I might as well be Polish.

Before I get back to the matter at hand, which happens to be the football match, I'd like to express a sudden desire that I have: to go to Poland. Totally random and weird. Mostly, it's because I've rediscovered a love of Polish food, and I think it would be a fascinating place to go. And what led me to this realization was pretzels. In Tesco, I looked high and low for pretzels. British people eat crisps (potato chips) pretty goddamn exclusively. They love LOVE their crisps and have more flavors than I would even know what to do with. Fortunately, I've given up potatoes for Lent (seriously), so I don't have to tackle them yet. Flavors like prawn cocktail and pickled onion and steak. I can't even begin to approach the strangeness of British crisps. But pretzels, yeah. They don't eat them. But, in searching the Tesco, I found some- in the Polish section. What? Are pretzels Polish? I thought they were German. Anyway, I've since fallen in love with the Polish section, because I can also find things like sesame sticks and chocolate covered gingerbread filled with strawberry jelly there. Poles are brilliant. And my love of Polish food isn't completely random, as I had a Polish babysitter when I was really small. This old couple who were the parents of one of my aunt's best friends from high school (complicated, I know) used to watch me, and I loved them, from what I'm told. The old man died before I can really remember, but I saw the woman a lot up until a few years ago, and we all called her Ciocia (Polish for aunt) Helen. She used to make kielbasa and sauerkraut, which was my absolute favorite food for a long time. Unfortunately, no one in my immediate family makes it ever. Maybe I'll teach myself, since she died a few years ago. Also, chruscik (which are sort of cookies, and my favorite ever [I ate a whole box of them when I went home for Christmas]), pierogies, and stuffed cabbage (which isn't only Polish, obvs). We eat a lot of Polish food in my family, I've just realized. Right, so, Poland. Anyone interested? Mainly you, Lena, since that makes the most sense.
Also, I am so grateful for Blogger's auto-save function. Really.
On to the matter at hand, which happens to be the football match on Sunday. I met Glenn outside a bar/restaurant sort of halfway between our apartments (his is off the street that I live on), which he chose. Except I've realized that to get there, he had to walk the opposite way of the way that we actually had to go. His flat is closer to the stadium than our meeting place was. So he walked out of his way to meet me there, which is sort of odd, but it's not like anything here is that far away. We walked to the stadium, which is over in New Town. The walk was super pleasant and sunny, so that was nice. It's adorable how much Glenn misses the sun, and you can sort of tell he's absorbing it whenever it happens to be out. He's one of those people that'll just stand with his eyes closed, face up to the sky. Also creepy how closely I observe. God, whatever. He was in charge of directions, and there was a moment in the middle where he was fake exasperated at the fact that one spot here can have 3 different street signs designating it. It is totes confusing. But we found the stadium without having to do a huge circle like at the British Museum, so points for us. Once we figured out how to buy tickets, and I did that because he didn't have enough cash (I am owed 4 GBP, ensuring that we'll have to hang out again sometime), we went into the stadium. I wish I had taken a picture of the ticket booths, because they're so goddamn shady. Think an amusement park, but with plywood structures to walk through that are barely person sized. And then you have to go through a revolving metal thing, like at the exit to some subways, that is also barely person sized. As Glenn said, "There is no way that somebody who is overweight would get through that." It was basically the hardest thing ever, and I annihilated my heel (not on the foot that hurts now, randomly). Aside: I am referring to this as a stadium, because it is called Easter Road Stadium and holds 17,000 people (hah), but you'd really never know it. Granted, we were on the side that hasn't been redone yet, but still. It is tiny. This is mainly because the Hibs (like the Hearts) are abysmal. Seriously awful.
We got into the stadium and looked at the food stands, and they don't jack up prices at sporting events here like they do in the US. It's thrilling. And as to what foods were available, I saw pizza, chips (w/ or w/o curry, I have no idea), delicious-looking burgers, and meat pies. All of which can be, and is, eaten with brown sauce, the condiment of choice for Brits. I was curious about this brown sauce when I got here, so I bought a bottle. It is A-1. They put steak sauce on pizza. Never will I understand their eating habits.
As for the match itself, awesome. Football matches are incredible, even when you're watching a team as dismal as the Hibs. There were chants, many of which used the word "bastard" (I think one was actually "You're a bastard") and one of which was to the tune of "Lord of the Dance." I couldn't understand the words to most of them, but everybody else sure knew them. There was this guy standing in front of us (because nobody sat in the side of the stands that we were in, the seats were just stood on by people) who was the stereotypical old football hooligan. I have no problem believing that he's stabbed somebody for being a fan of an opposing team. He was terrifying and totally amusing at the same time. Football matches are very much a male pastime, though there were a few women there. No children younger than probably 10 or 11 though. Which, the amount of cursing being taken into account, not surprising. Not really the place for small, impressionable children. The guy sitting next to Glenn, who had no front teeth, was there with his son, and their bonding involved screaming curses at the opposing team/fans. Sweet.
All said and done though, the Hibs won. It was a fairly exciting game, for how poorly they played. Both Glenn and I were yelling, and he hi-fived me after all of the goals ahaha. I love enthusiasm for sports, and he's certainly got that. It's infectious and, again, adorable.
And there you have the football match. I would love to do that again, because it's such a good way to pass the better part of a day.
Other than that, nothing exciting has happened in the last few days. The fire alarm went off at 5am today, so we all had to evacuate and stand outside in the cold, waiting for the firefighters to come. That was thrilling, let me tell you. It only lasted like 15 minutes though, so not too bad. Still, an unpleasant way to be awakened from a deep sleep. I don't know why it went off either, probably someone upstairs burning food or something. And my apartment no longer smells like chemicals, so I'm not going to die from poisoning or anything.
Now, I really have to do my reading for tomorrow. No more procrastination tonight.

- C