Ports. Ships. People

This is a Buzz Booth entry about travel facts for the two countries in the World Cup.

Today the world sits and waits for a winner of the FIFA World Cup 2010 – Netherlands versus Spain.  It is estimated that more than one billion people will be tuning in around the globe to watch this mega-match.   In the spirit of competition, let’s look at some Buzzable travel facts about the two countries.

If choosing to visit either of the countries in today’s match via a cruise, one would select from a bounty of options: The Netherlands would be a Northern European cruise itineraries. Whereas, Spain is found on Mediterranean cruise itineraries.

Fun Facts:

Spain – #Esp

• Spain is one of the most diverse and visually stunning nations of Europe. Travelers visiting Spain find it challenging to plan their trips due to the diverse history, culture, fascinating sights, beautiful landscapes, and charming towns.
• Barcelonais Spain’s Mediterranean jewel.  Highlights include Gaudí, a buzzing cruise ship port, and over 2000 years of history. #WorldCup #Esp
• Spain buzz: Bullfighting, Manolo Blahnik, tapas, Don Quijote, Gaudi, Pablo Picasso, Penelope Cruz, , Pedro Almodóvar films #Esp
• Spain buzz: Ferran Adrià’s “New Catalan Cuisine” #ESP #Worldcup
• #Esp popular places to #travel and explore: Barcelona, Madrid, Granada, Málaga, Seville, Valencia, Bilbao, San Sebastian. #WorldCup #Spain
• #Spain’s official languages include: Spanish (Castilian or castellano), Catalan, Galician (gallego), Basque (euskera/vasco) #WorldCup
• This #WorldCup factoid from @LonelyPlanet: Biggest paella Made in Valencia in 1992 in a pan 20m in diameter; it was eaten by 100, 000 people
• Andalusia in southern Spain offers three of the grandest cities in all of Europe: Seville, Granada, and Córdoba, in that order #Esp #WorldCup

Netherlands

• Netherlands is in Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany. #WorldCup #travel
• The Netherlands (Dutch: Nederland) is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands that is formed by the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba #cruise #travel #WorldCup
• The official languages of the Netherlands is Dutch #WorldCup
• Holland is a region in the central-western part of The Netherlands #WorldCup
• The Vereniging voor Vreemdelingenverkeer (Association for Tourist Traffic), known simply as the VVV (pronounced vay-vay-vay), has more than 400 offices around the country #WorldCup
• Popular places in The Netherlands: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, ‘s-Gravenhage, Utrecht , Eindhoven, Tilburg, Groningen, Almere, Breda, Nijmegen, Apeldoorn, Enschede, Haarlem, Arnhem, Zaanstad, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Amersfoort, Haarlemmermeer, Maastricht, Dordrecht #WorldCup
• Holland (the Netherlands) “three great rivers” – the Maas, the Waal, and the Rhine. #WorldCup #cruise
• High season in Amsterdam is the spring tulip season (early Apr to mid-May) and the school vacations in July and August.
• The Netherlands was the first European Republic since the Roman republic, and they did not get royalty till the 19th century.

Here is a look at the happy Dutch fans that went to South Africa for the #World Cup