Saturday 3 July 2010

It's Ayoba Time!







Howdy all! From Port Elizabeth!! Yes, we are here, about 1000kms away from Durbs, on a little road trip. DH cleverly secured 3 tickets {all that were left, unfortunately for us girls} as it meant only the boys got to go, to the Netherlands/Brazil World Cup Football Match. We decided to make it a family mini-break nonetheless so us girls tagged along too...Well, it was a cracker-jack match & by far the best one they've been to! {A quarter-final match, which means that the winners go through & the losers go home} so Brazil {5 x World Cup winners} are now on their way home...shame, shame, shame...

We got to enjoy the match over cappucino & cookies at a local coffee shop after dropping the boys at the stadium {awesome photos to follow once I get home again!} followed by a lively {great vibe} dinner out at a busy, busy eaterie here. Now we are holed up in our cosy accomodation, electric blankets on, all STUNNED that Ghana has just lost against Uruguay, having MISSED A PENALTY! Cardinal sin!!! So Africa is OUT. The boys are bleak but Africa are the true winners of the World Cup, no matter what the final outcome. This has been a fantastic African World Cup! Media reports have it that the foreign visitors are overawed & the locals are all stunned at the outstanding success of the whole experience, most particularly the security aspect, which is amazing. I haven't felt this safe in Africa in DECADES. Police are everywhere & they are smiling, helpful & friendly. A far-cry from the usual total lack of assistance we face here.

We are making hay while the sun shines, before the inevitable "let down" feeling arrives, when it is all over, the visitors have left & the dreaded school term starts again in 10 days...uuuuugh...perish the thought :-( Most of us cynics snickered at the shenanigans we envisioned taking place during the World Cup. Well it's time for us, especially me, to eat humble pie as South Africa has PULLED OUT ALL THE STOPS & everyone here, locals & visitors alike, have had the time of a lifetime, football fans or not! I dread to imagine the costs imvolved & sure do hope that they have been recuperated. The hotels claim they have had lower than usual occupancy rates {due to all the locals NOT visiting other provinces during the holidays BECAUSE of the World Cup} but the stadiums have been almost packed to capacity & Gateway {my local shopping haunt} has been full to the brim with tourists shopping up a storm! According to our local newspaper US$135 000 000 has been spent on Visa Credit Cards alone, not to mention cash, travellers'
cheques, Diners, Master Card & American Express. Ka-ching!!!

I finally got a couple of layouts done this week, before we left, but rainy weather back home prevented me from photographing them...will post next week, even if it means taking photos indoors with a flash. For now I need to get the kettle on for Hot Chocolate & rusks before curling up in this warm bed...Enjoy your weekend Blog People ;-D





7 comments:

Shayne said...

You're just down the road from me! Have a divine time in PE skat - hope the weather is behaving itself.

tania said...

you must have a lovely time!
i think we went into the soccer thing a bit negative from the beginning and now it turned out to be absolutely great!!

Stefanie said...

I am loving the soccer, course it helps that my team is doing so well.
Glad you guys enjoyed it too.

Kirsty said...

Such an AYOBA post! Love it x-x. I was at soccer city last night for the Ghana/ Cheetaguay match! It was indescribably... exhilerating, awesome, nervy and heartbreaking! I loved every minute of it. And the organisation... top notch!!! Am so so proud x

Ella Swan said...

Thanks girls - just got home & had a really lovely time away. Will definitely go back to PE - had never been before & it was a lot bigger & more interesting that I had expected but the drive took forever through little towns with lots of road works ;-( Kirsty you were at that match...that is so awesome...that was so devastating but I'm sure you were still glad to be there. I had no idea that the World Cup was going to be so well organised & so embraced by the local public too...I just hope the effect lasts on after it is all over - it has brought such an optimism out in people & everyone is so much more relaxed & happy. It has really had a tangible effect!

Diana said...

Fun fun fun!

Pearl said...

what an awesome time you must have had at all the live matches !!! woot ! woot ! I'm also so proud of all the South Africa has accomplished for this Word CUp !