A Fitting End?

Apparently, it takes more than defense to win championships, as the old credo goes.
Unfortunately for Switzerland, keeping the opponents scoreless this World Cup couldn't prevent the red and white from being eliminated in the quarterfinals. The Swiss failed to make any of their penalty kicks during a 3-0 shootout loss to Ukraine - just like they didn't allow a goal in four matches - after the two sides played to a lackluster 120 minutes of scoreless action.
The result capped a day that will be remembered for penalty kicks after Italy ousted Australia, 1-0. The first match ended in a most regrettable way, when Italy was awarded a penalty kick in extra time of the second half on a closish call. Watching it live, I would have thought the referee would let the tackle go, considering Fabio Grosso - the player who drew the penalty - sold the foul with a bit of acting. It was a poor way to end a match that featured good excitement at both ends.
It's now been a few days since I returned to the States, which means I'm getting my first taste of consistent World Cup coverage on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2. As of now, I have to say I'm pretty disappointed. I find the commentary very bland a lot of the time and I'm sick of hearing them spend five minutes a match promoting upcoming games, telling everyone how all matches are available in HD or letting us know SportsCenter is next. I didn't hear this type of self-promotion on the BBC's feed overseas, and although I couldn't understand the commentators in German, French or Czech, I'm sure they were more concerned with the soccer than anything else.
Also, listening to the words of JP Dellacamera - he's the one paired with one of my favorite players growing up, John Harkes - became increasingly annoying during certain situations. In today's Swiss-Ukraine match, just as he did when Mexico played Argentina, I got sick of him constantly letting us know that overtime would come should the tie remain. What else was going to come? If ESPN and ABC want soccer to work and want to develop an intelligent audience, then stopping treating us like fools.

The Legend Grows

David Beckham once again proved he is unrivaed worldwide when it comes to free kicks. After getting a few chances Sunday against Ecuador, you knew it was only a matter of time until the English captained burned the opposition. Even though England didn't play that great, the team continues to look like a true contender.
As for England's next opponent, Portugal will be a few men down after the sea of red cards in its round of 16 victory over Holland. I caught bits and pieces of the match and was shocked to see how many players had been sent off. I truly felt the pain of those Dutch fans, considering I sat in the same Nuremberg stadium a few days back when the U.S. was eliminated from the World Cup.
The England-Portugal quarterfinal should be very interesting since both countries have a history of being underachievers. That being said, one of them will be two wins away from the trophy by next Saturday.
Now that Ecuador - one of three 'surprise' teams to reach the knockout stage - is out, I'll be interested to see how the other teams in similar situations perform. Our next look comes today when Australia takes on Italy. I truly believe the Socceroos can win this match after watching both sides multiple sides this World Cup. Australia's performance against Brazil - a 2-0 loss in which the Aussies looked better much of the match - should provide some confidence.
I give Australia a much beter chance than Ghana against Brazil two days from now.

Back In Action

After an extended stretch of much-needed sleep, I awoke late this morning in time to catch the end of Germany’s round of 16 win against Sweden. With the support they’re receiving and their ability to score early goals so often, the Germans are looking more and more like a dangerous team.
Now that I’ve finally regained some sense of normalcy after all the travel, it’s time to recap the ending moments of my trip and give some final thoughts. Each section will be broken up with a word or two in all caps.

THE MATCH
Of course, like any American fan, I would have preferred to see the U.S. beat Ghana on Thursday and advance to the second round. And even though I left the stadium in Nuremberg filled with disappointment, the experience was still worth having.
The celebration that took place after the U.S. tied the score at 1 is probably the greatest moment of its kind I’ve ever been a part of at any sporting event. We screamed and cheered in the stands for a good three minutes. Among the people I celebrated with were two guys from California we’d met in Prague. They were seated a few seats over in the adjacent section and when the goal went in they ran into our section and hugged my friend and I, who were waiting for their arrival.
Of course, myself along with the other few thousand of Americans seated behind the goal had little time to revisit that ecstatic moment since Ghana was awarded a penalty kick just before the half, which ended up serving as the winning goal.
The result was more difficult to handle in some ways because we ended up getting the necessary help with Italy beating the Czech Republic. All along I was saying that I trusted Italy to do its part more than us, and I ended up forecasting that unfortunate scenario. In some ways, I think a U.S. win over Ghana without the correct help to go through would have been easier to handle, but that’s easy to say knowing the end result now.
The fond memories I will take from the loss were how, once again, the Americans came out in full force to support their country. Patriotism was fully alive throughout my trip to Germany, and now the challenge will be for Americans to remain interested in soccer year round and not just every four years for the World Cup.

SCALPING
I still can’t get over how prevalent ticket scalping was during the World Cup. I know those type of sales exist at every major sporting event, but FIFA had spent months harping on the fact that no one could get into the stadium with a ticket not matching their name. That plan clearly failed.
Too many people I met said how they’d bought tickets for matches only a few hours before kickoff. If you were willing to pay three or four times face value — some matches drew less interest — it was not difficult to secure a last-minute seat.
Perhaps I shouldn’t have believed FIFA’s overzealous thoughts that scalping could be avoided, but I wish soccer’s governing body wouldn’t have made such a big deal over ticket security when I never saw a single document checked. As long as your ticket passed as real when placed though the scanning machine, you were good to go.
The security to enter the stadiums was also pretty light. I think I was checked more strictly before entering the Berlin Fan Fest than for either of the two U.S. matches I attended.
Speaking of the Fan Fest, in addition to the 500,000 people filling the streets of Germany’s capital, I forgot to mention the other great options for fans without tickets to matches. Just outside the Berlin train station was a smaller replica of the stadium on the other side of town. It held roughly 9,000 people and for a few Euros you could sit in there and watch matches on one of the many big screens inside. Definitely one of the cooler ideas I’ve seen.

