Round and Round It Goes

My Trip to Germany: Stuttgart

Stuttgart (3rd Place Game) – Later…

That was awesome.

We got lucky at the Hauptbahnhof and barely snagged a locker for our bags – I had to buy a postcard in order to get change, but whatever.

We got all smart and bought a round-trip ticket on the S-bahn before we read our game tickets – WC ticket holders get free local transport on day of the game. Just when we’d got the hang of it.

We got off one stop early, hoping to hit some fan gear stands. I don’t think the Fan Fest was really near the stadium here, because the crowds were thing and the capitalists were scarce. We did find a T-shirt vendor selling T-shirts 1 for 2Є or 2 for 3Є, so I bought a few with my friend C in mind (her gift request: a cheap T-shirt to rib my mom for calling me “tight” a few weeks ago).

The stadium didn’t open its gates till 6 (kickoff at 9), and we arrived at about 4:30. We shared a beer in a very plain bar outside the gates playing Spanish music, and watched the mullets and rattails go by.

Finally, the gates opened and the fans streamed in. We grabbed some brats and drinks and toured around, hoping for something to look at or do, but food and fan gear tents was all there was. Nothing at all like an American stadium, though it was much better organized: few lines, separate security and ticket checkers, with lockers for bags.


Me in the stadium at Stuttgart (J's pic)

So we bought R (J’s boy) a T-shirt (J finally decided) and I bought a couple of scarves for me and Mom, then headed to our seats. To sit, and wait. For three hours. So, of course, like the extreme geek that I am, I read a book. Hey, I was almost finished.

Waiting...waiting...waiting (J's pic)

Warm-up time, and Oliver Kahn emerges. We got to see the great Ollie Kahn play (he hasn’t played all tournament). It was incredible. Oh how the Germans love that man.

Scheider, Schweinsteiger, Klöse, and Podolski all played. Ronaldo got fearsomely booed every time he touched the ball. Figo came in as a sub. Kahn made some great saves, and Germany had some great runs. I finagled my film in order to get game shots, though I didn’t have any color film fast enough.


J and me at our seats (J's pic)

The atmosphere crackled – we were up and down for cheers and songs. Every player who got subbed had his name chanted affectionately, and Kahn and Klinsman go the loudest cheers of all. Ballack didn’t play, which was understandable but still a disappointment.


The starting lineup (J's pic)

J made friends with the girl sitting next to her, who after the game gave her her scarf (extreme jealousy on my part). The girl gave me a plastic banner, not as cool but still nice.


J with the scarf girl (J's pic)

Fireworks went off after the game, which we couldn’t see from the stadium, to celebrate Germany’s 3-1 win over Portugal. We made our way to the S-bahn, stopping briefly to buy more scarves, then got uneventfully to the Hauptbahnhof.

Now here we are, having a bit in a nearly empty train station restaurant, listening to the drunken celebratory chants, yells, and songs from the station below. Our train for Berlin leaves in an hour…thank Christ we have reserved seats!

Berlin – July 9, 2006


Long, tiring train ride. Drunk kid passed out in the hall outside our compartment on the Stuttgart-Frankfurt train, making everyone climb over and around him to pass. I think I nearly crunched his head, not that he would have noticed.

Hotel this time is farther from the center of things, but closer to the airport. We made it in time to eat breakfast before crashing, but there’s no A/C in the room, so it wasn’t the best of rest days.

Final game in about 3 ½ hours. Allez Les Bleus!

Note: Purchasing a buttload of scarves may have been a cheap souvenir tactic, but damn they take up a lot of luggage space. :/

Go to next Entry: Berlin

posted by Lyle Skains @ 11:48 AM