from the English organization and I
think it's as good as the English
organization we are we're very
comfortable here in the Europe
Brazilians friendly nature has also
helped charm visitors as this one fan
from Sao Paulo explains who has come
dressed as a Pokemon in spice of Rio's
boiling temperatures Asha alegria do do
brasileiro la otra pasa circe problemas
in town okay
fallujah in Brazil don't miss agency su
para para paradise allegria porque amo
el viento Munich oh yes abhi to the mood
for immigrants at salsa I came down for
the Olympics and I heard the food was
really good I heard that people were
friendly to all the Brazilians I know in
the states are always so friendly love
the talk love to sing love the dance and
love to eat even side there have been
many empty seats at some of the events
well foreigners were put off coming to
Rio many Brazilians living in the city
of also chosen to stay at home the
tickets are too expensive they say or
they are simply not interested in athen
sports other than football jaguar who
lives only a 15 minute bus ride away
from the olympic park watched many of
the weekend's events on TV with his
family Tom preferred any todo mundo en
mi casa fashion show hoshko de todo
mundo junto a meeting with a memo
Miranda lado doesn't appear that your
mother kitty star however organizers say
that local ticket sales are beginning to
pick up as metal wins fair last minute
sales so will the rio games be a success
after all as a spectacle perhaps yes
however for Brazilians it will all
depend on what happens to these stadiums
and the city after the visitors finally
go home this is Samantha Pearson for the
financial times in Rio