Perfect Pitch

Spain vs. Netherlands with One To World

Tapeo 29
29 Clinton St.
New York, NY 10002



-- FRANCISCO SIERRA

The sun setting into the Atlantic, as seen from the Radison Blu patio on the Cape Town waterfront. This has been one of the most beautiful sunsets I think any one of us has ever seen. After a long, but beautiful drive through the Garden Route from Knysna to Cape Town, this sunset greeted us to the Mother City where we wet with Sharon Maloof. Afterwards, we attended a FIFA hospitality tent located down the street where we were treated to great food and drinks. Not a bad way to start our stay in Cape Town.

Well, this was certainly a trip that had surprises, peaks, valleys and everything in between. As we departed Cape Town International Airport on our way back to D.C. through Johannesburg, I couldn't help but think what sort of ending would be appropriate for a trip and experience of this magnitude. Little did I know, nor did I expect, the ending that we would be given.

While waiting to board our South African Airways flight headed to Dulles, I was suddenly stopped about two-thirds of the way down the jet bridge. Then I started seeing these men dressed in gray walk by, after taking an alternate entrance into the bridge.

"Wait," I said to myself in a mildly puzzled tone, "I think that was Clint Dempsey." Then it became clear. We were flying home on the same flight as the U.S. National Team, fresh off their disappointing but inspiring loss to Ghana. The passengers on the plane excitedly applauded the U.S. players as they took their seats in first class. The photo above, of a smiling Oguchi Onyewu and me, is proof of yet another pleasant surprise in what has been an absolutely stunning two weeks.

-- KEVIN CLARK

-- Thoughts on South Africa Sustainability: Went on a ride through several parks, beatiful sunsets, lions mating, rhinos, giraffe, wildebeast, baboons. South Africa has it down when it comes to managing wildlife parks and creating a great visitor experience while preserving a little bit of a national treasure, its natural habitiats. Decision makers and stakeholders around the world would do well to learn from more than 100 years of South African experience .

-- Final thoughts: What a great experience. Truly once in a lifetime. Though this is my third World Cup and probably be attending more in the future, this was a truly dynamic and fun group, and the places we got to see and the people we got to meet have made it truly extraordinary.

It's not something that immediately comes to mind when thinking of South Africa, at least not to me, but the food is amazing (OK maybe too much steak and chips) but where else can you get ostrich steak (my personal favorite), bratworst (in a pit with six crocodiles) or impala stew (after watching lions)?

I will definetly go back to South Africa, did not get a chance to shark dive, go to Table Mountain or wine tasting... how wants to join me!!!

Ayoba!!

Ngiyabona, South Africa!!!

-- HARRY HEISLER

Some memorable moments from our World Cup adventure:

1) Johannesburg Airport: Chilean fans chanting, blowing vuvuzela's and playing pranks on every other fan. They were by far the most passionate right off the plane!



2) Soccer City: Here is a view from my seat at the Argentina-South Korea game. Unbelievable atmosphere and great fans of both teams. I sat next to four girls from India and a father and son from the Dominican Republic.



3) The Cape Town Fan Fest featured a street ball tournament.



Here is a view of City Hall and Table Mountain from inside the Fan Fest:

4) The Durban Skyline: A view from the Pier at South Beach.



-- CHRIS WATTS

Some highlights from our trip:

-- The FIFA Cares Program in Cape Town was created to help the children in this township learn about HIV/AIDS through soccer. The program manager and his team have created various games involving a soccer ball to bring awareness and protection information to the children. The facility itself was structured on teaching the children and giving them the necessary privacy if/when they are ready to be tested. The Cape Town facility is the first of many to be built throughout South Africa and various other African countries. Hopefully the program will help children learn how to protect themselves and seek help.

-- Animals at Hluhluwe Private Game Reserve!

