Sevens Mania!

Before I write anything else about my spring break in China, I have to tell you about last weekend in Hong Kong. Luckily, Mom and George got a small taste of the Rugby Sevens when we had dinner the last night in Central. Ok, so Rugby Sevens (aka Hong Kong Sevens) is an annual tournament that brings huge numbers of fans to Hong Kong. Instead of a 15-a-side game with 40 minute halves, this tournament is only 7-a-side (on the same sized pitch) with only 7 minutes in each half. Don't worry they get a 1-minute halftime to rest. The drastic change in speed supposedly makes for really exciting games. I didn't get to see any actual games, but the after parties were enough to give you a feel for the tournament. Not to mention, I don't know much about rugby, so the 7 minute halves might have seemed like the normal 40.

In Hong Kong, the tournament turns into a big costume party. Jen and I went to Wan Chai on Saturday night, had dinner at Outback (Steven would have been a better waiter than the one we had) and enjoyed some of the best foreign people-watching of the semester. We walked up and down the street only stopping to get a cheap beer at the 7-11. Please keep in mind we don't know any of these people; they were just entertained by other people wanting their picture.






We finally ended up at a Mexican bar called Coyote because they had live music and it wasn't unbearably crowded. We managed to find two seats (so lucky!), but before we even got our drinks we were "attacked" by an 60-something retired jockey about 4'9" tall. Ok, maybe he hit 5-feet on a good day. Saturday night was not his good day. See for yourself.

He introduced himself by asking Jen if she would be his girlfriend. Then he turned to his left and did the same to me. Of course we couldn't stop laughing! After looking around, we finally got the attention of some guys who had been "hanging out" with Ross before we got there (and that's when we found out his name and his Australian jockey background). Apparently he hadn't had a drink in a few hours, but that didn't matter. He just wanted to hug everyone, dance, talk (right in your face), etc. We even got special invitations to meet him the next morning to go gamble in Macau. Jen's invite was illegibly written on the back of a coaster. It somehow wasn't annoying because he was the best entertainment we had had all evening.

What was also nice was that we got to talk to people from the states-- one of whom was from Kansas which made for good March Madness trash talking. The free drinks he provided weren't bad either! They were giving away cowboy hats, so Jen and I felt the need to have two each. Somehow we only made it home with one a piece. ???

Ross, it'll be a while before I forget you. Meanwhile, you've probably forgotten everything... or never remembered it the next morning.

The night was simply TO GOOD (minus the fact that Jen felt terrible the next day). After Mom and George left that morning, I was feeling really homesick. Our night in Wan Chai, thanks to Rugby Sevens, was just what I needed to remind me how great Hong Kong can be.