Euro 2008

[ivar]

If you are in Spain at the moment (or Europe for that matter), you know that the european football championship is going on at the moment. Last night Spain beat Italy on penalties, after 120 minutes played.

Why am I mentioning this?

Because, if you are walking right now. On Thursday night (June 26th) at 20:45 Spain plays Russia for a place in the finals. To experience a bit of Spain, walk over to the local bar on Thursday night ("all" bars have a TV).

When it coems to football, spaniards are very passionate.

Saludos,
Ivar

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Passionate? Locissimo more like! Here my favourite Spanish restaurant is giving free beer whenever Spain score a goal - the problem is it is so busy it is difficult to get near the bar!

Ole!

 

[Senyor Pirotecnic]

With the Italian/quarter finals monkey off their back anything could happen.

There will be a great atmosphere in bars etc on Thursday but I have to say fans of La Roja are pretty fickle and not nearly as passionate as the Croatians, English, Turks etc.

 

[Deirdre]

My American students have all become Spain football fans! They bought shirts at the Rastro, they bought flags, have painted their faces in the Spanish flag and jumped in the fountain in Colon following the great win over Italy! The enthusiasm is contagious - and it is great to seem them so engaged in the culture! (I think!) ¡Podemos!
Buen Camino,

 

[Senyor Pirotecnic]

Spain tonked Russia 3-0 in the semi, cars horns are beeping all around the city though I think the fireworks are being saved for Sunday. I advise anyone on the camino to make sure they are in a bar on Sunday at 8.45 (well, earlier really) for the final vs Germany. Even if they don't like football.

 

[jeff001]

And get there early because with the large number of Germans on the Camino it should be very crowded.

 

[sillydoll]

THIS MESSAGE WAS POSTED BY ROSINA ON THE ST JAMES FORUM::


the Spanish newspapers and the TV and radio commentators are literally bursting with the promises made by millions of Spaniards to walk the Camino next year if Spain wins the Euro Cup on Sunday.
Already tens and tens and tens of thousands who had made the same vow if Spain won the semi-finals yesterday, which it did…. handsomely (three goals to none), are bound to go.
Spain had not won against Italy in 88 years, and they did so in the quarter-finals; it appears that such victory has thrown the entire country into a euphoric whirlwind. Spain has never won a “futbol” (soccer) international contest before and they and have never reached as far as they have this year…. so I guess the country’s madness is understandable. -Even in New York City, the Galicians who own the restaurant across from where I live kept giving me and my friends bottle after bottle of “Cava” (Spanish champagne) on the house after the victory over Italy!-
The last Euro Cup in 2004 was won by Greece, and the very next year Queen Sofia, who was born and bred in Greece, walked the Camino (accompanied by about 300 government and army people); while she declared that the pilgrimage was in thanks for her first grandchild everybody knew better.
So, I guess the Camino might be pretty crowded next year.

 

[ivar]

To hear some Spanish football passion, listen to the goals as commented on Cadena SER last night:

1-0
2-0
3-0

Can't wait for Sunday night!

Ivar

 

[sillydoll]

VIVA ESPANA

Spaniards paint the town 'Red'
http://www.timesnow.tv/NewsDtls.aspx?NewsID=10698

 

[MermaidLilli]

Much fun I had in Zamora, when Spain won. Not only were people celebrating this, but also Zamora was on its last day of the Fiestas de SanPedro (which happens to also be my last name). Music, shows, fireworks and a championship: What a night! Photos to come, when I can upload again.
Lilllian

 

[Senyor Pirotecnic]

A few months ago manager Luis Aragones said he'd do el Camino de Santiago (with his wife, did he ask her?) if Spain won Euro2008...

 

[sillydoll]

Luis Aragones, repeated his promise on TV that he and his wife will be walking the camino very soon - this year. I wonder if the team will follow them? If, so will the fans follow them?
Oh mi Dios! Can you imagine it!!

 

[NaKwendaSafari]

It would appear thatt Luis Aragonés will not be the first Spanish football coach to have walked the Camino de Samtiago, see the article written by Sid Lowe:

Sid Lowe
November 6, 2006 2:45 PM

Betis coach Jabo Irureta isn't so much on the ropes as tumbling through them on to the judges' table below.
He has walked the Camino de Santiago, rambling his way across northern Spain with a stick in his hand, a rucksack on his back and a shell round his neck. He has a copy of the Meditations of former Roman Emperor Marcos Aurelius on his bedside table, inspirational reading night after lonely night in his empty hotel room. And he has, over a 21-year career, coached exactly 600 games in Spain's first division - more than anyone else except mythical Madrid manager Miguel Muñoz and legendary loon Luis Aragonés.

After seeing the labels tourisgrino, stampagerinos, bag-rustlingerinos, and the latest in the Sterotyping Germans forum "kommediekamminotourists" applied to pereginos not considered "authentic" in the eyes of the beholder I wonder what these hordes of futbol fans will be labeled. I hope the label will be kinder, and the victorious fans' and the coachs' intentions respected.

For Sil tomorrow we will see the start of rugby games between the Springboks and the All Blacks leading to the Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand. If you stick a needle from Santiago de Compostela through the middle of the Earth it will come out at a place in New Zealand not far from where I live. I can promise you a bed for yourself, and your husband, and to your son in Christchurch (the finals will be in Auckland) during the games, as long as you agree to a few evenings of joyful storytelling and no name calling!.

For Ivar, we play Rugby with an oval ball and can hold the ball whilst knocking off our opponents silly, but I do enjoy watching soccer.

Cheers

Kwaheri

 

[sillydoll]

Thank you for the invite Kwaheri! No name calling?? Not even the sheep? Aw gee - that's no fun!