A Football Game!

Dana and Marissa arrived in BsAs on Friday night with a three-page list of things they wanted to do and see while here. It's been a blast, running around the city doing all the touristy things I haven't actually done yet. I feel like a totally different kind of Tourist suddenly.

Sunday was a Day o' Football. The three of us met at their hostel and went with a giant group of tourists to a football stadium to watch a game between different teams in Argentina. It was SUPER fun. Granted, I don't know much about soccer, but I know enough to enjoy the game. There were even some players that I saw on the field and could TELL that they were absolutely incredible players. Some of the guys that were in the tour group with us were Australians and Brits, who obviously watch a WHOLE lot more soccer than I do, and even they were impressed with the level of play from the teams.

What was probably even more fun, however, were the fans.  These people were crazy.  They put a whole new spin on the definition of dedication, and I am no longer afraid of Red Sox or Yankee fans anymore.  The ENTIRE stadium of people went crazy throughout the game - it reminded me very much of the insanity of Cornell Ice Hockey games, but with 1000 times the number of fans.

During half time, the rain started to fall, but that didn't stop anyone.  Most of the men in the stands just took their shirts off and continued to chant and scream and sing and do whatever it is that fans do, while wringing out their shirts on the other team's fans.  By the time the entire stadium was beyond the level of soaked, the players were splashing through knee deep water on the field, and the ball would no longer move, I was convinced that only here in Argentina will Football have such a sacred place in the hearts of the people.

Unfortunately, due to the weather, the game was suspended, and no one actually got to take home a win.  Our team was up a whole bunch though, so we left happy.  Marissa, Dana, and I sat in a puddle of rainwater all the way home, taking pictures of the flooding throughout the city.