World Cup, the FINAL DAYS
Pics of the final days (Fri, Sat, Sun) will follow within the next couple of days.
> I'm preparing for a looooooong night. XD
And a long night it was. ^^ Read more as follows....
Saturday:
I got myself a good spot for public viewing again, 4 hours before the match. And 3 hours before the match the Fan Fest was closed for being full. I mean, three hours! *boggles* Most times it was closed about an hour and a quarter before the match. If it was full at all. Wow....
Well, I met a bunch of incredibly lovely people to wait, cheer, chat and "picknick" (they had loads of food and stuff and shared it all with me) with. ^-^ By accident we found out that two of them actually live right around the corner from me. Heck, the world is small. XD
Of the match itself. Well, what can I say? Kahn and the other "Back Ups" did a good job. The first half was ok and then 3 goals in the second half! Wheeee! Can you imagine the whole place go bananas at every goal like we had actually just won the Cup?
I stayed to party about half an hour. My "Danke Klinsi" (Thank you, Klinsmann) flag was photographed dozens of times. ^-^ *pose* There were three nuns making their way through the crowd and everyone wanted to take a picture with them. At one point one of the actually put on one of those fan-iros (no idea what that's called in english, what I mean is one of these). XD
Then I went to look what's going on at the hotel. The police had obviously learned from the day before and had closed the road(s) around the hotel completely. Luckily it was night time and probably just every single person in this city was on the streets celebrating, so no traffic problems ensued from the inner city roads being closed for pedestrians. Besides, the police did a fabulous job with the traffic at every World Cup day, anyway. This city's traffic usually is always near breakdown, at least twice a day at rush hour *rolleyes* but nobody noticed any major problems during those four weeks of World Cup while there were twice as much people here. Truly remarkable!
A couple of fans were taking group pictures together with BGS officers (BGS, Bundesgrenzschutz, Federal Border Guard, a special part of the police, for example guarding stations or airports). XD
Walking down one of the major roads in a summer's night under an almost-full moon together with so many people around dancing, singing and being happy.... that's something that will stay with me for ever.
I managed to get almost the same spot in front of the hotel as the day before. And from then on, it was waiting because nobody knew just when they'd arrive. *smirk* But of course we passed the time with various chants again. ^-^ At about 1 a.m. we finally saw the convoy come down the hill. And it seems there were at least a couple of people along the side of the road because you could see many flags being waved as they passed. Quite spectacular in the darkness!
After they'd arrived they went up to the window front again and looked out, waved, took pictures, applauded and made the wave. Some wore their medals or "Teamgeist" (team spirit) shirts similar to the ones they wore on sunday. They threw out several different shirts. Afterwards a couple of them went to look out of the rooms' windows again. One of the Girlfriends (tamariki says it was Ballack's) filmed for quite some time. Odonkor (at least, I think it was him, it was night after all and you could only see mostly from the flashlights) was talking on his mobile and held it out of the window, probably adding something along the lines of "My ass, look what's going on out here! *boggle*". XD
The media tells me that there were 15 000 people in front of the hotel. No idea how they counted that because, like I said, the whole inner city was full of people and I don't know if it's that easy to say "these are the ones in front of the hotel and these are just random party people" because it was more or less one huge mass. *scratchhead* Whatever, they'll know. *shrugs*
At half past 2 a.m. the police politely told us to go away so they could start cleaning up the mess to eventually open the road again. And verrrrrrrrry slowly the crowd started to disperse. A bit. At the edges. Um. Let's just say not many were in the mood to leave just yet and it took a looong time. ^^ But the police were all relaxed and friendly.
I went to the station and got myself some fast food to eat and drink (the last I ate was back some time before the match and after that until now I had survived on soda sticks and water). Sugar and something in the stomach. Good. The sation was full like on a typical midweek rush hour.
Apparently many were spending the night in the hall waiting for their trains to bring them home or to the airport or something. The walls were lined with dozing people and luggage.
