Most of the songs were total crap - the winner this year was an exception; the thing is, the UK isn't the only country that clearly believes in putting forward absolute rubbish, it's just been doing it pretty consistently for longer than most countries, so it even lacks the over-the-top enthusiasm that the Eastern European countries bring to it.

The vote-for-your-neighbours thing is interesting - in the context of the former Yugoslavia it is quite impressive, given recent history in that part of the world. It doesn't always work that way between neighbouring countries with a history of conflict. Not many Polish votes for Germany, for example.