FIFA World Cup nostalgia

Feel it; it is here – the end of the FIFA World Cup. It is that moment when you give a last nostalgic toot on your plastic vuvuzela before hanging it up with your other World Cup memorabilia – like the beer stained t-shirt you wore when Andres Iniesta scored Spain’s winning goal, or your orange cap covered in bite marks from an irate Brazilian fan you happened to share a table with in the pub.

Before we can all return to the mundane world of work there are a few matters to take care of. Firstly, you need to run through every special World Cup moment and retell it in ever expanding detail, until the 2010 legends are firmly cast in oral history. Let’s not forget Maradona’s field side theatrics, and Gabriel Heinzen getting knocked out by a camera, or that sweet crying North Korean.
Secondly, of course, there is the future of Paul the Octopus to consider. What will happen to this eight-legged psychic who took some of the fun out of the final with his 100% accurate prediction record? Apparently angry German fans feel betrayed by the Octopus for predicting their loss against Spain, and they have put a price on his clever head. Fortunately, Paul is now safely retired and as he enters old age he will be spending the last months of his three-year lifespan contemplating the glory of his youth and predicting great events for the future in the silent obscurity of his tank. No doubt there are many lottery players who would be quite happy to offer him an alternative refuge.

And finally we have to congratulate the real champion of this tournament, the underdog that so few expected to succeed: the 2010 World Cup host nation, South Africa. Sepp Blatter gave South Africa a nine-out-of-ten thumbs-up. It's no wonder South African's are still celebrating. They did it. And they did it well. The sceptics should perhaps have consulted Paul the Octopus.

So now that the games are over, displaying nostalgic memorabilia, telling blow-by-blow 2010 stories or taking a long holiday to Cape Town are some options for stopping the thrills of the World Cup from fading. But there is an even better way to reminisce as our football-inspired game, Footy Fanatics, is here to stay as a way to keep the spirit of the beautiful game alive.

Take your chance and join the champions to score big with Footy Fanatics’ free spin feature (level 1). This way you can tie up all the loose strings of the FIFA World Cup, say good-bye to an unforgettable tournament, and still let football fever simmer away for as long as you like, spin after winning spin.

FIFA World Cup 2010: Durban

Durban is the home of the Moses Mabhida Stadium which was built as a multi-purpose venue to host the Soccer World Cup and other sporting events in the future. The really interesting thing about this stadium is the giant, free-standing arch which towers above it.

The arch is a symbol of the divisions that previously existed in the country and of how people have come together as a new and whole community of South Africa. More than just a symbol, this arch has functional purposes as well; most importantly in providing support for the stadiums cover to enclose the field. However, it offers some other exciting features too.

On one side you can take a trip in a funicular up to the view platform situated at the highest point of the arch. For those who are fit and energetic, you also have the option to climb the 550 steps of the "adventure walk" from the other side of the arch.

And, for those who have a real spirit of adventure and enjoy a good adrenaline rush, you can enjoy one of the biggest swings in the world! That's right, it is possible to jump in a sort of bungi-style swing from the fourth rung of the arch structure. I don't know about you, but I had to see it to believe it!




Although, I don't think I'll be doing that any time soon - I'd much rather stick to the beach as Durban is well known for it's beaches, warm water and surfing and has even hosted international surfing and other water-sports related events.

FIFA World Cup 2010: Johannesburg

Soccer City in Johannesburg is the largest Soccer Stadium in Africa with a capacity of 94,700 - it's HUGE and is in the Top Ten Biggest Soccer Stadiums in the World!

The stadium was originally built in 1986 and is not only a soccer venue but has hosted the funeral of Chris Hani (an Apartheid Struggle hero). It was also the first place that Nelson Mandela spoke at following his release from prison.

The stadium was massively overhauled in order to host the world cup and, as part of this, the capacity was also increased.

In designing how the stadium would look, architects took inspiration from an African Pot used by the Zulu's who were the original inhabitants of the Northern parts of South Africa.

Johannesburg itself is an interesting place. It's one of the worlds biggest cities but it wasn't built near a water source - water is collected in man made dams or is piped in from other areas. The city was founded due to the mineral wealth of the area and is well known for it's Gold and Diamond mines.

Johannesburg even found itself on the international map recently, following the release of a South African film where it was featured as the landing place of extra-terrestrials called "the prawns". The international blockbuster hit is titled "District 9" and stars Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope and David James. The movie was nominated for four Academy Awards in 2010, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Visual Effects, and Best Editing.

However, unfortunately for you, the only Alien's you will see there during the World Cup season will be fellow visitors from other countries!

FIFA World Cup 2010: Soweto

Soweto is a name familiar to most people, even if they don't know exactly where it is or why the name is familiar. It's name comes from the words South Western Townships which was it's given name under the old South African Apartheid Government which had policies that prevented people from different races from living together (among many other things). It also was the home of the iconic figure Nelson Mandela who lived there for many years, and his old residence is now a very popular tourist attraction. Just down the road is the home of another well known Nobel Prize winner by the name of Desmond Tutu - making this the only place in the world where two Nobel Prize winners lived in the same street!