WITH OPEN ARMS
Not once can I recall having any problems with the people of Germany during my stay. Everyone made the experience of being in a foreign land easy, and from what some citizens told me, that was the hope.
Fair or not, there are still plenty of people out there who only see Germany as the land of the Nazis. As someone who is Jewish, if I can separate those two thoughts, than I believe most others should be capable of the same.
Even though its been roughly half a century, a lot of Germans I met talked about how this World Cup was another way to show the world how far their country has come. Hopefully, after people leave with positive experiences, the memories of trouble a few generations ago will not continue to feel like a burden to the current generations.

That’s a wrap for now. I’ll continue to share my thoughts on the round of 16 and beyond, with this blog staying on until the World Cup Final on July 9.

Home Sweet Home

After roughly 24 hours worth of travel, I'm finally back on American soil, back home at my parent's place in Long Island.
I don't know where to begin. Although the U.S. lost, the experience - especially the way we celebrated our goal - was unforgettable.
Sorry I couldn't get a quick update in earlier, but I had trains and planes that I couldn't afford to miss. As you might expect, I'm very tired now and jet lag will be setting in soon enough. If I don't get back to a computer tonight, I'll give a full tomorrow and make it worthwhile.

The Home Stretch

Well, here we are.
I’m about 30 minutes away from checking out of my last hotel this trip and heading over to the Beer Garden in town for a gathering of U.S. fans. The day is filled with potential and I can’t help but think that today’s result could end up being among our country’s most significant in soccer history.
Should we win, get the help we need and advance out of the group stage, it would prove to the sport’s world powers that the U.S. is not only legitimate, but can survive against the toughest of competition. I hope everyone at home plans to watch.
In case this is my final post before returning to the States, I just want to thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoyed this look into one person’s trip to the greatest sporting event you can find. Until we meet again.

Gold Card Equals Gold Treatment

And now, for something completely different.
We’ll call this my valuable piece of travel advice. It comes in two parts.
First off, when leaving the country I suggest making all reservations with an American Express card. If not for the internationally recognized company I would still be one very angry traveler
My arrival to Nuremberg – at about 8 p.m. Wednesday – was greeted with the person who checked me in asking if the hotel should keep the charge on my MasterCard. I thought nothing of it at the time – having booked my stays in a variety of ways this trip – but I rechecked the itinerary up in the room and realized that I had prepaid after booking with American Express’ travel services in April. I brought this to the attention of that same clerk, who tried to claim the nearly $300 I already laid out was simply to reserve the right to purchase the single-night room for the identical price. This despite showing him the portion of my e-mail confirmation stating I owed no balance.
After a series of arguments – split by a good meal tarnished by frustration – I returned to the hotel and continued fighting my battle. On top of it all, the MasterCard they had on file didn’t match the number of any card I have, which made me think identity fraud was my next concern.
Eventually, I got myself behind the front desk to log onto the American Express Web site, where I showed the gentlemen the charge on my bill of two months ago. About 30 seconds later, my friend finally got through with American Express and passed the phone to me. After its representative assured me I was paid for and had nothing to worry about, American Express spent the next five minutes telling our Holiday Inn what the problem was and to be sure not to bother me with the issue anymore. The once hostile, and at times rude, hotel clerk was suddenly quite apologetic after I hung up with American Express.
In the end, the problem was American Express had purchased the room for me through Travelocity – which had the MasterCard on file, meaning no identity issues – and the hotel was owed money from the company and not me in any way.
The second part of my rule is to always keep your documents and bring them during all travels. If I hadn’t brought everything with me I would be out nearly $300 and probably wouldn’t have been cheated of some fun while watching the U.S. play Ghana in their pivotal match Thursday.
I know it sounds like an almost made-up story, but I promise, this really did happen. It’s something I wouldn't want to make up knowing how frustrating the situation was.
As for the rest of my Thursday night. We went into the town square, where we bumped into a decent size group of U.S. supporters. Included in the mix were two people we met a night earlier in Berlin and had traded e-mails with earlier in the day in hopes of reuniting. The plan is to reconvene at 11 a.m. and then be at the stadium by 2 p.m., two hours before kickoff.
I’m just glad soccer is the only thing on my mind right now.

