WWC19 USA v ENGLAND Semifinal, pre/pbp/post

I woke up this morning thinking it could be a comment on the German team receiving tea sets from their FA for winning the world cup!

 

This has got to be the biggest joke of the conversation. Poor Brits seem to as unsophisticated and unclassy as anyone else. English young men abroad are generally considered to be the worst behaved and most (wait for it) arrogant travelers in the travel world. And, the thugs that are neatly compartmentalized as "hooligans" appear to me to be men in their 40's and 50's with well-paying jobs.

I know you were joking, and I hate to reply harshly. I just find the English self-congratulatory "we have class" thing to be funny.

 

I have a number of English friends but your basic assessment of the English "attitude" is more than a little correct.

I have lived for more than six months in 15 different countries (and a couple of territories) and the least pleasant, even including Mexico City's polluted environs, was the year I spent in England. The people were unfriendly and the food was almost tasteless.

Even in China many years ago when the repression was at its max the people and the officials were more friendly and much more open to other people than the best I found in England.

People in England were just too self absorbed to even be bothered helping or giving directions to a foreigner even though we supposedly speak the same language. In China, several times, people on the street would even run and get an English speaker to help me find where I needed to go. Although they were to afraid to even attempt any real conversation when out on the streets.

England seems to be the home of the snobs. In no way do the English have any general justification for accusing anyone of "arrogance" because they have pretty much cornered the market.

 

France makes up for their arrogance and standoffishness with the art and their food. England has little such for recovery. Denmark, although I have only visited, is a very pleasant little country and nobody there expects foreigners to speak Danish. It is also very pretty is many places.
Italy also makes up for any shortcomings with their food and generally their portions are very generous. I have no idea how there can be any skinny Italians.

My absolutely favorite European country has always been Switzerland. It has the food of Germany and France and GREAT beer and gargantuan MOUNTAINS. I love mountains but I do not ski, go figure. Th people there are universally friendly and very outgoing. The have always made me feel welcome.

If you ever get to fulfill your desire to travel I strongly suggest you choose one destination (maybe two) and spend real time there. It is impossible to really know a culture in a "If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium" vacation. On those kinds of vacations you only see the good or the bad of a people and, in spite of my love of mountains, the people are what really make countries, or regions of countries, what they are.

BTW: In spite of some real advantages I do not recommend travel to Central or South America. The countries are, mostly, very pretty and most of the people are wonderful and the food is reall good but, right now, travel in those regions are just too dangerous, particularly for US citizens. I feel generally safer in the worst slums in the US or even Singapore than I do in the main streets of most Central or South American cities.

But, if you want to see some really creative and fun soccer and you are willing to endure the danger then much of South America has a lot to recommend it.

You will note I worked both a movie and soccer into that travel ramble.

 

This absolutely has NOT been the case for us over the last month. The French have been great. If we look lost, someone asks if we need help figuring out how to get where we want to go. We try to speak French as much as we can, but they are happy to try English too. We've been pretty much following the team except for the Thailand game, when we were in Montpellier to see the Canadians. We've received the same treatment everywhere.

 

This is what I used to think, until I did a Euro tour two year ago.
Now, I'm certain that the most beautiful country with mountains is Austria.
For food, I think Greece is tops, followed by Italy and France.

 

You have a point. But I still prefer the Swiss. I may have just been lucky but every single Swiss person I have met or had contact with were great and treated me, and whoever we were traveling with, with great kindness. For me I think the people of a place are even more important than the place itself.

The Italian Alps are beautiful as well.

I also agree about the Greek cooking. But there is something in the seasonings that does not quite seem "right" to me but I am originally from Texas and some of the Greek flavorings may just be too subtle for my pallet. Or, maybe, I just don't enjoy Ouzo enough. But it is, along with Saki, one of the sneakiest drinks in the world.

BTW: There are VERY few places in the world on the sea with the beauty of the Greek islands. I just like "high and dry" better than "low and wet."

 

Bavarian or Austrian alps are best for me

 

I'm sure you can appreciate this:
We took the Grossglockner High Alpine Road (Großglockner-Hochalpenstraße), which was a beautiful, picturesque drive. We drove past Berchtesgadenspent, and spent 2 nights in Salzburg. Very memorable.

