There was unbelievable excitement all over the city for today’s Ireland’s national team vs. Belgium match in the European Soccer Championships on Saturday morning. As I walked around the neighborhoods there were team banners and Irish flags hanging from nearly every building and the people in the streets (most wearing team jerseys) were smiling and chatting up the game as if nothing else mattered at that moment! I watched the match at the bar of a great little pub called The Confession Box. I learned in the early 20th century The Confession Box was Irish patriot Michael Collins’s favorite pub. It was a great spot with great people. Sadly, Ireland lost 3-0 but I am happy to report that did not stop the locals from having a BIG time all day!
I did some touring for the balance of the afternoon, then took in the latest version of Riverdance, Riverdance21. It opened in Dublin’s Gaiety Theatre just this past Wednesday. I was lucky to score a ticket to tonight’s performance because I only needed one seat. I sat in the 3rd row Orchestra and it only cost 40 euro! The show was absolutely sensational!
Some miscellaneous observations on Saturday:
*On Irish TV they call the US Open the USGA
*It is fun to watch the US Open live at midnight
*Just about any lady I saw not wearing pants was wearing a very, very short skirt or shorts and always seemed to have a hand on the bottom, pulling them down
*Used cell phone stores are everywhere with as many as 4 or 5 in a shopping block
