With the Game-a-Day's running a bit late, I caught up with them at Barnet Odeon, where Hayley drove us to the airport (many thanks!).
On the way I sat next to the cat.
At Luton, we found a massive queue for security and after lots of worry just about made the flight, only thanks to Easyjet kindly changing the 'gate closing' time. Ryanair would probably have charged a fee for that.
After the usual sleep and cloud gazing we made it into Dortmund on time.
Feeling rather peckish, we found a great cafe in Aplerbeck and tucked into some breakfast.
Our hotel for the night was the Bochum Acora, and on arrival we found that our three bed room was missing a key component - a third bed. Apparently it hadn't arrived. 
After a quick kip we headed out to meet Alex and Philip in the Hop and tucked into some beers.
The region's game of the day was Wuppertaler's clash with Eintracht Braunschweig. But Bochum's second team were at home so we went to watch them instead.
In Germany, reserve teams play in the pyramid structure, as high up as the third tier. The system is hotly controversial, with lots of 'Amateur Raus' calls from supporters of clubs whose first teams ply their trade at this level.
Our fixture, in Regionaliga West (fourth league), pitted Bochum 2 against Bonner SC in Wattenscheid. We found a ground that was suitably empty. Home end:
Our fixture, in Regionaliga West (fourth league), pitted Bochum 2 against Bonner SC in Wattenscheid. We found a ground that was suitably empty. Home end:
Away end:
Shut stand:
Hey, some people!
The beer stand was open of course.
The game was pretty bad, with very little skill and just a couple of goals. At one point it rained so the sparse crowd (320 people) took cover under a tree. Amateur indeed.
Back at the hotel, the third bed had arrived, so we caught up with the Bundesliga highlights on the telly and slept a bit.
John and I headed out for some pizza and headed up to Bierkutscher.
Here we found a rather merry Pete, who had already been drinking a few hours.
to small beers:
to a strange home brew with himbeers:
Scary stuff!
By now Pete was taking a liking to everything, from the glass washing device...
...to the barmaid
Beyond the Ruhrstadion, Bochum's greatest cultural exhibit is the Deutsches Bergbau Museum. Lying in the centre of a coal mining region, this museum takes you underground. It was brilliant.
Der steiger kommt.
the odd train
It's hard to see but this is me with Tobias, the last ever working horse that came down this way.
Best of all though were these conveyor belts, presumably to take away the coal...
...but not the miners
Strange contraptions
Strange people
Hey, some people!The beer stand was open of course.
The game was pretty bad, with very little skill and just a couple of goals. At one point it rained so the sparse crowd (320 people) took cover under a tree. Amateur indeed.Back at the hotel, the third bed had arrived, so we caught up with the Bundesliga highlights on the telly and slept a bit.
John and I headed out for some pizza and headed up to Bierkutscher.
Here we found a rather merry Pete, who had already been drinking a few hours.
to small beers:
to a strange home brew with himbeers:
Scary stuff!
By now Pete was taking a liking to everything, from the glass washing device...
...to the barmaid
Alas about twelvish we called it a night. Tomorrow was the big day.
Sunday 18th October - Borussia Dortmund v Vfl Bochum
Just how do you prepare for a trip to see the world's biggest terrace stadiums? By visiting the world's largest mining museum of course. Better still, it was yards from our hotel.
Beyond the Ruhrstadion, Bochum's greatest cultural exhibit is the Deutsches Bergbau Museum. Lying in the centre of a coal mining region, this museum takes you underground. It was brilliant.
Der steiger kommt.
There were some cool machines:
the odd train It's hard to see but this is me with Tobias, the last ever working horse that came down this way.
Best of all though were these conveyor belts, presumably to take away the coal...
...but not the minersStrange contraptions 
Strange peopleAfter the mines, there were some exhibitions. These started off fairly standard, but soon became a bit odd.
Man in diving suit with fishing net
Underwater mine?
We had some lunch in the museum, then headed back to Hopfendolde for pre-match beer.
Being a local game, there was a football special to take us straight to the stadium. It was brilliant fun with some conversation...
beer...
singing in the carriage...
...and out of the window.
The guest block at Dortmund is directly opposite the Sudtribune, which was once again a fantastic backdrop.
Atmosphere Dortmund:
Atmosphere Bochum:
and some low alcohol BvB beer :o(
Dortmund have the flag waving on the pitch beforehand:
Man in diving suit with fishing net
Underwater mine?
We had some lunch in the museum, then headed back to Hopfendolde for pre-match beer.
Being a local game, there was a football special to take us straight to the stadium. It was brilliant fun with some conversation...
beer...
singing in the carriage...
...and out of the window.
We then got the usual march to the stadium.
The guest block at Dortmund is directly opposite the Sudtribune, which was once again a fantastic backdrop.Atmosphere Dortmund:
Atmosphere Bochum:
Someone had found a BvB scarf...
and some low alcohol BvB beer :o(
Dortmund have the flag waving on the pitch beforehand: 
Shouty megaphoneman:
Bochum were refreshingly diabolical, creating no chances of note and losing comfortably 2-0.
After marvelling some more at the stickers and the Sudtribune, we headed back to the station. Although the game was in Dortmund, and our hotel was in Dortmund, our bags were in Bochum so we had to return there first.
This gave Christoph a chance to ponder...
...and Pete some time to drink
Soon enough, we were heading back to Dortmund and upto the hotel.
Monday 19th October - Back home]
Bochum were refreshingly diabolical, creating no chances of note and losing comfortably 2-0.
After marvelling some more at the stickers and the Sudtribune, we headed back to the station. Although the game was in Dortmund, and our hotel was in Dortmund, our bags were in Bochum so we had to return there first.
This gave Christoph a chance to ponder......and Pete some time to drink
Soon enough, we were heading back to Dortmund and upto the hotel.
Monday 19th October - Back home]Unlike John and Pete, I did not have the Monday off work. So it was a case of an early start, walk to Dortmund Hbf, taxi to the airport, flight to Luton, bus to Luton Airport Parkway station, intercity train to St.Pancras and tube to Aldgate. I arrived in work at 9.05am, five minutes late. Not a bad effort!
