To be honest, the day hadn\’t started too well. The Germans had had almost picked the breakfast buffet clean by the time we got there but, to be fair, at least they hadn\’t put towels on all the dining chairs. Still, we left a little hungry but more troubling we were almost out if Reals and still hadn\’t figured out how we were going to get across town to the stadium which we knew was at least an hours car ride away. Thankfully, Wilton, the duty desk clerk, who has the best English we\’ve encountered this trip called the money exchange guy for us and arranged for the German filled bus to pick us up at the hotel at noon. So all was good.
Leaving the heart of Fortaleza City behind, we passed by the residential neighborhoods. Looking at the small humble homes you could appeciate the people\’s concern at the cost of the World Cup when living standards left so much to be improved. Still; the town had turned out to watch as the procession of buses went past and we were sure the children that ran behind the bus would always remember the day the World Cup came to town. As we dismounted the bus to walk the last 1/2 mile to the stadium the local people, the street vendors and stadium workers seemed genuinely please to see the visitors from all over the world, I don\’t think the pride in their eyes was imagind as they welcomed us to their city.
The last 1/2 mile could have been the walk to any other stadium in the world on match day. Well except it was 30C and sunny.
My mind went back to Saturdays at Somerset Park watching Ayr United as a small boy and I couldn\’t resist a chuckle. Well except for the weather, AND the congregation of nations from around the world. I mean, you know it\’s the World Cup, but somehow I wasn\’t prepared for so many different nationalities. And what chance to find myself, a Scot, in line with two London boys and a couple from Costa Rica who, yesterday, had eliminated the English from the Cup.
It was all in good nature…honest! Well, it was just like any other stadium walk, except for the weather, the congregation of nations AND, the Budweiser pre match event showing the Argentina: Iran game on big screen TV\’s
Would we have been so interested in that game otherwise. Surprisingly the crowd was for Iran. Most were Brazilian and I learned that Argentina is to Brazil as England is to Scotland. Not ABE but ABA -anybody but Argentina!
And then we were in. The stadium was magnificent and you barely noticed that only half of the glass facia panels had been attached. Or perhaps the architect intended to leave it with that unfinished look. And again there were several grains of understanding for the locals entering this amazing structure when investment may be better made in schools, roads amd hospitals.
For us it was a surprisingly emotional moment, Life long soccer junkies, to descend the steps to the 10th row behind the corner flag at the World Cup in Brazil (for gawd sakes Dave, we\’re in Brazil) watching the Germans warm up to the sound of thousands of their singing countrymen was oddly moving. Even if it was the Germans.
We had intended to support Germany as a win for them would eliminate Ghana increasing the USA chance of progressing. But even though there were few Ghanaian\’s in the stadium we forgot about the neutrals. We were surrounded by Brazians, Italians, Argentinians, Colombians and more.
(the guy above worked unsuccessfully for 10 mins to get a Mexican wave going – we couldn\’t get it past the Germans. No sense of humour).
And as the game progressed and the Ghanaians stayed strong, it was the Ghanaians who got the neutral support. Wrapped up in the day, we were suddenly screaming with 40,000 other neutrals for Ghana. And when they scored to take the lead the place went crazy!
But in the end even the Germans we talked to on the ride back to the hotel agreed that a draw was a fair result.
But now this group is very interesting as all four teams still have the potential to progress. The USA: Portugal game, which we\’ll watch in the Fortaleza fan zone tomorrow, will now be even better.
Apart from these two aging geezers. the city partied late into the night with anyone showing even a hint of Ghanaian color received with chants of Ghana Ghana Ghana.
I fell asleep to the sounds of horns tooting and crowds cheering – and, strangely enough woke from a deep satisfied sleep many hours later to the same sounds. Perhaps it\’s always like this in Fortaleza!
What! Scotland Qualified!!! 
Think you missed your calling as an author..really enjoying reading about your dream trip..keep it coming..
I am sooooo enjoying this blog! Hugs to you and Dave – or should I refer to you two as Big and Little Spoon?