-- AFIA NYARKO

Uruguay vs. Netherlands
El Chivito D’Oro
8402 37th Ave
Jackson Heights, NY 11372
(718) 424-0600

Because of my work schedule, I wasn't planning to arrive at El Chivito D’Oro in Jackson Heights, Queens, until a few minutes after the start of the Uruguay-Netherlands game would start, so I had low expectations for getting a good vantage point. I was certainly right. This would be my first foray into Jackson Heights but not my first in Urruguayn culture. I spent a very limited amount of time in Montevideo when I was younger. One of the only things I remember about my experience there was the immense and impressive BBQ meal I had of assorted grilled meats. I was hoping that El Chivito D’ Oro would at least slightly represent this, and based on the Yelp reviews I had read, I was expecting it to.

Getting off the subway at 82nd Street on the 7, I didn't sense it was a strictly Uruguayan neighborhood, but one composed of all different Latino cultures. When I turned onto 37th Street, I began to note the Uruguayan influence. There were Uruguayan flags everywhere, Uruguayan businesses, many different locations with people transfixed by the TV, and other various representations of Uruguayan culture.

I recognized my destination from afar when I noticed the people standing on the street, ducking and bobbing their heads in attempt to get a clear view of the game. I then realized my assumptions of not getting a good vantage point were correct. I was able to push my way into the entrance of the restaurant, where I proceeded to watch the game leaning against the order area and straining to view the small TV all the way on the other side of the restaurant. The entire crowd was in front of me, facing me at an angle, and looking at the TV that I could not see to my right. With my view skewed, I couldn't really enjoy the game, but I would be able to get some good reaction shots.

The one thing I did have a good view of was the food being prepared. Various cuts of beef steaks and types of sausage were being thrown on the grill and prepared seemingly to perfection. It took me back to my experience in Montevideo. Despite it being really crowded, and my not being able to see the game except for the replay slow-motion closeups, I did have one distinct advantage, a counter. While everyone was crammed together I had a space to eat. I started with the chicken empanada.

Don’t tell the Paraguayans, but in comparison to the Pararguayan chicken and egg empanada, I liked this one better. The meat in the Uruguayan empanada was just all around more flavorful and had a better cooking consistency. You could tell the chicken was grilled just right within it. Not to mention the outside of the empanada was more crispy, it almost reminded me of the crust of an apple pie.

Despite not being able to watch the game the way I wanted to, I could tell it was an exciting one. The Netherlands scored very early, and it did not dampen the spirits of the Uruguayans as they continued sing, chant and root for their team. It paid off in the 41st minute as tied it up on a beautiful long distance goal. My vantage point helped me get some great pictures of the celebration.

During halftime the crowd quickly escaped to the street, for some much needed fresh air. Similarly to the Algerians, they brought out the drums and began dancing, shouting, waving flags and singing. They seemed to be genuinely proud of what they were accomplising, and nervously excited to see if Uruguay could reclaim the winning pedigree that it established by winning two of the first three World Cup tournaments.

The second half started and I started to get my chow down. I ordered an Entrana (skirt steak) sandwich. It was fabulous. Grilled to perfection, well done and crispy on the outside and then medium in the middle (although I usually prefer medium rare ... should've specified). The cut itself was tender enough for me to bite through it and not effect my sandwich-eating experience. Included in the sandwich was also lettuce, tomatoes and onions. I don’t think you can truly have Uruguayan steaks without visiting the country, but the sandwich itself was very good.

The Netherlands dominated the second half, capped by two goals in the 70th and 72nd minutes that seemed to deflate the spirits of the Uruguayans around me. Yet as the Dutch focused their energy on defense to hold the lead, the Uruguayans were given the opporunity to attack, and they sure did. Toward the end the Uruguayans put in one more and continued the press. By the way they were playing I actually thought they could put one in to tie it, and so did the patrons around me. There were some truly exciting moments and opportunities that eleicited yells and groans from the crowd. But the whistle blew and it was too little too late. Most fans graciously accepted the loss and noted the success of their team by clapping and singing. A few others couldn't control their passions and began to cry.

