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Published: March 15th 2009
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The first trip I had actually planned was Ireland. There were a few groups going at different times, I went with five friends who also don't have class on Thursday. We left early Thursday morning and I got bad sleep through the various modes of transportation to downtown Dublin. We were staying at Brown's Hostel, a place that seemed ideal because it was cheap (13 Euro for the night) and somewhat close to the center of town. Looking back on the experience, I'm glad I didn't stay in a nicer, more expensive place, because I'm still alive, got great sleep, and had the opportunity to see this interesting place. On the other hand, I can't say I'd recommend it to many people. The check-in process was complicated enough without the fact that we were planning on staying there Thursday and Saturday night (Friday in Galway), meaning we'd have to do it all over. After a bit we were allowed to enter by going downstairs into a smelly basement/lounge/kitchen area full of quiet people from all over the world who looked like they had been here a little too long. In the bathrooms, clothes were set to dry on a big hot
pipe that ran past a wall spotted with holes and exposed wiring. Our room was an empty 20 bed dorm with a suicide note written in Spanish on the wall by a guy who had been living there for a month. It ended with the words "Welcome to Brown's Hostel."
We dropped off our stuff and headed out to see the city. Dublin is not a breathtaking city by any means. It's the sort of gritty, gray city that, like Brown's Hostel, is interesting and has a unique culture, but isn't exactly a beautiful weekend destination. Knowing that we didn't have much time, we wandered to the Guinness Storehouse, a huge nondescript brown building situated among the brewery's many 19th century buildings. Like the Stadtsmuseum in Dusseldorf, the Guinness Storehouse is a must see in Dublin that should be visited before anything else. Through seven stories, the museum tells the tale of Guinness and Dublin's history, at the same time brainwashing you to appreciate the beverage even more for the duration of your trip. The experience finishes off with a much needed complimentary pint in the Gravity Bar, a circular lounge with ceiling to floor windows offering beautiful views
of the city.
By the time we left it was late afternoon. We ate at a great Indian restaurant down a narrow alley in the lively Temple Bar district. After that we went to a quaint little out of the way pub for more Guinness, then off to another bar for a Ska/Reggae show. It had been a long day, so by midnight we were ready to get some sleep so we'd be awake for Galway. Walking back to the hostel, we realized most people's nights were just beginning. It was at this point that we decided this would be our first and only night in Brown's Hostel. We had an 8am flight out of Dublin Sunday morning, and after some quick math regarding Saturday night's bedtime, we decided to sleep on the plane.
The next day we went to Christ Church Cathedral and St. Patrick's Cathedral, two beautiful churches that I've since all but lost appreciation for after seeing Cologne Cathedral (Carnaval post soon). The churches have some great artwork, and St. Patrick's has some really cool history exhibits in the arcade including a large collection of old military and county flags.
After the churches, we
got on a bus to Galway. The guy at Brown's Hostel had told us to take a train because they're faster and apparently buses in Ireland are uncomfortable. The bus did take a bit longer (4 hours instead of 2.5), but it was the most comfortable bus I've ever been on and cost 19 euro round trip versus 60 for a train. Take buses.
We had been told by friends who had visited Ireland the week before that Galway makes the trip, and that is true. Galway is a beautiful city on the west coast with cobblestone streets where traditional pubs mingle with upscale restaurants and even the touristy areas are flooded with locals. Our hostel (Barnacles) was in an amazing location right in the center of the action, with a string of pubs and restaurants right across the street and street musicians providing constant entertainment. If I were to go back to Ireland, I would take a bus to Galway straight from the airport.
The staff at Barnacles was extremely friendly and helpful without being too talkative (see Dusseldorf). Without thinking twice the lady took out a map and circled every event we might be interested in
that was happening that night. She gave us coupons for a free drink each at a nearby restaurant, which turned out to be pretty fancy, but take away 5 euro for a pint, and it was actually a decently priced meal. I had bangers and mash, a traditional Irish meal that was delicious enough to make the meal seem even cheaper.
After dinner, we made a short walk over to a place the lady had told us about that had traditional Irish music. The music was being played on a small stage in an upstairs room packed shoulder to shoulder with locals. The band played a few Irish songs, but it was actually mostly bluegrass. There was an amazing banjo player from New York playing who, as one local told me, must have been drunk because he is apparently usually ten times better. After a few hours there, we found a massive three story bar/club with multiple rooms packed with thousands of people. On the ground floor, people danced under neon lights to hip indie music and techno while episodes of Thundercats were projected on a wall. The rest of the group went back to the hostel without telling
Josh and I, so Josh went to look for them. I was the only one who loved the place, so I stuck around for a little longer and eventually found my way back to the hostel.
The next morning we got up early for a tour of the countryside. It was 20 euro for a bus that took us around for 7 hours to various sites where we could get out and breathe the fresh Irish air. The best part of the tour was the Cliffs of Moher, stunningly beautiful cliffs that stretch for 8km of the Atlantic coastline. The worst part of the trip, however, was also here, when I found myself sprinting along the narrow path on the edge of the cliffs to catch the bus, which was adhering a bit too stricly to the 3:15 leaving time. The driver had warned us that cab rides back to Galway cost 128 euro, so I think you can imagine the hopeless feeling of watching that bus pull away. I ran faster than I have ever run in my life down the hill, bounding past families of tourists tentatively approaching the cliffs and snapping pictures. Luckily the bus stopped
to pick up two other latecomers, and my friends on the bus managed to convince the driver to wait for me, the guy who at this point had momentarily stolen the attention of every tourist caught up in the drama of whether or not I would make my bus. I did. It was the most relieved I have been in a long while.
When we got back to Galway, we ate some food and grabbed a pint or two, managing to make the 8pm bus back to Dublin. Four hours later we arrived in Dublin. We had nowhere to sleep or go, only a flight 8 hours later. First we went to a small bar/restaurant that was in the end phases of a Valentine's Day celebration. We got Irish coffee to stay awake, but they closed around 1, leaving us homeless again. We wandered towards the central Temple Bar district and found the same place we had been for the Ska show. It was essentially the same as before, but more crowded and no live music. Around 3:30 we left and continued to wander around the city. By 4 we were too tired and caught a cab to the
airport, where after a good group nap, we boarded a plane and went back to Well.
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