VIENNA, Austria – So it's all over. Spain are going home from Euro 2008 with the trophy and football fans are going home with some great memories from a colorful tournament.

If there is one thing that myself and the rest of the CNN crew covering Euro 2008 will remember from this event, it is the fantastic atmosphere between all the fans. In Vienna, there were at least 20,000 people every day in the Fan Zone - and there were never any signs of tension or violence.

Football supporters came from every corner of the globe to celebrate the beautiful game and rejoice together, no matter the score.

This was especially visible during the final itself. On Sunday night the Fan Zone was packed with 70,000 people and it turned into one of Europe's biggest parties. There was singing, dancing, laughing and crying as everyone got into the spirit.

Joining the Germans and Spanish were fans from as far away as Mexico and Brazil - and they just added more spice to the mix.

On the field, the tournament was also a success. From the drama of the Turkish victories to the anxiety of the penalty shoot-out between Spain and Italy and finally to the jubilation of Espana's triumph, football fans were thoroughly entertained.

Seventy-seven goals were scored in 31 matches – or an average of two-and-a-half goals per game, a statistic which shows the attacking philosophy most teams dsiplayed.

UEFA picked Spain midfielder Xavi as its man of the tournament, but my vote goes to Marcos Senna, who was tireless in the center of the park. Whether tackling, passing or dictating the rhythm of the game, the Brazilian-born anchorman was a joy to watch.

There are always disappointments at tournaments - and front and center this time round were Greece and France.

The defending champions left the tournament without a single point and will have to go back to the drawing board. Their defensive philosophy looked outdated and was never going to hold up for another tournament.

Les Bleus, meanwhile, looked old and tired as Raymond Domenech committed several mistakes in his squad selection. Phillipe Mexes, David Trezeguet and Mathieu Flamini should all have been playing. It doesn't mean they would have transformed France into champions, but they would have helped.

One final word on the fair play exhibited by most teams. There were only three red cards throughout the competition, and we didn't see any career-threatening tackles being made.

Overall, Euro 2008 was a success. The spotlight now shifts to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa – and expectations will be high.

VIENNA, Austria – Here we are in Vienna waiting for the biggest game of the year to kick off. Around 70,000 people are expected in the city's fanzone to watch the title decider and in the hours leading up to the match, the atmosphere has been fantastic.

Singing, dancing and cheering, fans from Germany and Spain have created a party atmosphere which is a joy to watch. There is no hint of tension or violence as everyone just wants to enjoy the occasion.

The visitors number in the Vienna fanzone recently hit the one million mark for the tournament and everyone agrees that it has been a success. For the final day, over 2,500 extra police officers will be on duty in the city center to secure the area, but the operation will serve mostly as a precaution considering there have been no problems throughout the tournament.

As far as the game is concerned, it's the final a lot of people were wishing to see. Two heavyweights of European football locking horns after dramatically navigating their way past several opponents over the last three weeks.

Germany are going for their fourth title in six finals, while Spain are looking for their first major title since1964.

The game will bring together contrasting styles. Germany will rely on their direct and physical football to try to knock the technically gifted Spaniards off their game, while Spain will hope it's short and quick passing will help them break down the opposition's defense.

As an outsider, I'm just hoping to see a good game. I also look forward to watching the winning fans celebrate wildly at the final whistle!

VIENNA, Austria – So the big final is upon us and I can say without any reservations that I am excited. Euro 2008 has been an excellent tournament and I predict a title decider that will not disappoint. It will definitely be better than the finals of the last World Cup or Euro 2004.

Admittedly, intuition plays a large part in making any sporting prediction but I can back this one up with facts too.

First we have to take a look at the statistics. Both sides are averaging over two goals per game: Spain has hit the back of the net 11 times in six matches, while the Germans scored 10 goals in their games to date.

Recently Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told me the quality of the attackers was better than the quality of the defenders at this tournament. if this trend continues in Sunday's final then nil-nil is not an option.

Another factor which should contribute to an open game is the team philosophies of the title contenders. Neither side relies on one or two players, so that means even if Fernando Torres and Miroslav Klose have a bad game, goals could come from a variety of other sources.

Xavi, Silva, Fabregas and Iniesta can all score for Spain, while Schweinsteiger, Podolski, Ballack and Lahm are names that can get on the scoresheet for Germany.

