Three months after the World Cup, Germany’s got a new documentary film paying tribute to their football (soccer) team, called Deutschland. Ein Sommermärchen. Last night, we picked up our tickets one hour before the film started and were amazed that no one was at the theater. Normally the theater’s packed on a Friday evening. We thought this would have been a major event for everyone who followed the games (2nd to the big 35M lotto jackpot everyone’s gaga about). Then we realized that this theater caters to English language films. Expats or visitors are the most often seen here. People started arriving 10 minutes before the film started, no doubt they picked up their tickets earlier in the day. Ah ha!

So this was my first german film at the Movies. It was hard to follow because most of the punch lines were at the end of a scene and were basically untranslatable (rewind! rewind!). But I got the gist. Twice the movie-goers clapped when the film ran clips of german goals made against Poland and Argentina. The strongest part of the film was in the locker room after they lost to Italy in the Semi-Finals. It was a cool summary of the WM, but nothing was shocking about it. Just good fun. Can’t wait ’til the next WM 2010.

Well, Darn. Germany lost, but what a game! Both teams were really good, but Italy was always closer with their attempts at a goal. It finally paid off for them in the last 4 minutes of the 2nd half of over time. I can’t imaging playing for 120 minutes with that intensity. So. Last night’s final score 0:2 Italy. I think this game should have been the final, but you never know how the other two teams will fair. Germany will play later in the week for the 3rd place position. So let the ‘European’ World Cup roll on. Go France!

[Edit] My take on ‘Soccer’ (for the sake of USA-icans):
This is a sport I would most prefer to view live and take part in the ‘Mexican’ wave. No. 2 choice: would be among a large group of people in front of the tube and take advantage of the added benefit of watching up close the player’s hairstyles and facial expressions (a downside for American football). Sitting at home and watching a game also has its advantages (e.g. shouting unbecoming profanities and minimal clothing) but it also has its distractions (for the same reasons).

Now that I’ve been introduced to world soccer I find that I really enjoy it. The simultaneous rivalry and friendliness (with some exceptions) between the countries ought to be implement in other world relations. Viewing the respect from teams like Ghana who were just happy to qualify while ending their streak against Brazil gave nations a further glimps that influences are continuing to expand between continents. Africa will be more involved in coming years. Watching how other countries celebrate, singing the same soccer melodies but with different words, different languages, you can’t compare that kind of connectivity.

I know it’s easy to say the U.S. doesn’t have a team that represents the American way, a.k.a. Winning, so why bother. Hey, in the World Cup, winning the game for me was secondary to gaining more knowledge about our neighbors. I can recognize far more world flags than I could a month ago. I didn’t even know what Pelé, or Edson Arantes do Nascimento, looked like before the WC. Yeah, the living legend in world sports, and I was in the dark.

American TV networks may cover other world events, like the Olympics, but show only the U.S. teams with such fervor. Yet, the USA winning the World Cup isn’t going to pique the interest of NBC, ABC, or Fox networks for more than 5 minutes. Making this event a reality for more Americans has to come from the citizens themselves. It should be ‘American’ to have a genuine interest in a world event that happens only 1 time every four years and demand to know a little something about our neighboring countries both near and far.

What’s the harm in asking the barkeeper you want to watch the game with your friends while wearing jerseys either from South Korea, Mexico, or the Ivory Coast? That should be the way to perpetuate freedom. Exchange an apple pie with your trinidadian or angolian fellow human.

With all this great sunny weather, the people of Munich, both visitors and residents, are taking to the streets, parks, riverbanks to soak up some rays. Even on parts that you don’t see exposed everyday in Florida Last weekend was no exception.

No surprise. Germany advanced to the next round in the World Cup and played against Sweden in Munich this past Saturday. Being that I don’t fit the profile for a busty, blonde Swedish milkmaid, I stuck to wearing red and white. Well, close enough to one side more than the other. Yes, there were very many gorgeous busty, blondes to be seen. If Alex can stare, so can I…although it was probably the reverse.

Our plan was to head up to the Olympia Stadion, where the old WC was played in ‘74 and watch the game hosted from the Alliance Arena. The game started at 5 pm we started our trek at 1:30 pm. Bad Idea.

The U3 subway train was sardine-packed with stinky-singing people, mostly men, who were eager to make room for a daring chicklet to enter the subway doors. Someone chants, “Ikea! Whoo-Ohhh!” [Ikea is centered in Sweden, thus the yellow and blue brand logo] I take a liking to this tune and make my own contribution.

So after three stuffed trains go by, news that the line into the stadium is backed into the subway station, and no street map at our disposile to get us there by foot, we give up and head to the Chinese tower. The next best thing to getting into the spirit.

We were told people had started to fill the tables in front of the screen at the Chinese tower around 8 am. What!? With luck and my exposed mid-section, Alex and I managed two seats with out-of-towners just to the left of the screen. We were immediately face branded with black, red and yellow. At times the noise was deafening, one side of the viewing area would start to sing and then our side would follow up. People dressed up to support Sweden would start singing and flag waving and german fans would answer with their own variation of the Beatles’ “We all live in a yellow submarine”:

“Ihr seid nur ein Möbellieferant!”
[eg: You all are nothin' but furniture movers]

German fans would continue with a line variant from the British song, “It’s coming home.”

“Tanken schon die Volvo”
[eg: Fill'er up the Volvo.]
[Saab and Volvo are the only two auto brands to originate from Sweden, hey I didn't know this] The sun beat down upon us for over an hour and finally we discovered we wouldn’t be able to see the game because of the sun and the angle. Since I welded the sun umbrella, I made the decision to head back home and watch the game in the shade, in front of a fan and a cold beer in hand. The first 20 minutes were the highlight with one goal at 4 min. and another at 12 min. The rest of the time we watched Ballack shout profanities after every attempt. The victory shut out Sweden but enough to rush Germany into the next round.