football - Blogs - Tripatini2024-03-28T11:40:54Zhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/footballFootball and World Cup fever used for global peace and social changehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/football-and-world-cup-fever-used-for-global-peace-and-social2013-10-01T18:24:58.000Z2013-10-01T18:24:58.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p style="text-align:justify;">You don’t need a well-manicured grass pitch. You don’t even need all 22 players, or fancy uniforms … or even shoes, for that matter. All you need is a ball and people willing to play.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Football-brings-kids-together-in-South-Africa.jpg"><img class="align-right" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Football-brings-kids-together-in-South-Africa-300x189.jpg?width=300" width="300" alt="Football-brings-kids-together-in-South-Africa-300x189.jpg?width=300" /></a>The <strong>most popular sport in the world – football</strong> (known as soccer in the USA) – can be played anywhere by anyone. That’s the simple beauty of a sport that traverses borders, has brought bitter enemies together, even stopped wars, and has been a <strong>unifying force across the planet</strong>.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">“As a consequence of its simplicity and global popularity, a number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have noted the suitability of football as a mechanism to help build peace and promote social development in post-conflict societies,” wrote <a title="Football Perspectives by Joel Rookwood" href="http://footballperspectives.org/building-peace-playing-football" target="_blank">Joel Rookwood</a> and Clive Palmer of Liverpool Hope University, UK, in a 2011 study entitled <a title="Soccer & Society: How Football Can Help Build Peace" href="http://www.academia.edu/3510330/Invasion_Games_in_War-Torn_Nations_Can_Football_Help_to_Build_Peace" target="_blank">“Soccer & Society.”</a></p><p style="text-align:justify;">The <a title="UN Sport for Development and Peace Program" href="https://www.un.org/wcm/content/site/sport/peace" target="_blank"><strong>United Nations Sport for Development and Peace Program</strong></a> takes the message further to include all sports: “Sport as a universal language can be a powerful tool to promote peace, tolerance and understanding by bringing people together across boundaries, cultures and religions.”</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong><a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Footballs-famous-World-War-I-truce-match-photo-by-Chester-Chronicle.jpg"><img class="align-left" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Footballs-famous-World-War-I-truce-match-photo-by-Chester-Chronicle-300x218.jpg?width=300" width="300" alt="Footballs-famous-World-War-I-truce-match-photo-by-Chester-Chronicle-300x218.jpg?width=300" /></a>Football has played an important role in mending rifts between nations</strong>. History has us remember the famous <a title="World War I Christmas Day 1914 football truce" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2276931/Football-match-planned-Flanders-battlefields-mark-centenary-World-War-One-Christmas-truce.html" target="_blank">Christmas Day 1914 truce</a> during World War I in Flanders, Belgium, when German and British troops put down their guns for a day to play football (England won). Famous Brazilian football star Pelé's 1969 trip to Nigeria with his soccer club, Santos, caused a three-day cease-fire in the Biafran War, reports the <strong>“Play Soccer Make Peace!” projec</strong>t, initiated by the <a title="World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations" href="http://www.wango.org/activities.aspx?section=psmp" target="_blank">World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (WANGO)</a>.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"></p><p style="text-align:justify;"></p><p style="text-align:justify;"></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Football</strong> has become a vital instrument for hundreds of <strong>social <a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Israeli-and-Palestinian-boys-playing-football-image-by-Football-4-Peace.jpg"><img class="align-right" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Israeli-and-Palestinian-boys-playing-football-image-by-Football-4-Peace-300x161.jpg?width=300" width="300" alt="Israeli-and-Palestinian-boys-playing-football-image-by-Football-4-Peace-300x161.jpg?width=300" /></a>development programs</strong> run by private and community-based organizations around the world. In the Middle East, two initiatives – <a title="Football 4 Peace International" href="http://www.brighton.ac.uk/sasm/consultancy/sport-and-leisure-cultures/football-4-peace/" target="_blank"><strong>Football 4 Peace</strong></a> and another by <a title="FIFA helps promote peace in Israel and Palestine" href="http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/footballgovernance/news/newsid=2179643/index.html?intcmp=fifacom_hp_module_about_fifa" target="_blank"><strong>FIFA</strong></a> (<a class="zem_slink" title="FIFA" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=47.3813888889,8.57444444444&spn=0.01,0.01&q=47.3813888889,8.57444444444%20(FIFA)&t=h" target="_blank">The International Federation of Association Football</a>) – are helping <strong>Israel and Palestine</strong> come together using football to promote peace. The <a title="Football For Peace" href="http://www.footballforpeace.org/" target="_blank"><strong>Football for Peace</strong></a> organization, another NGO, stages goodwill international peace matches on different continents to promote cultural exchange and peace between boys and girls, men and women.