The fact that none of the players on the pitch on Sunday have ever won a trophy with their national team should also make them try harder. If it was Italy versus France, it would be a different story entirely. But both sides are still young and although some players have enjoyed success at club level they have yet to make their mark with their country's colours.

There should be plenty of hunger out there and maybe the hungriest player of all will be Michael Ballack. The midfielder has lost four finals in his career, including two in the Champions League and one at the 2002 World Cup - although he was suspended for that game.

As if any extra motivation was needed, each German player will reportedly earn 250,000 euros for lifting the trophy; Spain's players can look forward to receiving a check worth 214,000 euros to go with a winner's medal.

Not bad eh? Let's hope they earn it!

Watch my package on football fever in Vienna.

LONDON, England - As double acts go, it's a fairly unusual pairing: The freedom-fighting elder statesman and the scandal-hit songstress.

But there's no escaping the fact that Nelson Mandela shares top billing at his own 90th birthday party with Amy Winehouse.

Amy Winehouse was one of the star acts of Mandela's birthday show.

For each admirer who rushed into London's Hyde Park on Friday to join Mandela for a star-studded tribute to his life, there was another simply there to see if the raven-haired singer would make it.

"We're not really here for Nelson Mandela at all, truth be told," said Venetia Moore, who was among the first to lay down their tablecloth and soak up the pre-gig picnic atmosphere.

"Amy Winehouse is the one we're going to enjoy most."

While an appearance by Mandela - rarely in the spotlight since bowing out of public life five years ago - is undoubtedly a crowd pleaser, Winehouse, who has spent the past few days recovering from lung complications linked to a dissolute lifestyle, is just as big a draw.

"We're here to celebrate with South Africa's greatest man and we're proud to be with him here today," says Mojaji Mogale, who hails from Soweto but now lives in the UK.

"But I'm looking forward to Amy - you've got to respect her for standing up despite the condition she's in."

There is, of course, very little to compare the two.

Mandela's 27 years in prison for resisting South Africa's apartheid regime dwarf Winehouse's own brushes with the law - tabloid-fodder incidents relating to a lifestyle that makes Mandela's moderate regimen look positively monastic.

There were minor parallels as both took to the stage. Just as Mandela initially appeared unsteady and perhaps incapable of addressing his audience, so did Winehouse.  Yet both rose to the occasion and delivered a performance that packed punch.

Winehouse, despite her considerable talent, may not however enjoy such a reception if she defies her expectations to celebrate her 90th birthday.

And though she led the concert's final performance, by the end of the evening it was clear who the real star of the show was.

Said audience member Alicia Oduya: "Before I came I was distracted by the playlist, I didn't really focus on what the concert was about. But it was very moving - I'm so honored to have been in the presence of such a great man."

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – Zimbabweans voted today in an election many called a ‘sham.' But ordinary people from Zimbabwe were stuck outside the country watching the events in their homeland unfold.

Voters line up in Harare.

And so was I. CNN is banned by the Zimbabwean government from reporting in the country.So I spent the week talking to Zimbabweans living in Johannesburg. I met them at Park station in downtown Johannesburg and in a refugee camp next to a plush golf course outside of the city.

At the station they gather commodities that they have bought to take back to their families. There are few commodities in Zimbabwe and the inflation rate is over two million percent. They were taking rice and maize meal, clothes and mattresses.

"There is no reason to go and vote since they are beating us like this," said one man at the Park station, "It doesn¹t make sense." Another agreed, I can't use any of their names, they are afraid that Mugabe's government might monitor CNN's broadcasts and website, "Even if we go back and vote, Mugabe would not accept it. It is better for us to stay here, we are free here."

I was at the refugee camp as voting began. Many Zimbabweans live here and they were depressed about their country. They had voted in March. Now they were too fatigued at the politics or too afraid to go back.

They got hold of relatives, worried about their safety back in Zimbabwe.

Texas talked to his grandmother. She was too afraid to chat on the phone because thugs were intimidating people at the polling station. Joseph also got hold of his grandmother. She said that militia where forcing people to vote and checking their hands for ink. They stain fingers when you have voted in Zimbabwe.

I also met Nesbitt and his father. Nesbitt's father is a war veteran. War veterans are generally associated with ZANU-PF. But his father, who doesn't want us to reveal his name, fled the country a week ago. He says he was put on a list an MDC supporter, though he has no real political affiliation.

"They said I was an opposition supporter because I am not following their footsteps," he said, "I fought for democracy, not for brutality after independence."

