ROYAL VISIT TURNS INTO STREET PARTY

The Prince and Princess of Asturias, who are on an official visit to Brazil, dropped in on singer Carlinhos Brown on Saturday in the poor area or favela called Candeal del Salvador, officially to lay the cornerstone of a nursery that Brown is building there. In fact, their visit turned into one big street party with nearly all of the 5,500 people who live in the favela participating. The singer bought the land on which the nursery is being built with funds from the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation. Its donation of 200,000 euros will also cover the construction of the building, the equipment the nursery will need and training for the teachers who will attend to 200 children from the favela aged from newborn up to six years. Brown began to work in the favela more than 10 years ago, and his most famous contribution is the Music School, which he built because he's convinced that giving poor children the opportunity to play instruments or train as singers will keep them off the streets where they turn to criminal activities and run the risk of an early death. His efforts have met with considerable success so far. Commenting on the crowds who rushed out to entertain the Royal couple with their singing and dancing, Brown commented: "If people would put as much effort into other aspects of their lives as they put into Carnival, the world would be a much better place."