My So-Called South African Life: USA

Ok, I told you more pics would be coming today. So the USA - Ghana game. our last game in South Africa. It was a hard fought game and I'm proud of our boys. I didn't like the fact that the Ghana players were diving and flopping at the end, going down with fake injuries. I really didn't like the fact that the England fans (and there were many because they foolishly thought they were going to be seeded at the game we were at instead) all rooted for Ghana. I was very delighted that England lost the next day. Sorry Dan, but it's true.

So there is one cool thing about the vuvuzelas. The crowd can get into it when they're all blowing at the same time. Not continuous, but it sounds like short blasts, like a train going through the stadium. It sounds actually pretty cool, much better than the random vuvus going off in the crowd. Again, you really get used to them, I just hope you won't see them at football games in America this fall (you will, I guarantee it)

Anyway picture time. Again as with the USA - Algeria game, i won't include pictures of the game because you've seen them in previous postings. If you do want to see them, I have some - nothing exciting like a goal. Prior to the game, we went to Sun City, an old casino that had been around since Apartheid. Well before the end of it in fact. There was an international ban at one time for artists not to play there, but Queen did in 1982 and that caused quite a stir. The place was starting to show it's age, although Lost City looked pretty neat. We couldn't get to it though because we didn't have a reservation at the hotel.

Afterwards, we went to the stadium and met up at this butchery / braai / bar in the middle of a dusty town called Phokeng. Way off the beaten path, yet half a mile from the stadium (tells you where exactly Rustenberg is). Pictures this time with commentary, enjoy!!

Here is Molly and Theresa waiting for the Sun City Tram to take us to the main center.

Ok, halftime? Uruguay just scored an equalizer against Holland. You know I do wish well for the Netherlands, I just wish they didn't karate chop everyone. That's all. Also? The German coach needs to quit picking his nose on TV. Leave that to the locker room.

So here's the mountains surrounding Sun City. Not sure what they're called. Hang on. Pilanesburg Mountain Range. Hey there's a reserve there. So close to elephants! Damn. Ok, I am really going to push for going to a game reserve on Saturday.

And here's the Sun City Sky Train! Now it looks all modern and all (I guess) but it's actually this train pulled by a rope they reel in underground. No seriously - a rope is pulling it back and forth.

This is the inside of Sun City. Not too shabby.

And the oustide of Sun City. The bridge you see people on moves and shakes. I'd say it's about a 2.6 on the Richter scale.

That's Lost City. It looked much better than Sun City. Next time I'll find a way to stay there.

Back into Sun City we go! Not too shabby of carvings.

And now we're in Phokeng! Both of these ladies were fabulous. If you're ever in Dar-es-Salaam, the lady on the right has a bar. Molly I think has the address or the name of it at least.

This is the outside of the butchery where you could purchase fresh meat.

More pictures of the outside. See all the England fans? I didn't wind up going to Bloemfontein - we got back from Rustenburg at 3:30 in the morning and I knew I wasn't going to make it. At least I was able to sell my ticket to England - Germany for face value. Had I had a little more energy, I would have liked to have seen it. Molly, Teresa, and I did wind up going to a viewing area in Joburg the next day and watched it. It was glorious seeing all of the England fans cry; it actually made me feel better about our loss.

So this is a braai. It's a barbecue. Yes, I realize that. But they say it's so much better - not sure how, but oooookay. What was great was that you purchased your meats and then cooked it yourself. Nobody else cooked it for you. So that was fun.

And here's the meat! Mmmmmmmmm, meat.

More pictures of the outside area. Pretty cool, eh?

Here's the view down the street. We had to sneak past the police to get in, telling them we were meeting "friends". They bought it, didn't even have to bust out the bribe! Oh that's another conversation - how corrupt are the police and how I have broken many, many traffic rules so far.
Ever run a red light? Ever run it on purpose? How about multiple red lights? Wheeeee!