Germany - Turkey

The European soccer championship is in full swing. I hate soccer : that sport does not interest me in the least. But one simply cannot avoid it : it is all over the place, on TV, in the papers, in the streets.

I understand that tonight Germany plays Turkey in the semi-finals. By the way, what is Turkey (or Israel for that matter) doing in a European championship ?

So I couldn't care less who is going to win and who is going to lose : neither the German nor the Turkish team evoke my sympathy (but I should be lying were I to pretend that the defeat of the Dutch team hadn't pleased me).

Still, I hope the Germans are going to win. Ghent has a sizable Turkish population - fortunately not a German one. Turkish flags are all over the place and we have experienced, or been informed about, the night - long festivities with car caravans and horn honking concerts whenever their team has been victorius. I must be fair : nothing worse happened. The guys and girls just were letting off steam because they were overjoyed by their team's (unexpected) performances.

They have had their hour of glory ; now let the town have a peaceful night without the nerve racking, uninterrupted honking ! But should they win anyway : congratulations, Turkey !