Nog 'n dag se ry is verby.

Goeie naand!

Ek het vandag 'n heerlike kort rydag gehad, slegs 127 km van Langenselbold na Siegen toe. More gaan ek Dusseldorf toe en Saterdag Pulheim toe.

Ek het netnou e-posse kon aflaai. Een was van 'n ou skoolmaat van my, George Meiring. Hy noem toe dat hy oor die webblad van 'n ander skoolmaat van ons, Annamarie van Zyl wat nou in Australie woon, 'n e-pos gekry het. George het van die Naboom2Germany webblad gehoor van nog 'n ander klasmaat van ons Dalena (Rhode), wat weer by Estelle (Wessels), nog 'n verdere klasmaat van ons van die webblad gehoor het. Dan is daar nog Elize (Moir) en Krap Venter. Dit word 'n virtuele klasreunie in die kleine.

George het my uitgenooi by hulle te oornag op my rit terug Naboom toe. Daar is net een probleem, kollegas Lize en Suzanne, George-hulle woon aan die Tuinroete en dis 'n bietjie van 'n ompad. :-)

Die sokker gisteraand was groot feestelikhede. In Berlyn was daar 500 000 mense by die "public viewing" naby die Brandenburger Tor. As Duitsland Sondag die finaal sou wen, gaan die hele Duitsland in een groot straatfees ontplof.

Maar mense, is die sokkerspelers goeie akteurs! 'n Ligte stampie en die speler rol ineengekrimp van pyn op die grond. Ek sou graag die sokkerspelers wou sien as onse Beast oor die hele span hardloop!

Wie ken Pools? Ek het 'n advertensiebord in Pole gesien wat my eers laat glimlag het en toe skuldig laat ophou glimlag het. Ek sou graag wou weet wat dit beteken. Dit het op die bord gestaan:

Rowery.
Skutery.
Ogód.

Ek groet. Ons maak gereed vir vanaand se sokker, Spanje teen Rusland. En veral vir al die vriende en oud-skoolmaats wat nou in die buiteland woon en werk, warm Suid-Afrikaanse groete! (Ek en George se ouer sussies wat groot vriende op skool was, is ook nou in die buiteland, in die VSA en Engeland. Groete Ina en Elize!)


Today was a relaxed riding day. In golden sunshine I rode the 127 km from Langenselbold to Siegen. Tomorrow I go on to Dusseldorf and on Saturday to Pulheim.

I downloaded emails a short while ago. One was from an old school friend, George Meiring. He told me of how Naboom2Germany brought him in contact with a few of our other school friends. Dalena (Rhode) called him a few weeks ago and told him about the website. Dalena heard from Estelle (Wessels) about the website. George received this morning an email from one of our other school friends now living in Australia, Annamarie (Treurnich). And then there are Elize (Moir) and Krap Venter, also part of the Naboom2Germany community. It is turning into a virtual class reunion on small scale.

George invited me to spend one night with them on my way back to Naboom. There is only one problem. My dearest colleagues Lize and Suzanne, George and his family live on the Garden Route. It is ... a bit ... out of the way. :-)

Last night there were big celebrations in Germany after the football match against Turkey. In Berlin at the public viewing near Brandenburger Tor half a million fans gathered to watch the match and celebrate afterwards. If Germany is going to become European Champions on Sunday whole Germany will explode into one big street party!

But boy o boy, are these soccer players good actors. It is amazing how they could roll on the ground, paralized by pain, after a little contact with an opponent. How would they react if our Beast from South Africa would run over and through them? :-)

It is time to say goodbye, we are going to watch the next semi-final play soon. Especially to all the friends and old school friends living and working overseas, a warm South African hug to you! Especially to Ina and Elize, now in the USA and UK, God bless!