Latvians are loud

I had joked before I left for Europe that Phil and I should find out what the Latvian colors are and wear them to the game to support the small country--small enough they wouldn't have many fans at the game.

I was way wrong. First, at least 1/3 of the stadium was filled with Latvians, and they were easily 2/3 louder than the rest of the US fans. Second, CoSport apparently felt that Phil and I should sit in the middle of them.

Our tickets were in the rowdiest section of the Latvians and Phil did his best to keep up. Nikolai--a Latvian military officer--befriended Phil, gave him vodka out of his binocular-shaped flask, and lectured both of us on the difference between a people and their government.

Everyone seemed very pleased with the 3-3- outcome of the game.