The final game was to come on at 8:45pm but around 7:30 a storm was brewing and at about 8:00, the sky got dark and a major storm broke out, pelting the whole area in very large hail. People in red, black and yellow were running through the streets after having gathered downtown to watch the game on any number of televisions set up outside. People had to huddle inside bars, restaurants and coffee shops.

The rain seemed to stop after awhile so Marshall and I went for a walk, to return before the last half of the game. We got caught in the second wave of rain just as we turned to head back. People were running around and trying to shelter themselves with large German flags. We were soaked when we got back but then settled in to watch the last half. Spain already scored one goal, Germany had none. And that’s the way it was until the end. Spain was obviously the better team in the match-up but Germany defended itself pretty well. It was fun to watch. While it was sad to see our host country lose the championship title, we were happy for Spain who hadn’t won a trophy in 44 years. Good for Spain.

image via zimbio

Germany is going to play in the finals. The semi-finals game just finished and now everyone outside is marching and singing in the streets.

When the game came on at 8:30, broadcasting from Basel, Switzerland, people were gathered in restaurants, coffee shops, bars or any place there was a tv. There was a huge projector screen set up in one of the plazas in town and tons of people were gathered to watch while waving their German flags. The Irish pub had pulled a tv out into the street for people to gather around and watch, this is the picture. I wandered around town, checking out all the spots until finally ended up on my living room floor to watch the game.

The broadcasting went out a few times and we could hear the crazy lady in the apartment across from us screaming “Neeeeeeein!!!” at her tv and everyone outside screaming. It was a stressful game and the points kept going back and forth till Germany scored the winning goal with less than a minute left.

Now they will go to Vienna to play either Spain or Russia for the title! What an exciting time to be in Germany.

The building next to ours is being completely gutted and redone.  There is a big huge crane out on the front street and then scaffolding all around the building which means guys are walking right past my head on the other side of the wall and working right outside the window, yelling to each other in German continuously.  

Every weekday morning, including Saturday morning, I woke up to the wonderful sound of construction. Very loud and very close.  And usually beginning before 7:00 am.  Waking up to pounding that is literally on the other side of the wall from your head does not make for a pleasant start to any day.  And certainly not on a Saturday.

Every day that I would walk the lakeside trail to and from the office, I would see this swan pair.  Then when spring came, two little fluffy gray chicks appeared.  The family doesn’t stray far from the grassy area right along the lake edge and I still see them each day.  While they sit on the grass right next to pathway where people walk, they don’t like people to linger or get too close. It’s still fun to watch them and I wonder if I’ll get to watch them age throughout the year.