As Far As The Eye Could See

Wow. That's all I can really say.
Berlin's Fan Fest - rumored to feature roughly 500,000 people each time Germany plays - lived up to all it's hype. It was a sea of people with black, red and yelow flags waving proudly in the air. In some ways, the atmosphere in this shutdown city boulevard was better than what I witnessed while attending the U.S. match against the Czech Republic. National pride oozed among this massive collection of Germans, who cheered throughout their team's 3-0 win Tuesday over Ecuador, which also advanced to the round of 16.
We managed to get up to the front portion of the gathering and, by the time the match started, a look behind me showed nothing but people and flags. Considering it took a good 20 minutes to walk through the venue a night earlier when the crowd was depleted, the look back assured me that the speculation of how many people attended was pretty close.
I stood out wearing a U.S. shirt and flag over my back - fans of other countries also sported their flags but mine was the only U.S. one I saw for a good five hours to open the day - to the point that a German police officer stopped me to have his picture taken. I'm now one of the few people to have a snapshot with the cops without doing something wrong.
Although my friend was a litle skeptical of me wearing the flag, I found no ill-will from the crowd. In fact, a lot of people seemed to like that I was suporting my country and I think every American to saw me made a point of coming over to talk. One German guy stopped me, kissed me hello on each cheek and asked his friend to get a picture with me. Although I didn't get the same greeting, people from England and Canada also asked for pictures.
I was almost as popular as the beautiful blond girl from Sweden who couldn't walk through the crowd without getting multiple photo requests - which she granted - or the two topless girls who had the German and Ecuadorian flags painted on them, respectively.
Although the match proved to be lopsided - not nearly as exciting as the nigthcap we stayed for to see Henrik Larsson prove he still has some magic left in helping Sweden to a 2-2 tie with England - the party lasted half the day as many started arriving around noon for the 4 p.m. start and dancing lasted until closing time at 1 a.m. The size of the event was unlike anything I think I'll ever see again and made our two-night stay in Berlin a worthwhile journey.
You also got a sense of how big each match is to the people by walking the streets that afternoon. The closer we got to kickoff the less people I saw outside. You got the feeling everything just shuts down when the Germans play.
We're now about two hours from taking a train to Nuremberg, where the U.S. plays Ghana tomorrow. It will be a bittersweet moment since the match figures to be high on excitement with so much at stake - a U.S. win plus Italy victory against the Czechs puts the Americans into Round 2 - but it also signals our trip's end. We have to catch a train to Cologne that departs less than two hours after the match is through and we'll have landed back at Newark by around 1:30 Friday afternoon. But now is not the time to look at the end because some of the best memories are still to be made.
The one regret I have upon leaving Germany is we never managed to get to what's left of the Berlin Wall. But this was a trip all about soccer and that type of history will be there if I return. What we saw at the Fan Fest is probably once in a lifetime.
A quick random thought that has been developing before I sign off. After dealing with tons of waiters, bartenders, hotel receptionists and other people in the service industry this is trip, I've noticed that anyone in these positions has to be more skilled, in some ways, than their American counterparts. I've yet to interact with anyone holding one of these posts who didn't speak at least two languages if not more. I'd imagine the treatment I've received as an outsider is better than what travelers get when coming to the States.
That's it for now but I hope to find another Internet Cafe in Nuremberg so I can make at least one more posting before I return home. If not, a full report will be delivered Friday.

It's Almost Time

It's nearing noon and the temperature continues to rise. We've stopped in an Internet Cafe at the midway point of our cross-city walk from one hotel to the other -- the switch a product of some earlier botched travel plans.
Along the streets it's hard to miss the support being shown by Germany's citizens. The black, red and yellow colors of the country's flag are everywhere as we are nearing the 4 p.m. start time between the host nation and Ecuador. You get the feeling everyone in the country will be watching.
After walking the city streets last night, I made a comment to my friend that there was a sense of the calm before the storm. The Fan Fest is expected to draw in the range of half a million people and should the Germans win -- which means they finish atop the Group A standings with a perfect three wins and nine points -- the party may last through the night.
Aside from participating in the excitement and seeing a few tourist sites beforehand, my other goal for the day is trying to avoid so many purchases. I've spent so much money on souvenirs this trip, a total that rose last night after buying some T-Shirts for friends and family. I'm like a little kid each time I walk into any World Cup related store.
That's all for now but hopefully I'll be able to get to a computer with more ease in the future to give full details of Germany's massive party.

Who's Counting

The latest notebook update, this one coming at around 2 p.m. Monday on the train from Prague to Berlin:

My first Absinthe experience may prove to be my last. After promising to try one shot before I left, I ended up ordering three more as a night designed to be quiet became quite the party.
The fun part about Absinthe -- a very potent liquor, which is colored green and illegel in the U.S. and most of Europe save Prague -- is how the shot is taken. You get a spoonful of sugar, which is lit on fire after a drop of Absinthe is added. Once the flame burns out, you stir the melted sugar into your shot to help take off the edge. I'm reminded of how much fun we had when looking at pictures of my friend and I with the two bartenders.
Earlier Sunday night I finally experienced how cheap Prague is. I got a full dinner with drink and an appetizer for the equivalent of less than $10 U.S. Prague's costs proved to be a nice oasis.
Although we still have about four travel hours remaining, I am filled with excitement over visiting Berlin. It should be the World Cup center and from talking to other travelers who have already been, it's a scene. We'll end up having two nights there instead of one after booking the extra night once we discovered a missing hotel day in our travel plans.
I imagine Berlin will feel much different from our previous stops in Germany, when we were in more industrial city. Seeing the remnants of the Berlin Wall should be interesting and I'm sure there are plenty of other attractions worth visiting.
But to experience it all in less than 48 hours a nap on this train ride is certainly in order. Until next time.

