football
during brazil world cup – our top 8
The World Cup in Brazil is now rolling towards the quarter finals, only 8 of 32 teams will remain – the top 8! So we figured we will have our very own top 8… our top 8 moments from this visit to Brazil.
8. Brazilian BBQ – we have eaten it countless times in Australia but finally trying it in its country of origin. The meat is so tender and succulent albeit salty at times!
7. Curitiba Markets was such a surprise package. We love strolling through markets so this was our little pearl.
6. Singing our National Anthem, loud and proud at all three Australian matches. The first one was quite emotional and surreal, the realisation that we were really in Brazil for the World Cup!
5. Where else can you kick a soccer ball around with a stranger in an airport or on the street? Brazil!! Unfortunately, we didn’t have our camera ready for these random yet memorable moments.
4. Churros with dulce de leche – the churros in Brazil is so much chunkier than what we get in Australia and the sauce is just heavenly! The guys that sold it to us were so excited we were Australians, they want a photo with us 🙂 Don’t miss churros, when visiting Brazil!
3. The Socceroos captain prepares for the penalty goal that will have Australia lead Netherlands 2-1 (even if it is only for several minutes, we were still ahead at one point of this game 😉 )
2. The sense of camaraderie amongst the supporters – with countries competing on the field, there is no sense of rivalry anywhere! We enjoyed meeting and mingling with people of all nations here for the same reason as us 🙂
1. At the feet of Christ the Redeemer, feeling truly small and insignificant yet ever so humbled.
Have you been to Brazil? Tell us what you love about Brazil!
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footy fever in brazil
As the Australian National anthem is being sung, the reality of being here, in Brazil, finally sinks in. We both got goosebumps (despite it being subtropical temperatures) and we got a bit emotional as we squeezed each others hands, singing at the top of our lungs with pride.
Australia loses to Chile 2-1 and then loses to the Netherlands 3-2 several days later but it doesn’t matter. We are so proud of how the Socceroos played, the whole country should be proud. Australia gained a LOT of respect from supporters of all nations!
Following the game yesterday against the Netherlands, everyone (that are not Australian) have been really encouraging and supportive. After the Netherlands onslaught against Spain, people were “dooming” the chances of the Socceroos. We were getting all types of reaction before the game, everything from sympathy and jokes about Australia not scoring.
Twenty-four hours on, we hope the Socceroos have silenced their critics.
We thought we knew what footy fever meant but until we experienced football and World Cup in Brazil …. it has taken on a completely different meaning for us.
The entire country is immersed in green and gold (supporting Brazil, of course) with no one getting off lightly. But those who know, Australian sporting colours are green and gold too, so we feel like home here, except at games where the other countries are very well represented.
Every TV no matter where we turn has the game on when its game time. Even on the plane as we fly, everyone is glued to the TV.
The atmosphere is sensational and the games itself could not be more full of energy. We are one week into the World Cup 2014 and 21 games have been played so far. England are playing Uruguay as Le writes (with one eye on the TV) and David with both eyes on the TV. We are in the hotel lobby and all the staff are lined up watching the TV too.
One more Australia game for us to attend but that doesn’t mean the World Cup ends for us. It goes on up until that last game is played, even if it means watching it at some godly hour when we get home to Sydney. Because it is only once every 4 years for one month where footy fever infects (on a world scale)!
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weekly photo challenge: unexpected
We haven’t written much lately – time simply gets away and then here we are at the weekly photo challenge again. But after today, we have made a promise that we WILL complete our post about Day 2 in Dubai 🙂
In the meantime, the word this week is: UNEXPECTED
During our travels, we always experience or see something unexpected: sometimes good, and sometimes not so good. But unexpected also doesn’t necessarily need to fall into either of those categories.
Back in 2006, Germany was the host of the Football World Cup. We were driving through the Romantic Road in Germany several months after the World Cup had ended. What Mr WiseMonkey saw in the male bathroom was completely unexpected. He had to run back out and ask Mrs WiseMonkey for the camera to capture this unexpected sight….
This is what he saw…
And if you “play” correctly, you can score a GOOOOOOOOALLLLLLLLL!
For more “unexpected” photos: see The Daily Post
wise monkeys abroad 