13hrs and 20 minutes from the first game of the 2006 World Cup, here is a blog (or rather 34 of them) reporting nearly every detail. There are, of course, many, many, many blogs, leading me to wonder whether this will be the most blogged event in history. Betting markets meanwhile are heavily favoring Brazil. I’ll be watching the Germany v. Costa Rica game at Loreley in the Lower East Side with my friend E.Z. (of German extraction), who dejectedly said, “this is probably the only game we’ll win.” But the mood in Germany appears to be exceedingly festive (potential racist attacks notwithstanding). From World Cup Blog:
Fan Fest Berlin was a blast. The strip that runs from the Brandenburg Gate was full of people, old and young, all out for a good time. Plenty of street side bars and snack places selling bratwurst and other German favorites. In front of the Brandenburg Gate a stage was set up and the acts included Brasilian samba band Olodum, who were perfect for the street festival audience. The atmosphere in front of the Brandenburg Gate was of excitement and anticipation. Up to this point I have not seen many Germans wearing their nation’s colors, but at Fan Fest they started to come out.
One great thing here in Berlin is the civilized nature of life. People are cool and there is not a ‘drunken soccer fan’ mentality, as there is in other countries. Of course people here would like to see Germany win, but they also appreciate good football and are open enough to give credit where it’s due.