The sweltering Kolkata summer might have left the Swedish couple Johann and Helena tired and worn out, but there's no beating the indomitable spirit of the duo who traverse the alleys of Kolkata on foot, fascinated as they are by the "sights and sounds of Calcutta".

But in the last couple of days, they have made it a point to return to their hotels in time to cach the telecast of the World Cup matches.

Christina, a young German who is a basketball player and an activist in her own right--has been working for the upliftment of women in Varanasi. Her work more than made up for the excitement of the World Cup. "It would have been nice (to be in Germany), but going back for just the World Cup does not make much sense," she said. In the matter of favourites, she's a true global citizen.

For team, instead of Germany, she backs Argentina and among individual players her hero is Ronaldo "though he is Brazilian". Christina will be following all the matches from Kolkata. "Of course, I call friends to know what is happening out there," she said. Though Belgium has not qualified for the World Cup, football freak Anais is clued in about the World Cup matches.

But Claudia, who has come all the way from England, has a different God. "I'm not interested in soccer. Calcutta is more fascinating than the World Cup," was all she would say.