How long until 11:00 pm?

Eleven at night is European football. A nine o'clock kick-off in central Europe lands at eleven here, and the later fixtures run past midnight, which is why so many countdowns to this hour are set by people intending to watch one match rather than a whole night of them.

It is the last hour of the metro on an ordinary weeknight, so a countdown to eleven is often about catching the final train rather than paying for a taxi and queueing for it.

Kitchens are taking their last covers, the malls have emptied, and the roads that were solid at six are clear. Once a year the same hour is the final approach to the New Year fireworks, with the roads closed and everyone already in position. The count resets every twenty-four hours.