Mega Geocaching Event in Leipzig
　
Thursday was a very lazy day it rained for part of it and then got warm and muggy….I went for a couple of walks in the neighbourhood to get some groceries but mainly did laundry and got ready for my trip to Leipzig

I got a 2^nd class train ticket for this train trip because it was a short one and didn't want to use the Eurail pass day.   It wouldn’t have been too bad except for the people in front of me had an 18 month old that cried for the full hour from Berlin to Leipzig.  I got off the train ( we had passed the place where the event and my hotel was) but I notice the train on the next platform was going to Messe (fairgrounds) where I wanted to be and it was leaving in the next few minutes….so I quickly used my new skills for getting tickets out a machine that speaks German to get a ticket and hopped on…..to a train with 2 men still partying and moaning over last nights loss in the soccer game against Italy….couldn’t make out all the words but “mafiosa” and “Shisse” (Auntie Marie used to say that) were clear!
Luckily only one stop and I got off and made my way to the fairgrounds to check it to see when I could register. It’s 12:30 by this time and registration was at 2 so I went to check out my hotel to see if I could at least drop my luggage,,,,my room was ready Yeah.!

Cleaned up a little and had quick lunch at the big M across the street and went back to register. I figure if there is 2000 people coming I wanted to get that out of the way when it first opened….I’m glad because when I got back at about 7 after a shopping, shower, quick power nap ( I had been up since about 5:30)and caching, the lineups were out the door of the large center.

The fairgrounds are really beautiful, the two large regular type building go down each side of the humongous glass “greenhouse” shaped building that is set back about 300 meters….overhead glass/plastic tube walkways connect the buildings. And then there is a large rectangular lake in front of the glass building that is split in two by a sloped walk that makes it look like you are walking through the water (pictures later)


So I waited around til about 9:30 chatting to people, then went to wait at the starting point of the parade of the nations (did I mention I was to be in the parade!?)….someone came to me with a very large Canadian flag and a few minutes later this nice woman named Kristin came with a “Canada” sign…she was my guide. The parade was set up like the march of the Olympic athletes. The whole theme of the event is Olympics, teams getting points while playing fun games and events tomorrow. So when the parade finally got started (10:30pm)we walked....Kristen in front with the sign and me, the sole Canandian walking behind with the flag!  

 There were teams ther from all provinces of Germany, Denmark, Norway, France, IreIand......and many more.  It was dark by this time so my pictures didn’t turn out that great. We walked down the side of the “lake” and through the path in centre, up the other side and lined up in front of the stage….they light the flame, people carried the flame to the stage,apeaches, there was an athletes oath, and then fireworks…..it was a wonderfull evening. I left at about 11:15, I was very tired….I think there was a DJ and disco that is still going on.

Tomorrow is breakfast and all the events and games. It should be fun…..

I have come back to the hotel and the internet isn’t working so I will have to post this tomorrow morning ….I’m going to bed!