Gooool-azo! [audio http://texasgurl.fileave.com/bernabeu-goalbest.mp3]
On Wednesday, Real Madrid was playing at their home stadium, the Bernabeu (burn-uh-bau), versus Olympiakos. Good-Looking was hot to go there from the time we planned the trip, checking Real Madrid’s website early on on the off-chance they were playing at home during the week we would be there. When he found out they were, he was beside himself to go.
The original plan was to ditch at least two of the chickens with Grandma for the evening, but her broken arm put a hitch in that giddy-up, fa’shizzle. She loves him so she actually suggested that she would go through with the babysitting for him, but I said no, no way would I leave her with a broken arm and my two rowdy eldest while I went out on the town. But throughout the day leading up to the game GoodLooking kept pushing, looking for a way to go. I said he could go by himself, but he wanted me to come. And of course I wanted to see it, but I wasn’t inclined to drag the whole family out to god-knows-where on the Metro, for an evening wedged in cramped seats among a bunch of screaming sports maniacs.
And all day long we saw them: the Olympiakos fans in their red scarves and jackets, lining the streets, drinking coffee, milling around the plazas.
Poor GoodLooking.
See, I love this man, much as he annoys me sometimes. And I understood what this meant to him. About 10 years ago, he went to Camp Nou and saw F.C. Barcelona, Real Madrid’s arch rivals, play in their home stadium and he pretty much has not stopped talking about it since. He dragged me to Camp Neu for the tour last year when we came to Spain, and it was clear that although I could let him go to the Bernabeu alone, he wanted me there, and the only way I could be there was if the whole fam damily came along.
So we went. I strapped Baybish on my back, bundled everybody up and headed out into the night. When we came up out of the Metro the stadium was glowing above us, the crowd was roaring and people were running to get inside. We were late, but Real Madrid won and we saw FOUR goals. And as I sat there, surrounded by my family, wrestling Baybish in my lap, my husband grinning and giggling, I thought: this right here will last me a good long while.
No Responses
October 30th, 2007 at 3:44 am
You’re a woman of infinite resource and sagacity. No wonder you scored GoodLooking and a bevy of beautiful kids.
October 30th, 2007 at 5:03 am
We are serious soccer fans here at Derfwad. I am so happy that you hauled the kiddos and roared with the crowd. Fantastic.
October 30th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
Did you redesign again or is my browser just doing something funny?
Can’t wait to hear more about the trip.
October 31st, 2007 at 5:50 pm
Just coming by to wish you good luck for NaBlo tomorrow. Hope you provide us with a month of wonderful posts just like this one!
November 1st, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Your photos reminded me of our visit to the new Wembley a little while ago. There is something magical about the atmosphere in a big crowd.
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