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">The race to qualify for the <a title="FIFA 2014 World Cup in Brazil" href="http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=2179516/index.html" target="_blank"><strong>2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil</strong></a> will hit fever pitch over the next two months as teams fight for a place in the <strong>biggest single-event sporting competition in the world</strong>. Already on its world tour, the <strong><a class="zem_slink" title="FIFA World Cup Trophy" href="http://www.fifa.com/" target="_blank">FIFA World Cup Trophy</a></strong> was on display <strong>in Costa Rica this past weekend</strong>, Sep 27-29. The world’s most iconic symbol of football is flying around the globe, giving fans the chance to see it up close before the June 12 start to the World Cup.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/FIFA-Football-for-Hope-initiative-Getty-Images.jpg"><img class="align-left" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/FIFA-Football-for-Hope-initiative-Getty-Images-300x198.jpg?width=300" width="300" alt="FIFA-Football-for-Hope-initiative-Getty-Images-300x198.jpg?width=300" /></a>FIFA and the World Cup Organizing Committee are <strong>using the World Cup 2014 to promote football as a means for social change</strong>. Thirty-two teams of boys and girls from grassroots organizations all over the planet will come to Rio de Janeiro during the last two weeks of the World Cup to celebrate their achievements and demonstrate the power of football for world peace in the <a title="FIFA Football for Hope Festival 2014" href="http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/sustainability/football-for-hope.html" target="_blank"><strong>Football for Hope Festival 2014</strong></a>. Additionally, FIFA will call attention to world social issues through their official environmental program, <a title="FIFA Football for the Planet 2014" href="http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/sustainability/football-for-planet.html" target="_blank"><strong>Football for the Planet</strong></a>, and their <a title="FIFA anti-discrimination initiative" href="http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/sustainability/anti-discrimination.html" target="_blank"><strong>anti-discrimination initiative</strong></a>.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/FIFA-World-Cup-2014-logo.jpg"><img class="align-right" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/FIFA-World-Cup-2014-logo-150x150.jpg?width=150" width="150" alt="FIFA-World-Cup-2014-logo-150x150.jpg?width=150" /></a>Besides advancing world peace and other social issues, major sporting events such as the <strong><a class="zem_slink" title="2010 FIFA World Cup" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=-26.2347972222,27.9823527778&spn=0.01,0.01&q=-26.2347972222,27.9823527778%20(2010%20FIFA%20World%20Cup)&t=h" target="_blank">FIFA World Cup</a>, the Olympic Games</strong>, etc. <strong>drive tourism sky-high</strong> for the hosting country, and those countries lucky enough to be spotlighted with winning teams or athletes. Sports tourism is big business. According to FIFA, <strong>football generates $26 billion dollars annually</strong>, especially in Europe.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">For <strong>Costa Rica</strong>, a promotional video about tourism to the country aired throughout Europe during the <a class="zem_slink" title="2006 FIFA World Cup" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=52.5147222222,13.2394444444&spn=0.01,0.01&q=52.5147222222,13.2394444444%20(2006%20FIFA%20World%20Cup)&t=h" target="_blank">World Cup 2006</a> in Germany, creating a huge interest for travel. Now, seven years later, <strong>Costa Rica’s travel statistics show more than 2 million tourists visit Costa Rica annually</strong>, spending about 2 billion dollars.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Costa-Rica-national-football-team.jpg"><img class="align-left" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Costa-Rica-national-football-team-300x182.jpg?width=300" width="300" alt="Costa-Rica-national-football-team-300x182.jpg?width=300" /></a>Football is one of Costa Rica’s biggest passions. <strong>Costa Rica was the ninth country in the world to qualify for the 2014 World Cup</strong>, and has high hopes to do well in the world event. Currently <strong>ranked third in the CONCACAF</strong> (<a class="zem_slink" title="CONCACAF" href="http://www.concacaf.com/" target="_blank">Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football</a>), <strong>Costa Rica has played in three World Cups so far</strong> – 2006 in Germany, 2002 in Korea/Japan, and 1990 in Italy.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Travel to Costa Rica</strong></p><p style="text-align:justify;">For travel to Costa Rica, either on business or vacation, let <strong>Expediciones Tropicales</strong> take care of all of the details. Their online <a title="Costa Rica guides online travel directory by Expediciones Tropicales" href="http://www.costaricaguides.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Costa Rica Guides</strong></a>, a <strong>Costa Rica travel directory</strong>, helps you with hotel reservations, Costa Rica tours, Costa Rica vacation packages, private transportation, rental cars, shuttle services, local flights and information on what to do, where to go and which places to see while you're in Costa Rica.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Article by <a title="Follow writer Shannon Farley on Google+" href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/104506194721250694108/posts" target="_blank">Shannon Farley</a></strong></p></div>On the ball: Costa Rica football star named new Tourism Ambassadorhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/on-the-ball-costa-rica-football-star-named-new-tourism-ambassador2015-02-12T22:08:23.000Z2015-02-12T22:08:23.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008922480,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="400" class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008922480,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008922480?profile=original" /></a>Article by <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+ShannonFarley/posts" target="_blank">Shannon Farley</a><br /></b></p><p></p><p>People around the world have their eye on <b>Costa Rican football star</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/keylornavascr" target="_blank">Keylor Navas</a>.