May 9th, 2012 at 10:00AM: I'd just been hit with a plastic bottle of water square on the back, but I was pretty sure it was nothing personal. But moments later, when I was pelted again, I started to wonder. Another minute passed and two thugs with tattoos on their thick necks ended the suspense with a blunt, intimidating message.
Thug number one barked at me in Italian and when I protested that I didn't understand, his ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
soccer posts
Experiencing The Beautiful Game In Italy
May 9th, 2012 at 10:00AM: I'd just been hit with a plastic bottle of water square on the back, but I was pretty sure it was nothing personal. But moments later, when I was pelted again, I started to wonder. Another minute passed and two thugs with tattoos on their thick necks ended the suspense with a blunt, intimidating message.
Thug number one barked at me in Italian and when I protested that I didn't understand, his ...Argentina's National Pastime: Pato
Apr 21st, 2012 at 2:00PM:
While most people believe soccer to be Argentina's national pastime, I was surprised to learn from a local that it's actually something with very unsavory beginnings. Pato, or duck, is a game that combines polo and basketball, and is the national sport of Argentina. To play, two teams of four on horseback fight for possession of a ball that is equipped with six leather handles. The object of ...
Facts By The Numbers For The 2012 Olympic Games In London
Apr 12th, 2012 at 4:30PM: Excited for the upcoming Olympics? While you may have a favorite athlete in mind or a specific team you're rooting for, there is actually a lot more that goes into preparing for the Olympic Games than working out and training. To give you a better idea, here are 20 things you probably didn't know about the upcoming Olympic games:
There will be 26 featured sports from 39 disciplines
The ...Video of the Day - Real Madrid and FC Barcelona Animation
May 8th, 2011 at 10:00PM:
Though many American sports fans are currently preoccupied with the NBA and Stanley Cup Playoffs, there's a different sort of post-season sports fever going on right now in Europe: the UEFA Champions League. The annual event, which pits the top soccer clubs from across Europe against one another, is among the most-watched sporting events in the world. This past week, two of Spain's top teams, ...
Qatar's 2022 World Cup stadium concepts
Dec 4th, 2010 at 9:00AM:
On Thursday, FIFA announced that Qatar defeated South Korea, Japan, Australia and the United States in the race to host the 2022 World Cup. This historic decision marks the first time a Middle Eastern country will welcome a major sporting event.
FIFA's choice has brought a significant backlash in the American media, with critics claiming that the summer heat (as high as 120 degrees ...Photo of the Day (09.13.10)
Sep 13th, 2010 at 6:30PM:
Perhaps the first travel book that kids read is Where's Waldo? The striped explorer travels around the globe in search of...well...nonsense, really. He encounters scenes that go beyond the imaginations of children the world over and, hopefully, inspires them to seek out their own adventures when they get older (whether he inspires them to get Lasik is up for debate).
It's hard to go on the ...GadlingTV's Travel Talk - Austin Mann @ the World Cup (part 2)
Aug 9th, 2010 at 10:00AM:
GadlingTV's Travel Talk, episode 26 – Click above to watch video after the jump
Are you ready for some (ahem) football? In part two of travel photographer Austin Mann's trip to the 2010 World Cup, we bring you a look at the intensity and passion of the world's biggest sporting event.
Watch as Austin navigates his way through the games and experiences how far people will go to show ...World Cup hangover: North Korea team grilled
Jul 30th, 2010 at 3:00PM:
The North Korean World Cup soccer team never had a chance in South Africa, but that didn't make the trip home any easier. At the beginning of July, they faced a "grand debate" because they let down the regime in the "ideological struggle" to put the ball into the net a lot during the tournament. More than 400 government officials, students and journalists watched the spectacle, though I have ...
World Cup: other things to do in South Africa
Jun 14th, 2010 at 8:00AM: While the World Cup is currently taking center stage in South Africa, the country has plenty of other things to offer travelers who venture away from the stadiums to take in some of the amazing culture and adventure there. Here are five other suggestions for things to do while your favorite team isn't taking the pitch.
Go on Safari
If you're going to visit Africa, you simply have to go on ...World Cup 2010: is Johannesburg ready?
May 24th, 2010 at 12:00PM: With the World Cup barely two weeks away, Johannesburg has shifted into high gear to get ready.
