Had to get up early today so we could meet up with some friends and catch the train to Soccer City Stadium for our first of four Holland games. When we entered the train station the, “You guys need to be safe,” warning we were given by the ticket lady was certainly a little disconcerting; especially since she said it in a “you guys are going to get mugged/robbed/killed” kind of tone. But we didn’t, South Africa is nothing like the media plays this place out to be. I’ve never seen such a happy and friendly culture before, I can certainly get used to it. And I’m now hoping nothing happens in the next two and a half weeks to have me eating those words. The train ride certainly didn’t take the most scenic route to the stadium, but we did get to see some kind of industrial area and a few more slums! I was also happy to see I’m not the only person fascinated by them, the Dutch fans we were going to the game with were snapping just as many pics as me. Aad, one of the Dutch fans, and I had a conversation about how you don’t see places like that in the U.S. or in Holland and how here in South Africa there’s such a huge difference between rich and poor.
Carlos had quite the trek from the train station to the stadium on his crutches and got quite the work out from it, but we were happy to be escorted to an emergency fire elevator that took us up to the fifth level where our seats were. It was a great game, the Dutch definitely play some beautiful soccer. The first half wasn’t the best I’ve ever seen, but Denmark came out of the half looking to score and that caused the Oranje to kick things up a notch and get after it.
Holland won 2-0. The first was an own goal from Denmark and the second a nice passage of play that lead to a shot by Elia that he curled perfectly around the keeper that went just wide and bounced off the post but Kuyt was right there to tap it in to the back of the net. I think the play of the game was from a Danish defender who didn’t give up on his run and did a bicycle kick on the goal line to deny a goal that was fractions of a millimeter from crossing the goal line. Simply amazing.
The train ride back was pandemonium. There was only one train to the game and one train back from the game, at least that was free for game ticket holders. Either way, the results was massive hoards of people mobbing towards the train station, exactly the kind of thing Carlos loves maneuvering around in with his crutches. We made it back, found our car (which we were able to conveniently park outside of the towns main police stations, for free,) and made our way home.
After a delicious pizza and beer dinner, for the second night in a row (same pizza chain even, Romans) Micah and I ran to the airport to pick up a GPS. Between having to listen to three different people tell me three different directions at every intersection, maps as detailed as the continent of Africa with a dot labeled “Johannesburg” on it and a road and freeway system that seems to have absolutely no logic or order behind it, I think I’ve lost at least five years off my life.
Up early tomorrow for our three-day safari. Heather, the lady whose been so kind as to put us up these last few days, was able to get us in the Kruger National Park. We tried to schedule a safari a month or two ago and after an initial response from our safari travel guide asking what days we’d like to go on the safari, we never heard back. But I guess we’re such terrible guests that Heather wanted us out of her house as soon as possible. I guess I can’t blame her. Bummer since I never bothered to get Malaria pills since I didn’t think this safari was going to happen. But, on the plus side, I’d rather die of malaria than have to hear another one of these damn vuvuzela horns!
Check out the full photo album here.
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