</p><p>Not only is <b>Navas a national hero</b> for helping <b>lead his team as goalkeeper to the quarterfinals in the 2014 World Cup</b>, he also is a rising star as <b>goalkeeper for the prestigious Real Madrid football team</b>. Now, Navas has been <b>appointed <a href="http://www.ticotimes.net/2015/01/30/madrid-goalie-keylor-navas-named-costa-rica-tourism-ambassador" target="_blank">Costa Rica’s first official Tourism Ambassador</a>.</b></p><p>In a big event at the <b>official Costa Rica stand at the FITUR tourism trade fair in Madrid, Spain</b> on Jan. 29, one of the most important tourism trade fairs in the world, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wilhelm-von-Breymann-Ministro-de-Turismo-de-Costa-Rica-P%C3%A1gina-Oficial/711151915588663?ut=43&wstart=0&wend=1422777599&hash=-1700572109257587519&pagefilter=3" target="_blank">Costa Rican Tourism Minister, Wilhelm von Breymann</a>, announced the important honor.</p><p><b><a href="http://www.keylornavas.com/" target="_blank">Keylor Navas</a> became a worldwide sensation during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil</b>, saving 21 of 23 (91 percent) attempted goals while leading <b>Costa Rica for the first-time ever to the quarterfinals</b>. Then the famous Tico <b>signed with the respected Real Madrid football club</b> in July 2014.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008922896,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="400" class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008922896,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008922896?profile=original" /></a>“We’re taking this opportunity at FITUR, one of the most important tourism events in the world, to recognize the talent, human quality and character of Keylor Navas, who has lifted the name of Costa Rica very high thanks to his humility, warmth and tenacity. The growth he has had professionally has generated pride in Costa Ricans. For this reason, we are very pleased and excited to have Keylor Navas as the first Tourism Ambassador of Costa Rica,” said Wilhelm von Breymann in a Facebook post.</p><p>“I think that Costa Rica can serve as a model for the whole world. It is a country rich in biodiversity and is committed to sustainability, environmental conservation and its culture and traditions,” said Navas on his official website. “I am convinced that anyone who visits Costa Rica will discover what it truly means to have an authentic travel experience. This place offers unforgettable moments for anyone who visits this paradise.”</p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008923093,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008923093,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="456" alt="9008923093?profile=original" /></a>More than 2.5 million international arrivals were registered in Costa Rica in 2014</b>, an increase of 4.1 percent over the previous year, reported the Costa Rican Tourism Office (ICT). <b>European visitors to Costa Rica increased by nearly 20 percent in 2014</b>, mostly from France, Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom, the ICT noted.</p><p>In January, <b>Costa Rica won the category of “Best Destination Central/South America”</b> in the Readers’ Choice Awards by Travel Weekly magazine. U.S. News & World Report called <b>Costa Rica “the ultimate destination to enjoy a family holiday,” and among the eight best places to travel for families in Central and South America</b>. And British newspaper The Guardian named <b>Costa Rica “one of the destinations to visit in 2015”</b>.</p><p><b>Plan</b> <b>your <a href="http://www.horizontes.com/costa-rica-beach-vacations" target="_blank">unforgettable vacation to Costa Rica</a></b>, and <b>choose the authentic <a href="http://www.horizontes.com/about-us" target="_blank">Costa Rica travel experts</a> with 30 years of experience</b> to take care of everything for you. <b><a href="http://www.horizontes.com/" target="_blank">Horizontes travel agency</a> in Costa Rica</b> is a leader in tourism in Costa Rica, and is certified in <a href="http://www.horizontes.com/sustainable-tourism-and-policies" target="_blank">Sustainable Tourism</a>. Horizontes offers the best in <b><a href="http://www.horizontes.com/nature-travel-packages" target="_blank">Costa Rica vacations</a> and</b> <a href="http://www.horizontes.com/adventure-tours-costa-rica" target="_blank">Costa Rica tours</a> – all tailored just for you.</p><p><b> </b></p><p></p></div>Brazil’s Lesser-Known World Cup Citieshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/brazil-s-lesser-known-world-cup-cities2014-06-09T16:30:00.000Z2014-06-09T16:30:00.000ZDavid Paul Appellhttps://tripatini.com/members/DavidPaulAppell16<div><p><a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/L2F-May-14-Brazil-World-Cup-parrot-graphic-Pixabay.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/L2F-May-14-Brazil-World-Cup-parrot-graphic-Pixabay.jpg" class="align-center" alt="L2F-May-14-Brazil-World-Cup-parrot-graphic-Pixabay.jpg" /></a></p>
<p><br /> On June 12 one of the planet’s most anticipated sporting events kicks off in <b>Brazil</b>’s largest city, <strong>São Paulo</strong>. And over the course of the following 30 days, 64 <b>World Cup</b> matches among 31 teams will rotate among a dozen of this country’s other cities. <strong>Rio de Janeiro</strong> totally. <strong>Salvador</strong> certainly. <strong>Fortaleza</strong> for sure. Capital <strong>Brasilia</strong> it goes without saying. But what do you know about <strong>Natal</strong>, <strong>Cuiabá</strong>, and <strong>Porto Alegre</strong>? Here’s a quick primer on some of the lesser-known and (to most non-Brazilians, at least) downright obscure spots where <strong>football</strong> aka <strong>soccer</strong> history is being made this summer.</p>