Soweto drew worldwide attention in 1976 when a mass uprising against government policies exploded in violence with the police opening fire on a group of school children involved in a protest. It was this incident that caused the international community to impose sanctions against the South African government, both culturally and economically.
Soweto is a very large area in the North of South Africa which is a part of Johannesburg and comprises of 87 townships. Housing is made up in part by "matchbox houses" that were previously built to house migrant workers. It is still a poor area, with many still living in shanty towns with little or no access to facilities like water and electricity, however other areas have large homes that are much alike to the wealthier areas of Johannesburg.

In recent years there has been more effort by the government to improve the area by paving roads, building houses and ensuring residents have proper access to facilities. There has also been the development of a number of Malls and even an upmarket hotel.

Soweto will also be hosting some of the matches for the FIFA World Cup. Orlando stadium was originally built in 1959 and is the place to which the school children were marching when the police opened fire on them in 1976. It is remarkable that just over 30 years later there has been so much change in the country, and even the area alone, that it is now hosting an international event such as this.

Orlando Stadium has also been re-vamped and is ready to host a world-class event in world-class style. On the 10th of June they will be celebrating the launch of the FIFA World Cup by having a Concert where proceeds will go to a number of really great charities for the upliftment of the local community.

A number of local musicians will be playing at the concert and our favorite is a band called Freshly Ground. They were featured with Shakira in the official World Cup Song. Check it out on YouTube here.

And, to get yourself in the mood, don't forget to play our latest Football themed slot machine, "Footy Fanatic".

Fifa World Cup 2010: Port Elizabeth

Port Elizabeth is another of the host cities for the Fifa Soccer World Cup. It is situated on the East Coast of Southern Africa and its first inhabitants were the indigenous groups known as the San and KhoiKhoi people. Later it is thought that the Xhosa people moved down from more northern regions to live in the area. The first Europeans to settle in the area were Portuguese explorers in 1488. It was only in 1799 that the British formed a settlement there and it was named after the founder's wife, Lady Elizabeth Donkin (pictured below).

Rufane Donkin was from a well-respected family that served in the Queens Army for a number of generations. A man of his caliber would normally have been married off to a woman of an equal class but, as sometimes happens, he fell in love with a woman for who she was and not for privilege or prestige. She came from a clerical family, and her grandfather had been an Archbishop which was most definitely not of the same social class as Rufane, so who knows whether his family ever approved of the marriage in 1815. What we do know is that the two adored each other and she followed him to his assigned post in India. By 1817 they were expecting a child and their lives seemed like they couldn't be more perfect. Their baby boy was born on Christmas Eve but the birth had been difficult on poor Elizabeth and it was then that their lives took a turn they could never have expected. Instead of enjoying their young family, Elizabeth never fully recovered and her ill-health continued to be a problem. Perhaps it was the heat of India that made her struggle, but eventually in August of 1818 life slipped from her body during a fever.

Rufane was overwhelmed by the death of his soul mate and being left as the only parent for their baby son. So deep was his loss, and so desperate was he to not be parted from his wife that he had her heart removed from her body and embalmed so that he could carry it with him for the rest of his days. The memories of Elizabeth were so painful that he could no longer bear to stay in India and so he packed up everything and moved back to England with his son.

In England he was asked to go to Cape Town to run the colony in the absence of the Lord Somerset. During his time in South Africa he helped establish a small tented town on the east coast of Africa and arranged the sale of land to British Settlers. In 1820 he named this small but growing town Port Elizabeth, in memory of his beloved wife whom he missed so dearly. He never remarried.

These days Port Elizabeth is home to over 1 million people and is considered to be the water sports capitol of South Africa. There is also the Addo National Park where many tourists visit each year to see The Big Five - Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo and Leopard. There is also the added bonus of being able to see Whales and Great White Sharks in the Indian Ocean which runs along the East Coast of Africa.

The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will be the location of the World Cup matches and this 48,000 seater is situated in the city center. The stadium itself also carries the nickname "The Sunflower" as this is what many people feel the structure seems to look like.

Fifa World Cup Countdown

It's World Cup Soccer this year and this time it's being held in South Africa. This is a country that is as well know for it's biltong and rooibos tea, as it is for being the home of the iconic Nelson Mandela, who was president during their transformation into a non-racial society.

We thought we'd do a little investigating into the various places that games will be held, and what Soccer Fan's can expect when they arrive in Africa. Contrary to popular rumor, visitors won't be required to live in mud huts and have to watch out for lions and elephants strolling through the streets. While South Africa is still classified as a developing nation, the cities are much like any other you might find in Europe or America.

Cape Town is one of the cities where matches will be held, and is already a very popular tourist destination with pristine beaches, restaurants, and a bustling nightlife.

They've also built a brand new stadium just for the World Cup which can seat 68,000 people. On the 11th of June matches will kick off and the first teams to play in the Cape Town Stadium will be Uruguay vs. France. The stadium has already been tested out in January when there was a game played between two local teams.

Outside of the city you'll find forests and sprawling farmlands. There are a number of regions in Cape Town that are very well known for their Wine, and many visitors make it a priority to visit the cellars and taste what they have to offer. You can see from the pictures below that it's a green and beautiful part of the country, unlike the typical depiction of Africa as being dry and dusty.

We're enjoying all the build up to the amazing event. It's the first time the World Cup has been hosted in Africa, and from what I can tell South Africa couldn't have been a better first choice.

So will you be heading to South Africa this year?