FAN FEST FRANKFURT
(vienna - frankfurt)
Today was not my first time driving on the Autobahn in Germany.
However, for anyone who doesn’t travel these highways on a daily basis, playing Gran Tourismo really is about the best way to prepare onesself for what they can expect to encounter. The two and a half hour trip across Austria in our slick, new, rented Fiat was a piece of cake. But just after crossing the German boarder was when things got interesting…
I really must first acknowledge the quality of the roads and roadsigns, as well as the organization and understanding the drivers seem to have among eachother – it’s quite impressive! And it is not the free-for-all the some people seem to think it is, with a complete absense of speed limits and disregard for safety.
That said – aside from certain zones on the road (construction areas, near on/off ramps, tunnels, etc), there really just aren’t any restrictions on speed! Go ahead – try and find a sign posting the speed limit! But while you’re looking, stay clear of the left lane, that’s the one where people blow by you at 190km/h, before you even have time to admire their Audi, BMW, Merc, VW… (the only 4 cars allowed on the road in Germany!).
Our quest for football glory had us traveling to Frankfurt, the city hosting what was probably the biggest matchup of the first round – Holland v. Argentina. We could tell we were getting close when every time we stopped for gas/food/bathroom, we saw car or busloads of fans with flags and jerseys, and either bright orange or lightblue and white facepaint!
We arrived in Frankfurt in the early evening, and were greeted by our gracious host Martin, a friend of Babsi from Austria, who is living and working in Frankfurt.
(A quick side note to all my friends from germany whom said how ugly or boring Frankfurt is... you all are WAY off! from my observations, it seems to be a very vibrant and modern cosmopolitan city with a lot of excitement and energy. I now understand its knickname "Mainhattan"!)
Where to watch the game was not even a decision – the whole world decended on the Main River in central Frankfurt.
Hustling to get there, and arriving just before kickoff, I have NEVER seen anything like what we came upon.
Both sides of the river were completely packed with supporters of both countries. The bleachers on the north side of the river were packed to capacity, and even standing room was nearly impossible to find! The gigantic screen was visible from both banks of the river.
We watched from a mixed Argentina/Netherlands section, and were probably much better off with the 0-0 scoreline! The result was almost totally irrelevant as far as the 40,000 fans were concerned. Both camps were no doubt glad to be advancing to the second round, but everyone was completely buzzing with excitement just to be a part of it all. The partying began immediately at the sound of the final whistle, and went well into the night! People singing and dancing to the massive drums, Argentinian fans waving Dutch flags, orange clad Dutch supporters jumped right into the Argentinian congo lines, fans of other nations waving their flags and celebrating with everyone else. Forget being in the stadium, this is where it was at! For anyone who has ever wondered why they call it the Beautiful Game - here was your answer. Personally, I can say with certainty, that I have never in my life had this much fun around football. This one night was worth the trip! It was just amazing...
Today was not my first time driving on the Autobahn in Germany.
However, for anyone who doesn’t travel these highways on a daily basis, playing Gran Tourismo really is about the best way to prepare onesself for what they can expect to encounter. The two and a half hour trip across Austria in our slick, new, rented Fiat was a piece of cake. But just after crossing the German boarder was when things got interesting…
I really must first acknowledge the quality of the roads and roadsigns, as well as the organization and understanding the drivers seem to have among eachother – it’s quite impressive! And it is not the free-for-all the some people seem to think it is, with a complete absense of speed limits and disregard for safety.
That said – aside from certain zones on the road (construction areas, near on/off ramps, tunnels, etc), there really just aren’t any restrictions on speed! Go ahead – try and find a sign posting the speed limit! But while you’re looking, stay clear of the left lane, that’s the one where people blow by you at 190km/h, before you even have time to admire their Audi, BMW, Merc, VW… (the only 4 cars allowed on the road in Germany!).
Our quest for football glory had us traveling to Frankfurt, the city hosting what was probably the biggest matchup of the first round – Holland v. Argentina. We could tell we were getting close when every time we stopped for gas/food/bathroom, we saw car or busloads of fans with flags and jerseys, and either bright orange or lightblue and white facepaint!
We arrived in Frankfurt in the early evening, and were greeted by our gracious host Martin, a friend of Babsi from Austria, who is living and working in Frankfurt.
(A quick side note to all my friends from germany whom said how ugly or boring Frankfurt is... you all are WAY off! from my observations, it seems to be a very vibrant and modern cosmopolitan city with a lot of excitement and energy. I now understand its knickname "Mainhattan"!)
Where to watch the game was not even a decision – the whole world decended on the Main River in central Frankfurt.
Hustling to get there, and arriving just before kickoff, I have NEVER seen anything like what we came upon.
Both sides of the river were completely packed with supporters of both countries. The bleachers on the north side of the river were packed to capacity, and even standing room was nearly impossible to find! The gigantic screen was visible from both banks of the river.
We watched from a mixed Argentina/Netherlands section, and were probably much better off with the 0-0 scoreline! The result was almost totally irrelevant as far as the 40,000 fans were concerned. Both camps were no doubt glad to be advancing to the second round, but everyone was completely buzzing with excitement just to be a part of it all. The partying began immediately at the sound of the final whistle, and went well into the night! People singing and dancing to the massive drums, Argentinian fans waving Dutch flags, orange clad Dutch supporters jumped right into the Argentinian congo lines, fans of other nations waving their flags and celebrating with everyone else. Forget being in the stadium, this is where it was at! For anyone who has ever wondered why they call it the Beautiful Game - here was your answer. Personally, I can say with certainty, that I have never in my life had this much fun around football. This one night was worth the trip! It was just amazing...
Brennilein - 21. Jun, 21:07
