The North Pole is a Lie

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Raindeer do not live in the North Pole, they live in Phoenix Park in Dublin. I went running there this morning in this gigantic park, the largest park in Europe I am told, and there were herds of deer- with antlers- qualifying them as raindeer in my head. Herds! It was unbelievable! They were just running around the fields while people were playing Hurling and throwing balls for their dogs. Santa Claus is always depicted with such rosey cheeks, laughing all jolly, I wouldn't be surprised if he too live in Dublin rather than the North Pole and frequented the Jameson Distillery daily.

I went out to Temple Bar (the place to have really expensive drinks and party) last night with my couchsurfing host (who by the way is a total blast. She grew up on the boarder of Northern Ireland working on her families farm and not getting the same kind of choices in school classes that boys did, ie: no math, only home ec, and she isn't much older than me...). We went to a place that had traditional music, but also invites anyone who brought their instrument and could keep up to join in. People were breaking out into Irish dancing all over the floor and it was an all around lively time.

When all the bars closed, and we were out on the street, my couchsurfing host said it best: it's kind of like the Michael Jackson video Thriller, all these people stumbling around, no shoes, torn clothes, makeup all over their faces. Welcome to Dublin after hours!

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