So Yemen doesn't have a team in the World Cup but that doesn't mean that no one cares about the games. Since soccer is the world's sport there are still a lot of people here locally who have been watching the games. The team that everyone around here has been cheering for was Algeria. Unfortunately they lost sometime this last week and so now people are simply enjoying the games. To watch the game on television people need a special chip to catch the game but luckily there are a few different places where it is a public viewing area for people to watch the games.
The biggest area where people can watch the game is in Tahrir Square. Tahrir Square is a main roadway that does have multiple lanes of traffic going in all kinds of directions and of course with no sense of organization. Plus there are a few big lots in the middle of the square and that is where one of the big viewing areas for the World Cup is located. It is actually a World Cup sponsor that did set up the huge tent and provided the screen, projector, and speakers to watch the game. So usually when a game is on people simply come and sit on the floor in this tent enjoying the game. There are some younger guys walking around trying to sell some snacks or drinks. Plus if during the halftime break or anytime there are a lot of shops that surround Tahrir with juices, tea, and all kinds of food. There always does seem to be a good crowd watching the games and cheering along when something good happens.
Another area to watch the games is down one of the side streets. Here someone put a huge white thing on the wall and has a projector pointed at it showing the games. It is down a smaller street but there still are cars or people walking through. In fact last time there was a vehicle parked in front of the screen blocking half of the screen. We still sat down to watch and had to always bunch up and move our feet in when cars would drive on through. Eventually someone decided to move the vehicle but of course without the keys and simply picking it up and moving it. It was kind of funny to watch and it took a few people to move it. When they did move it, it blocked more of the screen but did keep the cars from driving by. Eventually someone brought keys and drove it away and they proceeded to block the road with two different motorcycles. The crowd watching the games here is smaller but on multiple occasions when they see us foreigners walking up they have given us a blanket or something to sit on instead of simply the road. The last game we sat right next to one of the neighbors there and there were even cushions for some of the people to lean up against. Besides the kids lighting fire works close by and the different traffic going by it is a very enjoyable spot to watch the games.
There are a few internet shops where people flock to watch the games. Also some restaurants or cafes do play the game. For the most part we have been simply streaming the game at home but we can't always watch the whole thing because the electricity goes out regularly. Even though the United States did lose the other night I will continue to watch the games. I will write later.
The biggest area where people can watch the game is in Tahrir Square. Tahrir Square is a main roadway that does have multiple lanes of traffic going in all kinds of directions and of course with no sense of organization. Plus there are a few big lots in the middle of the square and that is where one of the big viewing areas for the World Cup is located. It is actually a World Cup sponsor that did set up the huge tent and provided the screen, projector, and speakers to watch the game. So usually when a game is on people simply come and sit on the floor in this tent enjoying the game. There are some younger guys walking around trying to sell some snacks or drinks. Plus if during the halftime break or anytime there are a lot of shops that surround Tahrir with juices, tea, and all kinds of food. There always does seem to be a good crowd watching the games and cheering along when something good happens.
Another area to watch the games is down one of the side streets. Here someone put a huge white thing on the wall and has a projector pointed at it showing the games. It is down a smaller street but there still are cars or people walking through. In fact last time there was a vehicle parked in front of the screen blocking half of the screen. We still sat down to watch and had to always bunch up and move our feet in when cars would drive on through. Eventually someone decided to move the vehicle but of course without the keys and simply picking it up and moving it. It was kind of funny to watch and it took a few people to move it. When they did move it, it blocked more of the screen but did keep the cars from driving by. Eventually someone brought keys and drove it away and they proceeded to block the road with two different motorcycles. The crowd watching the games here is smaller but on multiple occasions when they see us foreigners walking up they have given us a blanket or something to sit on instead of simply the road. The last game we sat right next to one of the neighbors there and there were even cushions for some of the people to lean up against. Besides the kids lighting fire works close by and the different traffic going by it is a very enjoyable spot to watch the games.
There are a few internet shops where people flock to watch the games. Also some restaurants or cafes do play the game. For the most part we have been simply streaming the game at home but we can't always watch the whole thing because the electricity goes out regularly. Even though the United States did lose the other night I will continue to watch the games. I will write later.
