Berlin

We have just returned from a weekend trip to Berlin with Jesse’s fodbold (soccer) team. Apart from feeling very tired we are also happy to have had the opportunity to take such a trip.

The trip was a soccer trip so most of what we did was soccer related but we also saw some sights and as a result of some difficulties experienced in finding the locations of the games we saw more of the city than we otherwise would have. The first game was against the Union Berlin under 11 team, Jesse was overwhelmed and neither he nor I could believe how good they were, wow. There were several plays I would have loved to watch in replay and these kids are ten? This game was behind the stadium where FC Union play (second division Bundesliga team) so after the boys’ game we headed to the stadium for the match between Union and Karlsruher. We felt a bit nervous because of the police presence outside the stadium, three hours before the game and already the streets were lined with security and police vans with officers in what appeared to be riot gear, I found myself wondering if this was a safe event for kids.

The game itself was fine (0-0), I couldn’t see as well as I would have liked to, but the atmosphere in the stadium was incredible. The majority of the stands are standing room only, and we were included amongst the standing, not so good for kids viewing but probably a part of the reason the atmosphere is what it is, people just don’t get as excited when they are sitting down, but standing up the singing and cheering never stopped. Our kids especially enjoyed the chants as ‘Union’ chanted and sung by Germans at the games sounds like ‘Onion’ to English ears and I have to admit I enjoyed chanting ‘onion’ myself.

After the game we made our return to the hostel in shifts, we had a van that took three trips, and this time we were on the first trip, hovering above us as we made our exit was a police helicopter which prompted many a fan to brandish their middle fingers. The van was only able to make two trips to and from the stadium because a police blockade kept the third group in and the van out. I’m not sure that anything really happened but I guess with a game at 13:00 and plenty of pre-game imbibing there is always potential. I found myself remembering the Vancouver riot and figured that what seems like over the top police presence is maybe just how you avoid such an incident.

I know they look like normal ten year olds, but the boys in white are actually super soccer robots.