The World Cup is here!

[Snugglecakes]

I'm finding it very, very difficult to work this week! I've lived here for a long time and there's never been anything even remotely close to this. I work from home, and yet on my one quick walk to the shops to buy milk, I met two Serbians, an Italian and almost got run over by a bus full of Brazilians. There are flags hanging from every window, and the noise... wow! It's very exciting, can't wait for Friday!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjrD6ZAvbhg

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/8923/9416d3abca364cc28ac8cda.th.jpg (http://img97.imageshack.us/i/9416d3abca364cc28ac8cda.jpg/)http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/8156/28819429492541182610286.th.jpg (http://img31.imageshack.us/i/28819429492541182610286.jpg/)http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/5548/81db4fd9875549f484ce31e.th.jpg (http://img248.imageshack.us/i/81db4fd9875549f484ce31e.jpg/)http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/2019/88c98927643e433caf5a6e5.th.jpg (http://img97.imageshack.us/i/88c98927643e433caf5a6e5.jpg/)http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/4655/37f320fc33be4271b289017.th.jpg (http://img408.imageshack.us/i/37f320fc33be4271b289017.jpg/)http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/6698/33c0b880be654dd58c76c72.th.jpg (http://img716.imageshack.us/i/33c0b880be654dd58c76c72.jpg/)http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/554/8a9f40a291c94949b56d287.th.jpg (http://img696.imageshack.us/i/8a9f40a291c94949b56d287.jpg/)http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/6753/7cfa81a348f7463f81bb10f.th.jpg (http://img156.imageshack.us/i/7cfa81a348f7463f81bb10f.jpg/)http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/4039/7b41bfccc31c495e89643c3.th.jpg (http://img696.imageshack.us/i/7b41bfccc31c495e89643c3.jpg/)http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/7312/30211401236081874101197.th.jpg (http://img31.imageshack.us/i/30211401236081874101197.jpg/)

[elTee]

Fantasy Football (http://en.mcdonalds.fantasy.fifa.com/) - if anyone's interested, we can make a Mojo League :)

[Kroms]

Go Italy!

[QueZTone]

i'll just leave this here...

best matches of the 2008 euro cup!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvHL_02i_ws

Russia (not qualified for world cup) stole our cup! :p And coached by the succesful Dutch coach Hiddink no less.

But the world cup might bring the Dutch team the so much deserved glory!

[Gabez]

Hang on -- they made a cup that can hold the whole world?

Are Men United one of the squads playing? Pressumably the other squads are all women?

What happens if England plays itself and wins? Does that mean it's a draw?

What's football?

[Haggis]

I just hope those stupid vuvuzelas won't make the matches unwatchable... it was bad enough during the Confederations Cup, imagine a stadium full of those. If it turns out watching a World Cup match is like listening to a foghorn for 90 minutes, I think I'll pass.

[Threepwood4life]

COME ON ENGLAND!!!

[elTee]

I just hope those stupid vuvuzelas won't make the matches unwatchable... it was bad enough during the Confederations Cup, imagine a stadium full of those. If it turns out watching a World Cup match is like listening to a foghorn for 90 minutes, I think I'll pass.

I like the vuvuzelas! That's what makes this World Cup South African :)

[Snugglecakes]

I was opposed to the vuvuzelas too for a long, long time, and also hoped they would be banned. But you know, as this thing has gone on, I've become used to it and it gives this event such a unique sound identity. I don't really have a problem with them anymore. And besides, watching my mother trying to blow one is priceless :)

There's a constant din of distant vuvuzelas over the city today, and it just makes it more exciting!

[Haggis]

Oh well, maybe I'll get used to the sound... I just wish the kids here would stop blowing them. After all the World Cup isn't here. Maybe in 2018 though...

[Snugglecakes]

Haggis: I actually have two Dutch FIFA volunteers staying with me for the month! Thought I'd bring a bit of the vibe to the house :)

[Haggis]

Heh, nice! Don't leave your house unguarded though, or you may find they'll have painted it orange.

(Also, it's a disgrace that FIFA need volunteers... they get enough money from bribes and sponsors... but then, Sepp Blatter needs to be royally compensated for his invaluable work for mankind.)

[Snugglecakes]

Haha! I actually got them orange towells and duvet covers in the hope that it would satisfy them enough to leave the house alone :)

[Snugglecakes]

I don't suppose our American friends could explain this to the rest of us?

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/5785/usahaha.jpg

And then it's here too:
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100613/SPORTS11/6130362/Americans-win-1-1-draw-vs-England

Um... lol? What the hell?!

[ATMachine]

Haha, that's the New York Post, the US answer to Britain's The Sun. It's nothing more than typical jingoistic tabloid pablum.

[Snugglecakes]

Yes but I don't think even the Sun would be say something so completely absurd. And I've seen it in several places. It's just so... I must be careful here lol!

There is much eye rolling going on over here because of this 1-1 win!

I quite like it. It means England also won. So where's our 3 points please?

[LordTrilobite]

Football really couldn't interest me less. And vuvuzelas are really annoying.

The madness around the sport is just insane here in Holland.

[Snugglecakes]

Aah you're just missing out :D

As for the vuvuzelas... yes. I have nothing against cultural preferences, but when it drowns out all the usual wonderful sounds of a world cup, no thanks. It was a novelty on day one, but listening to that noise in a match between Holland and Japan for example is just wrong. Also totally ruins the television coverage.

Last night's England Algeria game was dreadful but at least you could hear singing and cheering and the Algerians beating their drums etc... thank goodness for the 25 000 travelling England fans without vuvuzelas. Hope it sounded the same on tv.