50,000 Foreigners and Brazilians Take Over Vila Madalena Streets During the World Cup

06/29/2014 - 02h00

The World Cup's biggest surprise, after Costa Rica becoming the leading team of the "group of death", was Vila Madalena "invasion".

Map of Vila Madalena

Thousands of people have taken over the narrow streets of São Paulo's West side neighborhood.

On Brazil's game days you could see 50,000 people in the area, according to city officials. This number surpasses the official party, FIFA Fan Fest, that has about 35,000 fans at peak times, in Anhangabaú area, downtown.

The city was caught off guard. "No one expected so many people. We had to make arrangements," says WilsonPoit, president of SPTuris.

On one side, tourists praise the neghborhood and do not want to know of another place to hang out.

On the other, residents take up to 20 minutes to walk one block and complain about the consequences: garbage, urine smell and sleepless nights.

Seventeen days after the World Cup, the "second half" is yet to come.

Translated by SIMONE PALMA