Not all Zimbabweans are refugees, of course, there are over a million of them living in South Africa. Privilege is one of them.

Privilege is a 24-year-old Zimbabwean waitress who's been living in Johannesburg since 2005.

She hopes for a better tomorrow in Zimbabwe, but she has gotten used to her adopted country.

"I am better than I would have been had I been in Zimbabwe, so I can say that I am happy."

Whether Privilege and other Zimbabweans ever get to live in their home again depends on how the ruler of that nation and the leaders of the world decide whether the people of Zimbabwe deserve a fair shake.

VIENNA, Austria –The European Championships had never seen anything like it before. While Germany were handing Turkey a taste of their own medicine in the Basel semifinal, in neighboring Austria the CNN team we were being evacuated from Vienna's Fan Zone along with 25,000 football supporters.

The public viewing area in the Austrian capital has been filled with tens of thousands of fans for every match during Euro 2008, allowing spectators to view the action on giant screens and replicate the atmosphere present at the stadiums. On Wednesday it happened again, with Turkish and German supporters congregating in the area.

CNN producer Chris Eldergill, CNN cameraman Andrew Waller and myself were also there in the media centre.

All was going according to plan in the first half, but circumstances changed when a storm warning was issued over the public announcement system and on giant screens. We all thought it was just being done as a precaution - but soon found out we were wrong.

During the second half, the winds suddenly started to intensify and lightning began to strike. Another warning was issued and this time the message was clear - everyone had to evacuate the premises.

As heavy rain began to pound down, fans were cleared by police and security. By this time we had lost the signal from the game as a power cut in the International Broadcast Centre in Vienna affected the world feed. We started to feel helpless, unable to follow the football and facing the prospect of having our equipment outside damaged by the rain.

Our initial plan had been to produce several live reports, but that idea was scrapped because of the conditions. All we could do was wait and watch.

Outside the rain continued to fall and the wind swirled. The evacuation operation continued with success, although later we heard reports of two serious injuries after some fans were trampled near the fences.

The game was clearly not a priority by now. As news filtered through that Germany had scored a last minute goal in Basle, we were told that it was our turn to evacuate the area. Soon riot police and security started to usher us out.

As we left the building with our equipment under heavy rain, we called headquarters in Atlanta, filing a live report on what we were up against in Vienna. We finally managed to get back to our hotel at 1am, minus our belongings. Not what we had expected at the start of the evening...

– CNN sports producer Chris Eldergill also contributed to this report

VIENNA, Austria - Imagine 70,000 passionate football fans from every corner of the globe gathering in your city center...You have just pictured the fan zone at Euro 2008 in Vienna.

A sizeable part of the city centre from the Rathausplatz to the Heldenplatz has been closed to traffic to host football supporters from all over the world. The kilometer-long strip features 10 giant screens where fans can watch every second of the action - but there are many other things to do.

You can play football yourself, take part in a variety of games and activities related to the beautiful game, and of course, eat and drink as much as you like.

Considering tickets to the games have been very hard to come by, the fan zone has been a great solution to get the atmosphere and passion you would see at the stadiums.

So far, during our stay in Vienna, the most picturesque scene took place before, during and after Friday night's Croatia versus Turkey quarterfinal. There are large immigrant communities from both nations here in the Austrian capital, and tens of thousands of fans dressed in blue and red poured into the city centre to follow the game.

There were screams, chants, tears and laughs as the drama on the pitch had everyone on the edge. When Fatih Terim's side miraculously scored an equalizer in extra time and later won the penalty shoot-out, a wild party errupted as the Turks celebrated long into the night.

Organizers are expecting the total attendance of the Vienna fan zone to reach the one million mark as more and more people flock to the area ahead of the big final next Sunday.

If you happen to travel to the Austrian capital over the next week, be sure to make a stop there.

KABUL, Afghanistan – Kabul is greener than I last saw it. I first glimpsed the bright emeralds as the plane lurched towards the sprawling airport. The normally dry, dirt brown fields fresher, it felt, than I'd ever seen.Outside the terminal the tree branches bending in the gathering afternoon wind shone, vibrant as a newly hand waxed car. Not a cloud in the sky. I couldn't help but feel good.

Dirt, dust, confusion: that's the Kabul I left six months ago.

Now the city feels clean. On our way to the hotel a cyclist sails close by, looks in our creaky minivan, smiles and speeds away. Can this really be Kabul?

