Watching the World Cup

[november_moon]

The World Cup group matches will be happening while we are on the Camino and there are quite a few games being played at 13:00 and 16:00 Brazil time, which looks like 18:00 and 21:00 in Spain, which are good timing for watching in the evenings - 21:00 may be a little on the late side for the pilgrim schedule, but 18:00 should be perfect. Is is safe to assume that it will be pretty easy to find places to watch games in the evenings along the Camino? We expect to be walking the stretch from about Sarria to Santiago when the group matches kick off.

 

[Tincatinker]

If you are in a bar in Spain and it does not have a television tuned to a football channel you are not in a bar in Spain.

 

[crackmrmac]

Albergues and hostals rock with night curfew so perhaps to avoid running up at last minute you need to stay elsewhere! I am not a football fan but I always enjoy the crack & banter of those that do enjoy...........and funnily enough they are always polite to me. Yes, bars in |Spain will facilitate. Depending on your location there may be a dispensation on albergue door.

 

[november_moon]

Thanks - that is what I was hoping to hear. Mexico v Cameroon is one we want to see, and that is June 13 at 13:00 in Brazil, so 18:00 in Spain - that shouldn't be a problem with getting back to the alburque in time for curfew. Mexico v Brazil though - that one is on June 17 is at 16:00 in Brazil, so 21:00 in Spain - we'd definitely miss curfew, so we may have to stay in alternate lodging that night or ask if there will be a special dispensation. When Spain plays, I would expect that the special dispensation on evening curfew would go without saying!

 

[Bajaracer]

When I stayed in Ages last summer, the ones staying in the municipal albergue/bar watched a game late into the evening, very few of them went to bed early.

 

[mralisn]

On Camino in '10 (CN) for World Cup and '12 for Euro-Cup (CF). Had an incredible time almost every evening finding places to watch the matches. However, was told in many places (especially in Basque) there is little interest in how the Spanish team does. There were few places were the matches could not be found but remedied on request. I have all the matches printed out to take with me, and like you, the first match of the day would be a great way to end my day and the 2nd could be a bit too late on some evenings. What a fantastic experience of banter with international walkers no matter language barrier or side.

Many of us forget how much "fun" the Camino can be. For me, it's these matches which help me to relax and enjoy my time.

Keep a smile,
Simeon

 

[naplesdon]

Rugby has a bigger following than football in Pays Basque, that being said it won't be hard to find the games in almost every bar and any albergue with a television.
I do not want to stir up a hornet's nest but Spain will win the World Cup this year and that should have lots of folks glued to the tube.
The Tour de France is also going on for those of us walking in July and I have never had a problem following it either when I am in Spain.

 

[tyrrek]

Hopefully common sense will apply. We got an extension in an albergue for the European Cup final, so as long as you were in the building by 10pm it was ok to watch it there.

 

[KinkyOne]

When I stayed in Ages last summer, the ones staying in the municipal albergue/bar watched a game late into the evening, very few of them went to bed early.

Almost the same experience here. I was in Ages in 2011 during (European) Champions League final Manchester Utd. vs Barcelona. I got impression that whole village was in a bar cheering up for Barca, only me and sweet Korean girl were in for ManUtd. Lots of fun on our behalf AND free drinks for the two of us entire evening . There was absolutely no curfew that night in Ages...
I agree with biarritzdon that there are not many followers of Furia in Basque country, but I'm sure there are no problems with watching football if there's a game played at the time. No matter who play.

 

[celtictrekker]

If you are in a bar in Spain and it does not have a television tuned to a football channel you are not in a bar in Spain.

As a few games are playing at 23.oo hrs UK time (England-Italy June 14) do you think albergues will allow for late nights?

 

[amancio]

Just check with the hospitalero at what time they will be closing the doors in the albergue, or else arrange with some pilgrim to open the door for you if you come back late from the bar (needless to say; PLEASE be quiet and do not wake everybody up when you come back from the bar!)

There should be no problem to watch the Spanish games, BUT the rest of the games night need some special TV license that might not be avaiable in all bars, beware!

 

[celtictrekker]

Just check with the hospitalero at what time they will be closing the doors in the albergue, or else arrange with some pilgrim to open the door for you if you come back late from the bar (needless to say; PLEASE be quiet and do not wake everybody up when you come back from the bar!)

There should be no problem to watch the Spanish games, BUT the rest of the games night need some special TV license that might not be avaiable in all bars, beware!

Thanks for heads up, as they say if there is a will there is always a way!

