¡Amunt Valencia!

Fact: Soccer games in Europe are wayyy cooler than soccer games in America. Let's face it, folks, that's science. Yesterday, a group of us put our game faces on and headed to Manolo's, a badass bar right across the street from La Mestalla, Valencia's very own soccer stadium. Manolo's is easily one of the most interesting bars I've ever been to, if not for its owner who has been to every World Cup game (seriously though, think about that... EVERY WORLD CUP GAME!) but for all of the memorabilia he has around the place. Apparently, he makes bank during soccer season here in Valencia and then spends it all once the season's done on traveling and more soccer. What a life!

Inside Manolo's... Epic.

Fun fact number 2: Even though the lunch ladies at the Rector Peset hate our guts, Valencian men LOVE US. No really though, they LOVE US. Yeah, sure, sometimes they can be creepy and old (see below) but it's nice to get free drinks and practice your Spanish every once in a while. Wait, what? Did I just say every once in a while? False. All the time.

I don't know this guy's name, but I can tell you three things: he was creepy (but harmless), old, and wanted to rock Molly's body.

After ignoring the open container laws here in Valencia (post about that to follow), we headed into La Mestalla to take our seats. Don't be fooled- just because some seats behind me in the picture below are empty, doesn't mean the 55,000 person stadium wasn't lit. We played a crummy team, but of course none of us cared, because that just meant more goals, more chants, and more ridiculous pictures:

Only minimal excitement after the team's first goal

With a 2-o victory, I'd say it was a successful evening. After that, I went home, ate free dinner, took a 4 hour siesta, and spent the rest of the night dancing out on the town. BOOM, son!

A few of us inside La Mestalla

PS... GO SAINTS! WHO DAT!?!?!