Eventually I went home. As if you hadn't guessed. ;)
Sunday:
At noon it was the great party for and with our Team in Berlin at the Fan Fest stage (Brandenburg Gate) on tv. And boy, they had FUN! Aren't they adorable? =^-^= Lehmann and the paper in his stocking, Schweini at the drum and David, Poldi and Asamoah crooning a song and Klinsi grooving..... <3
Time of their lives, quite possibly. ;)
After that, I went to town to see what was going on there. The whole city was blue (in german a colloquial expression for being drunk): Les Bleus, Azzurri and general-beer-drinking-fans. ;)
It seems that most of the germans were actually for France, because Italy kicked us out, obviously. ;) But the Italians just occupied the whole Fan Fest, in terms of numbers of fans-that-were-in-the-streets. They were having a huge party, which reminded me of the first two weeks of World Cup.
I watched the Final Match at home, though. And wasn't it exciting? Btw, the Refs were brilliant at this match! (Why oh why not one match earlier? ;) ) First, an almost magical penalty goal for the French, then Italy scores, then shortly before the penalty shooting --- wtf Zizou? And if you ask me, after this it was clear that the Italians would win, because France had lost their best penalty kicker whereas the Italians still had their very good goalie. Although, as probably everyone knows, in the end not a single penalty was kept/caught. XD Poor Trezeguet (I think it was him, wasn't it?).
Well, the Italians won the Cup. With a very justified use of the word "to win" indeed. They had loads of luck the whole tournament through and, as you probably know, I didn't particularly enjoy their way of playing (as did nobody I know, not even Italians).... but well, I congratulate Italy, and honestly so.
I can only imagine what an outraging party the Italian fans had, here and in Italy and everywhere else. ^^
Monday:
I was on my way from home to the public train when a woman asked me if I could tell her the way to the family Klinsmann's bakery.
She added: "I used to live here, but I forgot where it is."
XD Uhum.....bet she did...... *LOL*
Well, of course I told her. She was only two streets away, after all. ;)
Omg, what's it with suddenly everybody being normal again?
Not everybody is wearing football related-shirts anymore or silly fanstuff or singing in the streets or.... I don't know. The public trains and stations just seem so empty. The public viewing area is being dismantled bit by bit (stands, tents, gates, screens and all). The grass underneath looks sick (read: dead). But the whole place still just reeks of sweat and beer, and I guess that'll linger for a few more days. And it's sad to see so many people with bags and suitcases in the streets again (like the week right before the World Cup started), knowing that they're leaving.
Ah, Con Blues. Only this time, everyone's in it. *le sigh*
And, because it's monday it's also Movietime:
(Sneak) Just My Luck (Zum Glück geküsst): *PUKES*
Got a final comment on the World Cup?
Um........ I'd like to have one. But I am out of words for this, as are many others, even officials. Maybe it'll take a few days.
Yesterday me and a friend were talking about "mad" behaviour, like walking up to strange people in the streets, yelling HA! and run away. During World Cup, nobody would have taken any notice, the person you did this to would very likely even have responded likewise. XD But now.... no way.
Never mind, it's just these weird things I think about. ^^
Also, many officials say that this was the best World Cup ever, referring to the general public atmosphere. Well, I personally believe that this is mainly due to the Public Viewing events, which were done for the first time. I mean, I guess the one in this city was a rather small one compared to other cities' numbers, but it allowed more people to be "there" than there were in the actual stadiums. It was a bit like everybody had the opportunity to be "in the stadium" with their team. All at once. If it hadn't been for those screens, everybody would have had to watch the matches at home, at a pub, with friends etc, meaning in groups not larger than, say, a hundred people, just as it used to be. Public viewing got people out and together.
<3
It is my guess that "public viewing" will be nominated the Word of The Year 2006, even if it is an anglicism. XD
Things I enjoyed the most, besides dancing in the streets:
The night I was with the Aussies (teh fun) and the German match against Argentinia (no kidding, my knees still get weak when I hear or see scenes from that match on tv or radio, especially the penalties). And, of course, when the Team arrived last friday. ;)
And EVERYTHING.
