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This is the photo that I’m proud of. We were so lucky to get inside the stadium, once the venue of the 2006 FIFA World Cup matches. Two days earlier was the 3rd place match between Germany and Portugal. Germany won the match last July 8, 2006. It was in this stadium that Enland played against Sweden.

Well, the story went on this way. Me and Vicki went to Stuttgart just for sightseeing, it’s about 2 hours by local German train from Mannheim.
Poor Vicki, she has no experience in travelling by train. We Limburgerhof by 830 am and we went to Mannheim. Vicki took a ticket in going to Stuttgart. She repeatedly asked the teller about the price and she could not believed of what she heard, it was only 27 Euros return ticket good for 5 persons.

We boarded the regional train because it was more cheaper as compared to the fast trains. We changed our train in Heildelberg. As we arrived there, we were looking for our platform but it seems that it was not the right platform. Vicki asked the train coordinator and he said that it was not on that platform but the next one.
Hay, si Vicki gyod, German nato di pa kasabot. We had a good chat on our way to Stuttgart. Travelling time was merely 2 hours.
You know, Vicki,that was her first time to travel by train and away from Bernie. She depended mostly on my expertise of reading the map. Ehemmmmm. Hambugero no?

As we arrived in Stuttgart City, we went to the subway train station, our mission, to go to the stadium and Mercedes Benz Museum and factory.
Good that Vicki was there or else, magnganga lang ko kay no read, no write man ko sa German.

As we arrived in the stadium, we were astonished looking at the grandeur of the stadium. Unfortunately, worksmen were dismantling the world cup structures. We just peeped through the fences and we had seen part of the inside. We had some photo taking.

As we were in the main gate, we were looking inside and the beauty of the entrance. But our luck was on the way at that time. The gentleman approached us from behind asking us in German of what would we like.
Of course, it was not me who communicated with him because obviously, I can’t speak and understand German.
Vicky was talking to him telling that we would like to go inside but it would not be possible because the world cup is over and the stadium is close.

kuyawa nako sa?

He asked Vicki why we like to go inside. Vicki replied in a humble manner that it was one of our dream to go inside the stadium that once we had only seen on TV and to be in the pitch.

Vicki further said that I travelled from England just to visit Stuttgart and Vicki came from Mannheim. You know what? I could see in the eyes of Vicki her surprise and delight that there was something going good for us. Vicki told me that he would accompany us in going inside the stadium.

I’d got goosebumps right away. I could not believed that he would treat us that way. We were so lucky and the luckiest of them all. We passed through the securities lining our way. He just told them that we were going inside.

First part that he showed us was the dressing room of the players. Vicki was elated upon seeing the dressing room of the famous players like the German team headed by Michael Ballach and the English team headed by David Beckham.

What a fate for us. Then after that, he guided us through the entrance to the pitch to where the players will come out from the dressing room with their children escorts.

As were in the pitch, we kept on praising him and thanking him for letting us in. We took photos to every angle and I took video. Vicki screamed to her delight. We were so happy, not only happy but elated. We spent about 10 minutes in the pitch. The stadium is really beautiful, huge and splendid.

As we finished there, he guided us again to the dressing room and he open the rooms for us. We took photos again, thanking him. He could not understand English.
After there, he guided us the main gate and he even told us where the press conference would normally take place. I told Vicki if there were some souvenirs from the world cup.
You know what he did? He went uptairs to his office through the lift and came back few minutes later bringing some souvenirs but still not contented, he went to his other office and came back with a lot of pressies. He gave us souvenir items and we were so happy.

I finally asked Vicki to ask him who is he in the stadium. And to our surprised, he is the general manager of the stadium. He is very humble gentleman. He was with us in going outside and bid farewell to him.

As we were walking outside, we were giggling and we could not believed our luck. The suddenly, somebody followed us again. It was him. You know what he said? He rushed to us telling that there were something on display in the next building regarding the famous foot of the World Cup captains.

Imagine that, he informed us about that one. It was on their first day of display. We took some photos of the famous feet of the captains.
We ignored the sizzling sunny weather at that time. I never felt hunger due to super excitement.

After there, we went to the Porche Arena. Then, we tried to go to the Mercedes Benz Museum but we were lost. We took the bus in every directions but finally, we reached Mercedes Benz but unfortunately, the museum was closed.
We only took photos outside. I enjoyed looking the expensive Mercedes Benz cars on display outside the building. The temperature soared extremely and it would burn your skin. As were tired of our trip, we had our lunch by 4pm. We ate donner kebabs and the food was overflowing.

Then, we decided to go to the schloss or palace, but as hopped into the bus, we were lost again and we decided not to proceed for lack of time. We went back to Haufbanhof and some shopping near the train station.

By 630 pm. we took the train in going back to Limburgerhof, getting off in Mannheim and took the next train to Limburgerhof. As we arrived, we passed by in Malou’s house because Franz, her hubby wanted to see me and for him to be sure if I could be trusted to go with her the following day. He agreed that we would be going together.

As we arrived home, we ate our dinner. I could see through the eyes of Vicki that she was so tired, that she could barely open her eyes. Kulang nalay tukog iali sa iya mata para kanunay mobuka. She went to sleep ahead of me because she was so sleepy. I was transferring my photos to CD. Then, I went to sleep by 2 am.

This day was very memorable and I could not forget it. I marked my diary about our luck. I am very happy of achieving it by luck. I considered it as luck because it will only comes to you once in your lifetime. It was a great day, the happiest day of my life.