I'm Baaa-aack.....

Well folks, I am back at home, safe and sound. I made it, thanks to a little hope and a lot of luck and a wonderful loving mother. My departure was bitter sweet. I had the most amazing time of my life, my blog cannot even describe it. When ever I get a chance, or if you see me out I will gladly share more amazing stories with you.
I learned a lot of things and met a lot of great people, I have tons of photos some of which I will post, I am still trying to figure out what to do with the photos and videos, truly amazing. I will definitly do something cool and get them to you all this I promise. Allow me briefly to highlight differnt parts of my experience.

Food & Drink
Those of you who know me well know I LOVE food. I ate a lot of sausage, drank a lot of beer (In a nutshell). The Doner (Doh-ner) was a staple in my diet as well.
There is a difference between the exported beer (Our import)and the local, in Holland and Germany, it is called Reinheitsgebot (German Purity Law) adopted in 1516, the oldest provision still enforced to protect the consumer. Beer is not made with preservatives and has a short shelf life. The taste is phenominal.

Nightlife
The most amazing mix of music was in Holland, truly beautiful Afrikaan, Carribean, Latin, Lebaneese and Turkish just to name a few. Cool clubs, They don't sleep in Berlin at all. I went to this club called (in english) old school, It was an old school and had the dance floor in the old emptied pool..... awesome.
Amsterdam is great, aside from the "Popular" attractions it was a pretty funky place, a MUST see in europe.

Culture
What can I say, I was in Europe. Culture is like Alcohol here, smooth and flowing.
I saw some cool things in Berlin, remebering the country's rough times like the World war. I saw the Jewish museum and was almost brought to tears, beautiful but you also remember why it is there. Evrey where was so rich in culture and history but I think Berlin was my favorite for those reasons.

People
I met the nicest people in the world! (And some really bad ones as well). But friendliness and gererosity were in the air where ever I went. I met some friends who I plan on staying in contact with, and definitly meeting with again.

Football
The reason for the trip. I found a new love for this sport, more than I could ever imagined. The beautiful game....it really is. The passion, the glory and the sorrow.
You see all of these everywhere you go, in a bar, in the airport, in the street and of course at the events, and especially at the games. I saw a World Cup match and have the ultimate souvinier, My ticket to My game. I loved every minute of it and could not hold back my excitment dispite not sleeping. It is a must for all football fans. To hear the songs and chants with the music and dance combined with the passion, Can truly be an emotional experience. I'm glad I had it.


I will send out photos and update this blog with photos later this week, please check back to see these. Till then, enjoy the World Cup...


Richie.
richyt21@hotmail.com

I'm still here.....

Not by choice...there was an incident, and to make along story short, I am still in Germany trying to get home. Just incase I am not back when expected I am OK, alive and completely exhausted.
Last night it took 5 hours to find a place to stay. On top of the whole FIFA thing..there is a conventioin in town. My Canada jacket, and the love for football saved me. A Cab driver charged me €20 to drive me all night to find a place, he loves Canadians. IT would have cost me over €100. At a hotel I started talking the guy behind the desk, and he loved my love of the game and made a few calls, apparently fully booked is just hotel talk for, no rooms available unless you work for a hotel. He hooked me up at €175. I know...but it was that or the streets and there were some bad things going on outside where I was...I still have to write my final blog and update my posts with photos. I have no choice but to stay positive,
this was the trip of a life time for me. And I would do it again in a heart beat.
Everything happens for a reason, I'm not sure why this happen, but, I came, I saw, I experienced....

I will be home when I can......but at this point it is up in the air.

