Freddie Does America!

[Yazata]

'Freddie' is the screen name of a young German soccer-football fan who came to the United States with two friends to see World Cup games.

They rented a car in Atlanta or someplace and set out on an epic road-trip from state to state, across the South, posting everything that he saw and discovered on X as he went.

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Freddie couldn't believe that they were selling guns in there, and even had a shooting range in the store! I guess you don't see that in Europe.

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They discovered Buc'ees and couldn't believe America had gas stations like this. Or at least the South does (mostly Texas, but Buc'ees is spreading across the region. No Buc'ees in California.)

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[Yazata]

Into Alabama on what looks like a back road

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Auburn University where a World Cup game was set to be played.

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They went to the Florida Panhandle to check out the Gulf coast

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They were impressed by how beautiful it was

https://x.com/FreddyLA7/status/2064874543181701329

https://x.com/FreddyLA7/status/2064903455156641997

https://x.com/FreddyLA7/status/2064892499504574580

And finally, a post that was to pay off later: "The best discovery of our road trip has been a musician called Ella Langley. We had never heard of her before, but after hearing her on pretty much every country radio station, we’ve become big fans. She’s basically the soundtrack of our trip."

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As they traveled along the Mississippi Gulf coast, they first heard the radio stations talking about them and their trip, playing Ella Langley songs, dedicating them to Freddy.

The Louisiana state line, Freddy started to realize that they had officially become a thing.

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They visit Bourbon street in New Orleans. The New Orleans Saints gave them a tour of their practice facility.

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And by the time they arrived in Houston, they were certifiable celebrities. (Freddy currently has 700,000 followers on X.)

https://x.com/FreddyLA7/status/2065993042020987221

Former football player JJ Watt treated them to a luxury hotel suite. The Houston police gave them a tour. It started to be that wherever they went, people started picking up the tab for them. Radio and TV wanted interviews.

It didn't go to their heads though, and Freddy hadn't forgotten why they were there. Here they are at the stadium on a very hot day

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Except that Freddy says they had the air conditioning turned up so high inside that he almost froze to death.

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[Yazata]

And the coolest part of Freddy's visit to Houston is that NASA invited them in for a special tour of the Johnson Space Center. Jared sent his greetings.

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The neutral bouyancy pool where astronauts practice space walks

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Inside an Orion capsule that NASA uses to train Artemis astronauts

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Live with Jessica Meir on the Space Station.

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Jessica trash-talks JJ Watt from space! Freddy is amazed that you can call the Space Station on a cell phone.

https://x.com/JJWatt/status/2067235293359390733

Freddy says, "Thank you NASA for the coolest day ever. One week ago, we were eating Chili’s in Chattanooga, and today we’re talking to the ISS. This is the American dream. Thanks for letting three random World Cup tourists from Germany live it for a few days. USA rocks."

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Texas Road House

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And finally, Ella Langley invited them to one of her concerts. Note the cowboy boots they are sporting. Ella bought boots and hats (and the t-shirts) for them. Freddy says he's never felt so American!

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The latest is that Freddy and his friends are trying to make their way to Toronto to see another World Cup match, but weather has delayed their flight and they might miss it.

Meanwhile, there are even rumors that the White House has contacted Freddy about a possible visit.

[Zinjanthropos]

A boost US Tourism needs. Nice to see a feel good article re America for a change.

[Yazata]

A boost US Tourism needs. Nice to see a feel good article re America for a change.

Hey Z-man! They succeeded in getting a flight to Buffalo, rented a car and crossed over into Canada-land.

Be nice to them!

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[Zinjanthropos]

A boost US Tourism needs. Nice to see a feel good article re America for a change.

Hey Z-man! They succeeded in getting a flight to Buffalo, rented a car and crossed over into Canada-land.

Be nice to them!

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My daughter is at the Germany game in Toronto today. I’ll ask her to look for Freddie.

*While waiting for doors to open, she just told me of meeting Leon Draisaitl, NHL star with Edmonton Oilers.

[Yazata]

Freddy does Canada too! Here's their photo of the stadium in Toronto. (Lake Ontario in the distance looks like an ocean.)

Germany beat Ivory Coast (who were surprisingly strong) 2-1 and advances. Freddy is happy and is celebrating tonight.

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[Yazata]

Hey, Z-man! Freddy is on your turf!

Freddy likes Niagara falls

https://x.com/FreddyLA7/status/2068840825035919806

They take a boat tour right up to the falls

https://x.com/FreddyLA7/status/2068859213820912075

Freddy is surprised that Niagara Falls Ontario is like a giant amusement park! (I didn't know that either!) There's even a roller coaster on top of Burger King!

https://x.com/FreddyLA7/status/2068827986422300932

But Freddy manages to find a nice relaxed place there to watch World Cup games on a big screen TV and it's where they discover Poutine

https://x.com/FreddyLA7/status/2068878401977344186

Freddy's Niagara Falls day ends with fireworks

https://x.com/FreddyLA7/status/2068898575375855981

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[Zinjanthropos]

American or Canadian side? There’s two Niagara Falls, one on each side. Don’t know of any roller coasters at Burger King in NF Canada but I avoid the area, especially in summer (checked & there is..lol)By the way there are fireworks at the Falls every night during the summer. I can hear & see them from my house about 10km up river. Never taken the boat under the Falls, on my bucket list. Hornblower is name of boat tour company on Canadian side, used to be Maid of the Mist but I think they now run on the American side. In your post I didn’t see Freddie mention a walk behind the Falls which many claim is the best part of any trip. Tells me he might be on USA soil.

Not sure if poutine served on American side so he may have watched tv from our side. Many American bars cater to Canadian tastes and vice versa. When I was in HS there was a bar in NF NY dedicated to our school and for other HS on our side. Drinking age was 18 in NY and 21 in Ontario. We also went to grade 13 in those days so many 18 year olds would drift over the border, plus those who were underage with fake ID’s. Friendlier border in those days. These days I don’t bother going ‘across the river’ anymore.

[Yazata]

Freddy's in Vermont and can't believe that it's the same country as Texas where he was before.