All 2010 World Cup Soccer stadiums will be ready by December 4 2009 !

Green Point Stadium. Click photo to see large, taken on July 31

All the 2010 World Cup stadiums (10) will be ready by December 4 2009 says the Chief Executive Officer of the Local Organising Committee Danny Jordaan
Jordaan was speaking after signing a contract with soccer's governing body FIFA for Cape Town to host the draw for the tournament on December 4

December 4 2009 is the date the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final Draw takes place in Cape Town, the 32 teams will then be able to visit the completed stadiums they will be playing at in June 2010 Read here

The 2010 World Cup Final Draw will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on 4 December this year. At least 5 000 guests and an estimated TV audience of 700 million people will watch the final draw being made.

This is also the start of the third phase of ticket sales from 5 December 2009 until 22 January 2010

The new Green Point Stadium will also have its ceremonial opening during that period, and will be officially handed over to the City of Cape Town by the contractors - a consortium of Murray & Roberts and WBHO - on 14 December.

Where is the most beautiful Soccer Stadium in the world ?

Here in Cape Town, South Africa.

The view I saw last night just before I went to bed ...

All photos below are of the North West side of the Stadium

The exterior fabric facade will be attached to the white structure you see here in the photo

Look ! This is what the new Green Point Stadium will look like in 2010

View of the 2010 World Cup Green Point Stadium from the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town

The weather had changed during the afternoon. When I arrived at the V&A Waterfront late afternoon it looked threatening, so I quickly took some photos and narrowly escaped being sprayed by a seagull
then walked to the other side of the Waterfront Shopping Mall to do some shopping. While I was getting some groceries it briefly rained, stepping outdoors again I noticed this beautiful rainbow

World Cup C 201o Green Point Stadium has the following events taking place at the following dates and times.

If you haven't bought your WC 2010 tickets for the Green Point Stadium yet then its high time you do
These are the final ones for sale
I am planning to give a World Cup party at my own home on the nights there are matches played in the stadium, from here you can see and hear all the activity so we will be part of the fun and watch the match on screen

With one will you be watching in the stadium ?

Green Point Stadium Tickets
Western Blvd Cape Town, South Africa
Green Point Stadium has the following events taking place at the following dates and times.

World Cup 2010 - A3 Vs. A4
Green Point StadiumCape Town, South Africa
Friday 6/11/2010 8:30 PM

World Cup 2010 - F1 Vs. F2
Green Point StadiumCape Town, South Africa
Monday 6/14/2010 8:30 PM

World Cup 2010 - C1 Vs. C3
Green Point StadiumCape Town, South Africa
Friday 6/18/2010 8:30 PM

World Cup 2010 - G4 Vs. G2
Green Point StadiumCape Town, South Africa
Monday 6/21/2010 1:30 PM

World Cup 2010 - E4 Vs. E1
Green Point StadiumCape Town, South Africa
Thursday 6/24/2010 8:30 PM

World Cup 2010 - Round Of 16: 1H Vs. 2G
Green Point StadiumCape Town, South Africa
Tuesday 6/29/2010 8:30 PM

World Cup 2010 - Quarter-Finals: 2 Vs. 4
Green Point StadiumCape Town, South Africa
Saturday 7/3/2010 4:00 PM

World Cup 2010 - Semi-Finals: A Vs. C
Green Point StadiumCape Town, South Africa
Tuesday 7/6/2010 8:30 PM

A trip to Hout Bay to see fur seals takes half an hour from Green Point,Cape Town

July 29 has been a grey cool day, nothing of note to report about the stadium other then that they are at still at work at night, so I would like to show you a short scenic trip I took a few days ago If you do this for the first time you will never forget a minute of this route

From Green Point take the road passed Camps Bay and Llandudno through the "Suikerbossie Pass" and half an hour later you arrive in Hout Bay This is the beautiful protected Hout Bay harbour where I took a boat to Duiker island to see the colony of fur seals after I had a calamari lunch on the terrace of Chapmans Peak Hotel with view of the harbour

There are hundreds of seals and birds on the island, I wouldn’t like to swim in these waters apart from being icy, seals are one of the delicacies on the Great White’s menu. You can see the spectacular Chapmans Peak drive on the left, which is at the moment closed because of rock fall but I could see they are busy repairing it

A close up of a fur seal I took in the V&A waterfront harbour here I can certainly still remember how awestruck I was the first time I saw the scenery on this route I had a fantastic day again with walks around the harbour and in the countryside

My blog featured in Washington Post"Soccer Insider";Destination Cape Town

Click photo to see large

This was minutes before midnight making up for lost time during the last strike and as I type this, again close to midnight, I can see they are still working on the same area,lights a blaze and flashing, cranes are moving, it looks hectic

The completion date is December 14 2009 and they claim to be on track
More here
I got a surprise after I came home today, I noticed a huge increase in my usual hits on my blog and found out that my blog is featured in the Washington Post "Soccer insider"
Check it out here : Destination: Cape Town
Scroll up a little from the comments to see the post
Thanks Steven Goff I sincerely hope my viewers will not flood your blog now ;)

New 2010 Green Point Soccer stadium in Cape Town on a hazy day

Click photo to enlarge
I a woke to a beautiful blue cloudless sky but with a thin layer of fog over the sea
I like this photo of today since IMO it captures the special light we had around sunset It turned out to be a hazy day but very warm

BTW At 17.30 I passed Kirstenbosch Gardens, my car's thermometer read 19 degrees and the sun was already behind the mountain 10 minutes later when I drove through town on my way home, it read 26 degrees A difference of 7 degrees !

