Fear and Loathing an dar Weltmeisterschaft 2006
date -- amsterdam -- 8:00 pm
It's nice to be back in Holland ... very cold though and I have am starting the get the symptoms of a little cold. Had to get some medicine, it's working a little bit, I guess. The otehr "medicine" that I am taking is a wole lot better!
This will be a long blog ... so I will do it in parts ... keep checking back for the updates ...
I. A Good's Night Rest
Tuesday night was the first extended period of sleep that I had gotten since the 1st day or two of the trip. I slept in until 11:30 am. I slept more that night that I had the past 3 days. When I wokeup I was greeted by my new roommates ... 3 Aussies (Rachel, Melissa, and Adam) following the Socceroos! They had been to the 1st game in Kaiserslautern on Saturday (a 3-1 australia win over japan) and got into the Munich abput the same time I did after the U.S. game that same day. We talked futbol and told our stories about everything we had already done and I was out the door to check on the status of Tim Murphy. I checked my email, but no new messages from that dude!
DANG!
While wandering around Munich I happenned to run into the Aussie roommates, randomly on the street, and ate lunch with them in a streetside outdoor cafe. I headed for the stadium for the Tunisia-Saudi Arabia match. I wanted to get there early to get a prime spot to hang my flag (space is limited, but anyone can hang whatever they want ... now I wish I had brought my maryland flag to hang as well).
When I arrived at the Allianz Arena on the outskirts of the city, it was just as I had expected. This was the reason that I had any interest in this match. This brand new arena is state of the art. The outside is paneled with big slabs that can glow red (for bayren munich games), blue (for 1860 munich games), and white (for the world cup). it was still daylight out though, so I didn't get to see the lights in action.
They took my video camera at the gate, so there is now footage of this game. I just feel lucky that I was able to get it into the 1st two games I went to. Those were the important ones. The game in Munich was exciting until the end. skill level wasn't all that high, but that was made up by the fact that I was about 10 feet away from one of the corner flags in a 1st row seat that was supposed to be "obstructed view". but there weren't any "obstructions" to be seen!
FANTASTIC!
Hands down, the best seat I have ever had to any sporting event in my life ... and I only paid 30 american dollars for it. I hung the flag a few feet away towards the goal, hoping I would have a better chence of getting some airtime for it there instead of right in front of me in the corner. It had to make air at least once. I made even made air during some of the corner kicks in that area.
The match ended 2-2 with Tunisia equalizing in 2nd half stoppage after falling hehind around the 84th minute. After the game, I quickly hustled back to the tram and headed back downtown. Germany was kicking off shortly against Poland, and I wanted to get the full experience in the downtown spares. I headed to Marienplatz where a surprise was right around the corner ...
II. MURPHADONA
On the train ride back from Allianz Arena, I learned that the FanFest at OlympicPark had been closed due to overcrowding. Word was that over 500,000 people showed up to watch the Germany-Poland match that night ... crazy.
After getting back to the Munch City Centre, I found a cafe, grabbed a few liters, and found a spot to watch the match. It was an insane atmosphere. Tons of German flags and banners all around Marienplatz (the main square in Munich). After watching the majority of the 1st half in the square, I decided to head down to the area where the Hofbrauhaus was. On the way there, I found one of the numerous screens set up and stopped to watch. As I was scanning the crowd, I noticed a familiar face ... the one and only Tim Murphy! After all of the trouble of missing each other and thinking that finding him was a lost cause, we happenned to find each other standing less than 10 feet away from each other on a random street in Munich. From there, it was on! We had a great night. Most of it was spent at the Hofbrauhaus. We found a pocket of Americans and tried our best to start some USA chants, but we were always drowned out by the ever growing numbers of Germans, Aussies, and Brazilians. We even witnessed some English Hooliganism (the Brits and the Aussies DO NOT get along very well). We roamed all over the place proudly displaying my American Flag. It was a very (VERY) late night, but definitely worth it. At the end of the night, I passed the flag on to Murph. I figured it would be cool if he kept it for the remainder of his trip.
After parting ways with Murph, I went back to the hostel and discovered the roof top lounge. The plan was to go back and go to bed ... the plan never happenned. I was up until the wee hours of the morning (saw the sun come up) sharing stories of my week and listening to stories from people from all over the world. Problem was, I had to catch a 9:30 am train back to Amterdam. I had shared some of the ganga that I still was toting around and everyone was quite happy with the mood that it put it us in.
