Independence Day.

Greetings, my young American friends!
I hope you all had a wonderful Independence Day.

To celebrate, eight of us enjoyed some tasty Japanese food in Germany...because nothing says Happy 4th of July, like sushi in Frankfurt!

With our first day off, I finally got out to see the sights and taste some local food for my own sort of 'independence day'.  After 11 months of continuous work (OK, it was only 2 weeks), my exhausted body awoke at the crack of 11a.  I started the day with a stroll down Kaiserstraße. That's 'Kaiser Street' to you and me...which is nothing like at like the main street of my childhood Keizer, Oregon.  There is no Bob's Hamburgers or JC's Pizza anywhere here!!!  After 2 weeks over ever-changing weather, summer finally arrived in Deutschland.  I strolled in the sun, enjoying the sights.

Wandering and wondering, I stopped in the Römer area to see the Rathaus. This medieval building in Frankfurt am Main, is one of the city's most important landmarks. It has been the city hall or Rathaus for 600 years.  Lunching at the Haupwache Cafe, I ventured deep into the the local cuisine, trying the Original Vienna Schnitezel with a tantalizing cranberry marmalade. 

Besides being a delightful word to speak, schnitzel is simply breaded meat.  Austrian schnitzel is veal, while the German version is usually pork.  It is served with a slice of lemon and, of course, potatoes.  It seems that potatoes are served with every meal here.  We are getting really tired of potatoes.  As an appetizer, they bring out bread with a few sauces. The first is a white cheese thing. The second is pretty much a runnier version of our Tuna Salad sandwich stuff.  The last is a traditional German Green Sauce, made up of 9 herbs.  It was simply amazing! I tried to inquire of the waitress what it is called locally.  In mediocre English she said, "it is German Green Sauce." I asked for more, "It has 9 different herbs in it, it is German green sauce."  "oh come on! I know I'm just Joe Tourist here, but I'm trying to learn something, I have this blog thing about travel and food and, and ...oh well, never mind"!!!

Today starts the beginning of end with simultaneous games in Group B at 9aPT.  England/Japan and New Zealand/Mexico.  England needs a tie or win to get to Quarterfinals. Japan is already in. Mexico needs to win and make up a 5 point goal differential AND have England lose.

At Noon PT, Group A has Germany/France battling for first place in the group. Canada and Nigeria are both already eliminated.

Land Of Confusion
Did anyone catch that ridiculous situation from the Australia/Equatorial Guinea match? No, I didn't think so. It was on too early and I don't think any of you, except maybe Andy Nelson, are fans of Equatorial Guinea's Women's Futbol team.  Anyhoo, early in the game, Australia had a shot off the post that bounced right to an EQG defender.  She almost controlled it with the top of her thigh, but thought that grabbing it with her hands would be easier.  Easy call, even for that stupid ref who didn't like me in High School. Should be an automatic Penalty Kick, right?  Well, neither the Ref nor Ref Assistants made any call and play continued.  What the??? Who didn't see that?? replays from every angle show a clear handball.  We are still confused about that one.  Post game, the ref said that she "was sorry to have missed that episode".  huh?  Matildas won 3-2 anyway.

Yesterday

After lunch, I ordered a cappuccino (say it with an thick, un-authentic Italian accent, like the lady at the table next to me) and enjoyed the music from the street musician on his accordion (that same bloke in the photo to your right).   After a few songs, I realized that he was playing some classics: Somewhere My Love, Save The Last Dance For Me and Yesterday.  It kinda reminded me of the music compilation commercials I remember from watching daytime TV with my Nana. ' For the low, low price of $14.99, you'll get all the Perry Como cover tunes on LP or cassette' ' but wait! there's more!'

It Takes Every Kind of People.
Moving on, it was a great day of People watching.  Like NY Time's Square, Shanghai's Nanjng Road or Mexcio City's Zocalo, the platz (plazas) of Franfurt offer up all kinds. Tourists, business folk, shoppers, homeless and skateboard kids all make these areas vibrant and cosmopolitan.  Not sure how far I walked, it seemed that there was something new around every corner.  Getting toward the end of the shopping area, it was refreshing to leave the crowds and noise for the serene paths within a greenspace that partially circles the downtown core.

Today's Shout Outs-
Hi to Zop, Frat, TK and the rest of our ESPN MLS crew.
Hello to Rita on her NY adventure!


Daily Døpplégångér DoubleShot-
we noticed striking scowl from the Norwegian coach, much like the cartooon-ish face of Gary Busy!

 

while on the subject of Mr Busey, as we searched the interwebs for his pict, we came across the Busey Family Portrait:

 

The Buseys- circa 1989