Fever Pitch

My boss got an invitation from Deutsche Bank to the Fifa World Cup game Germany vs. Poland. He couldn't go, but suggested that - because I had such a difficult season, which ended with my favourite club being relegated to the second league - I should go instead. I LOVE my boss!

For a couple of hours I felt like a vip. And for the first time in my life I had to wear a wrist band that allowed me to go to places not everyone is allowed to go to (not the players' dressing room, though).


The invitation did not just include a ticket, but a whole hospitality pack. This is my loot:


Not in the picture (but in my stomach): Some really nice food and German white wine. All other beverages that are served at the stadiums have to be from the main sponsors. So it's Coca Cola and Anheuser Busch only. For most Germans that is going to be hard. Budweiser is not really what we consider beer.

I did not take my digital camera, because I wasn't sure if it was allowed. But my host did and he promised to send the pictures by mail soon. So for the time being, some crappy pictures taken by a crappy mobile phone camera:

Waiting in posh Nikko Hotel in Düsseldorf for the van to take us to the stadium ... (I don't look very enthusiastic on this picture, but trust me... I was).


Outside the stadium: fans and security


The stadium...


Polish fans in the row in front of us. The one on the right was devasted after the game, but they were all very friendly and congratulated after the match.

Apparently meant to be the German eagle... wearing a football outfit... storming towards the opponent's goal...

Photographers in front of the true vips of the evening: our president Horst Köhler, football legend Franz Beckenbauer and others. Madness.


Blogger is currently not allowing me to upload more pictures; neither here nor in a new post. Shame. Will try again later.