One Week Down

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Well i have completed the first week of my European adventure, having spent a few days in Dublin and now sitting in Galway City typing this blog, ckind of thought that this might be the best way to communicate with most of you back home and also for my friend abroad, new, old and those i am yet to meet.

Well spent 5 days in Dublin and got to see much of the city, and quite a few of the bars also!! First stop was Abbey Court Hostel and a 10 bed dorm where i met Romeo from Italy and Patricio from Argentina who are both in Dublin studying English, and looking for work also. Has been funny trying to communicate with them both sometimes as Romeo and Patricio both speak Spanish and often Romeo has turned to me and rattled off something in Spanish awaiting my reply, half the time i just think he is still talking to patricio and ignore it.

My first day in Dublin was basically spent wandering around just having a look at different things. Must say that the Irish do love a monument/statue or two and O'Connell street has been lined with them from top to bottom. I do like it though they are very proud of there history, good and bad, and do celebrate it, something that i dont think Australians do enough of.

I did a bit of touring around the city on the hop on-hop off bus tour that goes around the city to the main attractions. Of course first stop was to the Guinness Storehouse, really interesting learning about the origins and the creator Arthur Guinness who signed a 9000 year lease for the land the storehouse was built in. Enjoyed a pint in one of the highest point's in Dublin in the Gravity Bar at the very top of the storehouse. Have grown quite fond of the Guinness as you could imagine most people do when they are in Ireland. For some reason i haven't suffered much in the way of a hangover since i have been here drinking it which is great as i don't handle the next morning too well usually. Also did a tour of the Old Jameson Distillery which was ok though a little boring, though i did get to have Jamesons on Ice which warmed up my insides nicely.

Went to see the Kilmainham Jail where they used to hold people who were being sent to Tasmania back in the day. It is also famous for having the leaders of the Easter uprising of 1916 locked up there and 14 of them executed in the prison grounds. It is the jail that you see in movies the Italian Job and In the Name of the Father, it also has great acoustics and UR and Sinead o'Connor have recorded albums there.

Most of the other sites you could imagine i got to see like St Patricks Cathedral, Trinity College and the Book Of Kells. I wasnt really impressed with the book of kells i must say, i basically took a look and said yep seen it, the tour of the Trinity College with a current student was a lot more interesting and we did get to learn a little History of the College, its building and its most famous/infamous people. I did like the Old library long room though with its books arranged in their size?? Weird but apparently it works?? Wasn't able to take any photos in here though so bit disappointed. The library is entitled to one free copy of any book published in ireland every year so you can imagine the amount of books!!

One of the highlights of my dublin experience was getting to go and see Eskimo Joe at Whelans on Wexford street. I saw a poster in the hostel and wandered up (about 20 minutes walk) hoping to maybe get a ticket. I got told that they were sold out after standing in the line for 20 minutes, though did meet another Aussie, Julia who was waitiing for her freinds, she is from Brisbane but been living in Dublin for 2.5 yrs working. Anyways after thinking i wasnt going to get a ticket a girl came out the door asking if anyone needed one which i jumped at. I also saved myself 3 euro for not having any change which is always nice, though i did try and pay her back alter but she would have none of it. The show was awesome and i must say i am more of an Eskimo Joe fan now they were a bit more Rock then i had expected which was nice.

For any drinkers out there thinking of a short stay in Dublin try not to choose Good friday as your starting date. You can not buy or sell alcohol in ireland on that day. That is exactly what happened to my friends Anabel and Iris from Spain. Having only a few days here they were hoping to go out somewhere for a drink. We heard that the bars in temple Bar open after 12, but sadly i think this is just a story they tell tourists to have a bit of a laugh. There were heaps of us wondering the streets looking for a pint but to no avail. We did however make up for it the next night with Myself, Romeo, Patricio, Anabel and Iris all taking in a few to many at a few of the establishments in temple bar.

Came to Galway to see a few of the sites but have only really done the Cliffs of Moher which are pretty spectacular. Got to see the Burren which is basically an area which is pretty harsh, the ground is almost entirely limestone. Went through Lisdoonvarana which is where the biggest matchmaking festival in Europe takes place every September...think i will be back for that!! Enjoyed a meal and a Guinness in a pub in Doolin. Was hoping to go the Arran Islands but i have decided to head back to Dublin instead now. I met an irish girl who said i have to go to Newgrange so will do a tour when i get back.

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