FIRST ROW! TRI -PAR

I DID IT! I landed a first row ticket to the Trinidad vs Paraguay game.
My luck changed when I met these guys in the train station in Manhiem (great group of football lovers) and was on the train to the game, I needed tickets, and just went along to see what I could do, The had an extra but it was 50% spoken for but the chance was good enough for me. It didn't work out, I was crushed I thought it was my last chance...just then I asked a random guy if he was selling tickets. First row!!! At ticket value €100. I was still a bit, so so on this it was too good to be true. I ran into a crew from winnipeg, (Shout out to DP) and we enjoyed the pre agme festivities. AT The gate my ticket would'nt scan! I was so close to tears, no joke I came so far for this and it was my last chance, I was sold a fake ticket. The person at the gate said oops...upside down. It scanned I gave him a huge HUG, as I enterd the stadium the cheers and chants got louder, I walked down the hall and enterd the stadim seating. Unbelevable, I'm still in shock.
The end result was not what we hoped for but the experiance was great, Trinidad gear is pretty much sold out in Germany, what is left is going for top dollar.
We partied the night away after in this wierd bar, they take your photo then give you a scan card and you buy your drinks with that and pay at the end...deadly.
I slept in a van....my clothes were at the station and that was the only other option than the street. I may be on my way home soon, I have some good offers for free tickets here but.....

I am off to catch another train here in KlÖn (Cologne) wicked palce, a must for traveling to Germany
Well I did it, I'm sooo wiped and I miss my bed.

Stay tuned....


I got in to a World cup Game!!!!!

Ahhhhhhhhmsterdam.......

I am here. Amsterdam is a great place, lots to see and lots to do.
Lots of Bicycles...lots of RED LIGHTS (Wink,wink)
My hostel is pretty cool, I'm hanging with bobby from Van city,
(you know how they do). I love Amsterdam, this is a must for absolutly everyone, soo cool , rich in history an culture....It is just a fantastic city.
Still amist all the naughty little things lurking around you (Everywhere...) find......football fans. True to the core. I got a video of the Mexicans and the English have a chant off, so much football chants and song. It's like litte Mexico over here, tons of them. Having a blast, tom,orrow mornign, I leave Holland, on to Germany and.......

Richie.....the last stand.

This is it, tomorrow I make my last attempt for Tickets...Pray for me, cross your fingers, send me a sign...... TRI-PAR....Go Trinidad go. I may have a lead for tickets...I don't know if I willl get to Blog before I get back but I will try,
Keep checking...But If not I will finish it then. But for now...I will do my best to let you know if I get a ticket.

Peace.

Rotterdam

Well I got a hold of my family here, for the second time this trip I met family I have never met before. Very cool, Rotterdam is awesome. I've never seen ANY place as multi-cultural as here. So mady different races and mixes of races, I would'nt even know who is the minority here! (probably me.....Canadian) Everyone her uses a bike to get around, I have some cool shots of the bike racks here TONS of bikes, bikes even have thier own roads here. Architechture is beautiful here too.
Cousin Denis met me at the train station after I got a hold of him. This guy is pretty connected in town here, him and his crew they either own the business, or know someone who does. Football fever is crazy, everywhere here is Oranje We watched the USA - ITA match here, The streets are almost dead until after the games.Then the light switch goes on and everyone comes out, Dutch is a wierd language, some people talk to you in dutch even if you don't understand. soo funny.
They love to party here, did I mention that Denis is like 50?
Him and his wife toook me out last night till 4am,(Early cause he had to go to work this morning?) With the mix of people here the clubs play a lot of world music,
pourtugeese,spanish,surinamese,afrikaan. It is really cool to dance to.
Now I'm chillin with the boys; Sean-Paul (10) and Roberto (19), Street futsal and football is HUGE here, we are going down to the pitch to play for a bit.
Good thing I brought my Nike Total 90 365 street footbal shoes. Can't wait.

Anyway I'm off to Amsterdam soon after football sooooo.....see you later.
We will TALK again.

Holland it is.....