Finally, A Computer

My apologies for not posting earlier but I couldn't get to a computer. I've only got limited time now, here at the hotel in Berlin, but tomorrow I'll deliver a full report.
We just walked through the Fan Fest site in town, which is at least the length of 10 city blocks and has hosted roughly 500,000 people on previous days. The venue is equipped with 10 or so massive screens, which have been showing all the action. There is also a Ferris Wheel and what looked like a dance club within the fenced off area.
The place should be packed tomorrow when Germany plays Ecuador on the other side of town. It may prove to be the trip's highlight.
We did experience a slight snag upon arriving here at about 6:30 p.m. local time. We didn't know the address of the hotel and ended up walking around nearly two hours. But it was kind of cool to see the city in that fashion, although the rain we walked in made the moment a bit less enjoyable.
My 15 minutes allotted is ticking away and I've got to check in with family and friends, so I'll catch up with all of you in the morning.

The Great Equalizer

I got chills when the celebration took place.
Back in Old Town Square, where I watched on the big screen the night before, the match this time was France against South Korea. Ji Sung Park’s goal in the 81st minute earned the Koreans a point with their 1-1 tie and sent the streets into jubilation.
A South Korean contingent of a couple hundred strong, who Saturday marched through the streets with some beating drums, exploded with energy when the ball crossed the line and remained that way until the final whistle. You could feel how emotional a moment it was for the fans.
On our way out of the square, my friend and I bumped into two guys from Atlanta we hung out with the night before to watch the U.S. We’ll see them again Thursday when the U.S. plays Ghana in a match I can’t stop thinking about.
I’m heading back out, so until tomorrow.

The Celebration

I thought we did it.
When the ball went from DaMarcus Beasley’s foot and into the back of the net, I thought the mountain had been climbed. In fact, the 50 or so Americans I was with Saturday night in Prague thought the same thing.
But at some point in our celebration we came to realize that Beasley’s 65th minute strike, which would have given the U.S. a 2-1 lead, was called off because of an offside call. The moment felt of dejection, but nothing like the utter disappointment we all experienced when Italy scored the opening goal.
There was a great sense of accomplishment once the match was through – a well-deserved 1-1 draw – and we all understood the scenario awaiting the U.S. next match. It was then time to celebrate the historical achievement – the first American point earned after losing all eight matches previously played in a European hosted World Cup. We did, to the tune of seeing the sun rise in Prague.
At one point we became a little too loud in our parading in the streets and I, along with another member of our traveling party, was warned by a local police officer.
Aside from the nonstop praise we showed to our national team, the most interesting part of the night might have been paying for food or drinks wherever we went. Since the Czech Kron – the country’s money – has such a weak exchange rate, you end up getting huge bills. I was walking around with bills of 100 and 200 Kron, and even had one valued at 2,000 earlier in the day. You quickly realize how little that number actually is since every purchase requires hundreds at a time.
Now I’m off to see the sites after missing most of the day by sleeping in past 3 o’clock. There’s a castle to view and bridge to walk over – at least those are two of the stops we’re making – and then who knows. A train tomorrow to Berlin is on the horizon, but I want to take advantage of the hours in Prague I have left.

A Quick Update

The Czechs just lost and suddenly all U.S. fans have renewed hope. I watched Ghana win among some 2,000 people in Prague's Old Town Square and it was something I won't soon forget.
I'm now off to watch the Americans try to perform a similar miracle against Italy. This might be the night of all nights during this trip to remember.

New Day, New City

I’ve been in Prague for about an hour after getting little sleep while sweating most of the night on the train here. While the sleeping cabin makes sense for an overnight train, it works much better if you’re about six inches shorter than my 6-foot frame.
It’s unbelievably hot here and I can’t wait to jump in the shower. Prague should make for a nice change since the exchange rate is extremely cheap, meaning I can save some money after spending Euro upon Euro so far this trip.
It’s a big soccer day, too. Not only is the U.S. facing elimination without a result against Italy, but the Czech Republic is in action and we get to watch from the nation’s capital city.
I’m off to start my day and should have more stories to tell later. By the way, this is the first time I’ve used an American keyboard this trip, and it’s a much better option than having to look down every time I type a word. I apologize if there’ve been a few typos along the way when using the other keyboards.

A Few Surprises

The latest sampling of my notebook, with this entry starting five minutes before midnight Friday night, once again on the train:
For all you future European travelers: don’t assume the train station you buy a ticket at is the same one the train leaves from. My friend and I made that mistake in Brussels, showing up at the wrong station in the city and missing our train to Cologne, Germany. Thankfully, we caught one an hour later and made our connecting overnight train to Prague, where we’re due in sometime around 10 a.m.
I’m writing from a six-person cabin in a sleeper car. It looks like what you’ve seen in movies but feels smaller. We’ve spent the past hour talking with two guys from Northern Ireland on their way to Berlin. We’ll be in Germany’s capital a few days from now.
Thinking of which day it is prompts me to check the folder with all my travel documents. My findings reveal a one day gap in our hotels that previously went unnoticed. We’ll deal with it tomorrow.
Despite our train blunders, we still got a few hours of layover time in Cologne, where we fly out of next Friday morning. As advertised, the city is buzzing with World Cup atmosphere. When walking into the train station, you are greeted by a massive mural on the ceiling featuring some of the stars of this Cup.
The Fan Fest – each city has outdoor squares set up with huge screens for people to watch matches – looks very lively but we don’t have time to check it out. We did manage to catch the first half of Mexico-Angola, viewing the coverage in German.
Hearing soccer described in the language for the second time this trip makes me realize I’ve now watched the sport in three languages this week – German, French and English, with Czech likely to come Saturday and Sunday. It’s funny how each time the play was just as easy to follow.
My memory about watching in French came while waiting in our second Brussels train station. We caught the second half and three of Argentina’s goals in a 6-0 dismantling of Serbia & Montenegro from a bar packed with fellow travelers wanting to stay updated.
A woman approached me shortly after the match to ask what the score was. I give her the final and we both chuckle. I take it as a compliment that she viewed me as someone apparently interested enough to have the answer.
As for the morning in Brussels leading up to our one missed train, we saw plenty in our three hours of walking. One highlight was the very modern European Union building on the other side of town, about a 20-minute walk from our hotel. We also went to the Grand Place – a city square surrounded by beautiful architecture hundreds of years old – after seeing it the night before.
We stop at one of the many outdoor bistros to sit and have a beer. A few paces from us is a plaque indicating that Victor Hugo lived in that building for one year. A few paces the other way, some type of European deleget sits at a different eatery, surrounded by secret service scattered throughout portions of the square. The E.U. is hosting meetings in the city and it’s kind of cool to watch the security keep an eye on things.
It appears the air conditioning is no longer functioning in our car, so I think that’s my sign to attempt getting some sleep.

