Saturday morning there were no planned activities. I went to get the soccer tickets. They asked for my ID, but I always kept my ID in a safe, so I had to go back to the hotel, get it, then back to the grocery store to pick up tickets
Then I did some shopping and came back for 1 hour before the game...
Then I did some shopping and came back for 1 hour before the game...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyUquubDSrY
In what might be the best South African experience I had.
It was to what I now learned as the Soweto Derby.
We were caught in traffic leaving our hotel after 1:00 for a 3:30 game. it was a lot of traffic, in fact to just fast forward...We arrived with 15 minutes to spare for gametime. The journey there was just pure South Africa.
Here is the walk from the car to the stadium:
https://youtu.be/7kwg5aqXEJU
As we were a few kilometers out from the game the traffic picked up. Cars were full of yellow for Chiefs or Black for the pirates. People were so drunk on arrival. Cars were illegally full of people, doors open while driving...and even more to follow. In fact as an aside the shopping centre was full of people wearing the uniforms. The whoel city was talking. I peppered everyone I spoke to about the game. A woman at the grocery store said in Collie I trust (he is the Goalie for the chiefs)
The game was intense but friendly. There was a rivalry but no fighting. Fans sat by each other and I did not see one altercation.
Ok but back to the drive, maybe the most interesting part....As the cars stopped in the traffic jam, the some passengers got out and just started dancing. Just dancing near the car on the street in the traffic jam. It was wild.
I found some youtube videos that may help show what I saw. I did not bring anything that looked valuable, so I would not be robbed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPxHhcVaPKI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPxHhcVaPKI
Did our van of mostly White people stick out? Yes more on that after the game. In the same traffic jam toward the game, people rolled down the windows and asked who we supported.
The pirates fans became the cooler fan base to root for as they put there forearms in an X, and if you did it back, you were a pirate fan. the whole crossbones. chiefs put up two fingers which would not be OK in england. Not knowing what to expect, I wore green. No one hates green at these games.
After getting dropped off we meandered through crowds not knowing how long the lines were. People were selling everything, portable bbqs, knockoffs of everything. I even saw chicken on a BBQ, robes to wear, hats, berets.
The pirates fans became the cooler fan base to root for as they put there forearms in an X, and if you did it back, you were a pirate fan. the whole crossbones. chiefs put up two fingers which would not be OK in england. Not knowing what to expect, I wore green. No one hates green at these games.
After getting dropped off we meandered through crowds not knowing how long the lines were. People were selling everything, portable bbqs, knockoffs of everything. I even saw chicken on a BBQ, robes to wear, hats, berets.
The seven of us sat together.....the seats were OK except one thing...it was direct SUN the whole game. A gracious IBMer gave me her hat and I did not roast. It was over 95 F. The game was exciting but the constant dancing and playing was just something to behold. I really can not describe it. It was just a party atmosphere but civil. Only once did I see something fall from the upper deck toward our lower levels. The fans were nice. We stuck out. Everyone asking who we supported, I tried not to commit to anyone.
The game was exciting but overall the fandom experience was just being there. I was in silence just mesmerized by the party atmosphere whether the game was on or not. I sat by a family who came from over 100KM away for this city rivalry.
At the half, the stadium in a collective gasp watched two people do ball tricks. Taking off a shirt while balancing balls. It was just as exciting as the game.
On the downside, one of our people in our group was nearly pickpocketed.
The game ended in a draw, I thought oh good no rioting after. There was none....we were the riot scene.
Afterward it got even weirder as some of the few white people as we were waiting for our car, fans just started taking pictures with us.
Worried about being pickpocketed for this photo op we were gracious but I held my phone and wallet very firmly. Every picture, my hand is in my pocket.
The game was exciting but overall the fandom experience was just being there. I was in silence just mesmerized by the party atmosphere whether the game was on or not. I sat by a family who came from over 100KM away for this city rivalry.
At the half, the stadium in a collective gasp watched two people do ball tricks. Taking off a shirt while balancing balls. It was just as exciting as the game.
On the downside, one of our people in our group was nearly pickpocketed.
The game ended in a draw, I thought oh good no rioting after. There was none....we were the riot scene.
Afterward it got even weirder as some of the few white people as we were waiting for our car, fans just started taking pictures with us.
 |
| Here we are before the mob scene descended on us.... |
Worried about being pickpocketed for this photo op we were gracious but I held my phone and wallet very firmly. Every picture, my hand is in my pocket.
We made it back in one piece.
We had dinner and tried to process what we went through.
Another video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7erN_aGmPpU
We had dinner and tried to process what we went through.
Another video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7erN_aGmPpU
Jamon
A wonderful experience captured... thanks for the videos! I was thrilled to see and hear the celebration from the inside... I only had a drive-by opportunity to see that wonderful stadium.
ReplyDeleteGlad that everyone was safe, despite the close call and mobbing. What an incredible fandom experience, as you say.