changing sheets

I've missed, by only a few hours, to mention the first anniversary of this glorious blog. The first post saw the darkness of near complete disregard on 5 July of last year. As it is, there is reason to celebrate, but my writing has nothing to do with it.

Yesterday, I got back from Germany where I spent one week in and around Frankfurt soaking up World Cup atmosphere. And what an atmosphere it was! It was hard for me to believe that I was in Germany, the country where pessimism, morosity and mental self-flagellation are higher virtues than punctuality, productivity and neatness.

This time I only saw cheerful faces, oftentimes painted in black, red and yellow. I was surrounded by singing, flag-waving masses professing their love for their country (by proxy of its national football team). The team, at the same time, reciprocated with its creative, inspired and offensive way of playing.

After the (deserved) last-minute loss to Italy two days ago, the mood didn't change much. All were sad after the game, many cried and some took their flags down. But the next morning, the same exuberance as before permeated the streets. The players and especially the coach were praised and everyone was looking forward to the last few games of this World Cup and, with quickly adjusted sight, to South Africa in four years.

As I said, Germany 2006 gives plenty of reasons for celebration. But it also stirred in me the desire to return to the country that presented itself so differently from how I knew it. I'll have to figure out my options over the next months. But first I'll have to hang up my French flag and continue cheering for football. Allez les Vieux!