Beautiful Brussels

No scoreboard is required to know if Ecuador won Thursday. After stepping out of Brussels Central Station, it's a matter of minutes until we see groups of Ecuadorian supporters driving through the streets, honking their horns as some fans lean out the car window to wave flags. Their chanting can be heard from our hotel -- one block from the Belgian stock exchange, where the Ecuadorians have set up camp on the steps -- and I no longer have to wonder if World Cup atmosphere will exist in my third country this week.
Speaking of hotels, I owe my sister a big 'Thank You.' A division manager with Ritz Carlton hotels, she got me discounted rates for Marriotts in Amsterdam and here in Brussels. The latter of our rooms is in prime locacation and should probably cost 200-plus Euro since it is a flagship Marriott hotel. Lucky for us, we're playing in the 80s.
Once we check in we head to an Irish Pub a few blocks away. We passed it on our walk into town and saw signs for World Cup match times. We don't arrive until halftime and the place is packed -- mostly with fans dressed in Endland red and white, but there is still a Triniad & Tobago presence.
The atmosphere is the best of any place I've watched a match so far this trip. Noise explodes throughtout the joint when England opens the scoring in the late stages, just like it did for Wayne Rooney's entrance as a substitute. An insurance goal a few minutes later ensures a ringing feeling in my head, but this is what I came for. I took pictures and videos of the celebrations with my camera and hopefully was able to capture the moment.
For dinner we head into a section of streets for walking traffic only. I am reminded of Paris by walking around, and get another taste of France when choosing a restaurant. Price-fixed meals are the order of the day for many places, just like Paris. We settle on one and make sure to get the mussels, something Belgium is known for.
The night finishes with us walking around some more before heading back to the same pub -- ironically, when we ask our waiter for a good bar, he suggests our earlier choice -- and watch the end of Sweden and Paraguay. I end up going home a little before my friend -- I'm not sure the mussels were agreeing with me -- but feel as if the night was a success. I'd like to come back here, knowing my one-night stay before heading to Prague isn't enough of an experience.
It's now about 10:15 in the morning and the plan is to check out a few sites before boarding an afternnon train for a journey that won't finish until this time tomorrow.
It'll be a big day since the host Czechs are in action, followed by the U.S. in a must-win against Italy. The night should make for a wild one, which makes me happy I decided to end Thursday a bit early

Taking A Break

Another sampling from my notebook; this one coming while training from Amsterdam to Brussels on Thursday afternoon:
Dashboard Confessional plays through my headphones as the scenary changes next to me. We're somewhere between the two cities now, due to arrive in about 90 minutes.
The timing could not be better because we'll have enough time to check into the hotel and hopefully make the 6 p.m. kickoff for England against Trinidad & Tobago.
The views are beautiful as we are now traveling through the countryside. Tiny brick houses are scattered all around the fields, which are filled with cows. The moment is timeless and right now I barely feel time. Everything seems so serene, a far cry from the madness of Amsterdam. I'm sure Brussels will provide it's share of fun -- albeit, we're in town just one night -- but it will likely feel much different than our two-plus days in the adult playground that is Holland's capital.
We're getting closer to the Dutch-Belgian border now and it shouldn't be too far from there. I've yet to see a conductor, which is good because I have a ticket good for unlimited travel any five days during this trip within Belgium, Holland and Germany. Only one day has been 'used' so far since they never checked, and therefore stamped, my ticket on the ride from Duisburg to Amsterdam.
Nearing the halfway point of my trip, there are still some moments I can't believe. I've talked about planning a World Cup trip for some time, but always said the first experience should come in Europe. This is exactly the reason why. There are so many places to see that you can take in so much over a relatively short period. Add the soccer to that journey and it's a perfect trip, at least for me.
I wonder how the World Cup has been covered back home and if there has been any overwhelming interest. It's weird that right now I have virtually no knowledge of either the NBA or Stanley Cup Finals. It's something I actually enjoy since I wanted to put all sports focus toward the World Cup.
I did get an e-mail from a fellow sports writer covering the WNBA, which mentioned how the Sun's Nykesha Sales wasn't named to the league's All-Decade Team. I can't believe that, although it also fits. She has to be the league's most overlooked and underappreciated player.
But the rest of those thoughts are for another time. For now, I'm a normal fan just wanting to watch some more soccer.

