Euro 2024 Diary: From Antwerp to the Autobahn
Goodbye beautiful Antwerp with your stunning baroque architecture and two for one pints of Stella...
Goodbye beautiful Antwerp with your stunning baroque architecture and two for one pints of Stella
Hello from a BMW racing along the autobahn at an eye-watering, yet insanely legal, speed, listening to Kratfwerk (Autobahn of course) as I attempt to recount Day One of our Euro 2024 diary. With a hangover.
Monday was one of those rare days that are just so much fun.
An early start on a glorious midsummer’s morning for Folkestone, to catch up with my cousin Paul in that strangely charming seaside town - before we drove in his car to catch the ferry from nearby Dover - saw us wave goodbye to the white cliffs full of anticipation and excitement.
Not to mention the already-half-price Sports Direct England bucket hats we wore, which separated us from the raft of mournful looking lorry drivers, glumly staring into the middle distance.
Calais and the A26 to Belgium and onto Antwerp, our stop for the evening. Their match with Slovakia was just ending in a 1-0 defeat by the time we reached our hotel.
The bloke on the desk checking us in had a wry smile at the unexpected defeat. Once we told him we were on our way to Germany he proceeded to tell us in, great detail, about the local 8 per cent beer called Karmeliet - a type of salted caramel flavoured drink with a punch, that, he said with intriguing understatement, caused him ‘problems’ on his stag night.
A quick, efficient tram into town and a stroll along the main drag towards the old town saw a clutch of stunning baroque architecture, some of it dating back to the mid 14th century.
That and bars offering two for one Stella Artois.
Being on the road for ten months of the season I rarely get a chance to stop and take everything in.
Which was why I enjoyed catching up with my cousin Paul, who’s the closest thing to a brother to me, as we laughed about old times, trips and triumphs, disasters and scrapes, characters and fun times, family, friends and those we’ve lost - not to mention who should play next to Declan Rice in midfield. It was the sort of life-affirming night every bloke should have with an old mate over a bellyful of beers.
Despite the strong continental lager we knocked back - including the 8 per cent Karmelite which, for someone with a sweet tooth like mine was potently delicious, I truly savoured the evening.
For, drinking in the early hours, drinking in the ambience, drinking in the shadows of the 14th century cathedral that looked down on us in all its restored majestic white stone beauty, and drinking in the anticipation of arriving at a tournament with someone close to you - was a simply wonderful evening.
DAILY LIST:
Things To Do I: Paul’s driving us from Antwerp in Belgium, via The Netherlands, to Dortmund in Germany.
Things To Do II: Collect UEFA Accreditation for Turkey vs Georgia
Things To Do III: Meet meet my cousin Paul somewhere in the centre of Dortmund after the match
What I’m watching: Austria 0-1 France, in Antwerp
What I’m listening to: Kratfwerk, Autobahn
What I’ve been drinking: 8 per cent Karmeliet beer. Highly recommended. Just don’t drink too many…
What I’m reading (studying): The 2024-25 newly released Arsenal fixture list
PS
See you in Dortmund as I attempt to make it to the mighty Westfahlen to cover Georgia vs Turkey later today