 

[amancio]

BTW, pity Ireland did not make it to this world cup, celtictrekker, maybe you will have to support Spain instead!

 

[celtictrekker]

BTW, pity Ireland did not make it to this world cup, celtictrekker, maybe you will have to support Spain instead!

Yeah we were robbed in the play-offs by France, Thierry Henry handball, not once but 3 times.. anyway no sour grapes my money on Belgium to make final v Brazil, Brazil to win

 

[Nandy61]

I was walking the Camino June 13-July 15 2010. Every night we looked for a match to watch and every night we found one. It was the BEST! It is such a great way to meet the locals and practice your spanish or your diplomacy Most were astonished that two American women (my daughter and me) knew so much about "soccer". (My daughter was in love with Casillas! And that was before she left the States.) I had to explain to most everyone that 98% of American children play soccer, so we know it well; its just the american broadcast networks who think that they can't make money off of running-time sporting events (no commercial breaks) that prevent it from going really bigtime here. as for watching the later matches, the only ones that we got albergue dispensation were the Spanish matches. All the albergue owners/hospitaleros were in the bars with us anyways! No problem getting back in.

 

[Nandy61]

and yes...Ireland was TOTALLY robbed by that dog! He look like Magic Johnson the way he handled that ball.

 

[SabsP]

Yeah we were robbed in the play-offs by France, Thierry Henry handball, not once but 3 times.. anyway no sour grapes my money on Belgium to make final v Brazil, Brazil to win

Celtictrekker : thanks for the support for us Belgians! And Ireland surely was robbed!!

 

[november_moon]

"needless to say; PLEASE be quiet and do not wake everybody up when you come back from the bar!"

Ah man, I was totally going to wake everybody up and give them a play-by-play account of the game, but I guess I will be quiet.

 

[Adhemar78]

It would have been fun to watch the World Cup while in Spain (not that I expect Australia to get far). Ah well. I'll just have to make sure that I get to a bar where they are showing the Spanish League games at least a couple of times while I am on the Camino later this year. I imagine they will not be hard to find!

 

[Bernard duffy]

If you are in a bar in Spain and it does not have a television tuned to a football channel you are not in a bar in Spain.

LOL brilliant,love that )

 

[Deleted member 3000]

How much better to watch someone else's athletic accomplishment than to enjoy one's own. A half-marathon a day, and no paycheck. It cannot possibly match a professional athlete. After all, the grass is always greener in the other guy's pasture. Live life vicariously, not in person.

 

[Bernard duffy]

When i had to cut short my Camino last sept i ended up in Bilbao,went to a pub to drown my sorrows and ended up with a pub full of Athlethico Bilbao fans watching their team win,what a splendid nights craic,they took this pilgrim to their hearts,i'll never forget that night.
))

 

[Adhemar78]

When i had to cut short my Camino last sept i ended up in Bilbao,went to a pub to drown my sorrows and ended up with a pub full of Athlethico Bilbao fans watching their team win,what a splendid nights craic,they took this pilgrim to their hearts,i'll never forget that night.
))

Yes I've read lots of very positive things about Athletic Bilbao fans. They sound like good people.

 

[Bernard duffy]

Yes I've read lots of very positive things about Athletic Bilbao fans. They sound like good people.

It is also a beautiful city,i ended up staying a few days longer because of the people,so friendly and such fun.

 

[nc6000]

Yeah we were robbed in the play-offs by France, Thierry Henry handball, not once but 3 times.. anyway no sour grapes my money on Belgium to make final v Brazil, Brazil to win

Eh, was that not the last World Cup? I know times flies and all that but it was at least 4 years ago! ;-)

 

[naplesdon]

Eh, was that not the last World Cup? I know times flies and all that but it was at least 4 years ago! ;-)

Sadly it was during qualifications for this Cup but then you have to realize France needed to use every "tool" available to them to get into the competition.
Regarding sports in Bilbao there is only one team that matters, the Olympiques because rugby rules in Pays Basque.

 

[nc6000]

Sadly it was during qualifications for this Cup but then you have to realize France needed to use every "tool" available to them to get into the competition.
Regarding sports in Bilbao there is only one team that matters, the Olympiques because rugby rules in Pays Basque.

It was in November 2009 when this happened! Here's a link to a BBC report on the match.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/8367420.stm?words=Breivik

 

[naplesdon]

Proof positive that I am a rugby fan. I don't know squat about football, other than it is different than it namesake in the US.