Post: #151

(02-19-2014 11:09 PM)Hencredible Casanova Wrote:  

(02-19-2014 09:38 PM)kaka Wrote:  [quote='Hencredible Casanova' pid='658270' dateline='1392843147']
When are the earliest WC exhibition matches?

No I meant like international friendly. Are there any such games this year before the WC begins?

I remember reading that Mexico is trying to schedule a friendly with a South American team in Brazil during the 1-2 weeks before the World Cup starts. I think Brazil is doing the same, as will some other teams. These friendlies won't become official until a bit later on, as the national soccer federations have to agree on a bunch of stuff for each friendly. Wait and see. But there should be a few friendlies during the 1-2 weeks before the WC in Brazil.

Post: #152

http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/170185...up?cc=5901
USA will most likely play at Stanford, RedBull Arena in Harrison, NJ and Florida in the "send-off series" before they depart to Brazil. Based off past World Cups they will play 1-2 friendlies in Brazil against other WC teams not in their group but these are always 1/2 speed with no one wanting to get injured.

Many Euro teams will be coming to the US pre-Brazil for our facilities and climate (Miami, etc).

On a side note I got some USA games in the current PMA lottery. Really stoked about this after missing out first on my USA TST7 application, then having my bank decline the charges during the 1st FCFS window (Veteran's day so I couldn't even call them up and rectify the situation) and then missing out on some high-profile games in this last RSD draw. It looks like I didn't get all 4 games I applied for and was downgraded from Cat1 but the important thing is I now have tickets and will no longer consider backing-out of the trip. I should find out in 2 days which games I got.

For anyone who still hasn't gotten tickets and would like to go peep this.

"The remaining tickets (approx. 160,000) will be available to the public in the next window of the second sales phase, which starts on a first-come-first-served basis on 12 March at 12.00 CET/08.00 BRT (Brasilia time). The final number available is subject to the afore-mentioned ticket payments and further releases from our stakeholders. This next window closes on 1 April, but most of the tickets are expected to sell out fast. There will be tickets for all matches except the Opening Game, the Final in Rio de Janeiro, England vs Italy and USA vs Portugal, both in Manaus, as well as the Round of 16 matches in Porto Alegre and Sao Paulo, and the semi-final in Belo Horizonte."

From what I've read a lot of tickets will go fast when the portal first opens 3/12 and then there will be a slow trickle of random tickets available until the FCFS period ends 4/1 from returned Hospitality tickets, etc.

The "Last Minute Sales Phase" is 4/15 - end of tournament, or 3 days prior to the relevant game.

Good Luck to anyone still looking for tickets.

Post: #153

Next FCFS sales window is tomorrow at 7amET tomorrow.

It's a free for all at 7am but there may be a trickle of tickets released until 4/1 and then definitely a trickle of tickets will be released in the last minute sales phase, 4/12?

Post: #154

I'll be in Rio and Recife for the US matches in June but the tickets are sold out. Didn't make the lottery unfortunately.

Post: #155

It's hard getting tickets to the desirable locations like Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. All sold out for months now.

Post: #156

Going to bump this thread.

This sounds a bit crazy, but there seems to be such a glut of people listing their properties during the world cup that the prices for an airbnb are pretty low in Rio.

I'm considering taking a trip down there for a week in early July. Anyone going to be there/interested in pursuing this more?

Post: #157

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014/04/2...e-janeiro/

Has anyone else heard about this? Any reason to be worried?

Post: #158

I will be in Sao Paolo, Brasilia, Belo Horizonte and Cuiaba watching Colombian football games. Hope to meet u guys to bang some cute brazilian girls jejej..

Post: #159

(04-25-2014 08:46 AM)invictusiii Wrote:  http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014/04/2...e-janeiro/

Has anyone else heard about this? Any reason to be worried?

Brazilians here are pretty paranoid about protests and violence during the cup. I even heard a rumor yesterday that the PCC (biggest gang in SP) is going to reprise the attacks of 2006 which paralyzed the city for a few days.

From my own experience mid / upper class Brazilians tend to be overly paranoid about crime and violence (but not without some merit). My best guess is that the protests from last June will be amplified during the cup and the police will be more swift to intervene which will lead to some violence and deaths. This will be followed by a lot of think pieces from western journalists on poverty, inequality, and corruption in Brazil, some calls to strip the Olympics from Rio, the ouster of Dilma Rousseff in the October election (wishful thinking on my part and not prediction), and ultimately nothing will come of any of it.

As a tourist if you just use common sense - meaning avoid any protests as police batons and rubber bullet don't give a shit if your an observer or participant - and you'll be fine.

Post: #160

I'm going to 3 games in Rio throughout the tournament. I have two CAT 1 tickets for England-Costa Rica group game in Belo Horizonte that I won't be able to attend. If any Englishmen or Tico's are interested in buying those tickets from me, PM me.