<p><br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008864288,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="250" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008864288,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-right" alt="9008864288?profile=original" /></a><strong>Belo Horizonte</strong> BH, aka “Beagá,” anchors Brazil’s third biggest metro area, and has a lot going on (in addition to being near lovely colonial-era towns like <strong>Tiradentes</strong>, <strong>Diamantina</strong>, and <strong>Ouro Preto</strong>). In the country’s southeastern state of <strong>Minas Gerais</strong>, it’s a fairly new city, planned beginning in the 1890s, so not surprisingly, some of its highlights come in the area of modern architecture, with lots of contributions from Brazil’s most famous architect, <strong>Oscar Niemayer</strong>, especially in the Pampulha district (his São Francisco de Assis Church, right, freaked the local bishops out so much they wouldn’t consecrate it at first). There are loads of marvelous museums here, too, a number of them new, and the huge Central Market is a monument to sensory overload. Finally, BH is also considered the bars capital of Brazil, cheers!<br /> <br /> <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/Cuiaba2.jpg/320px-Cuiaba2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/Cuiaba2.jpg/320px-Cuiaba2.jpg?width=150" width="150" class="align-left" alt="320px-Cuiaba2.jpg?width=150" /></a><b>Cuiabá</b> Founded in 1719, the capital of Mato Grosso state, right in the middle of the entire continent in cattle country, between the Amazon and a huge wetlands area known as the Pantanal, is a fairly small city as these things go (just a half million). So there are some historic buildings and museums, as well as some good dining and nightlife, and it’s a good base for ecotourism into the surrounding natural areas and cowboy country. It can get pretty hot and steamy down here, but less so now that it’s winter. Point of interest: this is the part of the country where singer Michel Teló is from. <a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/brazilian-pop-heartthrob-michel-telo-hit-oh-if-i-catch-you-catche" target="_blank">His hit “Se Eu Te Pego” (If I Catch You)</a> has been especially popular among international footballers, and you’ll probably be hearing it a lot in these coming days.</p>
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<p><br /> <br /> <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1e/Museu_Oscar_Niemeyer_2_Curitiba_Brasil.jpg/640px-Museu_Oscar_Niemeyer_2_Curitiba_Brasil.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1e/Museu_Oscar_Niemeyer_2_Curitiba_Brasil.jpg/640px-Museu_Oscar_Niemeyer_2_Curitiba_Brasil.jpg?width=250" width="250" class="align-right" alt="640px-Museu_Oscar_Niemeyer_2_Curitiba_Brasil.jpg?width=250" /></a><b>Curitiba</b> South Brazil’s biggest city, capital of Paraná state, was another cow town back in the day, and known for its multicultural heritage, thanks to 19th and 20th-century immigration especially from Germany and Eastern Europe. Highlights include an 18-century old quarter; a nice botanical garden; reproductions of ancestral German and Polish homesteads; and a striking museum devoted to Brazil’s most famous architect, Oscar Niemayer (right), and other modern architecture and design. And by the way, here due to the altitude (just over 3,000 feet over sea level) it can get a little chilly, foggy, and rainy at times – not weather you’d typically associate with Brazil, for sure.</p>
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<p><b><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/Manaus_downtown_teatro.JPG/640px-Manaus_downtown_teatro.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/Manaus_downtown_teatro.JPG/640px-Manaus_downtown_teatro.JPG?width=250" width="250" class="align-left" alt="640px-Manaus_downtown_teatro.JPG?width=250" /></a>Manaus</b> The capital of the Amazon was founded as a fort in the middle of the rain forest in 1693, and today has nearly 2 million people. It became South America’s richest city in the 1880s thanks to rubber, with its legacy the famous opera house (dome in picture at left) and other Belle-Époque architecture (including rubber baron estates you can tour), as well as cultural institutions such as the Museo Amazônico (including lots of material on the first peoples of the Amazon) and nature reserves like the Bosque da Ciência. And of course a major part of the scene is outfitters offering excursions into the rain forest, on the rivers, and to jungle lodges.</p>
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<p><br /> <br /> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1FHpszHjcoQ/T188XNFICDI/AAAAAAAAAxw/8lmXzSwUgNo/s1600/foto906.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1FHpszHjcoQ/T188XNFICDI/AAAAAAAAAxw/8lmXzSwUgNo/s1600/foto906.jpg?width=250" width="250" class="align-right" alt="foto906.jpg?width=250" /></a><b>Natal</b> Merry Christmas! (<i>Natal</i> is Portuguese for Xmas, you see, so named because it was founded on that day in 1599.) Capital of the tiny state of Rio Grande do Norte at the country’s northeastern tip, this pleasant “City of the Sun,” just under one million in population, has a few moderately interesting allures, like a historic center with architecture from colonial to modernist, a colonial fort called the Three Kings Fortress, and – whoah, the world’s largest cashew tree! Didn’t see that coming. But what’s most cool about the area, besides the great nearby beaches, is a little patch of desert right nearby. The sand dunes north of the city are a sight to behold, and now you can surf them, cruise them in buggies, trek them in camels, and so forth. Of course. <br /> <br /> <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/Vistas_de_Porto_Alegre.jpg/320px-Vistas_de_Porto_Alegre.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/Vistas_de_Porto_Alegre.jpg/320px-Vistas_de_Porto_Alegre.jpg?width=250" width="250" class="align-left" alt="320px-Vistas_de_Porto_Alegre.jpg?width=250" /></a><b>Porto Alegre</b> The port capital of the far southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, this “Happy Harbor” of some 1½ million people, founded in 1769, it’s a progressive city of parks and plazas, neoclassical architecture, and brisker temperature-wise than most of the rest of the country. It also starts looking and feeling a bit more like neighboring Uruguay, with the nearby pampa (grasslands), gaucho (cowboy) heritage, and predilection for <i>mate</i> tea.</p>
