A week full of brand new experiences!! I spent my Sunday afternoon sitting high in the stands watching two games that I have never before seen. There was two matches back to back, the first one was hurling and the second gaelic football. These are traditional Irish sports, not necessarily common anywhere else in the world, and I can see why... Its dangerous! Hurling consists of a ball smaller and probably heavier then a baseball and wooden sticks called "hurlers" that kind of look like a mix between a hockey stick and a lacrosse stick. Each end has both a net and then above it a field goal type structure, three points if you make it in the net one point if you make it over. These players are hurling this tiny ball at each other in the air and when one person hits it with the stick the other guy catches it with his BARE HAND! Of course when one person catches it the defense clobbers that player, sticks flaying all over the place hitting people in the head, the knee, and other places nobody should be hitting... only one can describe these guys: badass. I could not watch this match, I gaped at it. This was followed up by a sport that is ridiculous in a completely opposite sense. While it was aggressive still, the thing that amazed me the most was the remarkable skill and athleticism that goes into this crazy sport. It involves a round ball that kind of looks like a volleyball. The goals and points are set up the same was as hurling but you can only score points by kicking it in. What happens is that you start with the ball on the ground and while you are running you flick up the ball to your arms and carry it for no more then three steps and then you have to drop it on the ground and kick it back up immediately, its like dribbling but instead of bouncing on the ground you are bouncing it between your feet and your hands while running... Again I gaped. As an end note, there was not padding worn at all except a helmet in hurling. Puts a whole new perspective on burley Irish Men if there even was a perspective before.
Another interesting experience I encountered this week was on the late night of Valentines Day. After a marvelous salmon dinner completed with a Red Velvet cake from my favorite bakery, Griffins, the girls and I decided to go to the Roisin Dobh Silent Disco. The Roisin Dobh is a pub located down the street from my apartment and snuggled in the back is a "silent" club. I always wondered what the heck happens back there? and tuesday I decided to find out. You walk in the door and pay your 5 euro for a headset and a pint of Bavaria. Inside is a bar and a stage with two different DJ's marked A and B in front of a dance floor filled with people dancing to different beats, no music playing everyone is just wearing the headphones. Putting on the headphones I discovered the two different channels with the two different dj's playing different music! The best part was taking off the headphones periodically and listening drunk girls scream the lyrics to Adele's latest while listening to the boys try to follow along with Snoop Dog. Definitely my idea of sober entertainment! New favorite club by far.
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