The city's 2010 FIFA World Cup page proudly proclaims that a huge amount of effort and money has been spent on cleaning up the city and improving infrastructure. It has spent 1.2 billion rand ($151 million) to revamp Soccer City, a giant stadium where the opening ceremony and final game will be held. ...Daily Pampering: The only way to do the World Cup
Mar 19th, 2010 at 4:00PM:
True fanaticism isn't cheap. Cars, cigars and treats from bars – you can spend an absolute fortune satisfying your itch for a particular vice. Though the fans are few but fierce in the United States, soccer draws addicts around the world, and the upcoming World Cup in South Africa is sure to attract a committed crowd. If you want to put yourself in the middle of the action, don't settle ...Play sports with the locals - International travel tip
Mar 5th, 2010 at 11:00AM: When you travel abroad, it can be hard to meet locals, especially if you don't know the language. But if you play a sport -- soccer, swimming, football, even ultimate frisbee -- then you have a head start.
Before you go, search the internet for a tournament or scheduled practice. Chances are you'll find a welcoming crowd, whether you're traveling to Bogata, Prague, or Morocco. Join a friendly ...Intrepid Travel sympathizes with World Cup Widows
Jan 12th, 2010 at 1:30PM: Every soccer football soccer fan in the world knows what's going to happen in June. The World Cup is coming to South Africa. The die-hards will find their way to the festivities, with many leaving the ladies behind. If you're among the world's World Cup Widows, should you be stuck at home? Hell no! Get your own trip off the ground, and put yourself as far away from anything World Cup-related as ...Nepali festival features elephant football
Dec 30th, 2009 at 1:00PM: The annual Chitwan Elephant Festival in Nepal always brings large crowds to honor South Asia's favorite animal. This year, as this funny video shows, visitors were treated to a football match between two teams of elephants. That's football in the Nepali sense, meaning soccer, not American football. Thankfully the elephants weren't tackling each other. The festival has been going on for six years ...Five major changes to North Korean tourism in 2009
Dec 14th, 2009 at 2:00PM:
Fewer than 1,500 Americans have been to North Korea on vacation, according to Koryo Tours, making it one of the truly remote destinations in a world that's becoming increasingly interconnected. So, if you're looking for an unusual stamp in your passport or bragging rights when the conversation turns to "most unusual destination," a trip above the DMZ remains one of the top alternatives.
If you ...South African sex workers call for decriminalization during World Cup
Dec 5th, 2009 at 4:30PM: As South Africa gears up for the 2010 World Cup, the country's sex workers are starting a campaign to have prostitution decriminalized. The drive is being spearheaded by the Sex Worker Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT), an organization that strives to protect the health and human rights of sex workers. SWEAT's website documents numerous cases of harassment by police and the public. SWEAT ...Head to Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympics!
Oct 2nd, 2009 at 3:30PM: It's official: Rio de Janeiro will host the 2016 Olympics! This will be the first Olympics held in South America, so it's about time! Check out the gorgeous and sporty city of Rio de Janeiro in its official candidate commercial. A few sport and travel-related facts about Rio and Brazil:
Beach culture: Locals and visitors alike enjoy the sun and the sand. Chill out on Copacabana Beach, or ...
Gadling + BootsnAll - Picks of the Week (5.22.09)
May 22nd, 2009 at 2:00PM: Welcome back. Here we are again for Gadling's weekly roundup of links from the independent travel experts at BootsnAll. This week's links are custom-made to get your wanderlust racing and put you in the right travel mindset. So pull that suitcase out of the closet and start clicking below:
Biggest Soccer Rivalries - soccer is a sport that tends to elicit groans of boredom from many Americans. ...Budget Travel: Liverpool, UK
Feb 20th, 2009 at 11:30AM: Summary: Liverpool. It's not London, and that's why it's not nearly as expensive. But with the old-timey glamor of Albert Dock, a history rich with music, maritime lore, and football (soccer) glory, and a proximity to Chester and Port Sunlight Village, Liverpool is no second rate vacation destination. It's a first rate European city and an exciting place to visit! ...No Europe trip this summer? Check out today's Euro 2008 final.
Jun 29th, 2008 at 2:30PM: Between several other vacations, high summer airline prices and the ridiculous Euro/Dollar exchange rate, I am sadly not heading to Europe this summer. But even though I haven't been able to make it "across the pond," I have been vicariously soaking up some European culture through this year's Euro 2008 soccer championships. Today marks the final between Spain and Germany of what has been another ...
