Watching the South Africa v. Mexico match in a bar on Long Street

On Friday, work was canceled because the World Cup matches began that day, with the first game being South Africa vs. Mexico in Johannesburg. Will, Michelle (who is doing an independent project in Hauts Bay), and I went to the FIFA Fan Park in downtown Cape Town to check out the excitement. We got there five hours before the match, and we were told by a FIFA official that if we left the park for lunch, we would have no problem re-entering in a few hours. Well, that turned out to be bad advice, because after eating at Eastern Food Bazaar, the Fan Park was closed, having already reached capacity. So, instead, we went to a bar on Long Street to watch the match. It was packed with people sporting their Bafana Bafana gear and blowing vuvuzelas. South Africa tied Mexico 1-1, which was exciting because SA was expected to lose.

On Saturday, we went to Old Biscuit Mill, a gourmet farmers market about a 45-minute walk from our B&B. It was incredible! The food was great and there was so much selection. Vendors were set up selling cupcakes, waffles, smoothies, coffee, cookies, cheeses, etc. I ended up getting a frozen hot chocolate and a falafel pita which was excellent. It was very touristy—almost all of the people there (vendors and customers) were white foreigners. I even saw two players from the Serbian soccer team there.

Sunday we went to the V&A Waterfront, an affluent shopping mall in Cape Town right by the harbor. We went to the aquarium and got to see penguins and a shark feeding. I was getting déjà vu while I was there; I think I must have been in the past with the fam. Later, the whole group watched the Germany v. Australia game in Bill’s room. It was a beating by Germany, poor Australia. But tonight is the Italy v. Paraguay game which the majority of our group is going to, I can’t wait! Hopefully we don’t become icicles; the weather is not at its best today.