Rio is certainly a place of extremes.

Extreme beauty matched with equally extreme poverty makes up the backdrop of this sprawling city, which is home to Brazil’s biggest ever-sporting event.

It seems regardless of your location you’re only ever a short stroll from City of Godesque shantytowns (or favelas as they are known in these parts) that suffocate Rio and align the hills, which loom menacingly above.

On the way to the Aquatic Park, in Jacarepagua, this reporter’s taxi driver informed me in broken English that even police don’t dare enter the crumbling towns in the mountains, which he described as the drug capital, not just of Rio, but of the world.

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Something else extreme about Brazilians is their love affair with sport — with the Pan-Ams certainly seeming to capture the imagination of its people.

The Games have enjoyed almost blanket coverage on the television with events also being well attended. Copacabana Beach in particular seems a hotbed of Pan-Am fever with giant screens transmitting action from the fifteen venues for the hundreds of revellers who gather there throughout the day.

A live music stage also booms out Samba beats, while other live acts entertain throughout the evening as street sellers eagerly try and flog their Pan-Am wares.

Brazil’s 3-0 victory against fierce rivals Argentina in the Copa America at the weekend has also filled the nation with increased sporting pride — with every taxi driver beaming a smile when the emphatic, and unforeseen, result is mentioned.

One obviously patriotic fan was spotted walking along Copacabana with his nation’s flag and score-line decorating his topless torso. It can only be assumed it wasn’t a permanent tattoo. Now that would be extreme.

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The general consensus among Bermuda’s delegates is that the Pan-Am Games are running smoothly.

Indeed the stadiums, mostly brand new, are serving as excellent venues with the hundreds of volunteers and organisers ensuring punters and press are well looked after.

But for journalists, at least, the Aquatic Park where the swimming is hosted is particularly baffling in its design.

Bizarrely the press box is on the opposite side of the stadium as the press room, with the pool side interview area also seemingly miles away.

It was also the scene of this reporter’s most comedic Pan-Am moment to date, as I was forced to manfully descend three-flights of stairs in total darkness with a small team of equally nervy newsmen.

After a brief fumble in the dark (for a light switch) my Brazilian counterpart came up with the inspired idea of using his cell phone for illumination.

I duly followed suit, clinging on to the stair rail for dear life as we slowly shuffled our way down.

It was only when we finally finished our hazardous descent the security guard saw fit to flick the light switch without even mustering an ironic smile.

As they say, it’s all in the timing.

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Finally a minute’s silence was held at the National Equestrian Centre to mark Tuesday’s tragedy at Congonhas Airport, in Sao Paulo, where hundreds of people died after a plane skidded off the runway and into a nearby building.

Shame on a certain nation’s dressage coaching team who somehow though it would be appropriate to chat and remain seated throughout — but soon rose to their feet, arms aloft, when their rider received her Pan-Am medal.