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<p><br /> <br /> <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/26/Ground_Zero_-_Recife_-_Pernambuco_-_Brazil.jpg/640px-Ground_Zero_-_Recife_-_Pernambuco_-_Brazil.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/26/Ground_Zero_-_Recife_-_Pernambuco_-_Brazil.jpg/640px-Ground_Zero_-_Recife_-_Pernambuco_-_Brazil.jpg?width=250" width="250" class="align-right" alt="640px-Ground_Zero_-_Recife_-_Pernambuco_-_Brazil.jpg?width=250" /></a></p>
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<p><b>Recife</b> Capital of northerneastern Pernambuco state, with a metro-area population of 3.7 million, it’s a city of islands, canals and waterways, with some marvelous historic landmarks, including churches, convents, theaters, palaces. and one of the hemisphere’s oldest synagogues. There are also an unusual number of great museums (including one covering slavery and its abolition). Other claims to fame include a particularly fabulous annual Carnaval and some of Brazil’s best beaches, both within the city and in the surrounding region.</p>
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<p><span class="font-size-1"><em>images | Thomás, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuiab%C3%A1#mediaviewer/File:Cuiaba2.jpg" target="_blank">Mateus Hidalgo</a>, <a href="http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museu_Oscar_Niemeyer#mediaviewer/Ficheiro:Museu_Oscar_Niemeyer_2_Curitiba_Brasil.jpg" target="_blank">Morio</a>, <a href="http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teatro_Amazonas#mediaviewer/Ficheiro:Manaus_downtown_teatro.JPG" target="_blank">Pontanegra</a>, <a href="http://4x4cantos.blogspot.com/2012/03/dunas-de-natal-novas-trilhas-2012.html" target="_blank">4x4Cantos</a>, <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vistas_de_Porto_Alegre.jpg" target="_blank">Editorial J</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recife#mediaviewer/File:Ground_Zero_-_Recife_-_Pernambuco_-_Brazil.jpg" target="_blank">Portal da Copa 2014</a></em></span></p>
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<p></p></div>Africa Cup of Nations: Young Ghana team falter in the finalhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/africa-cup-of-nations-young2010-02-05T19:00:00.000Z2010-02-05T19:00:00.000ZHarry Bunnellhttps://tripatini.com/members/HarryBunnell<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Georgia, serif;line-height:20px;"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008540483,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="" style="float:left;" /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Georgia, serif;line-height:20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Last Sunday, on a cold day in London, I was settled in for a day of sport which of course featured the Cup of Nations final between Egypt and Ghana. The two hours of coverage on BBC2 gave me the chance to watch football in faraway lands, and enjoy a beer in the comfort of my living room; perfect. Unfortunately this was one of only three matches accessible to the masses (the semi finals were shown on BBC3) and scheduled at the same time as the big Arsenal v Manchester United match. You just have to see pictures of people around the world of people wearing replica shirts to know that the English Premiership match would receive the better coverage. Still, despite the poor scheduling I was looking forward to the final since I was pretty sure it was going to be a good match. Egypt were going for a record third cup title on the trot against a plucky young Ghanaian team who had battled through to the final despite injuries to key players.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Georgia, serif;line-height:20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(94,94,94);line-height:normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Georgia, serif;line-height:20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(94,94,94);line-height:normal;">It was a true African football classic; North Africa against West Africa, the oldest average team against the youngest, age and experience against energy and technique, and the Cup record holders against their closest rivals to this honour. Egypt didn’t play their best football, and the Ghana Black Stars impressed with their skills and swift counter attacks, however they were unable to prevent the immense skill of Egypt sub Mohamed Nagy Gedo who blew them away with his fifth goal of the tournament (despite coming on as a sub in every game!). The Egyptians dominated the competition on the way to their history making treble. The Pharaohs are now on the longest unbeaten run in the tournament's 53-year history (19 matches spread across the last three tournaments). Their defence only conceded two goals, and they also had the best attack with 15 goals. Player of the tournament was awarded to captain Ahmed Hassan, who is also now Egypt’s most capped player.</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Despite Egypt’s record breaking triumphs, the Cup for me and most others was a little disappointing and marred by the violence at the start with the attack on the Togo bus. The pre-tournament tragedy resurfaced towards the end when the Confederation of African Football ridiculously decided to ban Togo from the next two tournaments. Fans at the stadiums were minimal with most flying in the day before because Angola is far too expensive for most to have long term stays. Even if many visitors will largely remember Luanda's hectic traffic, the building works, and the pricey cost of pretty much everything in Angola; locals took pride in showcasing the new stadiums and infrastructure.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The Pharaohs are the best in Africa for the time being, however after they missed out on World Cup qualification I’m counting on the</span> <a href="http://http//wadiscovery.blogspot.com/2009/12/world-cup-effect-west-african-role.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">West African teams shining for Africa</span></a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">in a few months time.