Where To Begin

Part of me is glad my time in Amsterdam is through.
Two days in this city has drained me of a week's worth of sleep. Both nights saw me walk into the hotel a little shy of 5 a.m., with the final evening making for one of the craziest experiences of my life.
Between the Van Gogh Museum, watching soccer in two places, the Red Light District, partying for hours with Australian travelers we met in a bar and visiting the Heineken factory to take the Heineken Experience -- what an experience it was -- I don't know where to begin.
Probably my favorite part was meeting the Aussies, who lived up to their country's reputation of having wild people. I can't recall exactly how we introduced ourselves -- I certainly don't remember their names, but my pictures are great -- but we all liked beer and that seemed enough to have in common, so all things went well. We talked about soccer, traveling and just regular life, something that seems so much more accepted when away from home.
I would never approach strangers in that fashion during my normal routine, but on vacation it seems appropriate. I've now met and spoke with people from at least eight countries and probably 10 or so U.S. states. Traveling and talking with people is unlike any form of education I've ever received. There's also something to be said for living out of a single bag and being in a new place almost every day.
We ended up losing the Aussies in the Red Light District, and that's probably good. They seemed to have an agenda, whereas my friend and I were just there to walk through and look.
The Red Light District is very odd, almost surreal. You look around and can't help but think, "Am I actually seeing this?" I recommend you check it out if you're ever here because it makes for a story worth telling. Dressed in very little, but still dressed, the women have interesting ways of trying to attract customers through their glass windows.
The night ended with me making the late night workers at the train station laugh when I changed shirts because we'd been walking through off-and-on rain most of Wednesday.
Ever since the U.S. hosted the 1994 World Cup, I've always liked the Dutch National Team and rooted for them for no apparent reason. Throughout the day I spent about 100 Euro on a jersey, national team flag and this great hat with horns and bells featuring the Dutch flag. When I change, I decide to put on all of the items, yelling "Hup Holland" to anyone who walks by. My friend, the people we met waiting for our train and the various scattered employees are loving it and so am I.
For one day, and one moment, I feel as Dutch as anyone.
It's now just shy of 1 p.m. local time and I'm about to head out and board a train for Brussels. We have tonight and half of tomorrow there before going to Prague for three days and then back to Germany. Before I leave I must get another order of frittes -- french fries -- on the street. It's a good snack and the fact they come in an ice cream cone-type holder makes them an ideal travel food.
I say farewell to Amsterdam, carrying with me a host of good stories. As for everything else that's a little bit tougher to remember, that's what the camera is for.

GOAL

Finally, my moment came.
After sitting with groups of strangers to watch a pair of World Cup matches on TV, I had yet to see a goal. In a quiet restaurant in Amsterdam -- which had the most unbelievable sausage -- I thought for sure the moment might never happen.
In the course of looking down twice to take a bite of food, I miss both of Saudi Arabia's goals in its Wednesday match against Tunisia. Although there was little reaction from the subdued audience, I'm still frustrated.
All is forgotten when Tunisia gets the equalizer on a beautiful cross and header in extra time, which draws cheers from everyone. I threw my hands in the air, forgetting at the moment I might be the only one to rejoice, and my only reaction is to smile when soaking up the buzz in the room.
Later in the night, at a bar a few blocks away, the crowd steadily built during Germany's match with Poland. Again, extra time is when the winning goal happens -- securing a 1-0 victory for the host nation. After watching the Germans hit two posts moments earlier, the bar is filled with cheers and screams when a ball finally finds the net.
I will always cherish both celebrations, something I longed for before taking this trip. It's unlike any sporting event in the U.S., and you just feel different when watching it.
By the way, soccer fan or not, if you haven't seen the fourth goal Spain scored yesterday search for it on the Internet or go to ESPNews. Never will you see more players acting as one -- there were at least three straight one-touch passes -- to complete a better play. It is undoubtedly the greatest goal I have ever seen.

Country No. 2

The beer is expensive in Amsterdam. But the atmosphere is worth the price.
A short walk from the central train station resulted in two massive bar/restaurants, which allowed us to see the second half of Brazil's win Tuesday night. Once again, I fail to see a goal scored while viewing in the crowd, but we all react in unison as Croatia misses chance after chance to notch the equalizer.
I wish I was here on a night the Dutch played because the support is already in full swing. Orange flags and banners wave everywhere, ranging from restaurants to drug stores -- not those drugs. Like Germany, there is a feeling of national pride within the country.
My choice in clothing proves wise, since the blue Israeli National Team jersey catches the eye of many people I meet. After looking at me with a strange expression for a few seconds, they ask what team it is and I explain.
On Monday, I toasted with countless Americans from all over before attending the match. On Tuesday, I felt good to just mention the Israeli team -- which made a good run in qualifying but fell short -- and thereby show a part of my Jewish heritage.
Unlike where I stayed in Germany, I can't get to a computer as easily here. That's made it tougher to keep in touch back home, since calling is very expensive.
I've been at the Internet Cafe about an hour now, so my time is almost up. There's shopping to do -- I'm eyeing a Dutch jersey -- and three matches to watch.

