Hello there
Friday was the opening day, all went off well with my son & I doing the Cape Town Walk exercise to discover how we were doing on the ground. We arrived at the FIFA Fan Fest a little after 11.00 and walked right through. The numbers of fans there was unbelievable ! The entire area in front of the main stage was chocablock full with over ten thousand fans. This six hours before the kick off of the first match.....
We then toured the core streets within Cape Town where more fans were enjoying a sunny winter day in the Mother City. What a diverse spectrum of fans we met. French, Uraguyan, locals, a whole load of English and Danish fans and the odd assortment from the US of A. All were amazed at the energy they felt, the manner in which they could walk our streets in safety and relative peace. Ok, time to talk about the " peace " .....
There was absolutely none ! I had with me the very same vuvuzela ( three foot long plastic trumpet, the creator of the African spirit ) that I had at WTM in 2007 as a guest of the Western Cape provincial government. This very same vuvu has had me in trouble at the WTM show, in the streets of London and within the pubs and police staions within London. This very same instrument had me meet Chief Inspector Chapman from the CID, Westminster to explain why my vuvu should not be recognised as a WMD ( weapon of mass destruction ). I sat in a dim, smoke filled interigation room in the early hours of a morning trying to explain why my vuvuzela was a manifestation of the Spirit of Africa and all this lot could see was a noisy South African out to wake the dead. I was saved by the MEC at the time and vividly recall walking out into the ashen light of a cold, grey morning in Westminster with a comrade of our struggle, turning around and raising my vuvu to my mouth released a fearful issuance at the building we had just emerged from.
Back at the South African Embassy, they asked me to explain why I continued to fill the London air with the delicate sound of the vuvuzela. I thought for a moment, smilled at the assembled ambassadorial gathering and just let them hear the reason.
The African vuvuzela can be hear at every single FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup TM. If you listen closely to it's sound, you may well hear the Spirit talk to you. It is filled with energy, singular of word and very much in your ears, very much like Our Africa.....
Slovenia have just put one past Algeria, time for me to take my vuvu in hand......
Ciao
Colin J. FRYER.
Centre Stage Travel - Close your eyes and imagine.....
Email: info@cstravel.co.za
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
ENERGY - Pure Geeeeee
I have a brother ( David ) living in the UK who is a football fan. He is a season ticket holder for a small English club called Chelsea FC, you may of heard of this very average team ? Now, David is utterly besotted with this lot and the game of football. He is unable to leave England ( something to do with a restraining order or something, very GBHish )so will be following the path of the English team as they march towards the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup on his stolen TV.
Now, along with hundreds of thousands of visiting fans flowing into South Africa this week are 31 national teams, the entire FIFA Family, sponsors, a massive media contingent and us, local South Africans. I want to talk about the US contingent. Way back when Sepp B showed his card with our name on it as the 2010 Host Country, we were worried. Worried about being able to do this thing. This was compounded by many miffed countries casting aspersions as to the ability of an Africa country ( I mean come on, they are a breed of help outs only, how can they come up with first world goods, service and all needed to host this event ? ) to rise to the occasion.
As a people we doubted ourselves, gulp, maybe these countries are right, what chance do we have to pull this off ? Look at our roads, our public transport, don't even go as far as considering our ability to run the SWC from a logistical perspective for that is too ghastly to contimplate. We as a collective talked ourselves into a position of acceptance that we were incapable. The media said this, the people felt it and it almost became true. So what happened between then ( a short four years ago ) and today Sunday the sixth of June, less than one week before the first round kicks off ?
A small band of souls got together behind very closed doors. No one knew about this event as no one would have believed it. These eight good people debated the reality, magnitude and practicality of this African country being successful in this task. Their individual place within Africa spanned social, commerce, cultural and political. They sat alone, without any external influence ( at their request ) for almost two days. Debate was robust ( the politician ), expansive ( the economist ), oscilating ( the socialist )and for the quiet voice of one gentleman, insightful, real, filled with belief and knowledge of African people.
