In Riyadh, Ronaldo Trumps Paulo Coehlo

Travel Blog  •  Eva Holland  •  03.16.09 | 2:50 PM ET

Brazilian officials who were in Riyadh for a festival intended to honor their country’s literary heritage found themselves fielding more questions about the beautiful game than about books, the Arab News reports. In fact, the Brazilian delegation wound up caving to demand and redecorating with football banners and photos of famous players.

Said one visitor: “The book fair has almost come to an end and I haven’t received any questions about Brazilian literature, or even the country’s general culture.” Hmm. Maybe it’s time for a rebranding campaign? (Via The Book Bench)

Tags: Literature, Nation Branding, Sports, Tres Loco, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, South America, Brazil, Literary Travel

Eva Holland is co-editor of World Hum. She is a former associate editor at Up Here and Up Here Business magazines, and a contributor to Vela. She's based in Canada's Yukon territory.


1 Comment for In Riyadh, Ronaldo Trumps Paulo Coehlo

Christopher Bond 03.16.09 | 7:00 PM ET

That’s how the Brazilians are! I have a few friends from there, and we talk about language, food, culture, and many other things, but when soccer gets brought up, they come alive. It’s like a fire-breathing dragon getting awoken from a century long snooze! They’re crazy.

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