World Cup 2010 Moments - Spain-Portugal 29June - Cape Town

Moments along the way, Fan walk, before during and after the game. Were you there?



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK-ECoDUkpg&hl=en

World Cup 2010 - The Major Sporting Event of the Year

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This is going to take place in South Africa in the summer of 2010. The participating teams are determined by the qualifying matches that has been held on each continent between the time periods of august 2007 to November 2009. As the time left for the world cup is decreasing day by day so the preparations for the world cup are in the final stages. We will mention here some of the news related to this event.

South Africa grabbed the luck to be the seat for World Cup 2010. The ceremony will be launched on June/July 2010. These sports and events takes place all around ten stadiums and cities comprising the Cape Town. The stadiums have been sketched and the building has been started. In fact, the tickets are for sale on the various venues put up on the website.

The qualifications are now over and the teams which will compete on the finals are: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Honduras, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Korea, Paraguay, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Uruguay and United States of America.

There are many reasons why this football championship will tend to be success this time in the country. South African seashores put forward dirt free waters, fair shores and security nets. SA is reputed for its marvelous wines. A trip to South Africa is not whole devoid of chipping in the grandiose mountain collections.

Of course the unspoiled nature of South Africa is also of huge interest for those who will visit the World Football Championship in 2010 and will be able to combine the sporting entertainment with some great trips across this unique continent.

You will never have to worry about food in in the host country; the tastes are appealing to any people from whichever part of the world. Surprising games and expedition screening with trips are obtainable on ease. There are lots more that you can enjoy even after the matches days. Make it now or never!!!

STADIUM DEVELOPMENT FOR THE EVENT: The inspection tour that consists of about 50 operational experts from FIFA and members of the local organizing committee visited South Africa in the month of October to inspect the progress of the stadiums made for the world cup. This committee visited all the five stadiums that are being built for the world cup. This team is very satisfied with the progress. The stadiums are now complete. In most of the stadiums the work left includes laying of grass, getting the seats in and stadium precincts.

BUYING TICKETS FOR WORLD CUP 2010: it has been discovered that there are about 100 false websites that are selling tickets of world cup. These websites have duped thousands of football lovers as they are thinking that they have got the tickets when actually they have not. There are only a dozen of genuine websites that are selling tickets for the world cup, starting with FIFA.com and there are only a few companies that are authorized to sell packages to South Africa. So be careful before purchasing the tickets. We can recommend you the site below specialized and created exclusively for the World Cup 2010 in South Africa.

Ivaylo Yordanov is the author and can provide you with additional information about trips to South Africa and the World Cup 2010. Also, more information is available at World Cup 2010 Tickets and South Africa 2010 Tickets.

Poverty - The Scourge of Africa

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The most probable reason poverty exists, is insufficient work opportunities in combination with a lack of basic education and skills training, or is it?

In Africa, drought is labled as the most common cause of poverty, assisted often by a war here and there, a touch of genocide or the self enrichment of a political dictator and his merry men. Poverty is the scourge of Africa, it knows no boundaries and to quote Mr Jacob Zuma, it knows no colour.

During a recent television report it was stated that five children per day die in South Africa from malnutrition and that the incidence of abandoned babies has increased by one-third, shocking statistics from one of the wealthiest economies in Africa, one can only imagine the true extent of this problem.

Poverty cannot be categorised as another legacy of apartheid and simply swept under the carpet, it is not unique to those countries with a history of racism or other human rights atrocities. Poverty is a human catastrophe and growing, the upward trend of food and power prices, the implications of both global warming and the increase in the price of oil are all factors ensuring this trend remains.

The question is whether poverty is an unavoidable phenomenon or is it an unintentional creation of society. Our leaders talk glibly of job creation, particularly during election speeches, often seen cutting ribbon in front of the cameras at some local self-help project, this is not nearly enough to reverse a trend.

Go back a few years to the cement and brick industries and you will recall hundreds and thousands of workers on building sites throughout the country, loading cement and throwing bricks around manually, this whole workforce has been replaced by automatic palletisation systems. The motor industry and many employment sectors have become more and more automated. I know a farmer who, after being absolutely frustrated by theft and continual difficulties with his labour force, has installed as many automated systems as he is able in order to reduce his reliance on physical labour. On the sports field, a few years ago unskilled and uneducated labour was used as caddies or bag carriers, these employment opportunities have been substantially reduced in most cases and replaced by pull-carts and golf cars with some golf courses banning caddies from their environs completely.

The above mentioned employment sectors were largely forced to reduce employment opportunities as a result of either efficiency or economic factors, in simple terms labour became either too expensive with cheaper and more productive alternatives. It would be dangerous to hazard a guess at the number of jobs lost to the population as a result. When this situation is considered in parallel with the lower cost of production in some of our supplier countries, China and our textile industry as an example, we have mounting evidence to support the probability that poverty is exacerbated by our own actions, including the action of those first to complain about being unemployed.

To the unemployable masses in Africa, the core lack of education and skills development must surely contribute significantly to a poor economic environment and the resultant lack of employment opportunity. Until the standard of educational opportunity is addressed significantly, this situation will compound itself in perpetuity, as appears to be the case.

