adrian is rad

USA 1-0 Algeria (Highlights)

If you missed the US America v Algeria game the other day, it was US soccer’s “most dramatic and important” win. I attended the game and was on the edge of my seat the entire time. My hands were shaking so much by the end of the game that I had a hard time writing an SMS. It seems that the other fans liked it as well, possibly because it very American.

I’ll write more later about my experiences going to that and the previous US game (US v Slovenia) later, but in just a few hours, the team plays again, this time against Ghana, the lone remaining African hope in the tournament. Some smart people put the odds at even for who will win. Though I’ve been rooting for African teams at every turn, my allegiances today will be with the US.

Go US America! Go Yanks!

I’m in Johannesburg now. Jo’burg, Joeys or Jozi.

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I came up to the high country to go to a couple US America soccer games. I went to the US-Slovenia game on Friday. Even though I had the cheapest class of tickets for the game at Ellis Park, somehow I had great seats. See my view above.

I think America should have won with a botched call from the ref disallowing the would-be winning goal. That said, I really had a good time at the game. The atmosphere and the game were exhilarating.

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I drove up through the Karoo, the semi-arid interior of the country. It’s a stark and beautiful area. It’s cold at the moment; the snow on the mountains marks the first time I’ve seen it in the country.

It’s a long drive, some fifteen and a half hours over two days. It’s easy to forget that South Africa is this big.

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I rode the brand new Gautrain yesterday just for fun. I like high speed rail. This never really had a chance to get up to full speed but it was still impressive.

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Today I watched the Slovakia-Paraguay at a fan park in Newtown (pronounced as if it was two words) and went to the top of the Carlton Centre, the tallest building in Africa (but not tallest structure). The tower used to be prime property but is now in a fairly rundown area; on the other hand, Newtown seems to be in the middle of revitalization.

source unknown

Apparently this is not a fake headline. I love it.

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The background here: a Dutch reporter’s interview with a fan in Soweto is interrupted by South Africa’s first (and the first overall) goal in the World Cup. The result is awesome.

A bit of a continuation of the last World Cup post.

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I don’t think I have to reiterate this, but I will: the entire existence of this country is the World Cup right now.

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In last Sunday’s church bulletin was a special World Cup prayer. I was a bit surprised that there was one. It was for the country, sportsmanship and fairness–things like that.

The most visible church between the city center and the stadium is a Catholic chapel that has been undergoing upgrades to the foundation. After being closed a year or more, it’s reopening this Sunday, June 13, the first Sunday during the World Cup. I’m sure this is not a coincidence.

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Wednesday was Vuvuzela Day. People were to blow their vuvuzelas at noon. I managed to go up onto the road-to-nowhere with the giant vuvuzela there. At noon they sounded it using compressed air, I think. It was pretty amazing. Between that and all the vuvuzelas on the streets below, it was a fantastic cacophony.

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There are tourists everywhere now. Everywhere.

The bad part is that whenever I open my mouth now people think I’m a tourist. Before people wouldn’t assume that but now that the World Cup is on, I’m a tourist again.

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A giant coke man was erected in Johannesburg. I was pretty jealous until I found that they’re making one at the Waterfront in Cape Town too (see above!).

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For the occasion I put together a a post on/ mix of great South African music. Go check it out. I’m happy with how it turned out.

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They’re showing some games in 3D. I think I’ll need to go to one of those.

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The Big Picture has a nice selection of photos of World Cup preparations.

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Look no further. This is the best World Cup calendar.

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moments after Tshabalala’s rocket

I walked into town yesterday to watch the game with some friends at a bar that, for whatever reason, the French Consulate was throwing a party at. On the way there people were cheering and yelling out of car and minibus taxi windows. I was greeted and smiled at randomly on the street, which is a rarity here.

The bar was a good atmosphere: lots of people cheering on their adopted country. There wasn’t much action in the first half other than South Africa’s goalkeeper making some great stops. When Tshabalala scored the first goal of the World Cup to put Bafana Bafana up 1-0 on Mexico. The room, already loud and raucous, became absolutely buoyant. It was not to be, however, as Mexico tied up after not too long.

Near the end of the match, there was devastation like earth opening up underneath us when Mphela‘s breakaway ended in a shot off the post.

There’s always Wednesday, Bafana. There’s always Uruguay.

woman at petrol station

I realized my photoblog turned one a couple days. That surprised me because I didn’t realize that much time had passed. About 325 photos in 302 posts in that time. I’m not sure if my photography has gotten better over the course of theyear but I have definitely taken more photos and seen more of my surroundings because of wanting to constantly post new and good stuff.

I suppose my favorite parts were right when I got to Cape Town, in in rural South Africa, and chronicling my road trip but I have favorite photos from many different times.

ferry building

Parking near the stadium will be difficult during the World Cup, so my neighborhood, Green Point, adjacent to the stadium, was going to issue ‘residents parking discs’ so that the residents could park in the area without issue.

The latest: the discs won’t be ready until September. The World Cup starts in four days.

I’ve seen a lot of World Cup commercials, both in SA and then online from people sending them to me. Here are some of my favorites.

Easily my favorite is the Puma ‘Journey’ one, previously mentioned, shot on film and put to a soundtrack of Gnarles Barkley. Absolutely gorgeous:

I like the concept and idea behind BBC’s ‘Rainbow Nation’ commercial:

Nike has quite a well-produced but frantic commercial in ‘Write the Future’:

More after the jump.

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