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Contact me at</span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><a href="mailto:harry@westafricadiscovery.co.uk"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">harry@westafricadiscovery.co.uk</span></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Visit</span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><a href="http://www.westafricadiscovery.co.uk"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">www.westafricadiscovery.co.uk</span></a></span></p></div>African Cup of Nations: Kicking off a great year for African footballhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/african-cup-of-nations-kicking2010-01-06T12:35:59.000Z2010-01-06T12:35:59.000ZWest Africa Discoveryhttps://tripatini.com/members/WestAfricaDiscovery<div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7BR3dYmDyhk/S0Rfb7U3wFI/AAAAAAAAABw/n-4qrOZpaqQ/s1600-h/african_cup_of_nations_2010.jpg"><img style="margin:0pt 10px 10px 0pt;float:left;width:320px;height:240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7BR3dYmDyhk/S0Rfb7U3wFI/AAAAAAAAABw/n-4qrOZpaqQ/s320/african_cup_of_nations_2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423564784647258194" border="0" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423564784647258194" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Happy New Year and welcome to the first WAD blog of 2010! As Tom mentioned</span></span> <a href="http://wadiscovery.blogspot.com/2009/12/happy-new-year-from-west-africa.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">last week</span></span></a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">the last year has been a busy one, and there is going to be plenty of exciting stuff coming up too. As I’ve talked about in a</span></span> <a href="http://wadiscovery.blogspot.com/2009/12/world-cup-effect-west-african-role.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">previous blog</span></span></a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">there is going to be a massive focus on the African continent this summer with the World Cup Finals hosted in South Africa. For the sport hungry people amongst you there is a nice warm-up to the World Cup with the African Cup of Nations starting in Angola within the next few days.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The African Cup of Nations is the main football competition for African countries held every two years. This historic year of African football kicks off the continent's football extravaganza this Sunday when Angola hosts the 27th Cup of Nations. The competition started in 1957, three years before Europe staged a similar tournament. Since then the Cup of Nations has evolved from a small event to become one of the most eagerly awaited tournaments in the world, featuring some of the finest talent from Europe's biggest clubs.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">This event has been highly anticipated by Angolans who, using funds from the IMF and China, have constructed four new football stadiums. It was only seven years ago that the 27 year long civil war came to an end, a war which took a million lives and displaced four million others. The fact that Angola has been chosen to host the 2010 cup is a sign of confidence in the stability of the region and shows that this once deeply troubled country is on the rise. It is an oil rich country, and despite the controversies around African oil mining, this is surely what the government are relying on to help build up the infrastructure and bring the country out of poverty. Oil provides 95% of Angola’s export wealth, mostly from exporting to China. China’s role in Africa gets a bad rap in the Western media at the moment;</span></span> <a href="http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/85181"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">this article</span></span></a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">gives an interesting counter viewpoint (but that’s a whole debate for another day).</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">By hosting the African Cup of Nations over this month, Angola also hopes that it can kick start its tourism industry. Angola has a lot to offer with its pristine beaches, warm climate, and distinct colonial Portuguese architecture. However Angola is not a destination for your regular English speaking tourist, seeking creature comforts. English is not widely spoken (80% speak Portuguese) and means of transport such as taxis were only</span></span> <a href="http://www.news24.com/Content/Africa/News/965/21107b1d44ed41d7af676d6010baa89d/25-11-2009-04-24/Angola_turns_to_taxis_for_2010"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">introduced a month before the cup</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. But this is where local operators on the ground can help and give tourists a unique and inspiring experience.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Unfortunately, flights to Angola from Europe are expensive and tend to be booked up by oil and construction companies in advance, with flights starting at 1,000 dollars. Travelling to Angola to watch their team this month will be way too expensive for most African football fans. A standard hotel room in the capital of Luanda cost more than 400 dollars per night, and restaurants charge the same if not more than what you would expect to pay in London. As Angola continues to grow a better tourism infrastructure can be implemented, with the money created going back into local communities.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Egypt may be the competition’s current champions, but once again the West African region has shown its dominance of African football, claiming four of the five spots for the World Cup in South Africa. Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria have booked their places in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. For the 2010 African Cup of Nations, fifteen teams join host country Angola. They are Cameroon, Gabon, Togo, Nigeria, Tunisia, Mozambique, Ghana, Benin, Mali,</span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">C</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);line-height:17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">ô</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">te</span></span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Malawi; eight of which are West African countries!