Deutschland über alles

We're living very far from Germany. Very, very far. No one in this country speaks German (my German-school cousins and friends excluded) and no one seems to know who the German president is. Yet, when Germany won the game against Ghana tonight and advanced to the second round, this country went mad.

It's half past midnight and I've just arrived home after bypassing Sassine Square where German supporters of all ages blocked traffic and caused chaos in between lighting fireworks in the middle of the street and blowing mini vuvuzelas louder than their usually uber-loud car hooters. The atmosphere was electrifying, with German flags filling the sidewalks, blowing out of car windows and being run with across the road. Add a few steins and one would swear we were in the middle of Munich!

Note to the reader: Germany and Brazil are the two teams with the most support in Lebanon. God help my sleep pattern if they continue winning games. The recent late-night celebratory noise in the streets has been anything but a lullaby...