These eight eventually came to a decision and left their " prision ". Each charged with a specific responsibility to influence their respective arena of responsibility. Each in the knowledge that as a collective, Africans are very good at what they do, quite cabable of providing world leading technology and as such very able to provide FIFA with their SWC here in South Africa. We as a people were treated with an insight as to our abilities every day as our stadia grew. We saw moves to provide public transport within the metroplitan areas of the host cities, we heard Sepp B talk of how he believed in us. Our LOC raised our awareness in how we were doing, how we were progressing towards Friday the eleventh of June 2010.
The tide of " we cannot " moved to " maybe we can Eh ? ". As more and more concrete evidence appeared, the tide of believe rose to a full blown wave of self belief. As the months passed and ran into the last for years, the group of eight met on a number of occassions and will meet for the last time today. Their task is done, they will sit for one last time with wide smiles, hugs of comaraderie firm in the knowledge that South Africa will present to the entire world the very best FIFA SWC that Africa can. To all who come to witness this " You are very Welcome ", for us as hosts, we are grateful for the opportumity to share our energy with you. Energy inherent in our souls, deeper than the foundation of our stadia, stronger than the forces of non believers and as able as ever to share our home with each and every one of you.
You are very Welcome.....Thank you for being here.
Ciao
Colin J. FRYER.
Now, along with hundreds of thousands of visiting fans flowing into South Africa this week are 31 national teams, the entire FIFA Family, sponsors, a massive media contingent and us, local South Africans. I want to talk about the US contingent. Way back when Sepp B showed his card with our name on it as the 2010 Host Country, we were worried. Worried about being able to do this thing. This was compounded by many miffed countries casting aspersions as to the ability of an Africa country ( I mean come on, they are a breed of help outs only, how can they come up with first world goods, service and all needed to host this event ? ) to rise to the occasion.
As a people we doubted ourselves, gulp, maybe these countries are right, what chance do we have to pull this off ? Look at our roads, our public transport, don't even go as far as considering our ability to run the SWC from a logistical perspective for that is too ghastly to contimplate. We as a collective talked ourselves into a position of acceptance that we were incapable. The media said this, the people felt it and it almost became true. So what happened between then ( a short four years ago ) and today Sunday the sixth of June, less than one week before the first round kicks off ?
A small band of souls got together behind very closed doors. No one knew about this event as no one would have believed it. These eight good people debated the reality, magnitude and practicality of this African country being successful in this task. Their individual place within Africa spanned social, commerce, cultural and political. They sat alone, without any external influence ( at their request ) for almost two days. Debate was robust ( the politician ), expansive ( the economist ), oscilating ( the socialist )and for the quiet voice of one gentleman, insightful, real, filled with belief and knowledge of African people.
These eight eventually came to a decision and left their " prision ". Each charged with a specific responsibility to influence their respective arena of responsibility. Each in the knowledge that as a collective, Africans are very good at what they do, quite cabable of providing world leading technology and as such very able to provide FIFA with their SWC here in South Africa. We as a people were treated with an insight as to our abilities every day as our stadia grew. We saw moves to provide public transport within the metroplitan areas of the host cities, we heard Sepp B talk of how he believed in us. Our LOC raised our awareness in how we were doing, how we were progressing towards Friday the eleventh of June 2010.
The tide of " we cannot " moved to " maybe we can Eh ? ". As more and more concrete evidence appeared, the tide of believe rose to a full blown wave of self belief. As the months passed and ran into the last for years, the group of eight met on a number of occassions and will meet for the last time today. Their task is done, they will sit for one last time with wide smiles, hugs of comaraderie firm in the knowledge that South Africa will present to the entire world the very best FIFA SWC that Africa can. To all who come to witness this " You are very Welcome ", for us as hosts, we are grateful for the opportumity to share our energy with you. Energy inherent in our souls, deeper than the foundation of our stadia, stronger than the forces of non believers and as able as ever to share our home with each and every one of you.