</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The bookmakers’ favourites for the competition are C</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);line-height:17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">ô</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">te</span></span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);line-height:normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">d'Ivoire with a team filled with players from the top levels of European football clubs. They qualified comfortably and have a number of talented players in their side including Didier Drogba, brothers Kolo & Yaya Toure, Didier Zokora, Emmanuel Eboue, and Salomon Kalou, also making them one of the outside chances for the World Cup. Two years ago Cote d’Ivore arrived at the Cup of Nations in Ghana as favourites only to be overrun 4-1 by Egypt in the semi-final. This time around they will be keen to dispel accusations of complacency and showcase their talent in what is set to be a great year for African football.</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The groups have been drawn as follows:</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Group A: Algeria, Angola, Malawi,</span></span> <a href="http://www.westafricadiscovery.co.uk/mali.html"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Mali</span></span></b></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Group B:</span></span> <b><a href="http://www.westafricadiscovery.co.uk/burkina-faso.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Burkina Faso</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">,</span></span> <b><a href="http://www.westafricadiscovery.co.uk/ivory-coast.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Cote d'Ivoire</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">,</span></span> <b><a href="http://www.westafricadiscovery.co.uk/ghana.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ghana</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">,</span></span> <b><a href="http://www.westafricadiscovery.co.uk/togo.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Togo</span></span></a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Group C:</span></span> <b><a href="http://www.westafricadiscovery.co.uk/benin.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Benin</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, Egypt, Mozambique,</span></span> <b><a href="http://www.westafricadiscovery.co.uk/nigeria.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Nigeria</span></span></a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Group D:</span></span> <b><a href="http://www.westafricadiscovery.co.uk/cameroon.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Cameroon</span></span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, Gabon, Tunisia, Zambia</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The first match is on Sunday with Angola Vs Mali. A full schedule can be found on the Confederation of African Football</span></span> <a href="http://www.cafonline.com/competition/african-cup-of-nations-angola_2010/groups"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">website</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. Stay tuned to West Africa Discovery for updates on the West African teams’ progress in the Cup. Until Sunday check out</span></span> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BCuiEFDenE&feature=youtube_gdata"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">this video</span></span></a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">made by Puma showcasing the new African team kits.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Visit</span></span> <a href="http://www.westafricadiscovery.co.uk/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">www.westafricadiscovery.com</span></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Contact me at</span></span> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/harry@westafricadiscovery.co.uk"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">harry@westafricadiscovery.co.uk</span></span></a></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"></p><div style="text-align:justify;"></div></div>'Against All Odds' and Football With a Maya Twisthttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/against-all-odds-and-football-with-a-maya-twist2012-05-08T13:17:02.000Z2012-05-08T13:17:02.000ZIberostar Hotels & Resortshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberostarHotelsResorts<div><p><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008697288,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008697288,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" class="align-center" alt="9008697288?profile=original" /></a><br /><br />by <a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profile/AndyJarosz" target="_blank">Andy Jarosz</a></em><br /><br />An out-of-favor American football player turns up in <strong>Cozumel </strong>in search of a girl. They fall in love amid danger, dirty deals and murder. Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward add the necessary sparkle while a soundtrack featuring the well-known Phil Collins title song ensures worldwide success. <br /><br /><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008697679,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008697679,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="256" class="align-right" alt="9008697679?profile=original" /></a>But it may be the spectacular locations on the<strong> Yucatan peninsula</strong> chosen for 1984's “Against All Odds” that really steal the show. Chichen Itza, recently listed as one of the "Seven Wonders of the World," forms a spectacular backdrop for the movie’s pivotal scene, where modern-day football is compared to the<strong> ball games</strong> once played at this ancient site.<br /><br /><strong>Maya Ball Games, Anyone?