Is this avoidable, the answer must surely be yes. An immediate short term solution comes with obvious difficulties, the catch-22 position where to fund schools and qualified teachers an economy needs to be in good condition, a difficult state to reach in the midst of problems of poverty. The long term solution must however be addressed urgently by our leader group, politicians, church and traditional leaders. It is their bounden duty, even though only in office for a short while, to publicly commit to immediately addressing this issue with a long term objective. The effect of fraud, poor administrative and financial practice by our leaders in public office, if quantified and re-presented as the number of teacher appointments that this mismanagement could have funded, would be frightening.

Considering the problem from a job creation viewpoint, the labour leaders and organisations need to re-look their relationship with industry, strive to develop an atmosphere of consultancy and cooperation, rather than confrontation and demand. Job creation, even at the risk of lower wages, must remain high on any negotiation agenda; this needs the support of Government in all aspects, including reducing administrative employee related requirements for small business.

Poverty relief through improvements in the education infrastructure is not someone else's problem, it is ours as responsible persons who supposedly care for the future of Africa, consider this next time you elect the person to represent your ward.

The alleviation of poverty will undoubtedly have immediate social benefits to all South Africans, the improvement of our economy, less financial commitment to hand-outs, a reduction in the crime rate. Our generation, in South Africa and also the wealthier countries, need to take immediate meaningful action to reverse the trend, we're not talking about food parcels and hand-outs, we're talking about meaningful improvement and investment in the education of the children of Africa, failing which, a humanitarian disaster is inevitable.

Alan Hawkins is the CEO of StaySA.StaySA is a leading directory of Accommodation in South African. StaySA sister site Bed and Breakfast Directory is a major directory of South African Bed and Breakfasts

Cape Town's Curious Coffee Culture

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Compared to major cities in Europe, coffee culture is something that Cape Town seriously lacks. But perhaps only on the surface of things. For what do you call the hoards of good looking people who gather on trendy Kloof street on a daily basis, religously succumbing to that dark brown, aromatic caffeine injection?

Although there is no standard way of ordering or drinking coffee in Cape Town - it could be tall black or flat white; skinny with wings, or grande Americano con panna - there is no lack of coffee, coffee shops or coffee drinkers. It's just a matter of knowing what you like and where to find it.

Cape Town has recently experienced a steady rise in the popular American-style coffee shops similar to the Starbucks phenomenon that hit the United Kingdom not too long ago. These establishments have streamlined the coffee drinking experience into a kind of Macdonald-esque drive-through-on-foot, where reasonably good coffee is prepared super fast and sold at above average prices. Simply decide on the origin of the coffee bean, intensity of the roast, the fat percentage of the milk, whether you want a cup or a mug, 'eat-in' or 'take-away'. Then place your order on the one side of the counter, pass the glass display with a choice of numerous pre-prepared and packaged sandwhices, biscuits and muffins, and pick up a scaldingly hot drink on the other end. Easy as pie.

The problem is, even though these establishments offer you a 'tailor-made' drink, in probably less than a minute, the supposed "speciality" coffee that arrives at the end of the counter is nearly always an utter dissappointment - even the cocoa or cinnamon they make you sprinkle over yourself, somehow contribute to the overall blandness. Gone are the days of grand establishments with white tablecloths and eloquant waitrons, serving aromatic coffee in elaborate china. Or are they?

At the stately Mount Nelson hotel in Orange street, Gardens, the splendour of this bygone era is still very much alive. Here, high tea (or coffee for that matter) is still served in the colonial lounge every afternoon, accompanied by a feast of sweet and savoury treats prepared with beautiful attention to detail.

But if a humble street cafe is more what you had in mind, a stroll through the city centre will certainly satisfy your need. Walking up St. Georges Mall and surrounds will provide you with ample quaint coffee shops serving anything from stale filter coffee to decent espresso - so make sure to choose well. Try the realy strong and aromatic coffee from Crush - a favourite with business people wanting to kick start their day. For the health conscious, they serve suberp gourmet sandwhiches as well as fragrantly spicy Chai Latte.

Round the corner from Crush, in Church Street, close to Greenmarket Square, is the charming Cafe African Image where exotic coffees from all over the African continent can be enjoyed in the colourful surroundings of Pan-African art and crafts.

In Bree street there's the quirky Birds Boutique Cafe, where proper South African-style"moerkoffie" (Afrikaans for ground coffee) is complemented by freshly baked biscuits, muffins and scones with such decadent combinations as dried figs and chocolate.

Long street also has it's fair share of Coffee shops. There's the tiny, although bustling, Tribe Cafe with delicious coffee and delectable sandwhiches. Two blocks further up Rcaffe serves decent espresso and freshly baked sweet and savoury patries, while DeliZioso on the next corner whips up anything from cappucino's to espresso macchiato, accompanied by a mouthwatering Italian-style lunch buffet.

