World cup everywhere

I tend to blog about what I find interesting, and football is not among those things. But when I was confronted with that disinterest, and its contrast with the mood of so many people around me, last friday during England's first match, I thought I may have to blog about it anyway. About wandering around in a world overtaken by a strange force.

Roland can't stop keeping me up to date on what goes on in the Dutch national team. The cartographers have organised a sweepstake that they want me to join. People all around ask me what I think of the Dutch team or the Dutch results. The streets were empty last Friday evening, and the restaurant I went to was almost entirely filled with women. The entire town is white-and-red. It's everywhere. Of course it is.

Yesterday I got my cue. When I went to the supermarket the supporter imagery was so confrontational I got my camera out and knew what my next blogpost was about. At the entrance lay a dog in supporter colours... his name's Floyd, by the way, and he looked as uninterested as I am. But still he's a beautiful symbol for the mass hysteria that prevails around the world.

Cavers and climbers, by the way, tend to be conspicuously indifferent towards football. So with Roland on fieldwork and a caving trip on tonight I'm relatively safe today! Even though Floyd made another appearance...