World Cup Part Deux

Starting off in Buffalo for  some family time with the Ruszczyk clan, we have set out for our second World Cup vacation- the Women's World Cup in Canada. Four days in Buffalo included some much needed outdoor time for Eloise in spite of  80% rain,  surprisingly safe permit driving by me, a family celebration for newly inducted Dr. Ruszczyk, and the ever satisfying Buffalo wings.

Good times were had and we embarked on the second leg of our family vacation with an overnight stop in the Thousand Islands. I was once again impressed by the beauty of New York. We caught a great view of  five of those miniature islands during a romantic sunset and cool breeze before heading back to our lodging for the night where we rooted for a winning US team against Nigeria.

Thousand Islands

The next morning we set off to cross the border into Canada, headed towards Ottawa. We arrived at our charming airbnb house in the small and quaint city. How gigantic New York City is in comparison to just about anywhere, let a alone a city of 850,000. There are houses. Real houses with trees, and parks and just enough traffic to feel that things are happening, but not enough to feel oppressed by congestion. And space! there is space! and Latinos! There are a bunch of Latinos in this part of Canada to my pleasant surprise, but I digress. After quickly dropping off our bags we headed to our first game France vs. Mexico. True to ourselves we rooted for opposing teams. Stephen goes for les Bleus and I support Mexico even though I know they have a slim chance of winning this game.  I was hoping that some Cinco de Mayo magic might ensue. No chance. Eloise, in her first real life official soccer game roots for Mexico to begin. Chanting "Si se puede" and shaking her Mexican maraca purchased in the Brazilian Men's World Cup in Salvador last year. As if realizing she needed to make a shift for the winning team, she soon changed her tune to "Allez les Bleus." Traitor! Traitre! The game ended with a sad 5-0 score and a victorious France. Good thing we didn't bet on the loser doing a household chore for the entire year this time!

Let's talk about 2 year olds for a second here. As a parent I romanticize the family road trip, the bonding, the exposure to different places, and taking my daughter to women's soccer games so that she may look up to these female athletes and perhaps one day play as well. Two year olds may appreciate all these wonderful intentions for about 2 seconds yet sure enough they ultimately have their own plans. That plan is to be a two year old. Like your fun and favorite, but drunk uncle, two year olds start off enjoying the game, being funny, chanting the chants, ooing and aaaahing, and chatting it up with the others. She might laugh and get excited at moments of the game.....and all of this lasts for about 30 minutes 35 max. Then that drunk uncle becomes belligerent, gets hungry, and sleepy, leans on you with dirty ketchup hands and steps on you and starts falling and dropping things. He (she) cries a little, wants the hot dog and then throws it across the room. That is how your fun and favorite drunk uncle/ two year old at a soccer game.

Lansdowne Stadium, Ottawa