Post: #161

Currently on a 6-month jaunt around Asia, and will cap it all off with a few weeks in Brazil during WC. Will be in Sao Paulo for the week before things kick-off, then head north to Natal for Mexico-vs-Cameroon. Next up is Salvador for massive parties and Germany-vs-Portugal(!). Finish in Brasilia with Colombia-vs-Ivory Coast. We bought the tickets BEFORE the draw and hoped for the best. 3 even matches with teams that play with attacking intent, so everyone is pretty happy. All flights and apartments are paid for - just gotta bankroll the food and booze. Can't wait for this to get started. I've lived in Costa Rica the last 4 years (not anymore) and spent a year in Nigeria, so will be pulling for those teams (not that it will do much good). As long as Brazil doesn't shit the bed the locals will stay happy and it'll be the party of the decade. Giddy-up!

Post: #162

(01-27-2014 03:42 PM)Brosemite Wrote:  ^^^Good stuff Barry!

What city are you living in now? Goiania or Brasilia? How do you find getting around by public transport and foot in your respective locale?

Somehow I missed this question, pardon the late reply. Underestimated the time commitment in being a teacher.

I am in Goiania, found a one bdrm apt that is not as cheap as I expected as I failed to account for the extra cost of a NEWLY FURNISHED place. It is near a couple of bus lines that I use constantly to travel to my teaching jobs. R$2.80 per trip / ~$1.25 USD.

The biggest thing with the buses around here that took me a while to adjust to is the lack of schedule. They do not have a 8:27 / 8:47 / 9:07 type of set schedule, but instead 'every 5-10 minutes' or 'every 30-60 mins' depending on time of day. So when you show up at the bus stop you may be there anywhere from a minute to an hour.

As far as hoofing it, I have walked all my basic bus routes. And while I heard before visiting, and even here in Brazil, to not walk in such-and-such neighborhood at night, nothing - yet - has happened. Just be aware like in any normal large city.

Changing topics, so far I count two other members who will be attending Colombia v Ivory Coast in Brasilia?

Post: #163

First WC match is less than a week away. My flight lands in Cuiaba a few hours before the first match (Brazil-Croatia) so hoping to make it to the Fan Fest in time.

So far, I've just read random grumblings in the news, but seems like Brazil will indeed pull everything off when it counts.

Can anyone recommend which chat/talk apps/sites are most popular in Brazil? WhatsApp? Viber? Kakao? Snapchat? WeChat?

I know it often varies by country, and I didn't see any mention of this on the Brazil threads I checked.

Post: #164

(06-06-2014 11:11 PM)paninaro Wrote:  First WC match is less than a week away. My flight lands in Cuiaba a few hours before the first match (Brazil-Croatia) so hoping to make it to the Fan Fest in time.

So far, I've just read random grumblings in the news, but seems like Brazil will indeed pull everything off when it counts.

Can anyone recommend which chat/talk apps/sites are most popular in Brazil? WhatsApp? Viber? Kakao? Snapchat? WeChat?

I know it often varies by country, and I didn't see any mention of this on the Brazil threads I checked.

WhatsApp and Facebook messenger.

Post: #165

(05-14-2014 01:04 PM)Barry Scrotada Wrote:  The biggest thing with the buses around here that took me a while to adjust to is the lack of schedule. They do not have a 8:27 / 8:47 / 9:07 type of set schedule, but instead 'every 5-10 minutes' or 'every 30-60 mins' depending on time of day. So when you show up at the bus stop you may be there anywhere from a minute to an hour.

POA and Belo Horizonte are like that too...funny enough..those places seemed to have more efficient systems than Curitiba with an actual timetable.

Curitiba even has bigger buses, but it doesn't come around enough & are often overcrowded...quite sad for a city known for it's busy infrastructure & urban planning...something I'll analyze when down there.

(05-14-2014 01:04 PM)Barry Scrotada Wrote:  As far as hoofing it, I have walked all my basic bus routes. And while I heard before visiting, and even here in Brazil, to not walk in such-and-such neighborhood at night, nothing - yet - has happened. Just be aware like in any normal large city.

Yeah it's always good exercise too, and walking clears the head. Noted.

How many times have you used taxis, and how much were average costs?

Post: #166

(04-25-2014 08:46 AM)invictusiii Wrote:  http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014/04/2...e-janeiro/

Has anyone else heard about this? Any reason to be worried?

Yea but guys please be aware of the IMMENSE amount of fear mongering going on!!! Please dont be lured into believing all of this. Keep in mind that before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, England were planning on bringing WATER as they were sure (not sure how they were) that the water here was not clean enough

Like other guys are saying simply avoid any places were they may be protests and just have fun

Post: #167

(06-08-2014 02:14 PM)Kaebs Wrote:  

(04-25-2014 08:46 AM)invictusiii Wrote:  http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014/04/2...e-janeiro/

Has anyone else heard about this? Any reason to be worried?

