When the famous Tartan Army met the Teuton Army in the Euros in Germany two years ago it changed everything.
With bonds between the 200,000 Scots and their German hosts forged and rekindled.
And promises made to meet up again in two years time in America at the World Cup.
Alas, our paths weren’t to cross in the US with Scotland and Germany being drawn apart and both being knocked out early.
But did last night at a Scottish-German get-together in Edinburgh last night.
Where we raised a Prost and a Sláinte with Harald, Charlotte and unsere alten Freunde.
And parked any Schadenfreude for England’s travails until they squeezed by DR Congo.
Back at kindergarten
Not, in truth, that the Germans have ever bought into the grudge that England feels for them.
With, in fact, it being the Dutch with whom the Germans share a rivalry.
Now while football was to the fore, and the World Cup is poorer for Scotland and Germany being out.
We were in town to celebrate the links between our countries and learn, of course, new things.
Because, after all every day is a kindergarten day.
And didn’t we discover our hosts for the night. Anderson Strathern LLP, boasted a Nuremberg chest heirloom dating back to 1701?
My German footballing odyssey
My own German footballing odyssey involved Nuremberg .
When I took in my first game in Deutschland, a Bavarian derby with Bayern Munchen during my first Oktoberfest.
And not even getting a smack in the nose back outside the Hofbrauhuis.
For trying to split up two footballing frauleins, from one of their boyfriends I’m saying, has put me off my love of football.
Which was cemented on a memorable tour around the Ruhr, the spiritual home of German football, while also visiting the German football museum.
Where they bask in the glory of four World Cups and three European Championships (count them).
Flower of Scotland in Germany
So everything is still rosy in the German garden and also in the Ruhr region which will bring a different tourist over next year for their very special gardening spectacle.
All of which has got me thinking, mibbeees I should present a trip to the Ruhr Valley as a horitcultural holiday to Der Scary One.
And I slide off to Essen, Dortmund and Gelsenkirchen.