The party seeped back out onto the street where the Uruguayans continued to show respect to their team by singing, playing bongos and waving flags. I noticed there there was a police van there, probably in case the Uruguayans pulled off a win and celebrated excessively. Regardless, I would really like to enjoy the experience of Chivito D’ Oro some time for a sit-down meal when it isn't so crowded. I especially would like to try their sampler platter of all the different meats. It certianly aroused my interests when I saw people chowing down. So until I get the urge for some large portions of South American meats (which will probably be sooner rather than later), I bid farewell to the Uruguayans. They had a great run while it lasted.

-- FRANCISCO SIERRA

Taking a break from the football, we visited Hluhluwe Game Reserve and had an up close and personal experience with an elephant. Apparently, he didn't like the paparazzi getting too close.



One of the most memorable aspects of being in South Africa during the FIFA World Cup, hearing Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika being sung beore the national team played its games.



-- CLAIRE SHIELDS

Best-Dressed Fans
Fans at the World Cup wear all sorts of makeup, clothes, hats and miscellaneous items to show support for their teams, but this one is my favorite. Spain may have the better team this year, but Germany has the better-dressed fans. Check out the guy in lederhosen.

Diversity And Unity
South Africa has a rich tapestry of cultures and languages, but the country was also once divided. From the side that the photo below was taken, the two arches represent that division, but the one arch on the opposite side reflects the country’s newfound unity. I’ve heard from some locals how this World Cup has helped unify the country even more.

Football For Hope Centre In Khayelitsha Township
I heard from family back home that this first of 20 Football for Hope Centres was featured by Tom Brokaw, so I won’t delve into what was most likely covered in the news story (the HIV/AIDS education, leadership and problem-solving skills kids can use in their communities, etc). What I’d like to focus on is the Centre’s work with girls.

They have special soccer programs for girls (girls only games, and games where the boys who are right-handed must kick with their left foot and vice-versa which makes them less aggressive on the field and gives the girls a chance to be competitive). The result is that girls who once thought soccer was just a boys game are now playing soccer, and going home and watching soccer matches on TV

with their dads, something only boys used to do. This allows girls to develop relationships with their dads, who are often not at home, due to going to work early and coming home late from work. It’s just one more example of how soccer is being used to build a stronger South Africa.

-- KRISTINA BRZEZINSKI

Chile vs. Brazil 6/28/10
Pomaire
371 W. 46th St
New York, NY 10036-3972
(212) 956-3055

I was excited to cover the Chilean side of the Chile vs. Brazil game. The reasoning was nothing truly dramatic, but mostly because I was really looking forward to some good Pisco Sours. When I was in high school, I traveled to South America with my family and first tasted the deliciously unique taste of Pisco and the Pisco Sours. In college I made Pisco Sours a few times, but obviously they did not live up to the authetic Chilean version. Considering it's rare to find a bar with Pisco Sours, let alone an authentic Chilean bar, I was enthusiastic to get my drink on and take in the match.

Turning onto 46th Street, I was surprised at how many ethnic restaurants there were on the block. Before arriving at Pomaire, I passed a Brazilian place and multiple Spanish restaurants. The street had a nice quaint international feel despite being located in midtown. When I walked in, the first thing I noted was the ambiance of Pomaire. A multi-colored lighted ceiling toward the back of the bar helped create a unique setting. Due to the ambiance and the exotic nature of the restaurant, I also noted how

good of a date place Pomaire would seem. If you are looking to impress your date with knowledge of Chilean culture or are just looking for something new to try, I certainly recommend it.

As soon as I walked in the manager approached me and asked if I wanted to participate in the all-you-can-eat buffet for $20. I said, yes of course. The buffet consisted of rice, salad, bread, chicken legs that fell off the bone and Pastel de Choclo. Pastel de Choclo was new to me. It reminded me of a Chilean version of Shepherd’s Pie. It was a mixture of beef, chicken and corn pie. The variance of flavor in the dish wasn’t too impressive, but at the same time I felt with a little more spice, it could be

delicious. It was very good, but nothing mind-blowing. Overall, the buffet was satisfying but after looking at the menu, I was disappointed that they didn’t incorporate some of the seafood options that were littered all over it.

The game itself was very disappointing on the Chileans' end. The New York Yankees of futbol, aka Brazil, completely dominated the game in almost every way, and eventually put themselves up by a margin in which it was almost impossible for the Chileans to come back from. At the moment, I wasn’t too focused on the game as I was just beginning to drink my first Pisco Sour. It was worth it.

