RHIAN SOCCER
REPORTS
POSTCARD 3 - LETTERS FROM A CANADA FAN. vs
NIGERIA
Thursday 30th June to Tuesday 5th July 2011
Friday 1st July 2011 (Bochum to Stuttgart to
Warmbron to Black Forest, to Dresden (Nigeria 5th
July)
The loss to France did not seem any better this morning. Rhian
was still upset and just heading out to training. They had a
meeting last night to exorcize demons as well as they can. The
team flies out to Dresden this evening after a practice.
For us, we now head to meet friends in Stuttgart. It is hard
to leave the team in such a gutted and miserable mode. We
checked out and went to the station. We are now old hands at
checking in and finding trains and platforms, and all went
well. We brought water and a sandwich for lunch on the train.
We enjoyed the passing scenery and the beauty of Koln
and its cathedral on the river bank.
Arrival at Stuttgart, and Remo and Heidi, our friends were
waiting at the station. We drove a short distance in the rain,
then parked and set out to explore Stuttgart. We checked out
the central market and then fortified ourselves with a coffee
and cake. We visited a couple of stores, then ambled among
Koenigestrasse, past the 1870 war monument ( “the last war
we won,” according to Remo). We passed the town hall where all
was being set up for the Stuttgart jazz festival and then on
past the Rathaus. In the evening Remo showed us a book
of the devastation of Stuttgart in the war , and as we have
seen before, the city has been wonderfully rebuilt. The rubble
from the ruins was all trucked and deposited on a large, local
hill, which added over 50 m to its height.
The biggest industry here is car manufacture, and not just any
cars: Mercedes Benz and Porsche. This is a car town and the
local joke is “Keep the kids indoors and off the streets so
that the cars can play on the roads.” The car licensing system
is interesting too. Depending on the year, engine size and
emissions check, cars receive their license. A green licence
allows you access to cities, a yellow one less access and so
forth.
We drove to their house in Warmbron, a suburb of
Leonburg, about 20 minutes from Stutttgart. We were
spoiled with a champagne welcome, and an introduction to the
four cats. Heidi and Remo have a wonderfully airy wood and
glass house, overlooking a cornfield. Two horse riders said “Guten
tag,”to Jill as they rode along the path outside. We
enjoyed some excellent barbeque and salads, washed down with
German wine and beer. We talked non stop, before realizing the
time and then fell into a deep sleep.
Saturday 2nd
July 2011
We woke
relatively early and then girded our loins for a visit to
Monbachtal in the Black Forest. This started with a visit to
the local bakery where Remo collected fresh bread buns,
pretzels and loaves. Apparently, these bakeries only open up
for a couple of hours each morning to sell off the day’s
baking produce. Fresh bread every day. Meanwhile, Heidi had
the coffee and tea ready. All in all, a very good start to the
day. We were fortified for our trek in the forest.
The drive was
full of switchbacks and hair pin bends and narrow roads,
interspersed with speedy autoroute driving. Remo drove his
Audi and knows the width and length of his car to precise
measurements. He needs to, when you throw cyclists and
motorbikes in the mix. He notes wryly that the narrow roads
are all part of a plan to get the bigger cars off the road – a
tree huggers’ plan!
With
backpacks and cameras to the fore, we strode off down a trail
Remo had chosen, joining local German families in embracing
nature. However as the families stopped off for barbeques and
playing in the stream, we strode doggedly onward and uphill.
It was a good climb and we looked forward to a beer and
bratwurst when we reached the village at the summit. Of
course, things did not quite materialise this way.
The
restaurants and bars in the village at the top of the trail
were closed for the weekend. Undaunted, we strode our way back
down using a slightly different route. The whole trail was
about eight km long, with plenty to look at including the
mature trees, the river and the paths. It came as quite a
shock to see the warning signs of flash floods up to 30 metres
high. The valley had looked so benign, full of children and
German hikers.
Once
descended, we retired to a bar with an outdoor patio. First
Remo and then it was my turn, hit our heads on the low lying
beams, but then we did receive our reward – cold beers
(alcohol free for Remo the driver) and bratwurst sausage
sandwiches. It is a great combination, as you massage your
calf muscles from all the climbing.
