Adventure to Belfast

After our last class of the week and our Irish dance class, Josh and I caught a bus to Belfast to see the city and go to an Ulster Rugby match. it was a ton of fun and we both enjoyed ourselves. being there was completely different from being at a football or baseball game back in the states. it was as much about doing chants and cheering the whole time as it was about watching the actual game. the field was in the middle of the stadium and then there were bleachers on either side and actually the first 15 rows of the bleachers were used as standing room only. where people could drink and hang out like they were at a pub except outside at the game. Josh and I were up in the bleachers though, and every once in a while the other side of the stadium would start a chant and then our side would join in and the echo of the two sides were deafening.

Rugby is also a pretty amazing sport. lots of running, lots of hitting, lots of really huge guys, and not very much padding. actually no padding. except some of the guys use this like little foam beanie hat but i am really doubting that it does all that much protection wise... they even pick the biggest of the guys up so that they can catch the ball being thrown in or kicked off. it is crazy. it seems like the entire game is based on who can push their own player farther while the other team tries and stop them.

In the end Ulster(the team that represents the 9 northern counties of the isle of Ireland) defeated Edinburgh(pronounced Edinburough, also the capital of Scotland) 29 to 21. it was a really fun time and I even got my first souvenir, a tee shirt. after the game Josh and I walked back to the bus station and caught the last bus back home to Derry. I don't know if much can beat how much fun we had that night.