It's hard to describe what a Pisco Sour tastes like, but imagine a whiskey sour with a different sweeter alcohol base. Pomaires' version of the Pisco Sour was very frothy and although in a smallish glass packed a serious punch. I was also pleased that after I payed the $10 for the Pisco Sour, they made

sure my glass was constantly filled. It may have been because I was in the vicinity of the blender and I would receive all the overflow, or it could have been because I was having a pleasant conversation with the bartender, but either way I wasn’t going to complain.

Due to the complete dominance by the Brazilians, the Chileans weren’t excessively celebrating or overly enthusiastic. In fact, there were a lot of faces of disgust concerning the Chileans' play.

I did hear some sporatic chants, including one that was essentially, “Chi Chi Chi, Le Le Le, Chile Chile Chile!” When the game concluded and the Chileans were knocked out, the crowd stood up and applauded the valiant effort of the Chileans, as they were somewhat satisfied that their team did advance to the elimination rounds. And, at least they lost to one of the best teams left in the Cup.

Overall Pomaire was a very ambient location, and certainly a place I would want to return to. The Spanish-speaking patrons and the multitude of Chilean jerseys validated the authenticity of the location. At the same time, I am somewhat unsatisfied as I would like to try some of the other Chilean food. Oh well, looks like I will have to go back when the Pisco or Chilean wine calls or when I am looking for an ambient and unique restaurant setting.

-- FRANCISCO SIERRA

While we were driving the Garden Route toward Cape Town, we stopped at a beautiful place along the coast called Mosselbaai -- pronounced "Mussel Bay." Right along the dock there were a bunch of local salespeople selling everything from handmade figurines to World Cup gear.

One guy actually owned a large seal and had me place my legs on both sides of it and feed it a fish from behind its back. The seal actually waited for the guy to count before it took the fish from my hands.

-- CLAIRE FUSTER

There were markets in every city we went where a little negotiation could lead to a great deal. While it was listed at 3000 Rand, I ended up paying 500 (about $65) for this hand-carved ebony chess set.

-- BEN SCHWARTZ

CAPE TOWN-- Not everyone follows soccer for the athletics. I met this woman at the Spain vs. Portugal game. Frankly, I think she has a point.

-- CANDICE MORTIMER

JOHANNESBURG -- We all went to the Cullinan Diamond Mine on one of our first days in South Africa. Over time, they have developed a little town with restaurants and shops, and the weather was beautiful. Honestly, the tour was a little boring, but our guide was pretty cool. Since we arrived a bit late, we were rushed through the tour -- giving us very little time to learn about the diamond mine.

They had many replicas of the diamonds they have found, which are more than impressive -- not the replicas, but the history of diamonds found there. My favorite part of the tour was the huge mining hole that we got a great view of.

-- CLAIRE FUSTER

JOHANNESBURG -- Ellis Park Stadium was really fun and there was so much energy in there. There was a VISA tent were faces were painted for free, and an MTN stage that was giving away mini World Cup spirit kits with face paint, a pack of condoms, and a press-on tattoo, and they exclusively sold Budweiser beer. In America, we would find it odd for a spirit kit to have condoms in it, but they were stocked in about every bathroom in South Africa. They are very aware of the AIDS problem here and are actively trying to prevent the disease from spreading.

Their food concessions were very similar to those at a U.S. stadium, but the terminology -- Biltong (beef jerky) Mash (mashed potatoes), Chips (fries), and Crisps (chips) -- was a little confusing. Another thing that tricked me was their "chili hot dog" which I assumed was a chili dog, but of course it wasn't. I sent it back twice thinking they kept giving me a regular hot dog. Finally, I just let it go and took the regular hot dog. I was wondering whether it was the tomato sauce (ketchup) or mustard that was making it so spicy, but I let that go as well. Many days later I was informed that they put chili spices in the hot dog - hence the name chili hot dog.

