Fortress Europa!

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Well. We're here. And it's actually a lot better than even the high expectations i'd set for Dublin. I've pretty much come to the conclusion that the locals share down to their very core my basic philosophy of life, and that's something I find really refreshing.

Some of the guys on the trip are fairly cool, and I lucked out that two of the coolest ones are my housemates, and we have a pretty sick setup by all accounts- though the jury is out until we move in tomorrow. Whatever the case, we're going to be in that nice halfway point between UCD and downtown Dublin that'll provide us with a unique view of the city compared to our less fortunate counterparts. Nick and I have been walking around having a great time, though most of the rest of the kids stay as a group and follow around one or two obnoxious people that fancy themselves the leaders of the group. Largely this results in everybody just getting hammered at the local bar widely recognized as the "American Hoochie Mama Bar." To say the least, I find it ironic and hilarious to come all this way just to waste your time in a totally americanized bar.

But that is just a chip on my shoulder because I haven't been sleeping well and four rather formidable scotsmen introduced us to the "Snakebite" last night. This ended any further recollections of the evening, though I distinctly remember enjoying their company before our untimely drink-induced demise.

I have plenty of fun pictures from our various jaunts around the city that i'll post later on, but for now i'm limited to internet cafes, so text it is. So far we've been to the Guinness Brewery and other than that just spent a lot of time walking around the city, sampling the food and drink fare between the various things associated with orientation. The brewery itself was a trip. The 9,000 year lease signed in 1759 is on display in the foyer, and the interactive displays are pretty entertaining to say the least. Plus the bar on top has a pretty amazing view.
A view, I might add, that is totally DOMINATED by cranes. There is so much construction and revitalization around. The city is throwing up buildings faster than it can tear them down, and turning all the cool old ones into functional venues for pubs or other local wares.

Finally, we saw Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" tonight at the abbey theater, and it was pretty spectacular. Definitely a great way to finish up orientation and head into the year. The cafe is closing, expect more later. Bye!

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Comments

[Daddio]

Scotsman are only the beginning
If you run into an Australian or a South African...run! Sounds like a great orientation period. Hope the school is as exciting as the city. Dad