Football Insanity

Following Russia's stunning 3-1 soccer victory in the quarterfinals of Euro 2008 over the Netherlands, Moscow was gripped in a frenzy of spontaneous celebration.

I had never-before appreciated how soccer-mad this country really is.

Traffic in the centre was ground to a standstill as over 200,000 people flooded Tverskaya and throughout the city people hung out of cars with flags, women danced topless, and people seemed compelled to run at moving vehicles. It was absolute joyful mayhem.

Driving back into the city, I was unable to pass through a major intersection, since someone had parked two semitrailers in the middle and hundreds of people were dancing on and around them with flags. Even (especially?) the nightclub go-go dancers we're getting caught up in the excitement!

It was a wild night to be in and party in Moscow, I can only imagine what will happen on Thursday if they win the semifinals!