Thousands flocked to watch Rio de Janeiro's famous holiday tradition -
the inauguration of the huge floating Christmas tree. The crowd cheered
as the lights blazed and the fireworks emerged from the world's largest
floating Christmas tree, a gigantic metal structure as tall as a
27-story tower block. The Christmas tree, first erected in 1996,
constitutes Rio de Janeiro's third biggest tourist event after the
pre-lenten Carnival and New Year's Eve on Copacabana and other beaches.
This year's highlight were the pictures of Brazil's famous sites inside
the 27 Christmas balls that decorated the tree.
