Beer here! Peanuts! Feets??

A couple weeks ago, the Trinidad & Tobago soccer team played here for the first time in over a year.  Apparently there was some political issues with the Ministry of Sports and the team over where they could play, prices, etc.  Because of this, over the last year, every "home" game was actually played in the states or at other locations across the caribbean.

But the triumphant return of the Soca Warriors (the name of the TT soccer team) was upon us.  And in their re-inaugural soccer match, they were playing the hard nosed competition of Guatemala in the first of a two match game for the World Cup pre-qualifiers.  (FYI - each team plays other countries in their region twice - once at home and once away - and the aggregate of the scores of those two games determines who won that match).

So this was the first of the two meetings of TT and Guatemala.  We were expecting a huge crowd, so we got to the stadium a little over an hour early.  However, due to the locals protesting the issues with the Ministry of Sports, the fact that this was the first of two matches, and apparently that the Soca Warriors are somewhat fair-weather fans, the stadium was barely 1/3 full.  It was still a great time though.

As the crowd was getting riled up and excited for the game to start, they came out with this enormous flag and pulled it up over all the people in our part of the stands.  There was one faithful Guatemalan fan amongst the TT fans and trouble did not ensue as would be expected based on stories that have been told about how crazy the fans can get.  Instead, he was supported by the locals, maybe it was because he had a good gimmick.  

As the game began and progressed, we were closely watching the clouds roll in.  Fortunately for us, the rain never came and it ended up being a perfect evening - temperature wise.

Almost the entire game was scoreless.  (FYI-Soccer matches are two 45-minute halves.)  Then in the 85th minute, TT scored and the place, while pretty empty, went nuts.  People were cheering and jumping up and down.  I can only imagine what it's like when the place is full.

We thought that we had this wrapped up, because scoring is not so easy in soccer.  However, shortly after the TT goal, there was a quick penalty kick by Guatemala on the far side of the field.  I don't know if the TT goalie wasn't ready or maybe wasn't aware what was going on, but it went straight in the goal without even being touched.  You could hear a pin drop in that stadium.  The game ended in a tie.  Bummer.

But that's not the thing that really sticks out from my first soccer match in TT.  Rather it's the vendors that were selling drinks, food and cigarettes.  Yes cigarettes.  Apparently the non-smoking thing hasn't invaded TT like it has in the states.  I will say that the way they were sold was enticing though.  The packs of cigarettes were carried around in a big, clear garbage bag.  Nice merchandising.

The other thing that stuck out was what people were calling out.  Sometimes its hard to understand what is being said with the thick caribbean accent and all.  I was able to figure out the beer call pretty easily.  The guy selling different types of roasted nuts was hard to figure out until I actually saw someone eating them (they're sold in small, wrapped up paper bags, so it's not as obvious as one might think).  But the last thing that I thought I kept hearing was "feets".  What the...??  But as the "feets" lady walked by me, I saw on a tray, a bunch of styrofoam cups with chicken feet sticking out of the top of them.  Apparently they sold chicken feet soup.  Hmm.  Who would have thought?

I really wish I had a picture of that.