Hertha 2, Leverkusen 2

But it felt like a win for the home team, Hertha, because on the final play against a more skilled Leverkusen side, the boys in blue put in a header from a corner kick to salvage the draw. You can see Hertha's first goal below and hear the fans' signature chant of "Ha Ho He!"


Getting to Olympic Stadium is an experience. You travel in a crammed subway car with fans from both teams. When you emerge, you walk through a wooded area for awhile and then see this, the site of the 1936 Games:


The sweeping curve of its interior is impressive. The building itself has quite a history. Hundreds of accused army deserters were shot here. In the waning days of WWII, the very young and the very old gathered here for induction into the Volkssturm, the defense of last resort. They got wiped out. In April 1945, battles over the stadium left 2,000 dead, mostly boys of 13 and 14.


In the center of this photo, where the flags are flying, is the equivalent of Hertha’s Dog Pound. They jump around and yell chants all game. I wanted to sit there, but it's pretty exclusive and security is tight. This season, Hertha is the Bundesliga’s equivalent of the St. Louis Rams, and because they’re not very good, the stadium is only half full. Plenty loud though.


To fit in, I buy a Hertha scarf.


A group of friends invites me to sit with them in Section 29. They can’t believe an American traveling alone in Berlin would want to come see their shitty team play. Most of all, they want to practice their English. After the game, they take me to a nearby pub and even though most of them are unemployed, they won’t let me buy a round. At far left is Maurice studying my map, eager to show me something. The baby-faced guy in the middle, Frederick, spent a year in North Carolina, so his English is pretty good. He tries to explain to his pals what Bud Light tastes like and struggles to describe it. “Like piss?” I offer, and he responds, “No! Piss has more flavor!”


It’s getting very late and we say our goodbyes. Frank accompanies me to the S-Bahn and travels with me partway back to the city center. I was impressed by these young Germans. They were really tight, each seeming to care deeply about the other.


The next thing I know I’m back at Schonhauser Allee. Now
I know where to pick up the S-Bahn here -- it’s deep within the Schonhauser Arkade, or shopping mall. I knew I’d figure it out eventually. Too bad I’ve only got a couple more days here.