Drinking in Canberra, and well done Socceroos (vs the Dutch)

Went out last night and caught up with a work colleagues partner's 50th birthday. Really nice couple, and it was a good social gathering. Anyhoo... after that I caught up with Jarvo, who was celebrating another birthday of someone else. Had a drink at the Phoenix Bar - which in my opinion is the BEST bar in the whole of Canberra. It has the most character and reminds me so much of bars in Melbourne I frequented a long time ago - long before I was with my ex-wife. I have been to a few of the establishments here that cater for "younger" people, but I feel they are a very plastic - both the establishment and the people that go there. People that go to those places are living in the "now", and while they may look appeasing to the eye, they do not appear to have much substance in character (yes, this is a stereo-type, and I have been privileged to meet many exceptions to this rule). And the places are generally too loud, and therefore you cannot chat to anyone. Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate the music, and with enough liquid encouragement can "move", but really do not find them pleasant to go to - I'm actually listening to Pendulum's Coma and Yakuza's Cocaine as I've been writing this:

"Hug me till you drug me honey; Kiss me till I'm in a coma"
-- Coma (Pendulum - 1997)

I eventually came back to where I'm staying, and I go to bed, but somehow leave the TV on. I don't know what I was watching when I went to sleep, but it was obviously some sports channel, because I get woken up pleasantly to the Socceroos playing the Dutch. And the Socceroos won: 2 - 1. The Dutch weren't a push-over side either. They're ranked #4 in the world!

GO SOCCEROOS!!

It's a good start to the rest of the World Cup 2010 qualifier in the Asian Football Confederation standings. Only a pity I was in a beta state of lucidity - being half awake and half asleep while watching the football game. At times I dreamt I was actually on the field watching the events unfold. Then I'd wake up and watch a few more minutes. Good game overall, and it was a pity it was marred with a red card - therefore not really testing 11 Australians against the 10 Dutch. Hope the Socceroos do well in their next game against Uzbekistan!