SA bits 26 - More poached pics of Confed Cup Finals 2009

Like I mentioned in my last entry, here are higher quality pictures of our outing. Thanks Akash and Dorai.

On the way to the stadium in the "Park-N-Ride" bus service, and no that's not my look of being constipated. Just excitement building up and no other way of expression. I wonder how I'll behave in more exciting events... :P

Akash and I outside the stadium, you can see clearly how much weight I've put on. In my defense I must say, it's the extra layers of clothes. It was cold ok!

As I said, unnecessary show of emotions..

BRAZIL fan goodies,it's basically a protective hardhat with famous Brazil colors and the words forming B-R-A-Z-I-L in front. So expensive!

Simi with his team's t-shirt

Supersized official tournament soccer ball

Part of the performance included a video presentation projected onto this giant ball in the middle of the stadium




The performers beating on drums, dancing and all..


Impressive lighting color changes makes it more interesting

Performers forming the shape of the African continent. It doesn't look like the continent at first glance because we are looking at it upside down. It was meant to show the VIPs on the opposite side of where we were sitting.

Team USA warming up



Team Brazil warming up

Players emerging from the tunnel before the game

Players shaking hands before the game

Kick-off

If you remember my last post, I mentioned that all I could hear in the stadiums were the vuvuzela. It's shown in this picture, where the guy is holding up a yellow horn like instrument. You put your lips into the mouth of this vuvuzela and start blowing and making your lips vibrate. The horn design amplifies your lip vibration so much, it makes one hell of a noise, almost sounding like the air horn of a truck! They're thinking of banning that in World Cup because of the noise, but many argue that it's a South African trademark and no way are they going to take that away from them.

Half time performers


Team Brazil celebrating after the final whistle

The Cup handed over to the winning team

If you're wondering why they're all donning #10 blue jersey, that's because Brazil's number is 10 among the Federation teams

Till next year....

SA bits 25 - FIFA Confederations Cup Final (Brazil vs USA)

The last time I attended a soccer match was in Shah Alam Stadium, when Liverpool came to take on Selangor FC. I was 15 years old then. It was so long ago, Bruce Grobbelaar was Liverpool's goal keeper. On Sunday, the gang and I went to watch the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009 Final match between Brazil & USA. It was held in Johannesburg town Ellis Park Stadium. I wore 2 pairs of pants, 2 t-shirts and a sweater. Taking a piss was such a hassle :P... To summarize, it was really weird to watch a soccer match without the commentary. All we could hear were the vuvuzelas instead. The excitement does grow each time when they were close to the goal post. Here are more pictures to illustrate the environment.

Outside Ellis Park Stadium

Side view

Confed cup banner

The official fan shop, selling an assortment of t-shirts, cap, beanies, fleece jackets

Supersized official Confed cup soccer ball

Closing ceremony performers lining up to enter the stadium

The beginning of an ending...

Volunteers clearing up the center field where the closing performance was held in preparation for kick-off

Team USA warming up

Team Brazil warming up

Just before kick-off...

And the final score was 3-2 in favor of Brazil. I'll post more pictures soon, after I shamelessly poach it from the other guys camera with zoom lens and all. What's 2Mpixel compared to 10Mpixel. Might just see Kaka's mole behind his neck.

SA bits 24 - Bruma Crafts Market

If you recall my earlier posts, there is a crafts market about 20 minutes drive away from where I stay. It's also close to "Chinatown" where we had lunch today, so we also made a quick visit to the market.


Statues carved out of stone and wood.

All sorts of animals, but mainly the Big 5 in South Africa (Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino & Buffalo).

Assorted decorations made of low grade gemstone which looks like jade. Comes in designs such as plates & bowls, coasters, ash trays, jewel box etc.

Ostrich egg decorations. They are normally painted with African cultural elements such as images of natives and tribesmen & game animals.

Wooden carvings of tribesmen.

Tribal masks.

This is the biggest store within the complex. You can find almost any crafts in here. This was also where I bought my djembe (african hand drum) 2 years ago.

This is the best Big 5 carving I've seen so far.

SA bits 23 - Char Siew

My first attempt to roast my own char siew, though I used ready made sauces. Next attempt will be with raw ingredients. The oven isn't really working in my apartment though, so I had to roast it in my colleague/neighbours apartment :P

Again, it was nothing close to the ones in KL but it'll do at the moment. At least it's better than the ones I had in Chinatown, where they didn't really lace it with honey when roasting.

SA bits 22 - Old bottles for sale?

I was doing some grocery shopping when I came across the wine section.

I wondered if it was really necessary to stack the bottles out of the box at that kind of height. Could any customer possibly reach anything above the 6th tier of the rack without any elevation machinery? This reminded me of an old movie with a famous theme song about old bottles for sale..or something like that..

Anyway, South Africa ranks #8 when compared to other countries of the world as wine producers. There are many vineyards located in the Western Cape of this country. I read somewhere that this is because of good weather condition and geographical reasons for the high number of wine making establishments in that region. I will definitely make a plan in future to visit this region, as they also emphasized on the scenic beauty in the winelands. It should be more majestic than that rack of bottles :P

SA bits 21 - Subru (Subaru)... I was told that's how they call it here.

One of my colleagues toy.


My first experience of being this upclose to an Impreza, not yet personal though. Maybe one day....