El león es mi pasión!

Chile Part 13

Hola chicos!

I was going through my photos from my trip and stumbled across this set. I remember the night as if it were yesterday - I was cooking cream of broccoli soup to warm my bones on the wintry evening, ignoring the sounds of the soccer game being played on the TV. I felt sad because although my school, Universidad de Chile, got to the final of the national tournament, they lost the first game to La Católica and were already losing 1-0. Although I loved soccer, at that moment I loved hot food more, so I kept on mixing the soup...until I heard a yell. My Chilean roommate, Denis, shouted that La Chile had scored 2 goals, then 3, then 4! Now, if they held out till the end, they could actually win the championship! The goal differential was in their favor. I braced myself, adding milk to the green mixture, and then heard the final whistle. Champions! I was so excited that I ran to my room, pulled on my La U shirt, then ran downstairs to celebrate with all the rest of the fans in Plaza Italia. Great fun.

Here are the photos! 

P.S. The title, translated into English, reads: "The lion is my passion!" One of the popular chants for La U, it alludes to the fact that the mascot is a lion. 

Young fan of La U, set against the jumbled backdrop of flags, people and streetlights

Yet again, Plaza Italia was absolutely filled - and as always, la Virgen was watching overhead.

Chi-chi-chi, le-le-le, Universidad de Chile!

Crazy fans who had climbed up onto a statue and were screaming at the top of their lungs.

Oooh, look at the pretty fireworks...

Rene and I, the avid soccer fans!

What's weird in this picture? Hmmm...there's a guy on top of a streetlight. He's waving a flag that somehow looks like a UFO according to my camera. Awesome picture? Check.

Another die-hard fan, looking ready to ignite the crowd with his checkered flag

The ground, littered with celebratory confetti.

So I discovered that it's pretty hard to take pictures of flags! But they definitely come out cool.

Where there's smoke, there's fire. And where there's fire, there's more fireworks!

The flags, bravely battling the smoke.

How many people were there?

LOTS of people. Fans as far as the eye can see...and then some!

Chau! Viva fútbol!