I'm in Rotterdam now, trying to get a hold of my family here. Last night we turned Berlin upside down, hit up some hip hop clubs and a few euro-trash clubs. It was a pretty cool experience. This morning was not fun, as I got back to my room at 6:30am
and I had to leave by 8am...not fun at all. Damn these German bars and clubs. They never close, people drink here from monring to night!! It was a sad goodbye with my non-ticket holding friends, I am truly going to miss them.
Nikolas had the most amazing thing happen to him, he spent a year in Mexico city 8 years ago.He had some friends that he had lost contact with since then. He actually walked into them on the street! (The power of the cup) it was very cool to see.
By the end of the night there were just 2 Boris and I,
we have all made tentative plans to watch a match together somewhere in the next few years, and the next world cup. Boris is moving to Viena and Nikolas is moving to Barcelona, I am going back to Winnipeg.

I'm not meeting as many Canadians as I thought I would, but still a fair amount of them, my last encounter was in Duisberg (I spent the day there), I met Jeff from T.O.
once a baseball and hockey lover now devoted football fan, that's what I like to see.
It's footballl fever, there is no cure! Anyway I should try to find my family or a place to sleep tonight, or maybe head right to Amsterdam...only time will tell.

Richie...

Berlin day #2, Holland 2 Ivory Coast 1 Rich 5

Holland, the Rain and Coca-Cola
You'll see why I got extra points! read on....

Today I went to the FIFA fan zone at the Brandenberg Gate (So cool...google it).
I watched the Holland Ivory coast game there withmy new pals....In the pouring rain.
I mean POURING! Like......a monsoon! I kid you not, it was pretty bad.
over 400,000 PEOPLE! It was cool to see all the Dutch fans out, me being one of them. I got stopped by a camera crew....they were shocked that I was canadian, aparently I look really dutch, which explains why this whole trip people keep speaking in dutch to me. Anyway they were filming a Coke commercial for the fanzone and they picked me to be in it. There were about 100 other auditions throuout the day. I made it. So my commercial was broadcast on the jumbo-tron in front of all these people in the rain and I got pretty famous cause of it,people took lots of pictures with me, I really don't know how these things happen to me but they do, I kid you not. It was pretty cool. The Dutch fans were great the were so happy to see other countries supporting them, Ivory coast were good losers, the gave me hugs and kisses and wished me (and Holland) good luck with tears in thier eyes......You couln't help but get emotional too, This trip is really opening my eyes to a lot of things, I wish you all could experience this.
Well it's my last night in Berlin and I'm going clubbing with a Croatian and a Peruvian, my crew from the other night and today. I leave tomorrow to Holland.....or Croatia not sure yet.......As long as I'm back in Germany on the 20-21 so I can try my luck with T&T Vs Paraguay. Berlin is great it is an amazing city with great people.
I leave in the morning regardless where I go. I will take you all with me.

Richie is out.....till next time!

Berlin Day#1

Sweden 1 Paraguay 0 Richie 2

The train ride in we nice Germany is so beautiful, I love it. You'd be surprised how much German you can pick up in a small time. My hostel was said to look like a space ship in it's description online. Funny, it looks more like a building in person......
but who am I to judge? I've never seen a space ship.
I was un successful in finding tickets for Sweden V Paraguay. I managed to befriend some other non Ticket holders from around the world.
Boris - Croatia, Nikolas - Peru, Pierre - France, und Hans from Germany.
We watched it from a few blocks away with the Swede's on an outdoor movie screen...Ah the Swede's.....
We went to a place where ther were at least 10,000 Swedes after the game! party was insane....
I'ts 5:50am now, and the party is still going...I just walked in.My Hostel is in one of the party districts. When Sweden won....I never seen of felt anything like that in my life!
I was at game 2 of the NBA W.Conference finals a few years ago when the T Wolvews beat the lakers, I was in Edmonton when the Oilers won in game 5, compared to this, those were like going to church. The parties were peacefull, not out of contorl. It is tough not to get overwhelmed by things, I feel so fortunate that I am here. Meeting other footballers and fans a like.People celebrating and sulking together.
So powerful, the passion involved, the songs and chants, the beer.....
Because we were supporting the Swedes, we were made honorary Sewdes in a brief ceremony by the intoxicated fans. When Lundberg scored...People cried, had random make out sessions and cheered. I love it here. Did you know that you can drink beer anywhere? ANYWHERE! Bizzare, I tried Mango beer for the first and last time tonight. I met the team from Paraguay tonight by chance, I stopped and asked for directions at thier hotel. No Pics of that, I forgot my Sweden hat on and I was propmtly escorted out for MY own safety???? I'm leaving so much out, so much to say...Pictures say a thousand words....Eating lots of currywurst saussages,
and sourkraut. Food here is great , the city is a lot more multi-cultural than I expected. eveyone is so nice and helpfull. Any way time for bed.....

