I love football, and I love bicycle racing. But I’m not too crazy about what they do to us. World Football Championship in Qatar That's stupid.

Prologue of the Tour de France in Denmark? Great! But both come with a prize. Both countries paid big cash to get these events within their borders.

Mixing politics and sports does not always make a good drink. A long drink, yes, but not always very graceful and tasty. Mixing a dash of big business into it, to sweeten it, just makes the drink fouler tasting. Still, I cannot help looking forward to seeing the Danish football team do great in the desert in November, and even more so to see Jonas Vingegaard and the other stars ignite the great Tour on July 2nd in my country – even passing my town Kolding two days later. How great is that!

You swallow camels, as we say in Denmark, not only when in the desert playing sweaty football, but every time you participate in or enjoy watching sports. Swallowing camels is accepting the bad to enjoy the good.

One thing is swallowing a camel, but what about an elephant? I do that, too, from time to time. Old male elephants, roncadors, are among my favourites. Less woolly than camels, when they slide down the throat.

So, how did that elephant get into the room? You might ask. I’ll tell you. Elderly men with a certain punch-quality are called roncadors, old male elephants crossing the savanna in solitude.

And to get back to the Tour, an old elephant of great quality is the 85 years old Danish poet, film director and Tour commentator Jørgen Leth. He loves bike racing and himself, and I love him. Another of the old boys crossing the savanna is a soul brother of mine, kindred spirit, soul mate, 81 years old poet, singer, Nobel prize winner in literature etc, Bob Dylan. Say something bad about him, and I’ll leave the room. Or punch your nose.

Old Joe Biden, he’s okay too, heaven forbid his slightly younger predecessor returns to The White House. Let’s have it for Old Sloppy Joe.

I love some of these old dinosaurs, but sometimes love fades away like the morning dew. The Spanish ex-king, Don Juan Carlos of 84 years, used to be a hero of mine, securing Democracy for his country. Rewarded the finest Danish order, The Order of the Elephant, though, he went into Musth, going elephant shooting in Africa, and just did a lot of other stupid things. Making a fool of himself and of old age elephantism.

Still, not being a suckling baby myself, I’ll raise my glass to the old elephants of this world. You are making my world a better place to be, fellas. Some of you old roncadors may loose your way across the savanna from time to time, you may stumble and even fall. But you are my fellow elephants, a toast to you. Perhaps in a glass of very dry Machaquito anis.

Have a wonderful summer, all of you.

(International Feature: Danish Corner)