Allez les Bleus...

(the French cheer)

The World Cup has made my stay here in France quite a bit more interesting, but it all ended tonight.

For the last few matches in which France played, they would set up big screens on the square in front of the train station here in Arras. The whole square would be packed with people just standing around watching the game together. Then, after France's semi-final win, the whole town errupted. There were firecrackers and flares being set-off, people shimmying up flag poles, dancing in fountains, and parading through the crowded streets. It was general madness, though fairly well behaved.

Tonight I went down to the square for the first half, but once the game became tied, the mood became way too serious and I decided that it would be more comfortable to watch from home. Now, one REDICULOUS head butt, extra time, and a shoot-out later, Italy has won the "Cup du Monde" and France will take 4 years to get over it. I poked my head out the front door right after the game ended and the streets were oddly quiet. What a change from the other night when you could hear the commotion and horns until well past 2am. If I were Zinedine Zidane (France's very good-looking come-back kid who just ended his career by inexplicably head-butting an Italian player) I would think twice before returning to France any time soon. Poor guy.

I know my roommates will be crushed that tonight is not the biggest party to hit France since the last time they won the World Cup, but at least we'll all sleep in peace...

Oh, and the World CUP is not a cup at all. Why call it a "cup" then? You can't even drink champagne out of it.

All these things I can ponder later. For now, I need to mentally prepare to meet the Prime Minister of Canada next week at Vimy. That's right, Stephen Harper is coming to town. Maybe he'll bring me a uniform that fits. Or a stetson like the one he gave to George Bush.