Phil and Nick have abandoned me and no doubt in homage to my pasta efforts earlier in the day have gone home by way of mini maxi to find some ingredients to cook with. I wish them joy and am very glad that I won’t be there to taste the results. Roy is still missing in action on the foolhardy errand of finding the two most violent teams in Serbia who happen to be playing football matches across town from each other in the hope that he’ll get into some real bother this evening instead of the pretend bother his bumped into the rest of the week. Which leaves just your humble servant to suffer the torments of Spain and Serbia this evening and put you right on their realistic chances of winning this monstrous event. Spain have just taken to the stage and are getting ready to do their chiki chiki stuff. More on that shortly.
Necessarily staying at the press centre, I ventured as far as a forgotten restaurant languishing in the inner mall of the place and probably losing money hand over fist whilst it is enclosed by our shenanigans. For the princely sum of about eight pounds fifty you get an all you eat buffet consisting of several meaty dishes (naturally), several rice dishes, several salads, soup and a nice bit of gateau to wash it all down. Definitely worth the money. It’s not going to compete with the splendour of the places we’ve dined at in town in terms of food quality or ambience but if you’re after something quick and easy and filling this is the perfect antidote to the choice of pizza, rolls, pancakes and cakes available in the press centre bar.
Later the various delights of the Irish party, the Ukrainian party and the Slovenian party. Ukrainian parties in particular are known for their surreal quality and worth going for that alone but they will also have last year’s runner up the wonderful Verka Seducka there tonight as well as the amazing Ani.
See you shortly.