What do giraffes, towering steel arches and giant African calabashes have in common with the 2010 FIFA World Cup?
They are all intriguing design elements of South Africa's FIFA World Cup stadia, rapidly taking shape in a mesh of tonnes of steel, bricks and mortar.
Conceptualised by imaginative architects and now being very quickly brought to vivid life by tens of thousands of committed construction workers, these are some of the elements that will make good on South Africa's promise of a never-before-seen African FIFA World Cup.
A recent ten-day inspection tour of all ten 2010 FIFA World Cup stadia by FIFA and Organising Committee experts provided even further evidence that South Africa is well on course to delivering a memorable tournament.
"Overall we are happy with what we have seen in the facilities. Very encouraging progress has been made in particular at the six new stadiums since the last visits. They will be amazing football jewels in 2010. The great engagement from the cities proves that we are on the right track", said Ron DelMont, Head of FIFA's South Africa Office, who led the inspection delegation with Derek Blanckensee, the LOC's Acting Chief Competitions Officer.
During the inspection the group witnessed a milestone at Soccer City, as the first panels of the iconic African calabash (shell), which will wrap around the stadium, were placed on the outside of the venue hosting the 2010 opening match and final.
Lavish praise was heaped on Soccer City by Horst Schmidt, FIFA Consultant and former organiser of the 1974 and 2006 FIFA World Cups.
"I think that Soccer City is one of the most exciting sites I've ever seen in my sporting life," he said.
Durban Stadium is another which captured the imagination, with its far advanced construction work and breathtaking arch already a feature of the Durban skyline.
When complete the arch will be 105 metres above the middle of the pitch, with spectators able to get to the top of the arch by cable-car from one side or by ascending hundreds of steps from the other for a stunning view of the 2010 FIFA World Cup semi-final venue below and of the nearby Indian Ocean just a few kilometres behind the stadium.
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is well on course to becoming the first new FIFA World Cup stadium to be completed. Over 90% of the stadium's construction work is already complete, with over 20 000 seats installed.
Cape Town's Greenpoint Stadium has made even more significant progress only three weeks since FIFA President Joseph Blatter paid tribute to its progress, and Polokwane's Peter Mokaba Stadium and Nelspruit's Mbombela Stadium are also well placed to meet their FIFA deadlines.
South Africa has promised a FIFA World Cup like no other. And with calabashes, giant giraffes and cablecars et al, they will certainly have stadiums like no other.