Across the road, billowing in the breeze, a woman struggling against the tugging folds of her bright blue burka pulls a child's hand to keep him moving. I try not to be shocked by the garment, the wearing of which was enforced under Taliban rule. There is no mistaking this is the Afghan capital, but it does feel different.

I want to put my finger on it. Is it that the cheap stores are brighter, the pot-holed roads a fraction less bumpy, the police, not younger just more numerous and better uniformed? Is there an air of optimism it didn't have before? Maybe.

How quickly these feelings fleeted. Barely four hours in our hotel and we discover the Taliban have issued a direct threat against it, starting that day for the next 48 hours. Such is the credible weight of their propaganda these days that we quickly move out.

Rumors we quickly discover are rife. One of the latest doing the rounds is that Westerners are now targets for kidnappers. For money or political zeal, whatever wind was in my sails when I blew in to town is rapidly emptying.

Was the threat real? We don't know. The 48 hours are up and the hotel hasn't blown up yet.

In the south Taliban tactics are worrying locals. This is a people with a better arsenal of war memories than almost any other. Thirty years of conflict have dulled expectations but sharpened reflexes. The massive Taliban jailbreak last weekend has put everyone on edge.

Taliban attacks are becoming, bigger, bolder, more complex, more deadly and more innovative. In a new first, a suicide bomber jumped from a building onto the roof of a passing coalition patrol. Studying the form of the local bad guys isn't a pastime anymore - it's becoming a mater of survival.

When NATO and Afghan soldiers finished chasing the Taliban out of the Aranghadab valley this week they told famers they could go back to their villages. Those who did went on foot. They know better than to think the Taliban have left without laying mines.

President Hamid Karzai gets kudos for booting the Taliban out so quickly. But many Taliban ran away and everyone in the Aranghadab knows they'll be back to fight another day.

The talk in Kabul is that Karzai's popularity is flagging and that he needs the boost. He wants to win presidential elections next year. Up here they call him Mayor of Kabul because, they say, that's about as far as his power goes. His enemies number far more than the Taliban.

I've always loved Kabul; now it's greener that's easier. But as the words of the old proverb were meant to imply, so life should now be better. Quite simply it's not.

Fear is growing.

KASHGAR, China – It’s been nearly 10 years since I last visited Kashgar, a city of 3.8 million on the western frontier region of China. Its airport is now five times bigger and is now a gateway to six international destinations. It now boasts of paved six-lane roads, quite an improvement from the bumpy narrow dirt roads that we took during my previous four visits.

This time I return to cover the Olympic torch relay. In the early morning of June 18 I watch a contingent of Kashgar students practice cheering the arrival of the Olympic torch in this mainly Muslim city. “Go China,” they chanted, on cue. “Go Beijing! … Go Kashgar!” How odd, I thought. Kashgar people are normally more spontaneous than this.

The torch’s arrival here is a reminder of China’s rule over this remote frontier region. China hopes to show that it is a nation of diverse cultures and ethnic groups.

And for Kashgar, it’s a chance to showcase their exotic culture to attract more tourists and investors. More than 80 percent of Kashgar’s 3.8 million people are Uighurs, a Turkic-speaking, traditionally Muslim ethnic group. Here East meets West, and communism coexists with Islam.

“By choosing Kashgar as a relay stop,” Kashgar’s parliament chief Zinet Emer tells me, ” the central government has given us tremendous importance.”

But this was a particularly sensitive leg of the relay, given the tensions between China and the disgruntled Uighurs– some of whom are seeking independence from Chinese rule.

Heavy security was in place to prevent protests during the torch run. The government banned all but carefully chosen members of the public. Twice, police meticulously checked us – journalists and our gear – just as they do at the airports. “We normally don’t do this,” Emer tells me. “But those (anti-China) groups overseas have thrown jabs at us so we must hit back with a big punch. We must safeguard everyone’s safety.”

More than 200 torchbearers took turns parading the torch through Kashgar’s main streets. Along the route, residents cheered them on, shouting pre-approved standard slogans. “Go, China!” … But we only witnessed the relay of the last seven torchbearers because authorities confined us to a designated press section on the sprawling People’s Square. There, the carefully planned pageantry ended with songs and dances, under the close watch of Chinese police.

As in my previous visits, Kashgar impressed me with its distinctive culture and endearing hospitality. But the extremely tight security today leaves a bad impression: it highlights the differences between the public face that China wants to present to the world, and the tense reality on the ground.