In the nearby and trendier Kloof street, franchises like Seattle Coffee Company and Mugg&Bean compete with one of Cape Town's most popular coffee shops - the impossibly cool Vida e Caffe. In a way, the arrival of a designer coffee shop like Vida e Caffe, is a small miracle. Because somehow, it captures the efficiciency of a drive-through-style shop without compromising the quality of the coffee or the drinking experience. The shop's sleek interior is as aesthetically pleasing as it is practical and comfortable. But the biggest drawcard, is without a doubt the exceptionally flavourful and consistently good 100 % Arabica coffee that they serve with such friendly passion.

Until recently, I thought the best coffee I've ever tasted was in Melbourne, Australia. I had been told what a refined coffee culture Melbourne possesses and subsequently headed for a coffee shop on arrival. Without hesitation, I ordered 'filter coffee' - hoping to sound as universal as possible. The look on the waitron's face was a mixed expression of complete confusion and utter disgust. My Australian companians quickly saved the situation by ordering a round of "latte's" for the table (short for 'caffe latte'), explaining that 'filter coffee' is not a concept anyone in Australia is familiar with, as Melbourne's coffee culture draws on the strong Italian presence in the city. Soon after my tiny faux-pas, the most beautiful drink arrived, served in a short glass on a saucer. No funny-eared cup or grotesque glass mug - simply deliciously strong, creamy espresso, topped with slightly frothy milk, served in a glass.

On my return, I frantically searched the streets of Cape Town for a coffee shop where latte's are served the way they are in Melbourne (or Italy for that matter). I searched numerous trendy coffee houses, obscure Italian restaurants and dodgy canteens without any success. Thousands of cups of coffee and endless nights of insomnia later, my salvation arrived in the pure white bliss that is Manna Epicure. And they even get it right down to the short latte glass and saucer. Coffee as good as this, in such a beautiful, modern setting (perhaps with a little toasted brioche, poached pear and milk jam, on the side) turns coffee drinking into one of the most refined earthly experiences. No wonder my coffee drinking journey's always seem to end there.

But no matter what your preference or pretention might be - from stale filter to strong 'moerkoffie' or authentic Melbourn-style lattés - if it's coffee you're after, Cape Town will surely satisfy the need.

Kobus van der Merwe is the editor of CityGuideSA - a comprehensive online travel resource with up-to-date information on where to Eat, Stay and Play in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and the Garden Route.

World Cup 2010 Moments - Cameroon - Netherlands - 24 June - Cape Town

Moments along the fan walk, into the stadium, during the game and after. Were you there too?



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GXDr21PFJw&hl=en

The FIFA World Cup - a guide to the growth of the beautiful game

A guide to the growth of the beautiful game's global festival, and to the economics of footballing prowess



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpPRNwEOWRU&hl=en

Things to Do in Tampa Bay

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Are you going to be visiting or relocating to the Tampa Area? Or do you live here and are exploring new activities within your city? Tampa is an incredible city to live, work, or play. There are so many exciting activities to do around this large city.

The Florida Aquarium is a fun place to spend a day. View sharks, fish or sea life in this extraordinary setting. And for children, there is a fantastic water area with spraying fountains, a pirate ship and more. If you enjoy amusement parks, don't miss Busch Gardens and Adventure Island. Busch Gardens has fast roller coasters, a children's play area, marine and land animals, games and so much more. With their affordable year round pass, you can play all year long! Adventure Island is a water park like no other. Relax in the rambling bayou, enjoy steep water slides or ride the waves in the large pool. It will bring out the kid in everyone.

For those who enjoy a day of shopping, Tampa is the perfect place to be. International Plaza has high end stores such as Tiffany's, Brighton, Neiman Marcus and more. With a variety of great restaurants, people come here to shop or just enjoy dinner or drinks. Westshore Plaza is another great mall, with stores such as Saks, JCPenney, Ann Taylor and even an AMC Movie Theatre. Don't miss the great food at Maggiano's, The Palm, or PF Changs Bistro. And for those who prefer a stroll outside while shopping, you won't want to pass up Hyde Park. This shopping destination has great stores such as Pottery Barn, Tommy Bahama, Talbots and Williams Sonoma. With it's charm and sophistication, it attracts people time and time again.

Are you a night owl? Enjoy an evening on the town at Channelside, Ybor City or International Plaza. Each has great restaurants, cocktail lounges, dance clubs and martini bars that attract people of all ages. Whether you're out for happy hour or the entire evening, you are sure to have a good time at one of these great destinations!

Tampa has become an attractive city for sports enthusiasts as well. With our Super Bowl Champions, The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and our 2004 Stanley Cup Champions, The Tampa Bay Lightning, it's easy to see why! And don't forget the arts. The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center is a great place to take in a show. From children's shows, plays and Broadway, this facility hosts a vast assortment of performances.

Don't miss everything Tampa has to offer. This growing city is a great place to explore!

Bob Lipply is a top Real Estate Broker Associate in the Buy and Sell Tampa Bay area. He and his team have been helping families relocate to Florida and on the selling end get top dollar for their homes with great success. Lipply Real Estate also specializes in Real estate marking in Clearwater visit his website where you can search the MLS for up to date available homes for sale.