Tales From The Tracks

In order to better capture the moment,I brought a notebook along for the trip, which I've been writing in periodically to give my postings a lively feel. Here's a sampling of what I wrote at around 6 p.m. yesterday on the train from Duisburg to Amsterdam:
We've had some delays since I boarded some 90 minutes ago, and we still have about 45 minutes left. But earlier problems saved us, allowing me to get on the train since my friend -- whose name, which I've failed to mention earlier, is Rob-- and I just headed for the station without knowledge of the schedule. Although the air conditioning has been cutting in and out, this ride is much more comfortable than Monday's commute to the U.S. match.
Having grown up on Long Island and ventured out to the city plenty of times during rush hour with a subway ride still to come, I thought I was prepared for packed trains. I was wrong.
Not only were we packed in like pencils in a box, but it was so crowded starting at the entrance of the track you couldn't move forward or backward. I thought a nice perk of your World Cup ticket was that it included free local transportation to and from the match. I now realize tickets couldn't have been checked anyway, so the perk wasn't exactly used.
Back to the present -- at least, returning to my time on the train -- I've spent much of this journey by rail listening to my iPod, talking to three guys from San Diego and a group of people from outside Manchester, England. The San Diego trio are getting frustrated by our delay because they had planned to watch France play Switzerland, which will be halfway through by the time we arrive. I'll probably catch the end of the match at the hotel, but we plan on going to watch Brazil against Croatia.
I'll have to wait until tomorrow for the Heineken Experience, which I'm really looking forward to. The downside is I've been told once you have Heineken in Europe it doesn't taste as good in the U.S., and it is a favorite of mine.
I'm curious to see how the atmosphere is at the bars for a match in a neighboring country such as Holland.
To help pass the time, I went through my camera to see Monday's pictures. I smile upon seeing me and a fan wearing an Ecuador jersey. I approached him, recognizing the shirt from a photo that ran in the Bulletin for a story I did on an Ecuadorian student at NFA going to the World Cup. I introduce myself to this stranger -- his English is OK -- and tell him about my article and how excited I was for Ecuador after its upset of Poland on Opening Day, which could help the team qualify for the second round.
It's about the umpteenth time something like that has taken place on the trip. No matter how far you travel, it's amazing how small the world feels sometimes.

It Was Great

Sorry if anyone caught the earlier version of my previous post. I tried, rather unsuccessfully, to give a brief update of the night but ended up writing a bunch of nonesense.
Anyway, I'm about to leave Germany for Amsterdam and Belgium for a few days, and I'm wrapping up a column that should appear shortly in the Bulletin.
As for the match, the pain was terrible, but never in my life will I experience something like it again. I met people from all over the country and the world -- my pictures with the Czech fans are great -- and the stories are sure to never leave me.
There was singing, chanting, celebrating and drinking. The sense of national pride was unlike anything I've ever seen. And although we were left in a most disappointed state, a large number of followers returned to our original gathering place near the Gelsenkirchen train station to turn our frustration into passionate cheers for Ghana to pull off the upset against Italy, which did not happen.
Once again, there was singing, chanting celebrating and drinking.
Aside from my friend -- who I lost for about 20 minutes upon walking off the train to head toward the stadium, a product of posing for pictures with a few Czech fans -- I spent the late hours of Monday with a guy from Cleveland, a girl from Wisconsin, a few of her friends from the German exchange program they were on, an Englishman who shared my feelings regarding how talented a striker Brian McBride is, and a group of Czech fans who taught me some celebratory dance that has you constantly jumping up and down. Truly, it was a special night, although beign at a bar helped all of us make good attempts to forget parts of the festivities.
I even saw a man wearing a Brazil jersey trade his shirt for the one being worn by a Czech fan, who pumped his fist upon completing the transaction. The swapping of shirts off one's back is tradional for players after both internatonal and professional matches, but I wasn't expecting it among supporters at a bar, although it made for a memory I won't soon forget.
Another highlight was when a German man traded me a Euro for a $1 U.S. bill he so desperately wanted to show his children. At least that's what a woman told me he wanted to do with it. Hey, I ended up making 20 or so cents on the deal.
The man, quite drunk when I walked into the bar at around 11 p.m., then began to chant capitalism and democracy. Quite a scene.
I have no doubt that the rest fo my trip will continue to fill my memory banks, but I know the night and events of the first match I ever saw in the World Cup will be with me forever.
Lastly, the big winners of the day were not the Czechs, but rather the owners of Gelsnekirchen's Hibernia Brauhaus, which was chosen by Sam's Army to be the gathering place for U.S. fans prior to the match. When we arrived, the only way to enter the bar was to run up a short flight of steps and through a series of American flags. There were at elast 300 people outside the place, and locals were even takign pictures of our celebration, another sign the U.S. soccer program is in full swing.
The bar, which served excellent beer, was difficult to move within for a good four hours and I saw at least 20 boxes of new glasses -- either four or six per box -- being opened in order to meet the demand.
They're probably still counting the money.

What A Day

If I described my day to you, you wouldn't believe it. This is among one of the worst feelings I've experienced, yet it still makes me feel proud, despite the 3-0 loss to the Czech Republic (which by the way has great fans).
At this juncture I need some rest. In the morning I will give you a full report. We'll talk in the morn.
Be good, and I'll update early.

