The Monty Python Train

People keep asking us what our favorite part of the trip was, and while I have a hard time saying it was three hours on a train, this memory is the one that usually pops into my mind first. There's no way I can do this experience justice, and unfortunately I don't have any pictures, but I'll give you a brief summary.

Our traveling companions on the return trip from Nuremberg were four English fans from Canterbury, a group of men in their mid 40s, who clearly had been sharing football experiences together for many years. They had driven from England to Frankfurt earlier that day and were spending the night in Frankfurt. Once they entered our cabin (and ejected a group of Spanish-speaking media who had been in their seats) the laughs began.

For the next three hours, it was as if we were dropped into the middle of a Monty Python sketch. The individual incidents are too numerous to share and probably wouldn't be as funny, but here's our favorite:

Doug wore his Manchester United jersey for the day, and so he struck up a conversation with the Manchester fan seated next to him. Seated across from them and next to me was a fan of Westham United, a squad from London. Doug and the Manchester fan were discussing Manchester's legendary home ground, Old Trafford.

ManU Fan: "You ever been to Old Trafford?"
Doug: "No. I hope to go there someday."
Westham Fan: "I went to Old Trafford once. Westham won a goal to nil."
ManU Fan: "Piss off."

I had to head to the water closet after that exchange to let out all the laughter I was holding back.