Oh good lord People: let go of this vuvuzela thing. They're here and they sound like angry hornets. So what. Anybody remember those GWAAAAAAAAA things that English fans use – that sound like foghorns. That probably are foghorns. No sweet nothings being whispered there. Yet on and on the debate rages. To ban or not to ban? Even the Arch had to come out in support: “nonsense” he bellowed, adjusting his green and gold knitted beanie. Norm Cooke (Fatboy Slim) said it best to Fresh on 5 the other day: “it only sounds like that on the TV and radio – in the stadium it's exciting man!” And followed it up with a great suggestion – different colour vuvus should have been given different notes. Then we could have figured out a stadium's tuning every night. Old School music biz fella – thinking strategically: let's take the riff and make that sucker a hit.
Right now, we have bigger problems. A man in an alice band slipped two past our goalie. Who then got smacked for bad behaviour. Now we have to beat France. I don't know much about soccer and I am by nature an optimist … but France? Even the English blanche when you mention that team. Though, given that the Swiss unexpectedly whupped the Spanish team's asses yesterday and that England went green and gave the USA a goal and a draw … anything seems possible. And that's hope enough for me.
So – we're almost a week in, and none of the dire predictions have come true. Crime hasn't surged, children and nubile maidens have not been abducted. Getting in and out of the stadiums has proved easy (especially if you leave before full time because your team has just let a third by, but I digress). Traffic is manageable, the gees (spirit/vibe) is strong, games are exciting, stadiums are holding up. Lovely stuff. We South Africans might not know much – but we do know how to throw a party.
But, man is it cold in Cape Town! I had a good laugh yesterday at the Waterfront shopping centre. A bunch of gals, over from Manchester, were plundering Country Road for some warm, affordable clothes. Much discussion as to how they could work their carefully co-ordinated Top Shop and Zara summer outfits around thick sweaters and still look sexy at the games. One of the girls told me – “but this is meant to be Africa and Africa is meant to be warm”. I decided not to say the obvious. Instead I pointed her in the direction of fleeces that could be worn off the shoulder. All that experience, gained in 18 years of cold English summers, finally came in handy.
I am enjoying this Wold Cup. I love that everyone is talking about it (even my 2 year old niece). I love that there are flags fluttering from almost every car in town. That they represent every nation. I love that we are all equal under the stadium sky and I love that people who would not normally be out here on holiday are breaking bread and drinking wine with us.
And I love that the vuvuzela boasts about it, to the whole world, every day.
It's all good.
* ok – so this is a somewhat clunky attempt at a double pun: coucher means sleep and references the Lady Marmalade song. The tutu bit is a little britain reference: computer says no.