No Brasil? Five Other Cities For World Cup 2014
Thinking of experiencing the World Cup in Brasil but haven’t figured out your trip yet? Your trip unfortunately may stay a fantasy unless you are a) insanely wealthy, b) extremely lucky or c) both. With hotel markups going well over 400%, Airbnb rooms becoming scarce and more expensive than hotels and flights getting oversold and inflated in price, even getting into the country is becoming too much to deal with. And this is before you've confirmed tickets to any matches and sorted your trips in Brasil to follow the tourney.But this doesn’t mean that you can't experience the exhilaration of the World Cup and shameless hottie watching while on foreign soil, here are some #ParlourLife approved cities where football rules, pubs will be packed and the fun is yours to have while you watch:Buenos Aires, Argentina*To say that football runs this city isn't exactly an understatement. And thanks to an almost 100-year old rivalry against Brasil and a powerhouse national team featuring Lionel Messi, spending a week in Argentina's capital city may actually be better than the real thing. While there, you can get schooled on the legendary inter-continental history of futbol, including the socio-political Superclásico battles. Just don't wear that Pele jersey too proudly. Besides, if tickets to a match suddenly become available, Sao Paulo is just a day’s drive away.Mexico City, Mexico*Seeing as though El Tri shocked the world by barely making it to Brasil this year, World Cup season in Mexico City will be a mixture of raw excitement and anxiety, which is going to make for some interesting (ready boozy fun) watch parties. Between taking in the city’s award-winning architecture, museums and visiting Frida Khalo’s house, watching at least one match a day at a different location will be an adventure in itself. Just be warned, Mex City is one of the largest cities in the world, plan your visits with time and patience between each spot.London, England*While South America can boast the title as the producers of the best footballers in the world, England definitely has some of the best, and oldest clubs so expect a lot of English pride in Londontown. But on the flipside, London also has one of the most ethnically diverse populations in the world, especially from the African Diaspora. Think of it like this, you can be team Ghana, England, USA, Nigeria, Brasil, Ivory Coast and Trinidad all in one day depending on the pubs you choose to frequent. Just don’t think about being team Germany. Avoid the drama of that rivalry.New York, NYMuch like London, New York’s diverse population can literally transport you to a few countries in just one day. If your team is from the Caribbean or South Africa, definitely plan on Brooklyn and Queens haunts to watch your matches. Africa? Head uptown to Harlem. Central American, Asian? Again, Queens! The isle of Manhattan always plays hosts to hundreds of watch parties for Brasil, Germany, Switzerland, England, The Netherlands and more.Barcelona, Spain*This is a no brainer, but just in case here is a simple breakdown why Barca is hot:
- Spain is the defending World Cup champion. Everywhere. Will. Be. Bananas.
- Siestas
- Paella
- Cuties. Everywhere. Really.
- Having beer with breakfast is socially acceptable.
- Swimming in the Mediterranean
- Tinto Veranos
All in one day. Gotta love Barca.So no matter where you end up this June, make the most out of your World Cup 2014 experience, even if you never leave home. Watch parties are a great way to learn about the world's culture, meet new friends from a country you may have always wanted to visit and indulge in some serious and sanctioned ogling of the thighs. Have fun!*Planning to be team USA? All of these cities have vibrant American expatriate clubs with their own websites that can give you the times and locations of all of the team USA watch parties…that is if we make it out of the first round.