Well, my guess is that by "post-9/11" he means "post-Iraq". But still, I agree with you. Sure, you'll have your 5% of idiots just as you'd have anywhere, but generally I don't expect we'll have any serious trouble. I was in Europe a week before the Iraq war started (when it was obvious it was going to at some point) and encountered no anti-American feelings whatsoever, and I walked around in a sweatshirt with a giant "USA" on the front half the time. In Prague people were buying me drinks right and left once they found out I was American.
I took my 12 year old son to Azteca and had no problems. I'm taking him to Germany also, and I have no concerns. I think it will be the time of our lives, and I'm thrilled we are lucky enough to do it. By the way, in Mexico, a small group started yelling OS-A-MA and the rest of the crowd booed them. The 300 or so Americans responded by yelling "Viva Cortez", and the Mexicans that could hear it were cracking up.
Thanks big boy..... Harp is actually one of favorite beers! (Though one could argue that import drinkers are usually affulent, liberal elitists). Can you believe that only Bud will be served at the World Cup matches?
I really don´t understand why so many Americans think that Germans are "anti-American" only because Bush and Schröder did not agree at Iraq. What´s the hell has Iraq common with soccer? I read a lot of discussion at BS where many of you are afraid that Germans would not treat Ameriacans with respect or that we will be not friendly to you. I´m also German, I like american soccer and I post a lot here at american board. Was I ever anti-american to you? I think all the soccer fans come to Germany because of soccer. And during the World Cup Germany will be one big soccer world. It is sport number one in Germany and the WC is big event for Germany. I don´t think we will have time to think back and discuss Iraq story. We all will be concentrate on soccer only. The official slogan of the WC is " it is a time to make friends"... is that not enough? Who told you that Germans think anti-americans? This is not true!!!. bltleo GERMANY
Adam, thanks i know that you was many times in Germany and in Europe... and you are American...you have positive experiences. I really don´t understand why so many Americans thinks still so negative about Germany?.. Germany is nice and beautiful country ....and the World Cup in soccer will will make with our famous mark "made in Germany"...and this should be guarantee for quality... come to Germany...enjoy Germany! Bltleo GERMANY
NO don´t keep business card in your pocket!. Be proud to be an American, show that you are from America. Why you should have hide your nationality? Be proud!. You have great soccer team that you will support. Show us Germans how friendly Americans are. And we show you how friendly we Germans are!. don´t be afraid of Germany - you have no reason for this I was wondering what about american T.V is reporting about Germany when you are so negative? bltleo Germany
The business card/hotel thing isn't about hiding your nationality. It's about having something on you, so that when they find your maimed, trampled, hooliganized body, they can figure out who you are The USA team doesn't have hooligans, and this would be a very bad place to start.
the USA team has no hooligans...maybe..I don´t know....but I have never heard that USA had hooligans...so It might be true.. regarding business card..it was meant sartastic...i only could not understand and I still can not understand why Americans think we will behave anti-american or unfriendly to Americans? On which arguments Americans do say something like this? only because of this Iraq stuff....it has nothing common with soccer or german people....why we should mix politics here? bltleo GERMANY
Speaking from experience, I don't think it's specifically a case of Americans having cnocerns that Germans would be "anti-American or unfriendly," but more that, in general, Americans might experience some hostility towards them at the World Cup. I attended the 2003 Confederations Cup in France, and was on the receiving end of some nasty comments, but nothing particularly more threatening than that, and to be honest, those instances were just a few occassions. Personally, I'm looking forward to a great couple of weeks, some good German hospitality, a chance to meet fans from all over the world, but like any good traveller in any foreign country, will be alert and aware at all times. The Magpie
I support both German and USMNT team. I´m also glad that we don´t play in one group and we can not meet so soon. So I´m German rooting for your team as well. I can not tell from all Germans. But I myself like USA, your country, your people, your soccer - but many people here know that. But if i go to USA (for me foreign country as well), I will never have concerns or worries about american hospitability. So enjoy Germany. I´m glad that so many Americans will visit Germany. I´m sure many Americans will have much more positive opinion about Germany after they visited our country. bltleo GERMANY
thanks for compliment and for those Americans who are still afriad of german hospitability or german politics or whatever, I will take care of ..but only for those American who stay in Rhine Area - Cologne. I will support USMNT. So I will surely meet few american fans. And I will be definitely nice to them all. Bltleo GERMANY
Wow Radisson. This is the hotel I every day go along. IT is in Köln Deutz, near is train station. It near Cologne traide fair. I hope you get tickets. If you need any information about Cologne, please let me know. I will help gruss from Cologne bltleo Germany
Köln-Deutz is very central....walking distance to famous Dom, to Altstadt (old town city), near are many good restaraunts and bars. By the way in Cologne are very good restaraunts, very famous restaraunts. Also Landon lived here. here is good web-site about Cologne http://www.koeln.de/tourismus/en/ bltleo Germany
Dude you are, like, the nicest guy in the world. Nicer than Tom Hanks even. Seriously though, I hope to meet you in Germany! Jim
oh, I´m not dude...but many know that already...well i usually post at US men only I´m german young lady so i can not be like Tom Hanks.....you need some female actress-name for me hope to see many US fans in Germany bltleo
no problem. Dudette sounds very nice. So back to information for american fans going to Germany. Bltleo Germany
Bltleo- Have you heard of a hotel called the Cityclass Caprice in Koln? I'll be staying there for 4 nights... Considering what they're charging during the WC, I would hope it's really nice/centrally located. Like everyone else, I'm more than a little concerned about the fact that I don't have any kind of ticket confirmation from the USSF as of yet (all my hotels/flights/etc are already booked).
yes I have heard about the hotel. It is more simply hotel, but it is o.k. It is near Cologne Dom, so pretty central. Near is old town city, Rhine river. So very good localated hotel. I´m glad that so many Americans will come to Cologne!!! Maybe we can really organize meeting of US fans in Cologne. I hope you and others get tickets soon. I wish I could help. But I´m not Fifa or USSF. Gruss aus Köln, Cologne Bltleo
Thanks.... You rock the house! It doesn't look too fancy on the website, but the location seems to be pretty much unbeatable.