Go Canucks Go ! (2nd Period)

Next year, same time, things will probably be somewhat different from where I am now. These are the classified reports keeping the home front informed about what's really going on in Canadia.

Continuing last week's story

We were waiting in a dimly lit hallway for our transport to come, "I've got our high speed priority transportation covered", 'R' said ... He didn't lie

Being in the infiltration business for one month and some days now, I expected something more undercover or limousiny at the worst, instead a big red and very obvious bus appeared... 'R' seem unconcerned and hissed: "Run, we can still make it !". After a highly intensive three meter dash, we hopped onto the hooligan filled vehicle.

Accustomed to the European soccer fans, this prospect didn't seem too promising. Any time now, I expected the Orca wearing crowd to sing the Canadian variant of "hee buschauffeur, we gaan je busje slopuh", after which the riot police would surely appear and we all would get arrested. Bye bye infiltration mission...

... Luckily thanks to our commanding presence and the imposing looks, the hooligans remained calm. No harm was done, no busdriver was beaten up, the innocents remained innocent and the bus even arrived on time.

the canucks bus, bringing the hooligans to the arena

After disembarking we had to go through the usual "security", meaning our credentials were checked and my bag was searched. The latter consisted solely of an uninterested quick glance. The contents of my bag could be used to influence the game in any way a proud hooligan would have wanted. It contained a throwable umbrella, a tossable book and a hurlable notebook. Should things really get dire for the Canucks, the entire bag could and probably would, be thrown onto the ice, distracting the game for at least a minute and maybe tripping one of the opposing team. Two on a good day.

'R' and I made our way through the crowd, eagerly awaiting the glorious performance their gladiators would bring to light. In anticipation of this event, the vicious pack feasted on the local delicacies : fat hawt dogs, cubic meter popcorn boxes generously covered in liquid butter, nachos dripping in molten cheese (with some pickles) (*) and eight dollar beers (**) .

the crowd wants jumbo dogs and molten butter

Despite the efforts of the security and the tasteful distractions we finally made it: The arena of ice, the cold theater where thousands upon thousands of raving fans were kept in check by four silly stewards, the ring where fate was decided by effort, wooden sticks and real men on real steel blades ... The Vancouver Canucks Ice Hockey Pitch.

Coming soon: Go Canucks Go ! the 3d period.

(*) After seeing this, I expect no further condensending comments from a certain American regarding our "frikandellen", "kroketten" or "sausijzenbroodjes".

(**) Horeca of Amsterdam, take notice: you can get away with this.

boobies