On the way
home we stopped into a supermarket (one might have been
anywhere in the world), to buy more meat for barbequing and
some more salad ingredients. Dinner was delicious and we
looked at family photographs. This was a great day and a good
change of pace. I have mostly forgotten about the last game
against France, but I know that Rhian and friends will still
be beating themselves up about it. The press will not be kind
and will take every opportunity to attack a team that seemed
to be doing so well; it’s just the Canadian way.
Sunday,
July 3rd, 2011
After another
late sleep in, and feeling refreshed, we rose to a sunny day
with more trips to be made. Heidi sent Remo off to the “bakerei”
for more fresh rolls and pretzels for breakfast. Today’s plan
was to visit two small towns that Heidi and Remo know are
having summer festivals this weekend.
We started in
Esslingen, and arrived just as the 10k race was ending in the
middle of the pedestrian walkway. They were announcing the
arrival of a 75 year old man, finishing in less than one hour!
Quite an accomplishment at any age, let alone at 75!
We strolled
through the town admiring the timber buildings, food stalls
and found a place for “kaffee.” The town had avoided
the devastation that more industrialised towns had suffered
during the war and so most of the medieval buildings are still
standing. Remo explained that the ground floor in most of
these structures had been used to keep the animals, the next
floor was for living and cooking, the next for bedrooms and
then finally, the top floor for food storage and provision –
the rats would not climb this high. Also, to save money in
construction, the houses share walls and lean upon each other
for support.
The flea
market had been held the day before so we crossed over the
river to see what was still going on at the festival grounds.
There were pony rides for children and an exhibition and
demonstration by the Search and Rescue dogs. On the way back,
we stopped to watch a dance recital including some very
flexible and athletic children. They looked as young as 6 or 7
and as old as 16, all part of a local dance troupe. The whole
festival is used to raise funds for local teams and
organisations.
We headed
next to Tubingen a University town that specializes in
Sciences and Research in medicine. The church is at the centre
of the university and westrolled around. By this this time we
were in need of sustenance, so we stopped at Neckarmueller,
a café along the Elbe River for lunch. The area is known for
two specific dishes that we decided to try. After moving
tables 4 times we secured the coveted end corner table
overlooking the river! We ordered “flammkucken” which
is similar to a pizza, but made with a tangy white cheese, ham
and red onion. The other dish is called ”maultaschen”
which is rather like large ravioli square filled with spicy
meat. These were invented when the workers, who were not
supposed to eat meat on Fridays , hid their spicy meat in the
pasta shells. While Keith quaffed a beer, Jill sipped
elderflower cordial.
We watched
the University students “punt” boats up and down the river and
just enjoyed the sunlight. We hiked up through the main square
to the Schloss (Castle) Hohentubingen built in1050 to
look over the town and river. The castle has the distinction
not only of having been part of the Hanseatic League, but in
the castle kitchen DNA was discovered. At the schloss
we actually met tourists for the first time on this part of
our journey. Many tourists don’t know about, or just don’t
come to Tubingen. They prefer the better known
University town of Heidelberg. The hour was late by the
time we headed back to Warmbronn – Close to 6:00 pm.
We sat
outside admiring the sun and the idyllic setting of the farm
and cornfields and it is hard to believe that we are headed to
Dresden tomorrow. We ate light and late, and headed to bed as
we have to be up at 6:00 to leave by 6:30 for Stuttgart. Rhian
telephoned in the afternoon and we arranged to meet tomorrow
in Dresden. She sounds less depressed, but it will be hard to
motivate the team for what will be a hard game against
Nigeria.
Monday 4th
July 2011 Dresden (vs Nigeria Tuesday 5th July.)
Everyone was up early at 6:00 am for the trip to the station
and Remo sped expertly through the traffic to drop us off in
time. They both have to return to work after dropping us off.
To make our airline connection we have to travel to Frankfurt
on the way to Dresden, but we navigate the trip without too
many problems. We arrive late and opt for a taxi to the hotel
which is out in the west end of the city. Our taxi driver lets
us know what he thinks about women playing football, but we
sit there meekly.
The hotel is good and we see that the Tancredi party, the
Leblancs and the Mathesons are all staying here too. We unpack
and receive a text from Rhian arranging to meet for a coffee.
