Olimpia and Real Espana

National Stadium

One of the policemen with his body shield and don't you love that razor wire separating the fans from the field.

The crowd (or part of it)

Both teams during the national anthem

The beginning of the game

When groups are here, Sunday is typically a day off. By the time we go to church and eat lunch, in most places, there is not a lot we can get done. We usually go to the Valley of Angels for shopping and coffee and then go to Santa Lucia. It is a great day and always fun.

We knew a couple of weeks ago the Honduran superbowl of soccer (futbol) would be played while this Tennessee group is here. Marc emailed them and they responded quickly saying they would like to go to the soccer game. Olimpia, one of the Tegucigalpa teams, and Real Espana, a team from San Pedro Sula, was in this game for the national championship.

We went to church here in Santa Ana and then headed for town. Even though, all roads to the stadium were closed, Marc found a way, and I followed, and we ended up about a block from the stadium.

We ate at Carnitas first, which is a true Honduran dining experience which we try to share with as many people as possible. Carnitas is directly across the street from the stadium. After we ordered and before we ate, a parade came by. All of us, the Americans, jumped up and ran out to watch the parade.

After we ate, I asked Marc to take something to the car for me. I was standing with the group as we waited on Marc, and a reporter and a cameraman walked up and asked if I spoke spanish. I said not much. He said English will do. He asked if we liked soccer and then what our favorite team was and we said Olimpia. He said "let's really hear it." We are standing there yelling "Olimpia, Olimpia, Olimpia" in front of a tv camera when Marc walked around the corner. He slinked back a bit further and pretended he did not know us. We probably got edited out anyway.

We went into the stadium an hour and a half before the game began. Oh what fun. People are lined up just buying their tickets. There are parades around the field complete with clowns. Nicole, I know you hated missing the Honduran clowns since you love them so. There were hundreds of policeman circling the field and in the stands. The ones on the field all had body shields. I was afraid until the first goal was scored and then I understood the body shields. There was also a police line with shields separating the two teams' fans.

I have never seen anything like it. And I lived in St. Louis and saw how Rams' fans are. Can't even compare. The noise level continued to rise all evening. It started loud and grew to deafening. Not that I minded. I got right into the spirit and was yelling Olimpia along with everyone else. There was one section that jumped up and down the whole game. I was really glad I was not in that section. I could not have jumped for almost three hours.

We were sitting in a really fun section. The people to my right would try to start a wave. Once time they finally got it going and it went all the way around the stadium four times. Olimpia scored during that wave. That is when beer cans, soda bottles, toilet paper rolls and many many other things began to fly. The police raised their body shield to protect themselves. Then fireworks went off. In the stands. Evidently, this was not unusual because no one reacted but us Gringos.

At the end of the first half, Olimpia was leading 1-0, and continued to do so most of the second half. When Espana scored, to tie, the noise increased again. The game went into overtime. Early in overtime, Olimpia scored again. Again the noise level increased. We were just as excited and yelling as much as anyone there. Olimpia managed to hold the lead the rest of the game. At that moment, the stadium really erupted.

It was a great day and everyone had fun. It was not even too crazy getting out of there and back to the cars.

Terri