Still no tickets... Trying for tickets in Kaiserslauten for Trinidad Paraguay.

My no-ticket holder support group is meeting tomorrow sometime, I need to go to bed.


Richie,


Pardon the spelling it is really late and I am having trouble staying awake to much everything.....

Dusseldorf : GER-1 POL - 0 RICH -1

I made it to Dusseldorf, despite crazy traffic in Leeds. Some very nice people helped me find my Hostel, they really went out of thier way, it was very nice to see and experience.
I watched the first half of the Germany Poland game in the Airport and the last 15 mins at some pub on the street. Germany WINS! It got Crazy here! After some Bratwurst, I hit the streets. The Clubs were absolute madness, I hit up 4 of them.They LOVE canadians here, I also got allot of support for Trinidad as well...Back to the Celebration, the streets were crazy with young and old, families, friends and of course hooligans. It was nice to experience.
I saw a little boy, face painted holding on to his grandfathers hand, celebrating with people from Poland. I don't mean to get mushy, but this was a great reflection of the spirit of world cup. The love for the game is truly amazing here. I can't explain it but you can actually feel it. There are a lot of Trinidad supporters here,
Germany first Trinidad second. It is truly amazing, I still cannot belive that I am here!


I need to get to bed now...off to Berlin in the Morning!

Bangers and Mash

Had Bangers and mash, sounds better than it really is....I was kinda stressed about the whole not really knowing about Germany thing so I had a few pints of lager.
For those of you who have never experienced an english pub, you absolutly must! I had lunch with the Jamacians today, they are huge Trinidad supporters, any way driving was fun last night,after that we just chilled.

This post is all over the place......
I bought Electronics from a place called "Boots" and shoes from a place called "Radio".......

I'm of to the happiest place on earth...FIFA Land...
Next stop Duseldorf,Germany....

England

Well....I made it...so far,flight was nice, food was very good.It took me 26hours to get here! That includes a 6 hour bus ride (Never again....) from London to Huddersfield, which is where I am now, in an internet cafe above a KFC, it is like an oven here.

My first order of business here was food. Fish 'n Chips and bits to be exact! with curry sauce, and a side of chicken Masala. Amazing. The weather is beautiful (27 celcious), Yesterday I got caught outside in a crazy storm outside the bus station. I was not happy.
After that I had my first driving lesson in England. Pretty strange and kinda scarry, but that is the theme of my trip. Today I get to drive Carol home from work!
I'm on my own today, Cousin Carol is at work, and Rico and Omari are at school. Football fever is insane over here, all merchants are strongly encouraged to sell England gear very cheap so that the whole country can support. Very nice.
And the football shops her are to die for! People are pretty cool, although I don't know what most of them are saying....I had a wierd experience yesterday, a man came up to me SO excited that I was wearing a Dutch football jersey, he shook my hand and gave me a hug. As you may have guessed he was from Holland and was very excited to see a Canadian Dutch supporter.

Tomorrow I leave for Dusseldorf, Gemany at 6pm. I'm still working on a place to stay there, then off to the current football Mecca......BERLIN! 2 days, No match tickets yet......

http://www.world66.com/europe/germany/northrhinewestphalia/dusseldorf


Congrats to Rave SC and Kildonan Cav's on thier Victories...!


Take care till next time.......

photo

First Blog

Can't sleep, leaving in 2 days, not even packed.