London is full of different nations showcasing their support for their home nations and this little street in Elephant and Castle is no eexception
World Cup fever has gripped…well, the world.
In London, the Kirby Estate in Bermondsey has earned a reputation for being mega-patriotic, with a swathe of St George flags and bunting covering the blocks. It stands out loud and proud and you’d be hard pressed to find a more patriotic place.
Yet, located underneath train tracks in South East London, the burst of yellow is hard to miss.. A Colombian flag hangs underneath the arches in Elephant and Castle, and the smell of fresh empanadas and queso wafts through the hallways as you walk through Distrianda or Castle Cafe.
Christina Arroyave’s joy at the World Cup was instantly noticeable. She showed us pictures of the outfit she wore for Colombia’s opening game against Uzbekistan (a Colombian-designed top hat) as well as the mugs and clothes she had designed with Colombia’s colours.
She said: “The time [makes it] hard to watch the games all together but if we go through, we will all watch together. When Colombia plays, this [area] becomes Colombia in London. There are a lot of Latin communities represented here, but Colombia is number one. This is Little Colombia.”
At night, everybody spoke of how the atmosphere and vibes turned more into a party atmosphere. Their joy at being surrounded by fellow fans watching their nation makes them proud, while a sea of yellow engulfs the area, reminiscent of scenes at Mexico City Stadium, as Colombian fans showed up in numbers for their nation’s first game.
70-year-old Luis Enrique Lopez displays his pride in his country. Donning a Colombia t-shirt and hat, he told us he stayed up all night to watch the first game as he was ‘nervous’.
He said: “I stayed up all night to watch the game – I was nervous. Everyone is optimistic about our chances, and we want to reach the final. I support England as well but Colombia is my country. Because the games are in the early hours, we have to watch them at home, but if they were at 10pm, you know all the Latinos would come here to watch them. I’d love it if in the final, there was one Latin team, as we need to win in America.”
On a Friday afternoon, not many people were out, but Colombia was still well-represented. The majority of people were wearing the team shirt or shorts, making them hard to miss. The bright yellow shirt was even in shop windows, showing how Elephant Road had become ‘Little Colombia’.
The excitement of the people we speak to is easy to see. Daniele and Sol Karime Sanchez told us they stayed up to watch the game and are hopeful about their chances.
Sol said: “At 4am, my husband goes ‘Colombia make a goal’ – I was like ‘it’s 4am, are you serious?’ It’s exciting, the spirits are up and now with the weather, it’s great. Seeing everybody dressed in yellow. It’s hard to watch the games midweek because of work, but if they were at a normal time, we could come watch it all together here.”
Unfortunately for the fans, Colombia’s next game against DR Congo is again at 3am. However, their final group game, which may prove the most pivotal, comes against Portugal at 12:30am on Sunday, June 28. Daniel made it very clear that the area will be much livelier and that we should definitely ‘come down’ to watch the game here.
Manuel of Castle Cafe told us how at night, Elephant Road becomes a new place. He said: “At nighttime, this place becomes super lively as there’s a big Colombian vibe here. We’re optimistic about our chances this year and everyone is happy. Watching the games at 3am is a struggle but it’s worth it.
“Of course, I’m rooting for England as well but I’m optimistic about Colombia’s chances at this World Cup.”
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