Manaus, the biggest city in Brazil’s vast Amazon region, has quickly earned a reputation as one of the most festive cities hosting the World Cup.

Locals in many of Brazil’s biggest cities such as São Paulo got off to a slow start celebrating the Cup, a reflection of the traumatic year of street protests and political debates about whether the $11.5 billion price tag was worth it—and whether the money would have been better spent improving hospitals and schools. Read More »