AFC Championship for breakfast
It's something of a ritual, full of the excitement and fatigue of Christmas morning. In order to watch most of the NFL games since we've lived in China, we have to rise early and go to some expat-oriented sports bar. It's a scene that is played out in many cities throughout Asia and Australia where football loving Americans live, and was described earlier this week from a Steelersfan perspective by Alan Paul.
We were awake and dressed before dawn. Randy, unfortunately, had American guests at work, so he could not join us. Our friend and regular driver, Mr. Guo, was able to take us into Beijing at this ridiculous hour. We left Changping at 6:45, arriving at Frank's Place in Lido in Northeastern Beijing shortly after kickoff.
It was dark for most of the drive, the moon still gleaming in the clear, cold sky. As we drove east the glow on the horizon changed colors through shades of blue, to purple, to red, until finally the sun was nearly up and we were arriving.
The bar wasn't nearly as full as I had expected, though two young women we sat near said there had been a larger crowd for the Packers-Bears game, or at least by the second half. They had been there since 4 am, wanting to watch as much football as possible. They were coaches from international schools in South China. One of them grew up in a town 50 miles from my own hometown in Western Pennsylvania. In a world this large, the Steelers made it possible for two women from Kane (me) and Brockway (her) to sit next to one another in a sports bar in Beijing.
I was surprised the crowd did not pick up through the Jets-Steelers game. There were at least two other bars in Beijing showing the game, and while I had never been to any of them before, at least one of the others have a rowdier reputation. I missed the smaller scene of Shenzhen, with our friends and regular strangers that gathered at these early hours for the Conference games (when available) and the Super Bowl at the same bar, X-ta-sea.
I was also the only one there with children in tow. I wonder if this will be the same in two weeks, even with the Super Bowl occurring in the middle of our Chinese New Year's holiday.I will definitely have Randy with me then to share minding responsibilities. It was easy this morning, though. The game, the food, a few well-chosen diversion, and permission to twirl their Terrible Towels often was all we needed to have an enjoyable time.
Well, all of that for them and a Strongbow (or two) for me. Somehow, hard cider didn't seem as bad for me first thing in the morning as a beer.
What a happy, welcome sight after that misery of a second half.
Yes, Frank's Place. We will be back. See you in two weeks. My kids love their football with breakfast.
We were awake and dressed before dawn. Randy, unfortunately, had American guests at work, so he could not join us. Our friend and regular driver, Mr. Guo, was able to take us into Beijing at this ridiculous hour. We left Changping at 6:45, arriving at Frank's Place in Lido in Northeastern Beijing shortly after kickoff.
It was dark for most of the drive, the moon still gleaming in the clear, cold sky. As we drove east the glow on the horizon changed colors through shades of blue, to purple, to red, until finally the sun was nearly up and we were arriving.
The bar wasn't nearly as full as I had expected, though two young women we sat near said there had been a larger crowd for the Packers-Bears game, or at least by the second half. They had been there since 4 am, wanting to watch as much football as possible. They were coaches from international schools in South China. One of them grew up in a town 50 miles from my own hometown in Western Pennsylvania. In a world this large, the Steelers made it possible for two women from Kane (me) and Brockway (her) to sit next to one another in a sports bar in Beijing.
I was surprised the crowd did not pick up through the Jets-Steelers game. There were at least two other bars in Beijing showing the game, and while I had never been to any of them before, at least one of the others have a rowdier reputation. I missed the smaller scene of Shenzhen, with our friends and regular strangers that gathered at these early hours for the Conference games (when available) and the Super Bowl at the same bar, X-ta-sea.
I was also the only one there with children in tow. I wonder if this will be the same in two weeks, even with the Super Bowl occurring in the middle of our Chinese New Year's holiday.I will definitely have Randy with me then to share minding responsibilities. It was easy this morning, though. The game, the food, a few well-chosen diversion, and permission to twirl their Terrible Towels often was all we needed to have an enjoyable time.
Well, all of that for them and a Strongbow (or two) for me. Somehow, hard cider didn't seem as bad for me first thing in the morning as a beer.
What a happy, welcome sight after that misery of a second half.
Yes, Frank's Place. We will be back. See you in two weeks. My kids love their football with breakfast.
Comments
My, my. Those towels are terrible!