We opt to use the streetcar, which leaves from just around the
corner, and it is a ten minute ride to Postplatz, the
depot. Unfortunately, we get off two stops too early and have
to walk to find Rhian. At least she stands out in red in a
crowd.
We decide on lunch rather than a coffee and enjoy some quality
time with Rhian. She is still upset and who can blame her.
When she returns to her Maritime Hotel a few minutes walk
away, we leave to make a reconnaissance of the city. It is
beautiful – “The Florence on the Elbe.”
Tuesday 5th
July 2011
Another game
day and the match against Nigeria looms for this evening. It
will be a late affair at 8:45 pm, under lights, and rumour has
it that the Nigerians have been promised large financial
rewards if they win. However, the game is late and while we
wait; we have plenty to do.
We text Rhian
and arrange to meet up with Per, Mari and Anita in Starbucks
at the Altplaz at lunch time. We arrive eventually
after a short streetcar detour, and we head for the Zwinger
palace. It really is magnificent, even if swarming with German
tourists,. In the gallery rooms there are Canoletto grand
masters and Dresden porcelain and outside there are beautiful
fountain areas like the Nymphs bath. We wander through to the
Opera house and Theatrestrasse to Schloss Kanzeie
for coffee. We even did some shopping – Essen steel knives and
trendy scarves.
By 1:00
pm we were at Starbucks ready for our rendezvous. But of
course, as we found put later, Per, Mari and Anita were at the
other Starbucks nearby. We had already seen the Tancredis go
by, but now we were joined by the Mathesons and Rhian and
Diana eventually picked up the missing Norwegians and we all
met at the Altmarket.
Per
Kristiansen was Rhian and Diana’s one time manager with Team
Strommen in Norway, while Mari is a team mate at LSK and runs
an excellent Club website for the Club which is now called Lillestrom
Soccer Klub (LSK Kvinner). We had a great conversation
with the whole group, and enjoyed a good laugh at hearing of
Rhian’s attempts to ship her accumulated baggage from Italy
and Germany back to Canada. Rhian, Diana and KK are heading
off, after the game, for a few days holiday by rental car. She
is trying to ship back clothes, shoes and books with any
relative and friend she can find. It will take her an eternity
to round it all up again in Canada!
With the
girls heading back for
game preparation, we continued on our
way, first stopping for tapas at the Barcelona café.
Then it was on to the riverside and thence to the
Frauenkirche. It is extraordinary how this whole medieval
city has been rebuilt from the “moonscape” it resembled at the
end of the war. My mind keeps returning to Kurt Vonnegut’s
novel Slaughterhouse Five, and the immorality of the
Allies bombing a beautiful city, the “Florence on the Elbe,”
which had no war – related industry. Photographs of the city
in 1945 just take the breath away, while looking at how well
the city has been rebuilt, allows one to breathe again.
At the end of
our walk, we collected Rhian’s worldly goods (or at least, our
share of them), from her hotel, and trammed back to our own.
After a brief recovery time, we climbed in to our Canada
paraphernalia again, and set off by tram, to Rudolf Hartig
stadium. Rhian and Diana say that the team has to win this
game “for themselves. “
Unfortunately, the win did not happen. Canada started well,
but the Nigerians are big, fast and strong. We were outweighed
and out muscled for most if the game. Christine Sinclair was
bundled off the ball with quadruple marking, and the rest of
our forwards could not do the job. The defence lacked pace on
the left flank, and the Nigerians continually exploited this.
Having said this, the Canadians were 0-0 at the half and they
did come close several times. Mind you, the Nigerians hit the
woodwork several times too.
Then came the
black out – the floodlights failed and the stadium was pitched
into inky blackness There was a long delay, and the players
had to remain on the field. Twenty minutes later the lights
came back on. But, Canada had lost some focus and the
Nigerians scored almost immediately. Canada was behind again
and tried everything, but they could not score.
We went home
by tram at 11:00 pm and were thoroughly depressed and upset
for Diana and Rhian and the whole team. Then we found out
that the trams stopped running at 11:30pm. Fortunately, we
managed to flag down a cab.
Sleep will
not come easily.
