I think I’ve been spoiled by the American stadiums, because Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris is…um… well…
The best part was I was using a cane due to knee problems and wow, they hustled us straight through the disabled line, no wait for me there.
We figured we’d eat dinner there, being used to, y’know, Staples Center and Dodger Stadium. Don’t want a Dodger Dog…tacos…pizza…god knows what else? Wander a little further.
Um…nope. Hamburgers and hotdogs, premade in a warmer, or sandwiches (chicken, ham or vegetarian).
For nine euros, they throw in a bottle of drink with a souvenir cup. Well, who needs to pack that piece of useless plastic home, no thanks, but I would like the cap to my bottle of water, please.
I’m using a cane and to scale the stairs I need both that and the rail, so l’eau needs to go in my backpack, sil vous plait.
NON.
‘Scuse me?
“Whee do noht geehv ouht caps, mahdame. Peepul haff yewsed zem ass measles.”
Wot?
As I got more impatient and British, she got more French. “Measles! Measles!”
Are you ill?
“Mon dieu.” She mimed flinging a bottle over her head.
OOOOOOOhhhhhh! Missile! I took a deep breath.
Madame, I promise I shall not fling that bottle at anyone, but it is damn near impossible for me to juggle that bottle and scale those remarkably uneven, steep slabs masquerading as stairs. (Sheri was already juggling her naked/capless Coke Zero and our sandwiches and she needs a hand for the rail, too.)
NON.
Oh, bugger me. Climbed the stairs (actually not that bad) and made it to our seats — surrounded by Japanese supporters. Since we had no dog in the Japan/Argentina fight, whoo, hoo, let”s hear it for the Land of the Rising Sun!
Especially since the gentleman next to me, a typically small Japanese man, was so generous with our seating. By gum, those seats are not built for the average American bottom. I tried not to encroach on his space, but that wasn’t easy.
The Ugly: Other than the seat sizes? The ladies’ loo. Okay, I admit, football games are generally not widely attended by hordes of women the way they are at the Women’s World Cup, but the line was a total joke.
But despite the facility, I would absolutely go again. That was a ton of fun. In fact, we have tickets for tonight, in another city.
And I am sneaking in a cap for my drink.
ExaminingMisadventures 