We’re off…
Today’s blog is late… sorry, but you’ll have to get used to it… the World Cup kicked off today and for the next month production in our office is going way down…at least by me! I do have a sneaky plan though and it’s called “DELEGATION”. And the folks in the office don’t know what I have planned… don’t you love a cunning plan?
The opening ceremony was a real spectacle today and it was then followed by one of the most entertaining opening games in years. Usually they end up being 0-0 bore draws but not this one. Plenty of chances and a dream goal for South Africa had them dreaming of a crucial three points. It was not to be though, as Mexico managed to claw back an equalizer and then it was to and fro until the end.
After that, the bore draw came. France v Uruguay. I’ll not say anymore.
Back to the opening ceremony. The ceremony began with a five plane military fly past over the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg. The stadium itself is interesting and resembles a huge African cooking pot. (No jokes about how many people you can boil in there please!)
After that, a group of drummers and dancers performed (Paul Simon was missing unfortunately or was that fortunately?) a “Welcome to Africa” song and that included something of an introduction to the tournament’s ten venues.
From there it was time for a huge beetle to show off its football (sorry…it’s football…not soccer) skills with the Jabulani, the official football of the finals…despite it’s tendency to keep rising like a golf ball when hit in anger, before large pieces of cloth were used to map out the African continent.
Many musicians and artists from the other African finalists were then invited to perform in a joint sequence before Grammy award winner R Kelly sang the ceremony’s showpiece song, ‘A Sign of Victory’ with South Africa’s Soweto Spiritual Singers.
One of the loudest cheers of the ceremony were, however, reserved for Nelson Mandela. Sadly, Mandela couldn’t be at the ceremony due to the tragic accident and death of his great granddaughter the evening before. It did tinge the ceremony with a lot of sadness but it was also a reminder that even though this is the greatest event in the world, it’s still just a game and we should all enjoy it for what it is.
So, we’re off. The first two games of 64 have been played and it’s all go for a month until the World Cup Final on Sunday 11 July. Stay tuned.
P.S. I really did get some work done today… here’s a video of a new home that we now manage and that you can stay in when visiting the Orlando area. 😉