If you are planning to come the Cape Town for the Worl Cup next year it will be winter so book your accomodation on the Atlantic Seaboard also known as Cape Towns "Reviera" it will be warmer and sunnier

A close up of the West side of the Soccer World Cup 2010 Green Point Stadium

I found the stadium walking down the hill (Signal Hill) Of the 3 shots I took I liked this one the best because of the wave crashing on the rocks.

Click photo to enlarge
At this point where I took the closeup from...I am standing just above Three Ancher Bay and Glengariff Road. Just as well I don't suffer from acrophobia :) it was kind of steep as you can see..

If you come to Cape Town then you should drive up Signal Hill road, right till the end, park and walk around.

From Signal Hill, which separates the suburbs of Green Point and Sea Point from the City Bowl, you have an incredible view over Table Mountain, the Twelve Apostles, Lion's Head, the city, the harbor and Table Bay, Robben Island and far beyond . Viewing the sunsets from the top is also awesome and quite popular with tourists and Capetonians alike

Walking back ...this is shot is from above Signal Hill road on the very top of Signal Hill

JULY 2009 Photos of the upgrading and re-configuration progress on the new Green Point Common

The photo shows all of the Green Point Common, the island on the left/NW is Robben island, the distant shore is Blouberg with Milnerton on the right(NE)a suburb of Cape Town

Scheduled for completion early March 2010 Considering they started the work on Jan 12 2009 the new golfcourse is taking shape at breakneck speed I wish I had an old photo to compare of how it was before It used to be all brown in summer in future they will use underground spring water for irrigation as opposed to using expensive potable water in the past

This is the site where the old Green Point Soccer Stadium used to be The part which hasn't been dismantled will be refurbished post 2010. During the World Cup it will serve as the FIFA commercial hospitality area the Media will use a bridge from the old stadium into the new stadium media centre and press facilities.
This midlle part of the Common is IMO the most impressive and dramatic change with the huge new water features clearly taking shape

The Western side of the GP Common where the Public Park is allocated, still looks like the moles have been at it, but they are working very hard to sort that part out too

Green Point Soccer Stadium July 2009 As seen from the new Golf course

Several people mentioned the starry lights in my night shots .... I like to explain that I am not using a filter or a computer generated program or a sock :) its just thesetting I dont know how to capture a nightshot any different then I do now, its the only way I know how to keep the details and its my camera more or less who dictates whats right and whats not

The last shots from the Golf Course.. Btw These trees were newly planted I have seen the lorries and tractors ferrying them around

When you click the photo you will see there is a whole nursery of trees waiting to be planted
I have spend half the afternoon on top of Signal Hill today shooting you will see tomorrow
It was cold and now and then even some drizzle yet I felt so happy walking there
My God what a gorgeous city this is ! You know..its funny how many people smile at you when you are happy :)

Huge diamond found in Cape Town !

Click photo to see it large
Ok its the new Green Point Stadium which twinkles like a diamond at night
I took this shot from the new golf course on the Green Point Common and when I saw this photo it reminded me of the first time I ever saw the concept photo of the Green Point Stadium
Look here

The Urban Park of the Green Point Common is still a mess

The West side of the Green Point Common is where the new Urban Park is going to be, but right now its just one mud bath Imagine trying to navigate there after dark like I did last night !
This part of the Common looks the most unfinished the East side where the Golf course is looks already fabulous and green Its such an improvement from the brown look of the old Green Point Common !

I know that butyl liners have a limited lifeline so I was surprised to see they aren't using cement but I must admit this one is very THICK as you can see here
The water is still from the heavy rains we had it a week ago, it must be so difficult to work under those circumstances
Click photos to enlarge

Compare this water feature with the 10 story building behind it and you get an idea of the size !

View from the new Green Point Common and Golf Course

I had seen lorries with trees being ferried around this last week and I was also amazed to see that they are using Butyl lining for the water features so I wanted to check that out and found a gap in the fence , I walked around the new Golfcourse until well after dark which was a mistake since it was hard to find my way back to the gap with all the mud and the huge waterfeatures blocking my way I should have brought a flash light
Thankfully Hamilton's (Football club) lights were on

I took photos of the waterfeatures and the stadium ofcourse More of that tomorrow
Signal Hill on the left, thats where I live and Lions Head on the right I have to mention the weather again, it was a hot 25° !

Working day and night on the 2010 Green Point Soccer Stadium now that the strike is over

Click the photo to see how many men there are working on this half of the roof, its hectic !
I have no idea what they were going to do with that tent which is hanging on the crane I dont see it anymore

The middle part of the stadium

They worked through the night on friday and saturday Lights blazing, cranes moving, I love to see all this activity because the stadium looks stunning at night all alight

Only on Sunday night all is quiet

Notice the snow on the mountains in the distance You will not believe how hot it was today people are in their swimsuits on the beach and its supposed to be winter here This is very typical for Cape Town It can be cold and wet in winter but it can also be sunny and warm or even hot like today

Sunset Evening and Night shot of the new World Cup 2010 Green Point Stadium

How beautiful the sunset was We are in the middle of a spell of exeptional beautiful warm weather and its supposed to be mid winter here !
There was not a cloud to be seen