I'll stop now, lest my brain will explode again from thinking of the last four weeks. ^-^
Yoo
> I'm preparing for a looooooong night. XD
And a long night it was. ^^ Read more as follows....
Saturday:
I got myself a good spot for public viewing again, 4 hours before the match. And 3 hours before the match the Fan Fest was closed for being full. I mean, three hours! *boggles* Most times it was closed about an hour and a quarter before the match. If it was full at all. Wow....
Well, I met a bunch of incredibly lovely people to wait, cheer, chat and "picknick" (they had loads of food and stuff and shared it all with me) with. ^-^ By accident we found out that two of them actually live right around the corner from me. Heck, the world is small. XD
Of the match itself. Well, what can I say? Kahn and the other "Back Ups" did a good job. The first half was ok and then 3 goals in the second half! Wheeee! Can you imagine the whole place go bananas at every goal like we had actually just won the Cup?
I stayed to party about half an hour. My "Danke Klinsi" (Thank you, Klinsmann) flag was photographed dozens of times. ^-^ *pose* There were three nuns making their way through the crowd and everyone wanted to take a picture with them. At one point one of the actually put on one of those fan-iros (no idea what that's called in english, what I mean is one of these). XD
Then I went to look what's going on at the hotel. The police had obviously learned from the day before and had closed the road(s) around the hotel completely. Luckily it was night time and probably just every single person in this city was on the streets celebrating, so no traffic problems ensued from the inner city roads being closed for pedestrians. Besides, the police did a fabulous job with the traffic at every World Cup day, anyway. This city's traffic usually is always near breakdown, at least twice a day at rush hour *rolleyes* but nobody noticed any major problems during those four weeks of World Cup while there were twice as much people here. Truly remarkable!
A couple of fans were taking group pictures together with BGS officers (BGS, Bundesgrenzschutz, Federal Border Guard, a special part of the police, for example guarding stations or airports). XD
Walking down one of the major roads in a summer's night under an almost-full moon together with so many people around dancing, singing and being happy.... that's something that will stay with me for ever.
I managed to get almost the same spot in front of the hotel as the day before. And from then on, it was waiting because nobody knew just when they'd arrive. *smirk* But of course we passed the time with various chants again. ^-^ At about 1 a.m. we finally saw the convoy come down the hill. And it seems there were at least a couple of people along the side of the road because you could see many flags being waved as they passed. Quite spectacular in the darkness!
After they'd arrived they went up to the window front again and looked out, waved, took pictures, applauded and made the wave. Some wore their medals or "Teamgeist" (team spirit) shirts similar to the ones they wore on sunday. They threw out several different shirts. Afterwards a couple of them went to look out of the rooms' windows again. One of the Girlfriends (tamariki says it was Ballack's) filmed for quite some time. Odonkor (at least, I think it was him, it was night after all and you could only see mostly from the flashlights) was talking on his mobile and held it out of the window, probably adding something along the lines of "My ass, look what's going on out here! *boggle*". XD
The media tells me that there were 15 000 people in front of the hotel. No idea how they counted that because, like I said, the whole inner city was full of people and I don't know if it's that easy to say "these are the ones in front of the hotel and these are just random party people" because it was more or less one huge mass. *scratchhead* Whatever, they'll know. *shrugs*
At half past 2 a.m. the police politely told us to go away so they could start cleaning up the mess to eventually open the road again. And verrrrrrrrry slowly the crowd started to disperse. A bit. At the edges. Um. Let's just say not many were in the mood to leave just yet and it took a looong time. ^^ But the police were all relaxed and friendly.
I went to the station and got myself some fast food to eat and drink (the last I ate was back some time before the match and after that until now I had survived on soda sticks and water). Sugar and something in the stomach. Good. The sation was full like on a typical midweek rush hour.
Apparently many were spending the night in the hall waiting for their trains to bring them home or to the airport or something. The walls were lined with dozing people and luggage.