-- CLAIRE FUSTER

Portugal vs. Brazil 6/25/10
Ironbound District
Ferry Street
Newark, NJ 11103

Portugal vs. Brazil was the best one yet. Throughout the course of this blog I have been spitting all sorts of advice on familiarizing yourself with international culture in NYC. Well, here is one more, and I will emphasize this one. GO VISIT THE IRONBOUND DISTRICT! If you need a reason, go during an important Portugal or Brazil match, you won’t be disappointed. And as I found out, you don’t need a game to soak in one of the most authentic representations of international culture in America. The Ironbound District is also unique because it presents an interesting dichotomy of Portuguese immigrants, coexisting with Brazilian immigrants. Because of this, as you can imagine, this was certainly my destination when Portugal met Brazil head to head on the pitch.

Before traveling out to Newark I thought it was reasonably far, and thus should not be included as a representation of international NYC culture. And, although it is in New Jersey, you can see the Empire State Building from some parts of Newark, and it only took one hour to get there, via the subway and NJ Transit, from Brooklyn. In comparison this is closer for me than mid-to-northern Bronx and the depths of Queens. Getting off the NJ Transit, I knew this would be an interesting and amazing experience when I noticed that the Walgreens on the border of the Ironbound District had Brazil and Portugal flags up. That’s right, even the Walgreens represented the dichotomy that is the Ironbound District!

The Ironbound District consists of one main street, Ferry Street, that has all of the independent Portuguese and Brazilian business up and down it. I decided to watch the game at one of the first places on Ferry, Iberia’s Restaurant. The reason why this place stood out to me was because the game was being shown outside. People sat down at tables under umbrellas, or just hovered around the bar, while a local radio station was doing promotions in the parking lot that overlapped the bar area. The outside area has the feel of an Iberian square as it is surrounded by a stage, the bar and seating area, and then an Iberian style castle at the other end.

I noted, as soon as I got there, that the Portuguese outnumbered the Brazilians, and this would be the case all day. I grabbed a spot standing on the side of a water fountain as I figured it would be a good vantage point to get a shot of the goal celebrations. Being outside for the game was a very pleasant experience, especially considering the weather was beautiful. I noticed that some people were taking in a hearty Iberian breakfast. But most were kicking their day off with some liquid intake, the most popular item being Sangrias, which were handed out in quart-sized plastic cups. Besides that, the other specials were $12 buckets of six Miller Lites.

The game itself was a strong defensive showing from both sides. Because of the strong defense and the lack of goals from either side, there was no excessive fanfare during the game excluding a few Portugal chants. I had a feeling when I made the trip out to Newark that the game wouldn’t be the attraction. I was counting on the aftermath on Ferry Street to make the trip worthwhile. I was definitely right, but I had no idea to what extent.

The 0-0 tie seemed to invigorate a love-fest between the two cultures. The celebration erupted onto the streets like a Portugese volcano. At the Iberia Restaurant, people began singing and shouting and eventually worked their way to the streets. At first, people just stuck to the sidewalk as a parade of cars and trucks with people hanging off them waving flags and honking horns, slowly rolled down the streets. Then as more and more people got involved, the streets officially shut down, as crowds of people gathered to jump up and down, hug, yell, take in the moment and celebrate their two cultures coming out evenly in this match. It's really difficult to describe everything that I saw, but I'll give you some bullet points along with a video that really captures the scene.



-- Despite the conflicting cultures, the only representations of the rivalry that I saw was a friendly Portugal vs. Brazil mosh pit and some occasional friendly trash talking.

-- Two great representations of the wildness of the scene was when a bus tried to drive down Ferry Street, and all of the fans stopped the bus and starting posing in front of it. Another was when a

motorcycle cop trying to go down the street, and all the fans circled him pointed at him yelling and laughing and waving flags in his face as the cop could helplessly move.

-- People were jumping on anything they could find, including flat beds, the back of pickup trucks, dumpsters, newspaper stands, roof tops, etc. etc.

-- There was a gigantic flag that would be passed down the street in which people would go under and party beneath.

When the parade began to die down, I started chatting with Ted Axelrod, a photographer who has been doing an ongoing project about the Ironbound District.