Strangers United

My hope was to stumble upon a bar or restaurant consumed with whatever World Cup match was being televised at the moment. Although I didn’t expect this to be too much of a problem, considering where we're currently staying, Duisburg, is not a World Cup host city and Sunday evening’s last match pitted Portugal against Angola, I wasn’t promising myself tons of people.
Much to my delight, after a brief stroll through the city center, my friend and I heard the faint sounds of German commentators in the background and followed the voices. A few minutes later, we discovered an outdoor cafe with the match being shown in high definition on a flat screen.
We showed up about 15 minutes in – missing the lone goal in Portugal’s 1-0 win – and were part of a group that contained at least 30 people and sometimes more over the match’s duration. From what I saw, no one was wearing an Agola or Portugal shirt – jerseys from a few other competing European nations were sprinkled in the crowd – yet everyone was consumed by each play, reacting in unison to the happenings as if we were all there.
Aside from the group actually sitting, eating and watching, pedestrians walking through would often stop by – men and women – to check the score, watch a few seconds and continue on their way. The setting was also appropriate since the cafe had flags from many of the tournament's countries flying off its roof.
In terms of what I’d hope to experience during this trip, obviously seeing a World Cup match in person and traveling to new countries was high on that list. But sitting with strangers and sharing the same moment by simply watching a soccer match was up there as well. There figure to be more opportunities like Sunday night’s, and the big one to look forward to is in about a week when I will be in Berlin on a night Germany is playing in the nation’s capitol. Every World Cup host city provides free telecasts on big screen TVs outside the stadium and that scene is supposed to be as crazy as the regular crowd.
It’s roughly 10:45 a.m. local time here, and I can’t believe I’m up, but I have good reason to be. My friend and I are going to stop by a sporting goods store in town and try to pick up two jerseys for today’s match – we have other memorabilia if necessary – before jumping on a very early train to Gelsenkirchen for tonight's 6 o'clock start. Sam’s Army – a contingent of American supports from nationwide – is hosting a red, white and brew party before and after the U.S.-Czech match, meaning win or lose, today figures to produce plenty of strories

Off With Flying Colors

To think, this first entry from overseas almost didn’t happen.
After arriving at Newark International Airport a semi-comfortable two hours before departure, I learned shortly thereafter that my seat, along with my friend’s, was not reserved. At that moment I was not among the passengers slated to take off.
Had that happened, making it to the United States’ opening match Monday would have required some serious hustle.
After voicing my displeasure to the Continental representative, my friend and I eventually were granted seats less than a half hour before the flight’s scheduled departure. (It amazes me that airlines are actually legally entitled to overbook flights) Even after getting our seats, I agained questioned the rep because a couple was in a similar situation but still sans seats, although we'd later see them on the flight.
Once in the air – a difficult time for me because I truly hate flying, minus the destination part – I felt the need for a few cocktails before debating between my book, a movie or sleep.
About seven hours later – roughly 3 in the morning back in Connecticut – we landed in Frankfurt and the World Cup atmosphere was in full swing. Everywhere you lok there are signs featuring the 2006 logo or something soccer related, not to mention the presence of fans from at least 10 participating nations in the airport and train station combined.
After walking past a trio of Japanese fans in their national side’s blue jerseys, I offered to take a picture for two Mexico supporters in full attire on their way to see El Tri take on Iran in Nuremberg.
Before boarding a train for Duisburg – a short train ride from Gelsenkirchen, where the U.S. opens its Group E campain against the Czech Republic – I have a brief conversation with a Brazilian man.
After being in Germany roughly an hour, it is already clear how much of a global event the World Cup is. There is also a great sense of national pride within the host nation, as I constantly notice German flags waving outside houses and apartments during my train ride of nearly two hours.
Now, it’s time for a nap, so I can be functional tonight in order to mingle with the locals by watching the evening’s matches. As for tomorrow, my imagination probably won’t come close to the experience I am about to have.

I'm Off

Well the time is almost here, as I'm a few hours from heading to the airport for my flight.
I caught some more Cup action this morning with the England match and I can't to do some viewing after landing.
Until then, enjoy the tournament

The Opener Is Here

We’re at halftime of the World Cup opener between the hosts Germany and Costa Rica, which has been an exciting match to this point (2-1 at the break).
If I was a German supporter, I’d be concerned about the near-breakaway goal allowed to tie the score. The Germans responded well to regain the lead, but their defensive tactic of flashing an offside trap could cause trouble against a more talented opposition.
As expected, the atmosphere looks and sounds great. There’s something about a sea of people — most of them strangers — united in chants and celebration as national flags wave that makes me get a bit of the chills.
If I feel fit from the TV in my living room, who knows what my reactions will be once I get in the stadium?

Just Saying Hello

After booking a trip with a high school friend to Germany for this summer’s World Cup, a discussion with some of the editors at my newspaper resulted in the decision for me to blog my thoughts from across the pond.
This initial post is just to let people know to check the site for stories, reaction and a glimpse of the World Cup through the eyes of a sports writer, and soccer lover, attending this magnificent event as an Average Joe.
I leave for Frankfurt this Saturday to spend two weeks in Deutschland, along with trips to Holland, Belgium and the Czech Republic.
I’ll be attending a pair of the U.S. National Team’s group matches — the opener against the Czechs and the finale against Ghana — and plan to detail my thoughts from both experiences. The blog will also provide insight on the general soccer atmosphere in Germany and the surrounding soccer-crazed European nations.
I will continue blogging through the month-long tournament — I only get to experience half — and will be updating with some thoughts prior to my departure.
You’ll notice the times of these postings appear to be at strange hours. That’s because I have the clock set to Berlin time, figuring it would add another element of perspective to the site.
Enjoy.