Cologne set for summer of soccer and samba

COLOGNE, Germany, May 29 (Reuters) Brazilian vibes, samba rhythms and ice-cold caipirinhas will fill the fun-loving city of Cologne when Germany's street party capital welcomes the world champions and their enthusiastic fans at the World Cup.

Descending into soccer-mania as one of the 12 hubs hosting the soccer tournament, Cologne is expecting more than 5,000 Brazilian fans to use the city as a base, with the team due to spend part of the tournament at nearby Bergisch Gladbach.

The western city on the Rhine River, with a population of just over a million, is eagerly awaiting the influx.

''Having Brazil come to Cologne is just fantastic for us,'' said mayor Fritz Schramma.

Many in his city feel a kindred spirit to Brazil -- both are Roman Catholic and go berserk at the annual carnival season.

Cologne traces its origins to Roman times. It was first called Colonia in 38 BC.

It became world famous for the sweet smell of a fragrance called ''Eau de Cologne'' developed 200 years ago -- which gave the English language a synonym for perfume.

But the Cologne residents who make their city the most vibrant and friendly in Germany now prefer a different sort of liquid -- a smooth-tasting beer called ''Koelsch''.

Cologne may not be as tidy as Hamburg and it may lack the style of Munich or the grand Prussian boulevards of Berlin. But it has flair and is sometimes seen as the most un-German like city in Germany.

That joie de vivre will fill the city during the World Cup. Large scale open air stages will be set up top host samba and Brazil music events. Souvernir shops have long been busy stocking up on Brazil flags and stickers.

Despite their great distance both physically and culturally, Rio de Janeiro and Cologne have a lot in common -- more in common than meets the eye, says head of tourism Josef Sommer.

''We're deeply religious like the Brazilians and we know how to celebrate carnival,'' said Sommer.

CATHOLICS AND CAIPIRINHAS Cologne has been a Catholic stronghold for 2,000 years. The skyline is dominated by the imposing twin-spired cathedral of one of the world's largest Gothic cathedrals, which took more than 600 years to build.

But at the same time Cologne is considered one of Germany's most exuberant cities. Badly damaged by Allied bombs in World War Two, the city is filled with modern architectural landmarks. About 90 percent of the inner city was destroyed by bombings.

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