Yea but guys please be aware of the IMMENSE amount of fear mongering going on!!! Please dont be lured into believing all of this. Keep in mind that before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, England were planning on bringing WATER as they were sure (not sure how they were) that the water here was not clean enough

Like other guys are saying simply avoid any places were they may be protests and just have fun

Ha, yeah I remember that. All the European countries like France, England, and Italy were talking very greasy about South Africa and how dangerous it is for Europeans to travel to. Many were doubting South Africa's ability to even host the event and many French and English fans didn't even go for fear of going to the African continent. So yeah I agree, just have fun and don't pay attention to the media.

Post: #168

So, I just bought plane tickets to Brazil. Even though it's last minute, the tickets were cheap...

My question is -- I see Fifa sells tickets cheaper to Brazilian nationals. Thus I'm wondering if it wouldn't be cheaper to buy tickets in Brazil vs. Ebay in the US, where prices to games like US vs. Germany has already been bid up to astonishing levels... Has anyone bought WC tickets in Brazil itself?

Also RE: the article about being worried about violent protests. I think that's a non-issue. Stadium collapse, maybe, but I'll risk my life to watch Dempsey give the Germans an aerial bombing they haven't seen since dresden.

Post: #169

^ To answer my own question here, I picked up a US vs. Portugal ticket for $100, and US vs. Germany for $288... Decided I don't want to deal with the touts in Brazil.

Next, housing in Brazil...

Post: #170

   

Looks like the England manager has got the right idea!

Post: #171

(06-09-2014 12:21 PM)_Cicero Wrote:  ^ To answer my own question here, I picked up a US vs. Portugal ticket for $100, and US vs. Germany for $288... Decided I don't want to deal with the touts in Brazil.

Next, housing in Brazil...

Where did you find tickets that cheap?

Post: #172

(06-08-2014 02:41 PM)MidWest Wrote:  

(06-08-2014 02:14 PM)Kaebs Wrote:  

(04-25-2014 08:46 AM)invictusiii Wrote:  http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014/04/2...e-janeiro/

Has anyone else heard about this? Any reason to be worried?

Yea but guys please be aware of the IMMENSE amount of fear mongering going on!!! Please dont be lured into believing all of this. Keep in mind that before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, England were planning on bringing WATER as they were sure (not sure how they were) that the water here was not clean enough

Like other guys are saying simply avoid any places were they may be protests and just have fun

Ha, yeah I remember that. All the European countries like France, England, and Italy were talking very greasy about South Africa and how dangerous it is for Europeans to travel to. Many were doubting South Africa's ability to even host the event and many French and English fans didn't even go for fear of going to the African continent. So yeah I agree, just have fun and don't pay attention to the media.

Yeah I figured it's probably a little exaggerated. My plane tickets are already purchased and what's life without a little adventure anyway?

Post: #173

(06-10-2014 09:10 AM)invictusiii Wrote:  

(06-09-2014 12:21 PM)_Cicero Wrote:  ^ To answer my own question here, I picked up a US vs. Portugal ticket for $100, and US vs. Germany for $288... Decided I don't want to deal with the touts in Brazil.

Next, housing in Brazil...

Where did you find tickets that cheap?

Craigslist and Viagogo (I looked at several online ticket vendors, including ebay)... The US-Germany ticket wasn't cheap, but, yeah, I was shocked I could get US-Portugal for $100, and also shocked at how little I paid for airfare... I was also surprised I could still get hostel bookings near the beach for US-Germany at a reasonable price...

Post: #174

^^^ I heard the Italy vs. Honduras game in Manaus are starting at $20 bucks. Apparently no one wants to go to Manaus for the game. Not even the players want to play there. Is it really that bad?

Post: #175

(06-10-2014 12:15 PM)_Cicero Wrote:  

(06-10-2014 09:10 AM)invictusiii Wrote:  

(06-09-2014 12:21 PM)_Cicero Wrote:  ^ To answer my own question here, I picked up a US vs. Portugal ticket for $100, and US vs. Germany for $288... Decided I don't want to deal with the touts in Brazil.

Next, housing in Brazil...

Where did you find tickets that cheap?

Craigslist and Viagogo (I looked at several online ticket vendors, including ebay)... The US-Germany ticket wasn't cheap, but, yeah, I was shocked I could get US-Portugal for $100, and also shocked at how little I paid for airfare... I was also surprised I could still get hostel bookings near the beach for US-Germany at a reasonable price...

My friend said she might possibly have an extra ticket for the USA/Germany match in Recife. That would be the only match I would make it to. If not, I'm not too worried. I'll be just as excited to watch the matches in the bars of Rio and Recife.