You are very Welcome.....Thank you for being here.
Ciao
Colin J. FRYER.
Friday, June 4, 2010
The Spirit of Africa - King Vuvu
I have been asked to bring a little light into the realm of the vuvuzela.
Now, you may never have heard the word vuvuzela before BUT, if you are to attend any of the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup games, you will certainly hear King Vuvu's reason of understanding. Hated by the German Football Federation, despised by the Spanish and yet loved by the entire African continent, this simple and yet effective ( very African this ) three foot hand held trumpet will bring Disprin an all time high stream of revenue. However, I digress, my charge is to bring you the history behind the realisation of King Vuvu.....
Picture if you will a typical African kingdom back in the sixteenth century. Devoid of insidious mobile phones, coca cola signs and politicians, this community lived in relative peace and harmony. Their monarch and absolute ruler was the inimitable King Vuvu. Solid of girth, weak of mind and fully aware of his short comings of his stature decided to entrench his rule by any means possible. Now, as an early day leader in Africa, it all boiled down to your size. King V lacked to such a degree in this aspect that even his Council sought to find a way to elevate this stature.
During King V's first quadrant of rule ( fifteen years )his focus on his vertical growth was sometimes farcical. Tethers were attached to his arms and legs and for hours a day he would berate his people to stretch him, all to no avail. During his second quadrant, he met a traveler from north Africa. Oh my, was he tall, I am talking seriously tall, well over two meters. The King was fascinated and yet daunted to meet this traveler. In the Kings mind he knew that here was the answer to his quest for vertical growth.
He welcomed the traveler to tarry a while in his kingdom, enjoy his hospitality and that of his people. The traveler looked around at the abundant food & water, the very short King and his people and agreed to stay a while, but only a short while. King Vu then ordered that a feast be prepared for their mobile guest and no expense was to be spared ( he had a Platinum Amex card so who cares ). What a bash ! They killed the fatted calf, slaughtered the fatted cow and made merry with the chicken chow mien. Fun was had by all, well except the chosen sacrifice but hey, what a way to go. In the early hours of the following morning King V and his guest were way gone on mbanje and chikubu ( you do not need to know ) and the King asked " My friend, you are our guest of honour and we are very very proud to be your hosts. There is just one question I would be honoured if you would answer for me though " The traveler looked down on the King and in a quiet voice said " Anything Nkosi, you only have to ask ".
King Vuvu was suddenly gripped by fear, an inexplicable fear for he was King and feared no one. " I see that the Spirit has blessed you with a tall frame my friend " came out in a small voice. Silence fell and both King Vu & his guest fell into a troubled sleep. Now as you will appreciate, I was not there to prove all of this but in traditional African story telling I do know that during this troubled sleep that King V & the traveler met up. As in a dream, was it real or not ? King V, his people and the traveler all together on a vast African plain. King V was well over two meters tall, the traveler a little smaller and holding in his hand a trumpet made from the skin of animals. The King turned to the traveler and said " My friend, what is that you are holding in your hand ". " This Nkosi is the Spirit of Africa and when used calls to the Spirits of our forefathers to come to our aid in times of war or BP spills in the Gulf ". Sjoe, he was a sidekick then....
" When we are together as Africans in our thousands and thousand, we take this and together we summons the Spirit to our side, to our aid, to help defeat our foe. It is the very essence of African Spirit, true, loud and knowing our place in this land ". The King smiled, then laughed, then he reached out and took this instrument and in one swift movement understood, it is not the stature of the man that makes him, no Nkosi, it is his love of Africa, her land, her people and living life the African way.
As the sun rose over the western horizon King V awoke with a serious babalas but soon chased her away and from that moment onward lived his life in the firm knowledge that the African Spirit was alive and within him. He did change his name to King Vuvuzela but I have absolutely no idea why....
