WC2006: Fair Weather Fans

MAINZ (10:30am local time) -- There is a "Fan Party" set up for viewing the World Cup matches down by the Rhein. After dinner, that's where we go to watch France and Togo. Not unlike Brazil, the French finally seem to be showing signs of life. The best part of the match, though, was watching the English fans throw their support behind the African nation, at one point forming a sort of drunken conga line - is there any other kind? - and trapsing about the stadium. Anything to thumb their noses at the French.

We struck up a conversation with a half-German, half-Iranian dentist who brought us back both candy and sausages. He and his friend are amazed that I've gone to see five matches already - a reaction I'll get often here in Mainz.

Afterwards, we walk among the tents of the artists and craftspeople along the Rhein for the festival, then through the main arcade where the younger people are gathered, and finally back through the city. In one of the plazas there is - you guessed it - what looks like a bad German wedding band with a horn section playing "Highway To Hell."