He shared with me a lot of interesting tidbits about the community. He kept stressing that this community is truly authentic as they have found a way to hold on to their culture and keep it away from outside influences. This is done predominately by only having independent businesses within the community. One interesting example of this is the multitude of banks. These Portuguese banks effectively keep the money in the community and at times the same banks will be right next to each other as one will be for their Ironbound account and another will be strictly for money to and from Portugal.

Another thing that Ted stressed was the importance of education within the community. Blue Ribbon schools are highly decorated schools in New Jersey, and the Ironbound district has three of these. Also, the youths are taught to be enthusiastic about learning as many attend additional classes after school. It seems that the people of the Ironbound are attempting to have their culture thrive in America while holding onto what makes them who they are and they have effectively done this by keeping the money within the community and integrating every aspect of their overseas culture in America.

I asked Ted if he recommended any good food joints in the area. He said that far and away the best is the Marisqueira because it has the best and freshest seafood. He then proceeded to march me in there and introduce me to the manager who took care of me and brought me a recommended meal of mixed seafood. Now this just wasn’t a grilled seafood platter. What set this apart from the American idea of seafood was the presentation. The mixed seafood -- shrimp, monk fish and squid -- were grilled on a kabob. The interesting part was that the kabob was hung vertically like a hanging garden of seafood over the plate of fries, veggies (green beans, carrots, cabbage) and rice below. Thus the juices and salts from the seafood dripped on the food below adding different flavor.

Ted was right about the freshness of the seafood. I especially noted this in the squid which was extra tender and salty. The thing that I noticed about Portuguese seafood was the preservation of the natural flavors as there was practically no seasoning added to it except for some additional salt. This truly lets you savor the freshness of the food.

After the meal, I had a delicious espresso and departed to go back to NYC to watch my Hondurans. I wish that I had more time so that I could complete the trip by sampling some Portuguese style pastries. I recommend you do so if you are ever in the Ironbound.

Overall, as I said before, GO TO THE IRONBOUND DISTRICT! It can’t be stressed enough how authentic of a representation of an international culture this area truly is. At the same time, the people are very friendly, generous and giving. If you want to see how the World Cup should be celebrated, or even how it is probably celebrated overseas you should be a part of this authentic, wild and amazing experience.

-- FRANCISCO SIERRA

Move Zip Around
Listening to Stephen Stills on the bus from Storms River to Knysna put the past few hours really into perspective. We were all literally "Treetop Flyers." Zipping from tree to tree with our fearless guide Maurius was an awesome adventure that was unique to South Africa that I don't think anyone will forget. Especially Brian, who became especially close with one tree that will leave a zipline battle scar to tell his friends back home!

How World Class This World Cup Really Is
Chris and I were discussing earlier today how incredible, for the most part, the level of soccer has been throughout this tournament. In previous tournaments there have been some pretty terrible games. Bad goals. Bad defending. Poor passing. But not this tournament.

After seeing a thrilling 2-2 draw between Nigeria and South Korea in the beautiful Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban cemented this fact to us. This game had some of the most creative, innovative and exciting attacking we've ever seen. The first touches have been pure quality. And the tackles have been ferocious.

Perhaps the only thing more memorable than the vuvuzelas at this historic World Cup will prove to be the high level of display here in South Africa.

-- KEVIN CLARK

Algeria vs. USA 6/23/10
Blue Sea
25-75 Steinway St.
Astoria, Queens 11103

I knew going in that watching the U.S.-Algeria game from the Algerian restaurant Blue Sea would be interesting. So many storylines. I would be secretly rooting for the opposite team and trying not to divulge my true fan-dom. In the game the Americans were dramatically trying to vie for the next round. The Algerians were trying to end a 30-year World Cup drought. How would the Algerians react to a win or loss? I didn’t know but I knew that either way it would be very interesting considering the Algerians would be supporting their team in the USA.

