GERMANY WORLD CUP 2006

The biggest show on earth is about to begin

Germany is getting ready to host one of the biggest sporting events of the decade, the football World Cup.

The hosts Germany offers the best Europe has to offer, enchanting landscape, romantic castles, world-renowned spas, quaint villages, cities buzzing with action and yes, the Germans are interesting folk too. But just in case its natural beauties are not enough to inspire its visitors, there will be a lot more available for the fans in between games. Infact, there's plenty for the entire family - a huge list of cultural programs, as well as different leisure and local recreation activities are being offered to satisfy all.

THE BEAUTIFUL GAME The football only starts in a month or so, but there is one competition that has already kicked off - the spiting game, a tradition eagerly awaited by football fans. It generally consists of one country making a not-so-kind comment about another to set the spark, then await retaliation from the other side. Yes, football fans revel in such things! Kickoff was in England this week when a popular newspaper prominently flashed the backside of German chancellor, Angela Merckels, while on vacation, with the caption "I'm big on the Bumdesliga". The German side fired back instantly, though still a bit on the shy side in my opinion, with the promise to give the English a good old thrashing at the World Cup. Well, if anything, this episode has been a colourful start to a competition that has yet to begin, and is undoubtedly promising one hell of a football Summer. Related Links : Buy tickets at Fifa | Germany destination profile GETTING THERE AND GETTING AROUND We've prepared your city-by-city guide for all 12 destinations hosting the Germany Football World Cup. Find out where your team will be playing, how to get there and where to watch the game, even if you don't get a ticket.

Berlin Cologne Dortmund Frankfurt Gelsenkirchen Hamburg Hanover Kaiserslautern Leipzig Munich Nuremberg Stuttgart

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