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Published: March 28th 2008
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Irish Grave
This is what I want over my grave. Even though the excitement in and around Aalborg has been at an all time high, I decided to broaden my horizens and discover the beauties of Ireland... during St Patricks Day. I assumed a couple of things before I made it to Ireland. One that it would be all horse drawn carts and swords and castles and such. Two that everyone drank Guinness alot and it was constantly rainy. Three that I would be able to use my credit card anywhere. If you don't know, credit cards don't work in Denmark, because intrest rates are covered by the government.
I was halfway right. For one, it rained only twice during my seven days, and whereas I saw the castles and carts, they haven't been used for a few years. Apparently I missed the hey day. I was correct in the beer catagory. Guinness was cheaper and more available than any other beer in the entire nation. Beautiful. But only a few places take credit card, and they have a ten or fifteen euro minimum.
Here was my trip.
I began my Irish journey in Galway, where I tried to find an open hostel in the pouring rain at
Church
I'm not sure if it is big enough. ten oclock at night. Luckily you just follow the sounds of partying and inevitably there is a hostel next door. Barnacles, it was named, and if ever you wanted to play tag in the most convoluted mess of twisting and turning hallways, stairs and doors. This was it. I spent all of Thursday roaming around the little town of Galway, through its centuries old streets, and visiting every church that I could go into. Friday I took a trip to the Cliffs of Moher, just outside of Doolin. All day on a bus, driving past pasturelands and stone walls, stopping for castle ruins and trinket shops. We went to see a "birds of prey" thingy, that was cool, except Jesse the Hawk didn't want to fly down the mountain for a piece of meat. I wouldn't either. The cliffs were amazingly huge, and with the wind and a little bit of rain, they were quite intimidating. I didn't want to fall.
My interesting person I met in Galway was a drunk gentleman named Seamus. He is a person of note, because of two things. He bought me a beer. and he was thrown out of Russia because an ex-KGB
The Cliffs of Moher
Imagine falling... or base jumping. agent thought he was an IRA terrorist trying to smuggle vodka either in or out of the country. Very strange. And he reminds me of an Italian girl who waxed philosophically that she had renounced her native country and became a "citizen of the world" due to globalization. Ha. That was funny.
I then went to meet my friends Joey and Elaine in Dublin, where the rain decided to return in full force. Thinking that our hotel wasn't that far away, I walked. And walked. Eventually I asked for directions, then walked, and walked. Eventually I got to the hotel, soaking wet, hungry, and found that I couldn't check in because my name wasn't on the list. Grrrrrr. I waited, waited... you get the point. Four hours after arriving in Dublin, my friends nowhere in sight, the receptionist finds a note with my name, buried under some papers. Ahhhh, a shower and a bed. Joey and Elaine later showed up all partied out.
Sunday was spent walking the streets, I think I circumnavigated the city a dozen times looking for all of the parks and castles and churches, which surprisingly was more Anglican than Catholic. And the Cathedral
Hehehehe
That's no good. of St. Patrick, as beautiful as it was, charged an entrance fee!!! I was outraged, so I left. I have no idea what it looks like. I saw some of the James Joyce sites, and I want to some museums to see Monets and Degas. MMMMMM That was great. But by far the best thing I did on Sunday was to visit Trinity College, and see the Book of Kells. If you don't know, it is the oldest illuminated manuscript, or something like that. That was so cool. You couldn't take pictures, but if you could see the library at the school, and smell the old leather and paper..... you would fall in love. I could have stayed there forever. To top the day off we ate at Waggamama's, only the best noodle bar in the world, and it is a chain.
Then disaster hit. I got my wallet stolen. no more money for me!
St. Patrick's Day!!!!!
What better way to spend your holiday than at the Guinness Brewery! That's right. We were going to go to the parade, but we were told that it was over at 3pm, and it was over at 2. So
ME!!!!
I'm outside of the Trinity college library. This is as close as I could get you, sorry. we missed that, but instead, we literally had the brewery to ourselves. There was maybe, fifty people inside, maybe if you included the staff. So instead of getting shoved along, we spent hours taking pictures and tasting and re-tasting the sample beers. Oh, and they made a Guinness bread with smoked salmon and cheese that was to die for. Top it off with a free pint at the Gravity bar on the top of the tour looking over Dublin. Sublime. And everyone was in a great mood, we ate dinner at a "real" Mexican place, though no one of Latin origin had ever set foot in there before me. As all the Irish houses were jammed pack we figured that it was best to save those for later.
Person of interest in Dublin. Trevor, an Irishman, living in a hostel for 5 years because he was tired of being homeless, who looks like Santa. Of note because he started this monologue: "I know you will want to call me loony, but I have to tell you Henry. Sorry. A few years ago I met the Anti-Christ. He was my boss at the furniture factory. Horrible, ugly, mean-spirited Muslim (spit)
Dublin Castle
I will only live here if I can shoot arrows from the top. of a man. I know as a Christian you are supposed to love everyone, but seeing as he was the Anti-Christ, I think God will forgive me. you know how I know he was the Devil? Because a wooden stake was stabbed into his coffin after he was buried, and then it mysteriously fell over. That doesn't just happen."
Finally on Tuesday we headed to the coast of Howth. Hehe. Coast of Howth rhymes. And spent probably the most windy and cold day of my journey attempting to stare blissfully at the sea. Instead we too pictures, ran to the lighthouse, and then headed back to Dublin. Not very brave of us, but there was nothing to do there but look at the water. And despite to loss of all monies and ways of getting money, I found that the whole trip was a resounding success, and would go back if I did not have so many other places to see.
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allie Larkin
non-member comment
Ya shudda paid St. Pat's.....
You just should have paid admission to St. Pat's instead of giving it to the mugger. Too bad......sounds like you're having fun. Have a Guinness or two for Nate and me.