Glory Glory Man United

I promised to be better with this thing so here is another post...

After work yesterday I met up one last time with the Tejas Alumnus that has been so kind as to take me to dinner and drinks from time to time. I attempted to take him for drinks at the Texas Embassy, but he keeps a very exciting social calendar and I asked too late. I met up with him and a friend at Green's Restaurant. We had champagne and quail eggs, just a normal night out, you know? The conversation was of course excellent. From there I met up with Matt, Chris, and Peri and we ventured to the Sports Cafe. On Tuesday nights the Sports Cafe is mostly American students and they have 1 pound beers which is 1/3 the price of any beer I have found in Britain. We had a good time, but a really drunk guy kept trying to dance with Peri. I created a wall with my body...unfort. due to the price of food here my body isn't quite the wall that I envision it to be in my head. The guy broke through the defenses and went in for the kiss with Peri, but suddenly switched to kiss Chris. Chris was completely confused...not in the way that the kiss made him question everything (but perhaps, I haven't found a convenient time to ask him about that), and Chris walked away very angry. Understandably so.

Today I took a train from London to Manchester. Unfort. there was a signaling problem and the train was delayed an hour. I finally got into Manchester and had an easy time finding my hostel. It is pretty standard. I walked around Manchester a bit and then headed for the main event...Manchester United vs. Inter Milan.
The stadium is beautiful. I walked through the shop and discovered the cheapest jersey is 57 pounds- $120! I then walked out empty handed, but my pride was still intact. My seat was exactly on the 50 yard line. I was pretty high up, but could see all of the action. I was there really early and just took in the sight. I've wanted to go to a game there since I was a little kid.

(My camera isn't nice enough to figure out lighting. It did get the lighting right on the important stuff...)

I was woken up from my day dream by a giant that sat on me and next to me. There was literally no room. I can't believe how big this man was. I tried to stand up during one of the goals and I simply couldn't the man was on top of me.

(They scored a goal here, but I was a second early)

The game was great other than that. At one point the crowd started going crazy and I saw this guy break by the guard and rush the field. He started throwing off clothes as he went and the whole stadium was beside itself. He had quite a bit of trouble getting his shorts off.

(Hilarious! Ronaldo carried his shorts off the field. Great stuff)

He had to stop to focus on the task and as he ripped them off and took two steps a policeman clothes lined him in the very middle of the circle where kick offs take place. The police had to find a way to shelter his nakedeness from that point to the tunnel. Three of them had to stand very close to the man. The little kid behind me with great sadness in his voice asked his father, "What will they do with him Dad? Will he be alright?" The Dad answered "I hope so son." A father son moment never to be forgotten. Sorry about the picture. You really can't see anything. I really hope none of you are zooming in, but knowing a couple of my friends it is probably happening...stop it!

(United Roll...you might recognize the song? haha)
The Red Devils lost 2-3, but there were some great goals and they outplayed the other team. Rooney and Ronaldo are amazing. I could not believe how they play the game.

As I was leaving the stadium a little British boy in front of me had a horn bought at the stadium. I watched as he slowly moved the horn under the tail of a police horse in front of us and ever so curiously move his mouth to blow right in the back side of the horse...i mean right in there... luckily his mother suddenly slapped the horn out of his hand and told him it would be a bad idea. Hilarious, but very strange.

The tram system in Manchester is sub par so I had to walk 5 miles after the game home. I have now walked all over Manchester.
Their town hall here is beautiful.

To Dublin tomorrow! Keep checking in!

(Train ride from Manchester to Holyhead. I saw at least 5 castles. Here is one of them)