So its my last day in Montevideo... this place has really weaved its way into my heart a little bit and I'm not really sure why... its not just the shared passion me and the people here have for football, although the memories of the games here will stay with me for a long time... the people just seem nice here, locals and travelers alike... I've been in some places where its just not quite felt right despite a hostel being nice and the people being friendly... Foz do Iguazu in Brazil was like this... everything was there for it to be great but the hostel just wasn't (the waterfall was though:)... that doesn't mean it was bad it just didn't blend right... here, at the lovely little Pocitos Hostel, things feel more natural... I've been to a football game with Nacho who works here... we had a lovely BBQ at the hostel on Wednesday night, with all manner of meats being beautifully cooked and passed around on platters in little chunks while we chatted and drank... who would have thought that medium rare steak would make such a wonderful finger food... the 4 liters of beer I drank didn't agree with me the next day though, took a cold shower and Mexican food to bring me back to earth! ... the people are cool here and I've got on with them well... seem to have met half of Canada here but they're good people... it continues to have been a mistake to not learn Spanish before I came... I'm having a great time but itsreally clear to me that I'm missing out on that little bit extra because the only words I can say are thanks, please, sorry and beer... ... but with all things its important to leave on a high... the fantastic Penarol game last night coupled with the good people I've met mean its time to move on (it seems somewhat counter intuative but when you've found the perfect place when traveling, it probably means its time to move on before the good vibe can become comprimised)... ... ... So, to Buenos Aires... I've already booked my tickets to see Boca Jouniors vs Estudientes for Sunday... can't wait... Last night, Penarol proved a hidden gem in terms of quality atmosphere, but Boca is the famous one... the one every traveler has heard about... so I can't wait:) ... the only problem i I've heard that we stand one tire below the away fans and so it is pretty usual to be spat on and sometimes even pissed on... ... the atmosphere better be bloody good if I've got to be pissed on to expierience it! ... also I plan to go to see the other BA team, River Plate, on the 8th before I make a trek up the east coast of South America for my flight home from Rio on 21st April (back in blighty on 22nd)... ...
... a couple of things I've been meaning to mention... Uruguay is a mini rugby hot bed, and I mentioned to the guys at the hostel that me and Jason had a soft spot for a Uruguayian who played for Bristol a few years back called Pablo Lemoine... they were not only familur with this legend but added that the current captain of the Uruguay national rugby team actually works at the hostel (unfortunatly he's on holiday this week)... ...
... I've packed my bag and its at the hostel ready for me to collect and go off to the bus station to get a night bus to BA... I'm nervous to go back though, today I bought a Penarol polo t-shirt and I don't want Nacho to catch me packing it away in my bag... I feel such shame and such a traitor if he sees that I've bought some Penarol merchandise... its just not the Nacional way!
... On another football point (don't yawn!), I find in England we sometimes think we're one of the more progressive nations and more open minded then most... well recently two pundets for Sky TV got sacked for making sexist comments about a female referee before a game (I mean, Christ, give her a chance to make a mistake before you slag her off!)... well it Uruguay they are really trying to blood female referees... before each game a reserve game happens to entertain the fans drifting in (great idea by the way) and both times I watched they had a female ref... I made the same mistake to assume that only a super-lovely-and-open-minded country like ours would try to progress females in the game... but fair play to them Uruguay is matching us and maybe even beating us in the progression of female referees... I mean, there was 70,000 people in that stadium and I could count the number of wolf whistles at the female ref on one hand... impressive...
... and final facts... the Estadio Centanario where I watched the game last night was built for the 1930 world cup... it was built in around 6 months... the general public helped in its construction to make it ready for the first world cup... and the amount of concrete used in it could make up to 10 stadiums these days with modern techniques... wow! (who said football was boring:)
Keep well people... thats me done... now I'm off to sneak back into the hostel without being seen with Penarol merchandise... wish me luck;)
Lots of love and hugs and kisses,
Matt:)
... a couple of things I've been meaning to mention... Uruguay is a mini rugby hot bed, and I mentioned to the guys at the hostel that me and Jason had a soft spot for a Uruguayian who played for Bristol a few years back called Pablo Lemoine... they were not only familur with this legend but added that the current captain of the Uruguay national rugby team actually works at the hostel (unfortunatly he's on holiday this week)... ...
... I've packed my bag and its at the hostel ready for me to collect and go off to the bus station to get a night bus to BA... I'm nervous to go back though, today I bought a Penarol polo t-shirt and I don't want Nacho to catch me packing it away in my bag... I feel such shame and such a traitor if he sees that I've bought some Penarol merchandise... its just not the Nacional way!
... On another football point (don't yawn!), I find in England we sometimes think we're one of the more progressive nations and more open minded then most... well recently two pundets for Sky TV got sacked for making sexist comments about a female referee before a game (I mean, Christ, give her a chance to make a mistake before you slag her off!)... well it Uruguay they are really trying to blood female referees... before each game a reserve game happens to entertain the fans drifting in (great idea by the way) and both times I watched they had a female ref... I made the same mistake to assume that only a super-lovely-and-open-minded country like ours would try to progress females in the game... but fair play to them Uruguay is matching us and maybe even beating us in the progression of female referees... I mean, there was 70,000 people in that stadium and I could count the number of wolf whistles at the female ref on one hand... impressive...
... and final facts... the Estadio Centanario where I watched the game last night was built for the 1930 world cup... it was built in around 6 months... the general public helped in its construction to make it ready for the first world cup... and the amount of concrete used in it could make up to 10 stadiums these days with modern techniques... wow! (who said football was boring:)
Keep well people... thats me done... now I'm off to sneak back into the hostel without being seen with Penarol merchandise... wish me luck;)
Lots of love and hugs and kisses,
Matt:)
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