Whether in the stadium or in the living room in front of a television set, football fans throughout the world usually enjoy the beautiful game by remaining sitting but in the Brasilia Shopping Center you can watch the game in an unique way- by lying down.
The posh shopping centre, about one kilometre away from the magnificent National Stadium Mane Garrincha, is a favourite address for all football fans for its unique design and superb commodities. However, all the items flashing in the well decorated shops are relatively costly.
The market building is a 10-storied infrastructure brandished in green fibre glasses and is shaped like a dome being erected from the ground.
However, all the floors are not used for the shopping mall - only four including the basement are used for the purpose of the market.
When I was passing through the ground floor, I heard loud cheering from football fans after a goal had been scored. Driven by curiosity, I wanted to find out what was really happening. Enjoying football in the pubs and roadside cafes are common but inside a centrally air-conditioned posh market, it appeared a little unusual.
I took the stairways to get inside the middle of the basement and was stunned to see the arrangement. A 20 feet screen was hanging on the wall. The empty space in front of it was covered with four-feet high mattresses. On top of the mattresses, 32 pillows were laid down. Each pillow had the cover of a national flag. In total all the pillows had the cover of all the 32 participating teams in the World Cup. You lay down in the mattress, rest your head on the pillow and enjoy the football in the big screen. What a luxurious way to enjoy football!
The market authorities made the arrangement to add a different taste and the pillows were handed over to the people on a first-come-first-serve basis. The Argentine fans were enjoying their 3-2 victory over Nigeria when I was last there. They screamed out of their lungs when Lionel Messi scored the goals and celebrated their success by dancing wildly. The atmosphere were really a pleasant one.
Emanuel enjoyed the proceedings with his girlfriend. “It was different and relaxing. We shared a lot of fun and it was a new experience. I can lay down in my living room but lying down in a market with a nice pillow under the head was an experience I have never enjoyed before. The World Cup is full of enjoyment,” added the Argentinian fan.