In defense of the tsunami of vitriol against our Spirit of Africa.
Ciao
Colin J. FRYER.
Now, you may never have heard the word vuvuzela before BUT, if you are to attend any of the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup games, you will certainly hear King Vuvu's reason of understanding. Hated by the German Football Federation, despised by the Spanish and yet loved by the entire African continent, this simple and yet effective ( very African this ) three foot hand held trumpet will bring Disprin an all time high stream of revenue. However, I digress, my charge is to bring you the history behind the realisation of King Vuvu.....
Picture if you will a typical African kingdom back in the sixteenth century. Devoid of insidious mobile phones, coca cola signs and politicians, this community lived in relative peace and harmony. Their monarch and absolute ruler was the inimitable King Vuvu. Solid of girth, weak of mind and fully aware of his short comings of his stature decided to entrench his rule by any means possible. Now, as an early day leader in Africa, it all boiled down to your size. King V lacked to such a degree in this aspect that even his Council sought to find a way to elevate this stature.
During King V's first quadrant of rule ( fifteen years )his focus on his vertical growth was sometimes farcical. Tethers were attached to his arms and legs and for hours a day he would berate his people to stretch him, all to no avail. During his second quadrant, he met a traveler from north Africa. Oh my, was he tall, I am talking seriously tall, well over two meters. The King was fascinated and yet daunted to meet this traveler. In the Kings mind he knew that here was the answer to his quest for vertical growth.
He welcomed the traveler to tarry a while in his kingdom, enjoy his hospitality and that of his people. The traveler looked around at the abundant food & water, the very short King and his people and agreed to stay a while, but only a short while. King Vu then ordered that a feast be prepared for their mobile guest and no expense was to be spared ( he had a Platinum Amex card so who cares ). What a bash ! They killed the fatted calf, slaughtered the fatted cow and made merry with the chicken chow mien. Fun was had by all, well except the chosen sacrifice but hey, what a way to go. In the early hours of the following morning King V and his guest were way gone on mbanje and chikubu ( you do not need to know ) and the King asked " My friend, you are our guest of honour and we are very very proud to be your hosts. There is just one question I would be honoured if you would answer for me though " The traveler looked down on the King and in a quiet voice said " Anything Nkosi, you only have to ask ".
King Vuvu was suddenly gripped by fear, an inexplicable fear for he was King and feared no one. " I see that the Spirit has blessed you with a tall frame my friend " came out in a small voice. Silence fell and both King Vu & his guest fell into a troubled sleep. Now as you will appreciate, I was not there to prove all of this but in traditional African story telling I do know that during this troubled sleep that King V & the traveler met up. As in a dream, was it real or not ? King V, his people and the traveler all together on a vast African plain. King V was well over two meters tall, the traveler a little smaller and holding in his hand a trumpet made from the skin of animals. The King turned to the traveler and said " My friend, what is that you are holding in your hand ". " This Nkosi is the Spirit of Africa and when used calls to the Spirits of our forefathers to come to our aid in times of war or BP spills in the Gulf ". Sjoe, he was a sidekick then....
" When we are together as Africans in our thousands and thousand, we take this and together we summons the Spirit to our side, to our aid, to help defeat our foe. It is the very essence of African Spirit, true, loud and knowing our place in this land ". The King smiled, then laughed, then he reached out and took this instrument and in one swift movement understood, it is not the stature of the man that makes him, no Nkosi, it is his love of Africa, her land, her people and living life the African way.
As the sun rose over the western horizon King V awoke with a serious babalas but soon chased her away and from that moment onward lived his life in the firm knowledge that the African Spirit was alive and within him. He did change his name to King Vuvuzela but I have absolutely no idea why....
In defense of the tsunami of vitriol against our Spirit of Africa.
Ciao
Colin J. FRYER.
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