Grrrrrr….. firefox has just crashed on me again causing me to lose a whole post! Is anyone else having problems with the new Firefox?

This last weekend my girlfriend and I, and half the Saffa community in London, traveled to Dublin to watch the Boks take on the Irish at Lansdowne Road Stadium. Initially our plan was to watch the game at a traditional Irish pub, as we had no tickets. We took the chance though and luckily found a punter within a few minutes of arriving at the stadium.

Even though we lost to a much more impressive Irish team the experience was worth every euro spent. The atmosphere in and around the stadium was electrifying. South African flags flew all around Dublin, and Guinness was being consumed by the barrel!

In the end, on a cold and windy night Ireland outclassed the Boks. Of course the Irish did have luck on their side! With O’Gara actually kicking the ball where he attended it to go, and Brian O’Driscoll opposite Bryan Habana, the Boks stood no chance. The only impressive play by the Boks was in the first five minutes. The “natural inclination is to turn upon them and pillory them for incompetence, unfitness, lack of spirit and a list of other faults stopping just short of high treason. It is not the right route to a sound explanation or finding a recipe for improvement“. (Source SARugby.com)

They better find an improvement by this weekend though! With England losing to Argentina this saturday’s fixture should be a humdinger of a game!

Besides the rugby, Ireland had many other great attractions. Temple Bar, the central hub for nightlife, packed with clubs, traditional bars and art studios, was a great place to spend most of our nights in Dublin. The Guinness Factory was awesome, with a great view from the top at the Gravity Bar, overlooking the whole of Dublin. Yes, Guinness does taste a whole lot better in Ireland! The open-top City Tour buses were touristy, but the best way to see Dublin city and hear of its rich cultural history. Ireland is known for its rain, so make sure you pack a rain jacket! School boy error on my behalf!
Howth was a great getaway from the city, about a 25 minute train journey north of Dublin. A pretty little seaside town with a great food market and even better fish and chips!

All in all a great weekend away and a holiday spot I highly recommend!