World Cup

I know that I've waxed, if not poetic at least in earnest, about the WC on my twitter (www.twitter.com/ashesabroad) but I think that the time has come to wonder WHY I continue to talk about it. To be honest, I never follow football/futbal/fussbal/soccer during the year. Heck, hardly even during the four years between cups. But I love the solidarity that comes from the warring teams, the commiseration of defeat and the absolute devotion of even the least interested parties. In Germany we saw all shapes and sizes of people with flags on their faces, their backs. We were there in Munich as the opener game (Germany v. Australia) commenced, and oh the absolute air of excitement was wonderful. We had Aussies on one hand and Germans on the other, and as Americans we rooted for them both. I've heard hedonistic tales of that night, and some like it, where the bars, filled to the brim with supporters, had free shots or beers, and the song of the vuvuzela was heard all through the night. I remember the Bavaria game had supporters shouting and honking horns into the wee hours of the morning, especially funny given that the game ended at like 4 pm.

I've watched many a game now, and I still can't say that I'm anything of an expert on things, but I do know good playing when I see it. While I agree that today England deserved that goal (REALLY, REF? REALLY??) they wouldn't have won at all the way they were playing. Germany DANCED around them, literally.

But that's besides the point. Honestly. The point here is that I wax romantic on it because of the feeling of unity it inspires, despite the warring factions. You might be in Germany and rooting for Ghana, but you will find that the Germans, while not rooting for Ghana, will support your enthusiasm with their own. We were on the U-Bahn on a German game-day, and I ended up; listening to the wild call of the Drunken German Supporter, complete with bad lyrics. It was all in good fun, though.

I'm sure there are bad sides of it, but for the most part what we have come across, especially in hostels and the like, is a general air of expectancy and delight. Almost childlike, the people wait to see. Well, very rowdy children with horns like a buzzing hornet's nest, but none the less.

I love it.