1 March 2006 - Boca Juniors 3 Gimnasia 0
Lynne says...
La Boca stadium is in one of the poorer areas of Buenos Aires and although Boca Juniors are one of Argentina´s most famous teams (Diego Maradonna began his career with them) the stadium and surrounding area is very run down and in need of major modernisation.
We paid 14 pesos (around 3 pounds sterling) to stand on the middle tier terraces with the locals which was without doubt the best way to experience the real passion of the supporters. Unusually for South America, spectators are not allowed to drink alcohol in the stadium and I wasn´t even allowed to take in my bottle of water.
We´d arived in plenty of time and settled down to watch the warm up match - possibly the reserves or under 21s. The stadium is enormous and we picked a spot behind the goal.
As dusk fell the stadium slowly began to fill up and we were soon gazing upon a sea of blue and gold. A few plucky supporters climbed over the barbed wire railings and unfurled huge banners, some precariously tip-toeing along the outside edge of the third tier terrace opposite - probably some 200 feet up.
Cheers and chanting began to reverberate around the stadium in anticipation of the match. Finally, the teams ran on to the pitch accompanied by a huge roar of support and ticker tape fluttered down from the skies. I was surrounded by men, women and children of all ages, dedication etched onto their faces as they all sang in unison.
Boca scored three goals and I found myself cheering and clapping in support, swept along by the fans. As a bonus, I also learnt a few choice words in Spanish which might just prove useful in the months ahead!
posted by The Fears @ 12:28 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Hey you crazy kids! Sounds like you are having a fabulous time and I have to say I am a tad bit jealous! But am enourmously happy that you are finally doing this trip! Just too bad you couldn't get up north to visit us here in Canada! Never mind. Next trip! Can't wait to see you both again! Have fun be safe!
Love Michellexx
P.S. Ox tripe? Can I puke now?
Sounding good guys and not causing me to go green with jealousy at all! (well maybe the ox tripe made me go a little green!!)
Keep up the good blogging, it's great to see that ytour both enjoing yourselves so much (and you've still got loads more to see!)
Take care
Lil Bro
You utter bloggers! Can't believe you went to The Chocolate Box (La Bombanera) before me!! Trust you got some good piccies. Incidentally, did you know that the founders of Boca Juniors (ca 1910) had no idea what colour they would play in, so they decided to use the colours of the flag of the next ship that came into the port at BA. In came a Swedish ship & they play in blue & gold to this day... Try slipping this into a footie conversation with locals! I'm sooo jealous!
Btw, my little French friend of 8 years, Lise, is flying to BA on Friday 10th - should I pass you each other's email/mobile details, so you can meet up? She knows some locals, apparently...
You don't need me to tell you to enjoy yourselves! Take care & keep blogging.
JL
Shrewsbury Twinned with Buenos Aires.........................
We so often navigate the rough end of town that is the Wyle Cop(to see the shrewsbury aces) and make our way across the wakeman end to stand with the locals.
Similarly we too drink our Sprite although we are not allowed to keep the little green lids,
and we too often look across the Riverside and see the swathes of blue and gold as The lowly shrews stuff 3 past The O,s in 6 minutes to come back fro 2-0 .
There the comparison ends my friend, Shrewsbury are defo not the richest team in the world, and unlike the great Boca of Buenos Aires we are unlikley to attract the attention of diners in the restraunt next door to the Shrewsbury Abbey let alone half away across the world. some body ought to remind Mr Peters that there is no dress rehearsals for a footy season just as your aunty told told you that life is so real the rest of us. Yours always in DIV 2 PJ and Sarah.
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