A Break From The Old Routine.

So I've had the longest break from the computer since I got here. It's been a refreshing change. And Matt took over my internet obsession with unbeatable enthusiasm. His keen!

I took Matt to the airport yesterday afternoon, after his 12 day visit to the Republic of Korea. It was great seeing each other. Great to share my breaks with him and always have someone to eat with. We didn't get out and about as much as we could have, I couldn't take any days off work but it was still a break from the old routine and my schedule did loosen up a bit whilst he was here.

Maybe the biggest thing we did was go to City Hall in Seoul last Friday to watch Switzerland kick Koreas butt in the World Cup! Despite the lose, it was an amazing thing to see. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets, all dressed in red, wearing red flashing devil horns on their heads and Koreas flag over their shoulders. A mass of people like I've never seen before. At Glastonbury Festival, there are more people but not all in one compact place. The atmosphere was wicked. We found a place to watch one of the massive TV screens, on the wall around the subway, next to the telephone boxes upon which about 7 teenagers perched, and the roofs caved in threatening to give way.



After 2 beers, a sensation occurred inside that I hadn't given any thought to. I really needed a wee! No extra toilet facilities had been provided, I knew this was going to be trouble, but I didn't expect to find a que of 200 people or more! Argh! There was no way I could wait that long, so went on a quick mission to find another loo. Luckily I came across a que of girls which was only about 50 long. Oh to be a lad with a handy gadget! Of course there was nothing else for it, I went to gents, where I met a couple of other foreign girls with the same smart idea, and I only waited 5 minutes, result! After relieving myself I rushed back to my friends, only to find the police had formed a human barrier across the steps preventing anyone else getting through due to the crowds above. With a desperate look in my eye I pleaded with the softest looking policeman there, "chingu, chingu" (friends, friends) pointing up towards the hoards. It worked, of course, I was allowed up, the only person!

The game still hadn't started, people chanted everywhere "Dae Han Min Gook", others danced, took photos of the red sea of people and made friends quickly under the unity of the World Cup.




When the game started, whenever a Korean player had the ball, the crowds cheered. People gave away drinks and food. It was really something. However, energy levels began to drop as the game went on,and the sun started showing its brightness. By 6 a.m. Korea had lost, everyone was tired, people looked at the ground, what an anti-climax!




It was a strange coincidence I observed that night. The Korean team weren't wearing red on that game, unlike the thousands of supporters at City Hall, but instead Switzerland were. I think maybe all that positive energy got confused on it's way to Germany, and the red devils in Korea had their energy tranfered to Switzerland by mistake! It's possible!