54, 74, 90, 2006....werden wir Weltmeister sein!

I just got back from a four day jaunt in Germany which has, officially, gone World Cup crazy. Although it was a traitor to my Aussie roots - when you've had a couple of Steins (and some awesome sausages) and are getting in to the German spirit we couldn't help but singalong to this impossibly catchy tune: "54,74,90,2006...we'll become World Champions" - it's the quasi-official chant of the German masses and says all the years Germany has won the World Cup. And just like some of the German pop we know and love, it is incredibly cheesy but very addictive! (better than the English World Cup song! Does Australia have an equally cheesy song? This whole theme song for sporting events thing is unfamiliar to me!)

But rest assured, when the real time comes I will be Green and Gold all over (although all the Germans seem to find it highly amusing that we are in the same group as Brazil - poor little Aussies!). Anyways, Germany was lovely and I caught up with Katrin and my little sister who is living in Tuebingen (near Stuttgart). We went to Nuremburg and got a private tour of the stadium thanks to Katrin's inside contacts and spend the rest of the weekend drinking beer, practising our amateur German skills and eating sausages! After France (where I am going on Saturday) we hope to go back to Germany for a couple of days to experience the "Berg" - the lesser known, but just as fabulous, German beer festival in Erlangen. Although the festival attracts more than a million visitors, and is the second-largest beer festival in Germany after Oktoberfest, hardly any international visitors go there Well I will be representing the Aussie contingent this year!

A couple of pics from Nuremberg:

The adorable German marketplaces I love

Paul in the Schlossgarten (when I was here last year it was minus five and it was covered in snow! this was a little more pleasant)

Paul and his ladies: out and about in Erlangen

Now I am back at work but all is ok because in five days we are off to France for a week cruising the canals of Bordeaux on our own private vessel...the weather is looking brilliant and I can't wait.

BUT, we musn't forget London. Although I have been a little grumpy with London of late (due to the lack of sunshine) we can not bite the hand that feeds us with all it's big-city urban brilliance. A Kiwi guy has been making some poignant observations about his first few weeks in London which are quite amusing - especially the tendency of London men to wear pink (it's true, they're everywhere) and the chocolate (I haven't met one traveller yet who hasn't commented on the fact that the chocolate tastes different here - but most say it's better!). Check out his site here.

Must get back to work - have a lot to do and France is calling!