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England travel guide

It’s Time to Get Back to England

Once upon a time I knew nothing more about soccer – or football, if you prefer – than players weren’t allowed to handle the ball. These days things are different. Even though it’s still not English football that I watch most of the time, however, it’s English football team names that jumped out at me the other day when I looked at a map of the country.

Zooming in on Sheffield to remind myself where it is in relation to York, I immediately saw Blackburn, Blackpool, Wigan, Bolton, Hull, Scunthorpe – and of course Manchester and Liverpool. The more I looked at the map of England, the more it looked like a big list of English football clubs. And that’s when it hit me – it’s been far too long since I’ve been to England.

Now, as much as I’d like to travel to the Champions League final (no matter who’s playing, but also – let’s be frank – to see Lionel Messi), I know that’s not going to happen this year. Flights to London Heathrow are routinely too expensive from my West Coast home, and I haven’t planned far enough in advance to combine one of the cheap fares from NY-London with some of the cheap flights to New York that occasionally come up for my local airport.

Not only that, I’m quite certain that all the budget hotels in London have been booked solid for ages in anticipation of a great Champions League final – and hotels near Heathrow are nowhere near close enough to the city or Wembley to make them reasonable options.

While I’d like to get back to England during the football season and catch a few games, the more important piece of business is catching up with old friends. The fact that my first thought when seeing Nottingham on the map was of Nottingham Forest and not the friends I made when I studied in that city is enough evidence to me that it’s time for a return trip.

photo by deBurca

Categories
Portugal travel guide

Visiting Portugal in Summer

portugalPortugal doesn’t see as many tourists as it’s neighbor on the Iberian peninsula, Spain. And therein lies part of its charm. Portugal has lots to offer a tourist – the cosmopolitan city of Lisbon with it’s iconic streetcars, the charming colonial town of Sintra, lovely beaches, fresh seafood and fine port – but with fewer crowds.

During the World Cup, Portugal may be an even better place to visit, especially if you’re a fan of the team. Pack your Portugal kits or your Ronaldo World Cup jersey and you’ll blend right in with the local fans (…or at least, not stand out so much).

In between soaking up all the culture, beautiful sights, delicious food and port wine, head to the nearest bar or pub and cheer alongside the locals when their team takes to the field. Plus, if the team wins, it’ll be an unforgettable experience to celebrate in the team’s homeland.

If you plan on rooting for the team in person while they play in South Africa, check out our guide to World Cup South Africa for all the planning information and resources you need, no matter which team you’re cheering for.

Photo by Up Your Ego

Categories
England travel guide

England Preparing for the World Cup

englandkitMuch of the English sporting world is abuzz with the countdown to World Cup 2010 – and with good reason. After not making it into the last Euros tournament and a pretty dismal track record so far when it comes to World Cups, this year I don’t think the English squad would surprise anyone if they took home the trophy (or at least made it to the final). The Italophile in me would like to credit Fabio Capello with much of the success, but in reality the team this year is pretty outstanding no matter who the manager is.

The two BootsnAll staffers who will be in South Africa for the World Cup this year aren’t England fans – one’s Scottish (so you can see the problem there) and the other’s an Aussie. But I have no doubt that they’ll be surrounded by crowds of England supporters at many of the World Cup venues – because on top of being a football-mad nation, England also produces some pretty intrepid travelers.

If you’ll be making your way from England to South Africa come June, I dearly hope you’ve already got your travel needs sorted – because with every day that passes the opportunities for deals get fewer and farther between. Still, if you’re a master procrastinator, don’t miss these tips on finding World Cup travel deals from Europe – they may help you save a few quid on your flight (which could mean a few extra beers in South Africa, either to celebrate a victory or mourn a loss).

If you’ll be visiting England during the World Cup, I’d suggest that even if you’re not a huge fan of footy that you check the schedule of games to find out when England is playing. Then, on game day, secure a spot in a cozy pub and watch the game with a crowd of English supporters cheering their team on from afar. It’s almost like being there. Only, perhaps, without the vuvuzelas.

And whether you’re making the trip to South Africa or will be watching the games on TV back in England, you’ll need to be properly outfitted lest anyone think you’re cheering for another country or (heaven forbid) just not paying attention to the tournament. You may be able to pick up a cheap knock-off jersey on the streets of London, but it may also fall apart after one washing. Instead, get an England 2010 World Cup jersey that will last – and that shows your true Three Lions pride. And, if you’re really geeking out on the games, don’t forget to get the new England away kit, too!

Categories
Croatia

Croatia Beats Andorra 4-0, Moves to 2nd in Group

Croatia didn’t start their first World Cup qualifying round the way they hoped to, but they’re making up for lost ground now. The Croatian national soccer team handily beat Andorra yesterday with a score of 4-0.

The win and accompanying three points mean that the team is now in second place in its group – Croatia is tied with Ukraine on points, but Croatia is ahead of Ukraine on goal differential. England still leads the group with 12 points.

Croatia’s next game isn’t until April – April 1, to be exact – when they’ll play Andorra again, this time in Andorra. Then Croatia meets Ukraine in early June.