I wonder what it will be like when the Olympic torch relay reaches Beijing on August 6, two days before the start of the 2008 Olympics.

YINGXIU, China – When the earthquake hit China's Sichuan province on May 12, the epicenter looked like an apocalypse.

One of the most painful reminders of the devastation is the Xuankou Middle School.

To find out how people are coping, we drove into mountainous region of Wenchuan, the quake's epicenter.

We needed to drive through bucolic mountain villages which have sustained aftershocks and rock avalanches, so I braced for a rough ride.

To my surprise, 100-kilometer ride turned out to be relatively smooth. Traffic has started to move even though in a few sections boulders as big as a Mini Cooper still blocked one lane of the highways.

We did not encounter bureaucratic roadblocks either. In the past, Chinese authorities typically accosted and turned back foreign journalists trying to get in disaster areas. This time, it was green lights all the way, except at two police checkpoints leading into the worst hit areas. Both times, we showed our press passes and the police politely waved us through.

We witnessed organized chaos. Police directed traffic. Janitors swept the streets. Medics sprayed disinfectant. Convoys of military trucks moved in more troops and relief goods as ambulances moved out injured survivors from local clinics to city hospitals. In every other village we passed, we saw communities of survivors and relief workers striving to get Sichuan back on its feet.

The quake has dislocated lives of more than 30 million people, including five million who have lost their homes. Among them is Sun Lirong, a factory worker in Sichuan's Yingxiu township.

"When the quake hit, I ran out from our apartment building. I blacked out for a minute and panicked: Is my son safe? Are my husband and in-laws safe?" All survived the quake, but they have lost virtually everything, including their home. They evacuated to the home of relatives in the suburbs of Chengdu, Sichuan's capital city.

Today, Sun and her husband returned to Yingxiu to retrieve valuables buried under the rubble of what used to be their home in a collapsed four-story apartment building. Now she is heading back to their relative's home with three bags full of clothes, toys and pictures of their one-year-old son.

Sun and her husband, both 30 years old, used to work in a nearby cement factory. The factory is now totally destroyed and bankrupt, the couple jobless. "We hope to find odd jobs soon to take care of our son and three retired in-laws," says Sun.

But prospects of finding jobs look bleak. Local officials say they need to show ID cards and other supporting documents. "But we've lost all our papers and documents in the rubble," she frets. "How do we prove we are quake survivors?"

Wang is driving back home to an uncertain future.

Wang Guixian is not banking on much government help. The migrant worker from another Sichuan town had been working in one of Yingxiu's construction projects until the quake ruined everything.

Now the 46-year-old Wang has put all his belongings - pots and pans, clothes and a TV set - onto his motorcycle and is driving back home to an uncertain future.

"Later I'll try to find work in other cities," he says glumly. "It's too sad to stay here."

One of the most painful reminders of the devastation is the Xuankou Middle School –or what is left of it. Nestled at the foot of the Wolong mountain range, it prided itself of fine teachers and facilities dedicated to "raise the overall quality of education."

What used to be the best middle school in the region is now an empty shell of crumpled buildings. What used to be a dormitory is now a tumbled heap of rubble.

Scattered in the debris are tattered books, a basketball, and a pair-less shoe. More than 1,600 students used to be enrolled here. Only about 1,000 of them survived the quake.

It's not all deaths and despair. From the capital city of Chengdu to Wenchuan county, we see stoic Sichuan residents coping with extraordinary resilience and resourcefulness.

In and around the epicenter, they have started to clear debris and rebuild. Using government subsidies and private donations, they are building temporary housing double-time. Farmers are planting rice and other crops. Some factories are operating again and traders are back in business. Among those doing a brisk business are movers who, for a fee, help families relocate into temporary housing.

Life goes on in most neighborhoods. Some residents while away their time playing cards or mahjong. Others tune in to local television or radio broadcasts to catch up with the unusually extensive coverage of the disaster. Local programming is often interrupted by a segment called "Phone-in for Peace," which disseminate messages from relatives and friends of missing people.

A typical message goes: "Dear xxx, after you hear this message, please call xxx who is keen to know if you are okay." Mostly, they are voices of desperation. Sometimes, however, the program is punctuated by uplifting news.

"This is a message for xxx with mobile phone number xxx," goes one. "Your Mother has been found and she is safe!"