Yesterday was an experience I'd like my usual goldfish-like memory to actually hold onto.
I drove my car into work in some of the best traffic I've ever seen, because for one of the first times in my life, on a weekday, nobody else seemed to be travelling into town by car. In fact I'd only taken my car in because I'm still trying to find a bus that leaves at a time giving me enough opportunity to pry my eyes open with a crowbar.
I miraculously managed to achieve some tasks at work before my brain turned to excited mush, and then we were off!
The Fan Walk!
I don't even think we walked much on the official one, but here's a tip, any street, between the station and the stadium, it's now the fan walk. I would definitely recommend the bridges that have been put in. You don't want to lead your colleagues to their near death, otherwise known as oncoming traffic, like I did. Twice.
We made it safely into the hyundai fan park which wasn't too bad. Hiccups included having to negotiate with signage guys to steal their table when they were done as seating was scarce, as well as the screen cutting out twice, but otherwise it's not the worst place to watch the match for the price and with atmosphere. R20 will get you in and drinks were almost reasonably priced too. You can't expect to pay your usual pub amount for a beer in a tent trying to make a bit of money in the world cup season I guess, but I'm sure tourists though it was ama-cheap-cheap. So recommend it to your foreigners, as it won't break your bank and I hear it was less chaotic than the Grand Parade Fan Fest. I'd like to reserve my judgment on the Fan fest though, at least until I've seen it for myself.
Whan an openning ceremony! I truly think our country did us proud and that this is a great time to be a South African.
And then the game! When that goal happened it was madness! I saw a whole group fall off their table as they broke it with their jumping, and the woman next to me, wrapped in our flag in a way resembling traditional clothing, litterally started crying. Wiping away tears while still blowing on your vuvzela is a skill she had somehow found time to master.
By this stage Jenny had finally perfected her own vuvzela skills just as mine started to deteriorate and we arranged to meet up with our crowd who hadn't made it in time to make the cut of 2000 people let into the tent. We made our way along the "fan walk" through the swarming V&A waterfront to hunt down some food before our next leg to the stadium. ... to one of the most boring soccer games I'd ever seen.
BUT WHO CARES?
The Stadium
I would love to be able to say I'm one of those people who was there last night because I ultimately love soccer and always have, but that would have been a little bit of a lie. They could have been playing chess on that field and I would have still enjoyed last night. Our stadium is magnificent! Our nose-bleed seats were a climb, but when you reach the top and you see that view and the crowd, it's amazing. If you don't feel excited the first time you attend something there, you should consider seeing a doctor.
I felt it was equally impressive from the outside and we had no real trouble getting into the stadium grounds or out. Yes, there were some queues but there were 64100 of us who attended last night. Earplugs are a must, and I definitely recommend the foam ones not the silicone, having in the course of the evening tried both in an attempt at not going deaf.
To round this off since my post has become so much longer than usual I'll leave you with some understatements about last night because seriously, for me, to describe how much fun yesterday was just doesn't seem to do it any justice, so here goes.
To say that the atmosphere in Cape Town was electric is an understatement.
To say that our Stadium in our Mother City is BEAUTIFUL - Understatement.
I am very proudly South African this morning. Understatement.
(of course to say that my lips are slightly swollen this morning... understatement. Vuvu-lip. ouch!)
x
image via the capetour
