Sao Paulo - A Bin Laden-themed bar is perhaps one of the more unusual sights soccer fans will see when they head to Sao Paulo for the World Cup game against Uruguay.
But the bizarre nightspot is sure to be a hit with tourists, thanks to eccentric owner Ceará Francisco Helder Braga Fernandes, who looks like the terrorist himself.
His idea for the bar came about after 9.11, when Bin Laden became the most wanted man in the world. Fernandes reportedly found himself in hot water after an alarmed customer reported that Bin Laden was hiding out in Brazil running a bar.
Luckily for the lookalike bar owner, the police saw the funny side and he became a local celebrity, having his picture taken with the customer – and the police officers sent to arrest him – and appearing on TV.
A hasty rebrand saw the Bar do Bin Laden open its doors to the public, and it has since become a popular local hangout for young people who want to listen to rock and metal music.
The local celebrity, who moved to Sao Paulo from northern Brazil back in 1978, now claims to run “the most rock and roll bar in Sao Paulo”. He even has a Tumblr blog dedicated to him.
Tourists will certainly be able to collect some unusual photos if they visit, not least because the owner – known to many as Uncle Bin – revels in his celebrity terrorist status.
The Bar do Bin Laden isn’t the only Brazil venue named after the infamous Saudi. There are multiple themed bars, cafés and restaurants around the country.
Tourists in Rio de Janeiro may want to pop across the bay to Niteroi, where they can play a game of pool in the Caverna do Bin Laden, which translates as Bin Laden’s Cave.
Meanwhile, the northern city of Juiz de Fora also has its own Bin Laden’s Bar, complete with lookalike owner. – Daily Mail