Eventually I went home. As if you hadn't guessed. ;)
Sunday:
At noon it was the great party for and with our Team in Berlin at the Fan Fest stage (Brandenburg Gate) on tv. And boy, they had FUN! Aren't they adorable? =^-^= Lehmann and the paper in his stocking, Schweini at the drum and David, Poldi and Asamoah crooning a song and Klinsi grooving..... <3
Time of their lives, quite possibly. ;)
After that, I went to town to see what was going on there. The whole city was blue (in german a colloquial expression for being drunk): Les Bleus, Azzurri and general-beer-drinking-fans. ;)
It seems that most of the germans were actually for France, because Italy kicked us out, obviously. ;) But the Italians just occupied the whole Fan Fest, in terms of numbers of fans-that-were-in-the-streets. They were having a huge party, which reminded me of the first two weeks of World Cup.
I watched the Final Match at home, though. And wasn't it exciting? Btw, the Refs were brilliant at this match! (Why oh why not one match earlier? ;) ) First, an almost magical penalty goal for the French, then Italy scores, then shortly before the penalty shooting --- wtf Zizou? And if you ask me, after this it was clear that the Italians would win, because France had lost their best penalty kicker whereas the Italians still had their very good goalie. Although, as probably everyone knows, in the end not a single penalty was kept/caught. XD Poor Trezeguet (I think it was him, wasn't it?).
Well, the Italians won the Cup. With a very justified use of the word "to win" indeed. They had loads of luck the whole tournament through and, as you probably know, I didn't particularly enjoy their way of playing (as did nobody I know, not even Italians).... but well, I congratulate Italy, and honestly so.
I can only imagine what an outraging party the Italian fans had, here and in Italy and everywhere else. ^^
Monday:
I was on my way from home to the public train when a woman asked me if I could tell her the way to the family Klinsmann's bakery.
She added: "I used to live here, but I forgot where it is."
XD Uhum.....bet she did...... *LOL*
Well, of course I told her. She was only two streets away, after all. ;)
Omg, what's it with suddenly everybody being normal again?
Not everybody is wearing football related-shirts anymore or silly fanstuff or singing in the streets or.... I don't know. The public trains and stations just seem so empty. The public viewing area is being dismantled bit by bit (stands, tents, gates, screens and all). The grass underneath looks sick (read: dead). But the whole place still just reeks of sweat and beer, and I guess that'll linger for a few more days. And it's sad to see so many people with bags and suitcases in the streets again (like the week right before the World Cup started), knowing that they're leaving.
Ah, Con Blues. Only this time, everyone's in it. *le sigh*
And, because it's monday it's also Movietime:
(Sneak) Just My Luck (Zum Glück geküsst): *PUKES*
Got a final comment on the World Cup?
Um........ I'd like to have one. But I am out of words for this, as are many others, even officials. Maybe it'll take a few days.
Yesterday me and a friend were talking about "mad" behaviour, like walking up to strange people in the streets, yelling HA! and run away. During World Cup, nobody would have taken any notice, the person you did this to would very likely even have responded likewise. XD But now.... no way.
Never mind, it's just these weird things I think about. ^^
Also, many officials say that this was the best World Cup ever, referring to the general public atmosphere. Well, I personally believe that this is mainly due to the Public Viewing events, which were done for the first time. I mean, I guess the one in this city was a rather small one compared to other cities' numbers, but it allowed more people to be "there" than there were in the actual stadiums. It was a bit like everybody had the opportunity to be "in the stadium" with their team. All at once. If it hadn't been for those screens, everybody would have had to watch the matches at home, at a pub, with friends etc, meaning in groups not larger than, say, a hundred people, just as it used to be. Public viewing got people out and together.
<3
It is my guess that "public viewing" will be nominated the Word of The Year 2006, even if it is an anglicism. XD
Things I enjoyed the most, besides dancing in the streets:
The night I was with the Aussies (teh fun) and the German match against Argentinia (no kidding, my knees still get weak when I hear or see scenes from that match on tv or radio, especially the penalties). And, of course, when the Team arrived last friday. ;)
And EVERYTHING.
I'll stop now, lest my brain will explode again from thinking of the last four weeks. ^-^
Yoo