Futbol Xelaju

Our last hurrah as a group was the soccer game, a semi-final of one of the many leagues, this between Xela's team and some other city. We went way early cause soccer-nut Gabriel, my teacher, wanted to get good seats. The place only seated like 5,000 people so what the heck. But we went early anyway. like 2.5 hours early! But we sure didn't miss anything. They had some other league game going on when we got there. We got to see the crazies slowly assemble in the stadium, and people bought their misc. paraphernalia. We had some Domino's Pizza that was like $1.50 a slice, which people complained about until I compared that to stadium food in the US. They also sold soda in plastic bags, see picture, because people were throwing bottles onto the field. Same reason they didn't sell alcohol (as if the BOTTLES were the only problem with that idea). Awesome.

Paul is making a weird face in every picture. Fabian has a beard in every picture. Note the amount of head scarves and face tattoos and such.

The field from our vantage point- to the right you could also see the volcano (different picture).

Paul really hating the Pepsi-in-a-bag.

Like I said- Paul, weird faces. Guy on the right is Frank. I mean on the left.

The crazies set off fireworks all during the game, including shooting them onto the field, and beating drums, but all in all we felt the crowd was quite sedate given what we expected. People were also throwing firecrackers over a small fence into the corner of the field where the full-gear riot police were standing (who escort the refs off the field). Xela played crappy most of the game, and was tied 1-1 because they got a lucky penalty kick. In stoppage time (after the 90th minute of the game) they scored the game winner- and then scored another like a minute later!! It was great and people were going nuts. They got lucky, but they won. Oh we also got sparklers before the game. No idea where those came from. And the team ran out through a giant inflatable tunnel. So that was my first soccer game on foreign soil. That's all I have to say.

Fireworks.

Sparklers.

Riot police getting firecrack-ed.

Us posing for another picture on someone else's camera.

Riot police escorting.

AH, what I forgot to mention was the fact that one of the "vendors" had her (pretty big) child strapped to her back with a blanket, his shoes sticking out the bottom, as she walked around and sold stuff like random gum. It was one of those realizing moments that Guatemalans are just generally less fortunate than us.

We went out afterwards briefly, cause it was our last night, and cause people wanted to go out- some people anyway. So my dad, me, Brie, Paul, Fabian, and Luke and Luke's friends went to a little bar that was kinda nice and had low big squishy comfy furniture. We had a couple beers and called it a night. I wouldn't really say we went out with a bang but hey we had some beers and stayed up late. And after our last night came our last day...