III. The Final Hours
Needless to say, packing up my things and checking out was not a fun process. Lots of water and lots of aleve helped a little bit. But I made my train and sadly, was on my way out of Germany.
The train to Amsterdam was hell on earth. I had begun to contract the early stages of a cold and it hit me with full force on the train. Running nose, sneezing, chapped lips, headache (and not from my late night), you name it, I felt it on that train ride. First thing I did when I got back to Centraal Station in Amsterdam was find a store and get some medicine. It was all written in Dutch, but it did the job.
I checked into my hostel in the famous Red Light District at around 5:00 pm and immediately headed to Leidsplein to pick up some "supplies" and catch that night's matches. England was playing Trinidad & Tobago when I got there and it was quite a sight to see all the Brits packed into the bars. Their volume grew as England notched two late goals for their 2nd win of the tournament. The night cap was a 1-nil Sweden win over Paraguay in Berlin, which I enjoyed while I dined on a huge t-bone steak at the Skye Sports Cafe.
Afterwards, I gorged on two space cakes and wandered around the Red Light District (admiring the window dressing) and NO, I didn't buy anything I saw. I hit the sack around 1 am ... it was my last night in Europe.
The next morning, I was up in time for check out at 11 am. I wished my roommates (who were from Austin, TX) good bye, and surpirsed them with all the weed that I wouldn't be able to smoke before my departure. I made sure to roll one last massive spliff for the walk to Centraal Station for my final train ride back to Schipol Airport. On the train, I met Heidi, a 28 year-old living in Amsterdam. She's originally from South Africa, and when I learned this, I told her all about how in 4 years, that was were I would be ... at the next World Cup. It was kind of an odd symmetry that on my way out of the trip, I was already learning about South Africa, which is still over 4 years away.
The flight home was uneventful and now here I am, safe and sound, back in the good old U-S-of-A.
Ever since I got back, people have been asking me how the trip was and what was it like. I tell them all there is no word to describe what I witnessed on those 10 spectacular days. In all honesty ... I'd have to make up a word, because there isn't a word I know that does it any justice. What I experienced only fuels my appetite for what it will be like in South Africa. I can't believe I have to wait 4 more years to experience it again.
See you in 2010!
It's nice to be back in Holland ... very cold though and I have am starting the get the symptoms of a little cold. Had to get some medicine, it's working a little bit, I guess. The otehr "medicine" that I am taking is a wole lot better!
This will be a long blog ... so I will do it in parts ... keep checking back for the updates ...
I. A Good's Night Rest
Tuesday night was the first extended period of sleep that I had gotten since the 1st day or two of the trip. I slept in until 11:30 am. I slept more that night that I had the past 3 days. When I wokeup I was greeted by my new roommates ... 3 Aussies (Rachel, Melissa, and Adam) following the Socceroos! They had been to the 1st game in Kaiserslautern on Saturday (a 3-1 australia win over japan) and got into the Munich abput the same time I did after the U.S. game that same day. We talked futbol and told our stories about everything we had already done and I was out the door to check on the status of Tim Murphy. I checked my email, but no new messages from that dude!
DANG!
While wandering around Munich I happenned to run into the Aussie roommates, randomly on the street, and ate lunch with them in a streetside outdoor cafe. I headed for the stadium for the Tunisia-Saudi Arabia match. I wanted to get there early to get a prime spot to hang my flag (space is limited, but anyone can hang whatever they want ... now I wish I had brought my maryland flag to hang as well).
When I arrived at the Allianz Arena on the outskirts of the city, it was just as I had expected. This was the reason that I had any interest in this match. This brand new arena is state of the art. The outside is paneled with big slabs that can glow red (for bayren munich games), blue (for 1860 munich games), and white (for the world cup). it was still daylight out though, so I didn't get to see the lights in action.
They took my video camera at the gate, so there is now footage of this game. I just feel lucky that I was able to get it into the 1st two games I went to. Those were the important ones. The game in Munich was exciting until the end. skill level wasn't all that high, but that was made up by the fact that I was about 10 feet away from one of the corner flags in a 1st row seat that was supposed to be "obstructed view". but there weren't any "obstructions" to be seen!
FANTASTIC!
Hands down, the best seat I have ever had to any sporting event in my life ... and I only paid 30 american dollars for it. I hung the flag a few feet away towards the goal, hoping I would have a better chence of getting some airtime for it there instead of right in front of me in the corner. It had to make air at least once. I made even made air during some of the corner kicks in that area.