<br /><br /></strong>You thought American football was rough on the players? Maya <em>pelota</em> was a brutal game with a particularly gruesome finale and is considered to have been an important part of <strong>Maya culture</strong>. The game was played on a T-shaped ball court, examples of which can be found at sites across Mexico and Central America. Players would wear heavy leather padding across their chest, arms and knees, along with a stone belt with which they would make contact with the ball. The aim of the game was to keep the ball (similar to a <strong>soccer ball</strong> but far heavier) from touching the ground and this was done by using the elbows, knees or hips. Points were scored if the ball was hit against a stone ring on the side of the court (above right, in the picture).<br /><br />Exactly how the game was played is largely unclear, yet perhaps it’s the gruesome ending of a Maya <strong>football game </strong>that is most disputed. Many believe that the losing captain was beheaded and his life offered as a sacrifice to the gods. Others suggest that it was in fact the winning captain who was sacrificed; after all, it was important to offer the most valuable gift to gain favor with the deities. That someone was killed at the end of a game is the one thing that’s not in doubt.<br /><br /><strong>Visiting Ball Courts at Chichen Itza and Coba<br /><br /></strong>Apart from being an admittedly high-risk sport, the ball games were also an integral part of religious observance during the centuries of pre-Columbian <strong>Maya civilization.</strong> Every community of significance had a ball court, and easily accessible examples can be found in both <strong>Chichen Itza</strong> and <strong>Coba</strong>. Both sites are within easy reach of the resorts along the Yucatan coast, and make for a great day trip from <a title="Playa del Carmen" href="http://www.iberostar.com/EN/Mexico/hotels-Mexico.html" target="_blank">Playa Paraiso</a> or <a title="Cancun" href="http://www.iberostar.com/EN/Cancun-hotels/Iberostar-Cancun.html" target="_blank">Cancun</a>.</p><p><br /><br />Photos | <a href="http://www.501places.com/" target="_blank">Andy Jarosz</a>, Columbia Pictures</p></div>Brazil 2014: The World Cup Comes to Salvador da Bahiahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/brazil-2014-the-world-cup-comes-to-salvador-da-bahia2012-03-27T15:43:41.000Z2012-03-27T15:43:41.000ZIberostar Hotels & Resortshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberostarHotelsResorts<div><p><a href="http://passportto.iberostar.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Brazil-World-Cup-2014.jpg" title="Brazil 2014 World Cup"><img class="size-full wp-image-569 alignnone" title="Brazil World Cup 2014" src="http://passportto.iberostar.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Brazil-World-Cup-2014.jpg" alt="Brazil 2014 World Cup" width="640" height="427" /></a></p><p><a href="http://passportto.iberostar.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Brazil-World-Cup-2014.jpg" title="Brazil 2014 World Cup"></a><br /> <em>by <a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profile/AndyJarosz" target="_blank">Andy Jarozs</a></em><br /> <br /> There may have been some controversy about who should've hosted the future football (aka soccer) World Cup (there usually seems to be). Few people, however, were surprised when Brazil was awarded the honor of staging what is arguably the ultimate global sporting event. For the 2014 <strong>World Cup Brazil</strong> will host 32 of the world’s leading soccer nations in an event that will be watched by millions of people in the stadiums and billions more on TVs around the world. For many of the nation’s soccer fanatics, <strong>Brazil 2014</strong> can’t come quickly enough.<br /> <br /> <strong>World Cup in 2014<br /> <br /></strong> Twelve stadiums have been selected and the authorities in each of these cities are now racing to get everything ready in time. <strong>Salvador</strong>, the capital city of the state of <strong>Bahia</strong>, is one of the lucky host cities and will be keen to show its best features to the watching world. It is expected that the city will be packed with soccer fans from around the world and <strong>accommodations in Salvador</strong> are already getting booked up, almost three years before the World Cup kicks off.<br /> <br /> <strong>Visiting Salvador da Bahia<br /> <br /></strong> Local tourism officials hope that soccer fans who come to Salvador will experience far more than just a sporting spectacle. The city is historically very significant and was the first to be established by the conquering Portuguese back in 1549 as Cidade de São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos (“City of the Holy Savior of the Bay of all Saints”) – a lovely name, to be sure, but happily shortened in the years since. As the main entry port into the New World, Salvador became an important center for slave trading. That legacy is seen today in the city’s multi-cultural population, with 80% of people having African roots, while the architecture of the city itself is distinctly Portuguese.<br /> <br /> Think of Brazil and one of the first images you’ll paint in your mind is probably that of a beautiful beach. Salvador da Bahia is particularly attractive for those who value golden sand ahead of all else for their vacations. Thirty miles of beach stretch along the coast here, and the <strong>Porto da Barra</strong> beach was rated the 3rd best in the world by the British newspaper The Guardian.<br /> <br /> <strong>Biggest ever Brazilian carnival?<br /> <br /></strong> Salvador is already popular with tourists and is Brazil’s most visited destination after Rio de Janeiro. For one Brazilian winter (June and July 2014), there will be another reason to visit this north-east corner of the country. To witness the annual<strong> Carnival</strong> is, according to locals, to see an unforgettable mix of color, noise and passion. I suspect that even this will pale in comparison to the party that Salvador will stage if Brazil wins the World Cup on its own soil.</p><p><br /> <br /> Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/agecombahia/3586377708/in/photostream/" target="_blank">Gov/BA</a></p></div>