The Blue Sea is located in Astoria, Queens. There's something that feels different about Astoria to the rest of New York City. It's somewhat isolated and hovers on the line of small city/big town feel. Being from Boston, I thought it almost feels like Jamaica Plain. On Steinway Street heading toward Blue Sea, I kept walking up very long block after very long block. I finally had a hunch I was nearing the restaurant when I began to here bongo drums and singing. My hunch proved to be correct, as I walked in and saw the small restaurant packed with Algerians who were singing, waving flags, dancing and playing drums. At this moment I knew that the Algeria fans were different from any other fans I had encountered in my World Cup experience.

The restaurant was so packed I had to sit against a wall with my knees scrunched up so as not to bump into the man next to me. The restaurant itself was small and quaint with a Mom-and-Pop feel to it, more bakery/coffee shop than restaurant. The cups of espresso and coffee that were constantly

coming out seemed to energize the Algerians.

The ambiance was electric as you could feel the excitement and passions emanating from the Algerians. Although Algeria was technically already out of the tournament, it's understandable why the good folks at Blue Sea were so excited. It had been 30 years since their team had made it to the World Cup, so they wanted to celebrate the game the right way, considering this could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Examples of this include chants of all different types for almost every occasion of the game. It sounded like the Algerians had the most futbol associated songs of any culture I had witnessed so far. Another example was when an old man came into the restaurant and just started dancing in the doorway. Everyone screamed, whooped and clapped with delight.

The game itself wasn’t that exciting in the first half, but the Algerian team was keeping the Americans in check, which was enough for fans at Blue Sea to stream on to the streets to dance, play music,

sing, jump around, light flares, wave flags, smoke cigarettes and celebrate. It was amazing to witness the way these people came together, feel their energy and be a part of this experience. They were just letting their passions for futbol and all things Algeria seep out into the streets of Astoria.

As the second half began I began, I really became concerned with my team. USA didn’t look good and wasn’t getting too many opportunities. I tried not to display my concern or frustrations as I didn’t want to get heckled or disrupt the scene within the restaurant. This is when I decided to sample the food. I pulled my patented move, of asking the Algerian server what he recommended. He said there wasn’t many options at the moment, but I should try the lamb shawarma. This was something I have definitely had before, but the Algerians put an interesting spin on it. They cover it head to toe with

olives. I'm not what you would call a picky eater, but olives are one of the only foods in the world that is my Kryptonite. I gave it a shot with the olives on it, but after a few bites realized I would have to take them out. Besides that it was very good. If you’re an olive fanatic, though, this little delicacy would be absolutely amazing for you.

As the clock ticked down, the Americans began pressing to score the goal that would let them advance. Then, in the 91st minute Landon Donovan scored what was at the time the most important goal in United States international futbol history, as he kicked it past the very talented Algerian goalie and defense. The Algerians around me acted as if they had just gotten word that a loved one died. They grabbed their heads in disbelief as their jaws dropped to the ground and they cursed in Arabic. It was rough. I had to completely keep my self under control as well, as I didn’t want to rub it in their faces and make the Algerians angry.

However, this is when I saw the Algerians for what they were, the most passionate and gracious futbol fans that I had witnessed. Despite the extremely tough loss, the Algerians did not lose their integrity whatsoever. Some of them came up to me and congratulated me and wished my team luck despite my not having pledged any allegiances. Other Algerians cried and embraced each other, as they probably did not see another World Cup in their sights.

As they made it out into the streets, that’s when a truly amazing and special scene happened. The Algerians began clapping and continued singing. Meanwhile Steinway Street turned into a parade as car after car drove by with USA fans leaning out of their windows, waving their American flags. The Algerians clapped for them all, and essentially wished Team USA a big hearty congratulations. Some Algerians went as far as to put an American flag with an Algerian flag around themselves to show their allegiances to both teams. Others embraced Americans that walked by or posed for a picture with them. It was truly a spectacular sight that could only leave you with a smile on your face and an appreciation of how transcendent the World Cup really is.

It was truly spectacular to witness the Algerians in this moment and as I mentioned before through their constant genuine festivities and their acceptance of a heartbreaking loss, I consider them to be the most passionate and gracious futbol fans that I have covered.

-- FRANCISCO SIERRA