 

Beautiful drive! Thanks for bringing a smile to my face

Hope to retire or at least spend significant time in the area.

 

I hope to be able to do that trip again in the next 10 years, before I get too old. LOL!

 

I think part of my experience was marred by the rain and fog, which we endured the few days we were there. Could hardly enjoy the mountains.

Also, we ran into a mean border agent who got all in a hissy fit because I was taking videos of the scenery and drive as we approached the border patrol station. He demanded that I delete the video. What a putz. For those that are not aware, the Swiss are not part of the European Union's open borders policy.

We stayed at a very nice ski resort town called Zermatt. Cars were forbidden, they only small electric covered taxis vehicles. To get to Zermatt, you had to leave your car in the town of Tasch and take a light rail.

 

I actually really wish I had taken the opportunity right after I retired and my granddaughters were living in France, before their father got assigned to Japan to make a move for a year or two back to that area. By waiting I missed some of the early growth of the girls and any real chance I had to see Europe again.

Now if I want to visit them I have to go to Japan and my health, particularly my ability to get around, makes extensive travel unpleasant. That is I can no longer really tolerate the rigors of travel. Shoot, as great as it is, my granddaughters visiting me seems likely to kill me sooner rather than later. They have boundless energy and it is not contagious.

I strongly recommend that if there is any chance that you may not be able to travel later in life you do it as soon as possible. Regrets as you age and can do nothing about them is quite unpleasant.

 

I have heard a few others report the same but I used the European train and bus system for travel, very very good at the time, to get around and some of my travel in Europe (most in fact) was before 1980 and the animosity between the Swiss and everyone else was less than it became later.

I also lived with a wonderful Swiss family every time I was in Switzerland and that may have colored my viewpoint.

Most of Europe is a lot like Washington DC, best enjoyed slowly and with the use of the public transport and a total avoidance of the politicians.

 

I haven’t taken the official tour on any of my visits, but have seen several of the sites in Salzburg

Since we all enjoy soccer consider seeing a TSV Berchtesgaden match. It’s like 6th level on the pyramid but the locals don’t get many visiting fans.

 

I hear there is going to be a remake of "The Sound of Music" with Madonna in the lead. They are, of course, changing a few song lyrics.
++++++++++++++++
"Leather skirts and spike heals and whips that can sting,"
"These are a few of my favorite things."
++++++++++++++++

 

There was actually some talk about actually doing that but it never progressed beyond the talk stage. Just like there has been talk of a remake of the great science fiction film "Them!" using modern special effects to make the ants more believable. I hope that does not happen either. Dubious improvements do not make for better films. I also did not want to see them remake "The Day the Earth Stood Still" because I knew they would ruin it with "special effects" and I was right on that one as with "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and "Village of the Damned" and, one of the worst remakes, "The Blob."

BTW: A few year back m granddaughters had the belief that i it was not in color it could not be good but they have since discovered my old film library and now when they visit only about have of what they watch is in color and, sometimes, they even watch and old B&W film a second or third time because they liked it so much the first time. "Bringing Up Baby" has been one they have even watched four times over the last three visits.

 

I thought it was funny and tame, but I am just so confused by everything after. Everyone knows what the goal celebration was. The explanation is BS and everyone knows it. The real brushback seems to be coming from the English (the team that was beaten), everyone else seems to be good with it. Somehow it has turned into sexism? That seems to be at a level of wokeness I have not attained.

The entire goal stuff this tournament has been bizarre. I thought the criticism for the scoring 13 goals was unjustified because the WNT didn't go only solo runs a la Maradona to score goals, they were well worked goals. I did think that the level of celebration was somewhat excessive after goal 7/8, especially since the goals came in quick succession. That seemed to be a somewhat valid criticism. They did pretty well by explaining that it would be disrespectful if they just laid down. Then they started saying it was about goal differential, which was kind of wild.

I kind of feel like they are taking the all publicity is good publicity, but I'm just really confused.

 

It's a tempest in a teapot.

 

I've been on the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg. Nice.

 

But the blood was red!

Also what fun could we have without a bit of digression.