The match ended 2-2 with Tunisia equalizing in 2nd half stoppage after falling hehind around the 84th minute. After the game, I quickly hustled back to the tram and headed back downtown. Germany was kicking off shortly against Poland, and I wanted to get the full experience in the downtown spares. I headed to Marienplatz where a surprise was right around the corner ...
II. MURPHADONA
On the train ride back from Allianz Arena, I learned that the FanFest at OlympicPark had been closed due to overcrowding. Word was that over 500,000 people showed up to watch the Germany-Poland match that night ... crazy.
After getting back to the Munch City Centre, I found a cafe, grabbed a few liters, and found a spot to watch the match. It was an insane atmosphere. Tons of German flags and banners all around Marienplatz (the main square in Munich). After watching the majority of the 1st half in the square, I decided to head down to the area where the Hofbrauhaus was. On the way there, I found one of the numerous screens set up and stopped to watch. As I was scanning the crowd, I noticed a familiar face ... the one and only Tim Murphy! After all of the trouble of missing each other and thinking that finding him was a lost cause, we happenned to find each other standing less than 10 feet away from each other on a random street in Munich. From there, it was on! We had a great night. Most of it was spent at the Hofbrauhaus. We found a pocket of Americans and tried our best to start some USA chants, but we were always drowned out by the ever growing numbers of Germans, Aussies, and Brazilians. We even witnessed some English Hooliganism (the Brits and the Aussies DO NOT get along very well). We roamed all over the place proudly displaying my American Flag. It was a very (VERY) late night, but definitely worth it. At the end of the night, I passed the flag on to Murph. I figured it would be cool if he kept it for the remainder of his trip.
After parting ways with Murph, I went back to the hostel and discovered the roof top lounge. The plan was to go back and go to bed ... the plan never happenned. I was up until the wee hours of the morning (saw the sun come up) sharing stories of my week and listening to stories from people from all over the world. Problem was, I had to catch a 9:30 am train back to Amterdam. I had shared some of the ganga that I still was toting around and everyone was quite happy with the mood that it put it us in.
III. The Final Hours
Needless to say, packing up my things and checking out was not a fun process. Lots of water and lots of aleve helped a little bit. But I made my train and sadly, was on my way out of Germany.
The train to Amsterdam was hell on earth. I had begun to contract the early stages of a cold and it hit me with full force on the train. Running nose, sneezing, chapped lips, headache (and not from my late night), you name it, I felt it on that train ride. First thing I did when I got back to Centraal Station in Amsterdam was find a store and get some medicine. It was all written in Dutch, but it did the job.
I checked into my hostel in the famous Red Light District at around 5:00 pm and immediately headed to Leidsplein to pick up some "supplies" and catch that night's matches. England was playing Trinidad & Tobago when I got there and it was quite a sight to see all the Brits packed into the bars. Their volume grew as England notched two late goals for their 2nd win of the tournament. The night cap was a 1-nil Sweden win over Paraguay in Berlin, which I enjoyed while I dined on a huge t-bone steak at the Skye Sports Cafe.
Afterwards, I gorged on two space cakes and wandered around the Red Light District (admiring the window dressing) and NO, I didn't buy anything I saw. I hit the sack around 1 am ... it was my last night in Europe.
The next morning, I was up in time for check out at 11 am. I wished my roommates (who were from Austin, TX) good bye, and surpirsed them with all the weed that I wouldn't be able to smoke before my departure. I made sure to roll one last massive spliff for the walk to Centraal Station for my final train ride back to Schipol Airport. On the train, I met Heidi, a 28 year-old living in Amsterdam. She's originally from South Africa, and when I learned this, I told her all about how in 4 years, that was were I would be ... at the next World Cup. It was kind of an odd symmetry that on my way out of the trip, I was already learning about South Africa, which is still over 4 years away.
The flight home was uneventful and now here I am, safe and sound, back in the good old U-S-of-A.
Ever since I got back, people have been asking me how the trip was and what was it like. I tell them all there is no word to describe what I witnessed on those 10 spectacular days. In all honesty ... I'd have to make up a word, because there isn't a word I know that does it any justice. What I experienced only fuels my appetite for what it will be like in South Africa. I can't believe I have to wait 4 more years to experience it again.
See you in 2010!
posted by littles: at 2:30 PM
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