Allez! Allez!

Coupe du Monde!

Bonjour à tous! (And happy late Fourth of July to those in America!)

On Friday evening my friends and I met up at the pub to watch the much anticipated World Cup game France vs. Germany. Even though we got to the pub twenty minutes earlier than the actual game, already the place was crawling with people. If two of our friends didn't come an hour earlier to secure a table, we would all have had to watch the game standing. 

Upon entering the bar, I could feel the thick anticipation and patriotism in the air. All around me, people were discussing loudly, throwing out their hands wildly, and constantly tapping the table, as if saying, "Can't we start already?"

On the walls, many French flags ruffled in the breeze that came through the bar's open doors. At the beginning of the game, when the Marseillaise was sung, everyone at the bar started singing (or hollering, really) along with the live broadcast. Being in that atmosphere, it was impossible to not be affected and root for France during the game.

As the game carried on, the crowd in the bar became exponentially a mixture of excitement, anxiety, and tipsy patriotism. Every time the ball even came within sight of the goal, the entire bar erupted into an uproar of "Allez! Allez!" Which is the French version of "Go! Go!" And every time the scoring attempted failed, the invested spectators pounded against the tables, walls, and exploded into booing, cursing, and moaning. During halftime, a band of drummers even came to play outside the bar to hype up the atmosphere, and everyone broke into a wild dance together.

Even though in the end France still lost, I left the bar with good memories. It does not happen every day that one can watch a game in which a country's team is playing in the exact country. All things said, no regrets, and thank you to all the spectators who were there yesterday for the unmatched enthusiasm. 

Keeping my eyes peeled on the last battle for the championship.

xx

Vanessa :]