Eurovision leads in summer

Tonight's the night we're going to have a party. Tonight's the night of the Eurovision Song Contest. It's a yearly tradition since the wonderful year of 1956. All countries of Europe united on stage to sing, dance and strut their stuff for a television audience who afterwards can elect the best act. Unfortunately, as with other Idol-ish shows, people do not always vote for the best acts. They vote for the most popular people/countries out there. I don't want to really go into much more detail about the frustration which exists around Eurovision these days, but I'd like to focus on something else.

Eurovision, for me, has always been the signal that in one month's time I'd have a nice, long summer vacation. Eurovision followed by the Champions' League final this Wednesday means the end of Europe's working year and the beginning of better times. Europe goes en masse with vacation. The sun is forced to shine all day, well mostly in the south of this continent. The hotels and restaurants, the bars and terraces are all crowded again. People wear less and are more happy. The vibe in the streets is much more friendly. Europe's winter ends with Eurovision, and it's fun-filled summer starts.

Eurovision is my yearly tradition and I will enjoy it, no matter which country wins. It's all for laughs and fun. It's not meant to be taken all too seriously. If you lose, or if you win, it's just one big party, one yearly tradition to mark the start of summer. Eurovision is like Christmas, it indicated the end of a year. Christmas indicates the end of the real year, Eurovision of the school year. I'm sure all will be grand, all will be kitsch, all will be well this year in Moscow. Let my spectacle start! Let me crank up that volume!(but I'm keepin the remote close, you never know which one is going to sing so badly it hurts) Europe, are you ready? Are you ready to swing?




P.S. I'm sorry that I don't post any new short stories. I'm currently swamped with work for university. I promise some new material in July.