A win is a win

LEIPZIG: As soon as I entered the Frankfurt main station this morning on my way to Leipzig, I was greeted by the sight of drunk England fans sleeping on the main corridors of the Hauptbanhof.

Seems it was a hectic night of partying for the Englishmen, even though they just managed to scrape through. But then a win is a win and who can argue with the English fans.

Travelling has been really made easy for us journalists courtesy Deutsche Bahn (German Railways) as they have allowed us free first class travel for the entire period of the FIFA World Cup 2006.

We just have to show our accreditation card and you are welcomed in one of the finest and fastest trains in the world.

Leipzig lies about three hours northeast of Frankfurt by train and as soon as you enter the main station, you can’t fail to sense the city’s unique atmosphere. Having played

an important role in Europe’s commercial and intellectual history, the city’s glorious past and its current renaissance are equally visible.

As the 21st century gathers pace, Leipzig has come to be known as one of the most dynamic cities in Europe. The lively heart of the city comprises its historical centre, encircled by a green promenade indicating where the fortifications used to be.

Leipzig central station is one of the largest European railway terminuses and houses an ultramodern shopping centre.

Another strong argument in favour of Leipzig as a World Cup venue is that the first The Deutsche Fusball-Bund (DFB) or the German Football Association was founded here in 1900 and the first ever-German champions wereVfB Leipzig.

One of the most famous residents of Leipzig was the famous composer Johann Sebastian Bach who was Leipzig’s director of music and the cantor of St Thomas’s Church from 1723 until his death in 1750. Also, Goethe, the father of German literature, studied in Leipzig between 1765 and 1768.

A visitor to the Auerbachs Keller restaurant, he immortalised it by entitling a scene in his

play Faust “Auerbachs Keller in Leipzig”.