Or: Futebol! Football with London's Brazilian fans
I went to watch Brazil -v- North Korea with Brazilian fans. My first choice of venue - Guanabara - was super-busy with long queues. Covent Garden was thronged with Brazilian fans so, like many others, I decamped to another bar - the Shakespeare's Head in Holborn.
Everyone was Brazilian tonight, even those who were not actually Brazilian. Brazil's very flattering yellow and blue jerseys were adopted with aplomb. One woman even applied fabulously fetching gaudy yellow, blue and green eye shadow.
The first half passed by without real incidence - the Brazilians were just chatting each other up: "You look like Lewis Hamilton," a pretty girl thrilled. "You have lovely hair," the man replied. "Can you say 'they are jealous' or 'they feel jealous'?", she asked, pointing at her male friends.
By the second half, with Brazil yet to score, the Brazilians fans were fretting frantically. One man shouted at the players to "shoota with the foota!", filled his glass with an energy drink, crushed the can and started gesticulating wildly.
His cheers worked, and the bar erupted in laughter, whistles and cheers as Brazil scored minutes later. The cheers and whistles continued with Brazil's second goal.
The Brazil fans started drinking and dancing, and barely even noticed North Korea's goal as they celebrated their first World Cup 2010 victory.
Next: A weekend of football with fans of Japan, Denmark and Slovakia.
6 comments:
Excellent! The fans I passed on the way home seemed quite subdued, so I wondered if Brazil had done well.
where are you going for the slovakia one? i'm tempted to join you (although i may have to keep my support for paraguay quiet!)
Currently, I think Slovakia will be at somewhere called Czech & Slovak House in Hampstead.
Might do some research nearer the time to ensure it's the correct place to go. If I remember right, that match is on Sunday morning.
did you get last week's time out? it had a list of suggested venues for each team (it may be on their website still)
Yep, although some are incorrect - suggesting places without TVs, for instance. This is the place they have suggested for Slovakia - Czech & Slovak Club (which I think is in Czech & Slovak House)
I've watched Brazil's match at The Coronet, Elephant & Castle, it was a real brazilian party, with samba dancers, live band, brazilian cold beer..so this sunday 17h i'll be there again.
I found it on timeout: http://www.timeout.com/london/sport/features/10155/World_Cup_special_events.html
vaivaibrasil.com
nice blog mate!
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