Following the fantastic French soccer game last night, I am now enjoying some time off in Munich, capital of the Bavaria, Free State of Germany (they are very proud of the Free State part!). One thing that any good tourist should do in Munich is to embrace local habits and try the fantastic white sausage for late breakfast. Believe me, it IS good!!! The detail that would however turn you tourist in short, sandals and grey socks into a pure local in leather short, socks and Birkenstock shoes is the way you enjoy these delicacy...

Here is our How To:

1/ Find a nice spot, preferably a terrace, on a hot summer day

2/ Order in German: "eesh meushte ainmall vice vursht meat beer beetah" (or "Ich möchte einmal Weisswurst mit Bier bitte" in local lingo)

3/ Once the sausages arrive, prepare your plate. For this, you'll need sweet mustard (it is the brown one). White sausages HAVE to be eaten with sweet mustard! You'll need a couple of Pretzels (real size ones) And a bit of patience

4/ Now, the real stuff... Cut the sausage in 2, longitudinally, paying attention to not cut totally through and leave the sausage skin at the bottom intact. Use your knife to block that skin on your plate and your fork to free the half sausage meat from its previous container. Repeat with other half

5/ Cut a piece of white sausage, put some sweet mustard on it and have a bite

6/ Have a bite of the pretzel

7/ Wash it with a large "gulp" of Dark Weet Beer.. Yes, that huge glass is not a flower pot but your drink! Repeat every day between 10am and 11am as long as in the country! Prosit to you all!!

It is the world cup, here in Europe...

Despite having been part of the France '98 event and built half of their site front end (the "France en Fete section, for the purists), I have never been to a football game in my life and hence not to a world cup football game. This year, thanks to Rod (work buddy), I have a ticket to go to the first French game; France vs. Switzerland, in Stuttgart, one of my former German headquarters! Heaven!

Finding a flight to the town itself has proven to be a bit tricky and I have to travel to Munich first (S-E) and then catch a train to Stuttgart itself (S-W).

"Qu'à cela ne tienne!"...

Let's go and do it!

2 days on the road can't do me bad, especially with this fantastic weather! (the way back to Munich at night and the flight back to London via Zurich on the following day is another ball part)

Once arrived in Stuttgart, meeting with the rest of the team was pretty easy. They were the (almost) sole 3 guys dressed in blue (French squad's colors) in an ocean of red (swiss squad's color). Oh and other clue, none of them were wearing either a cow bell around their necks or a huge piece of cheese on their head!

Things were fantastically well organized for the event. The "Fan Fest" on Stuttgart's main square was great and peaceful. We met few Swiss and had a couple of beers together in a great atmosphere (close to what you would normally find during a Rugby game!). We then left and were on our way to the event itself.

An hour later, we were sitting in the stadium, central line, 5th-6th row, painted, decorated in blue-red-white, ready to sing, joking with a French TV presenter (Gérard Holtz) and his Swiss partner. (Sorry Gerard, we did not manage to find the "Ricard" at half-time!)

After the game, we all went back to the "Fan Fest" and met our Swiss friends again... I then had to go back to the Central Station and from there to Munich. I still need to hear from Rod and the boys how their night ended. Anyways, the day was great, being back in Germany felt like coming back home for a little while and I now fully understand the passion that some of my old friends, now working at the FIFA may have for such an event! The score?

Well, France drew with Switzerland, 0-0! But who cares?