Halloween and Fußball MANIA!

What a weekend! Sunday was a marvelous day, spent taking some much needed downtown with Kai....we were both exhausted from a long week of work. We watched this hilarious movie called, "I Sell the Dead"....a British comedy about 2 dudes who sell corpses. Sounds gruesome, but it was really funny. Then, we hit the town, something I haven't done in over 2 months. I dressed up as a disco ball, whereupon Kai told me I looked stupid and needed to remedy my stupidness with scary zombie make-up. After he made me do it, I was furious with him because I just wanted to look cute, not scary. Alas. I got over it quickly. Kai dressed up as a zombie bleeding rugby player. We headed to Sutton's, our usual spot, and then over the the Füchschen brewery's Halloween party, but it was overcrowded and NOT fun, so we just went back to Sutton's. I got to see everybody! All the regulars I've been missing over the past few months, it was great. Highlights included Roland and Sven, my two favorite hooligans. After too many, Kai and I stumbled home tipsy and happy.

The next day was also mostly spent recovering....but then I took Mucki for an afternoon walk in the park, and it was glorious. Overcast, but the leaves were so vibrant. I realized how limited my time here really is...and it freaked me out. Seriously....in one month from Monday, Clare will be here and a) I will no longer have my Doodle to myself and b) I will be almost out of here. It's really hard, I am trying to keep myself positive about looking forward but Kai is just getting in the way. I can't stand thinking about not being able to be with him, but I am really interested in what is in store next for me, and I will be really happy to be home for Christmas. I just worry that by mid-January, I will feel like I made a mistake by coming home and not continuing my time abroad. Bah.

I think just the thing to cheer me up will be a day trip to Amsterdam on Sunday. I will see if I can convince Kai into going with me. Things are going really well between us...which will make the parting even more difficult. Sigh. Ah, young love.

Anyways, Monday evening held in store a real Düsseldorf experience for me...Kai took me to see my first Fortuna Football club match. Düsseldorfers get REALLY into their football team, and Fortuna hasn't exactly had the most successful season. However, Kai had VIP passes and I was looking forward to the free food and beer and cushioned seats. I had a terrifying experience on the train to the arena....I was stuck in a car that was filled with 20-30 Duisburg fans (the opposing team for the game that night) and a fight almost broke out on the train! The people were banging the roof and sides of the train car....and eventually it got really heated. It was so crazy I couldn't hear ANYTHING and missed the stop where Kai was waiting for me, not to mention the car was jam packed so I couldn't get out! Ah!

But I finally made it....and dude. I thought UNC Basketball games were intense, but these fans are crazy!!!! They sang songs the WHOLE ENTIRE 90 minutes of play.....and the Duisburg fans across the stadium were setting off smokebombs and fireworks and throwing TP everywhere....it was insane. Awesome to see such passion in a group of people! And, to top it off, Fortuna actually won the match! A victory that was much needed, and Kai was also in a much much better disposition. He is always cranky when they lose. Then we took a romantic stroll along the Rhein instead of taking the crowded U Bahn back to town. A marvelous night. A marvelous match! I'm glad I can cross that off my list.