Kudu- not like steak

June 21

The braai Saturday night was good, but everyone ate indoors due to cold. Lots of meat, steak fillets, sausages and I think a smaller beef portion. Plus kudu, an antelope. Much different taste than the steak.

Drove back to Apricot Hill on Sunday for an early Australian practice. Sent photos then had lunch at Nando’s, a local roast chicken place. They had the Sunday papers out, the SA Sunday Times had amazing stories- lots of dissention on the France and South Africa teams. And one about how oddball the North Korea team is, but also how good they seem being a soccer outsider country. All news you need at http://www.timeslive.co.za/ .

Here’s how AFP describes the French team turmoil, under headline:

“French team ends strike”

“The France World Cup squad resumed training a day after they went on strike over the expulsion of forward Nicolas Anelka.

The 21-man squad jogged round the pitch while embattled coach Raymond Domenech chatted with his coaching staff.

Anelka's foul-mouthed outburst at coach Raymond Domenech sparked a chaotic chain of events, with the striker being kicked out of the team after his bust-up at half-time of France's defeat to Mexico was revealed in a French newspaper.

The forward, who plays for English Premier League champions Chelsea, arrived back in London early on Monday, after his teammates had refused to take part in a session on Sunday.

Amid extraordinary scenes at their training base in South Africa and in full view of TV cameras, team captain Patrice Evra had a shouting match with fitness coach Robert Duverne before the scheduled session, forcing Domenech to intervene.

When the players refused to train, a furious Duverne stormed off and threw his stopwatch across the pitch in frustration.

The players' mutiny prompted top French Football Federation (FFF) official Jean-Louis Valentin to resign, saying he was "disgusted" by the players. ”

So much for preparing for the big match against South Africa, whose Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Parreira kept to a poor game plan and favored certain players, leading to shouting matches on that team. The Sunday Times says, “He faces the embarrassment of being the coach of the first host country to be eliminated from the World Cup after the first round.” Not much pressure there.

Monday the Australians had practice but it was closed to media, so it’s laundry day. Next to the laundromat is a music store, advertising records. I go in and ask about the vinyl, the owner says there is a big demand now. People want the sound of a record and also there are a lot of older albums that aren’t on CD. He said lots of younger people want to hear music their parents listened to and come in to buy records. Apparently in Germany there is a shop where you take digital files to them and they will make a vinyl record for you. So people are reverting back to analog. I buy 2 CDs, IV by BoNgo MaffiN, and Huis Braak by Aboskhotheni from the sale bin for a total of R40, about $5.20. For the drive to Nelspruit.

Packing up everything tonight, I leave to Nelspruit in the eastern part of the country tomorrow morning. Australia plays Serbia Wednesday night, then I return to Johannesburg, won’t be returning to the Apricot Hill Farm. Doesn’t look like Australia will advance to the next round, so I’ll be going home.

Heard on the radio tonight- a band performing at the ‘Fan zone” where people can watch the matches for free in big outdoor parks: Desmond and the Tutus.