  
July 3-8, 2003
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PART THREE: Going it
Alone...ehh, Almost
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I just had to stick around
Ireland. I
don't know if it was because I was supposed to meet someone, someone
was
supposed to meet me, I wasn't supposed to get pinkeye (kidding!), but
there
I was back in Dublin after spending an uncomfortable night in the
airport
with some very odd birds who tried to steal seats from people if not
sit
ON them. One thing I learned is you are never alone in Ireland. People
are too friendly to let that happen.
JULY 3 : Tired,
but happy, and
full of Guinness. So after finding it
cheaper
to buy a whole new ticket, I happily bussed my way back to Dublin at
6:30
am where some of the shamrockers were staying! After a very friendly
Scottish
bus driver jumped off the bus to point out where to go and then asked
if
I wouldn't mind meeting him back when his shift ended at noon. Uh,
thanks
but no. Like, I said, what is the deal with European men!? Aggressive
yes,
but being the blonde I am, it makes my life much much easier. We
all grab breakfast and meet up with others downtown. We know we all
want
to go see the Guinness plant and decide on other stops. After jumping
on
a bus that takes us around the city to sightsee, we realize after
aimlessly
looking at castle and places that we have zero desire to spend money in
and therefore don't go in, we hightail it to the Guinness plant. I was
almost a night club with the lights and atmosphere that is set up. Near
the top of the building, you can leave notes for others to read about
the
plant and whatnot. Very fun. At the top floor you find the Gravity Bar.
With admission to the tour, a free pint is on the house, or tower as it
might be. After five pints total throughout my trip...I have finally
decided
I don't like Guinness and I won't. Even though, I have to admit it
tastes
okay on the western coast for some reason. ::shrug:: On the way out,
the
driver points out the housing areas that are on the outskirts of the
factory
which were used in Far and Away. Who knew Boston was right here
in Dublin! On the bus ride back, I start falling asleep every two
seconds
and am told to go to sleep! Everyone else goes shopping, and I grab a
nap.
Feeling refreshed, we meet Dawn at this awesome place called Cafe En
Seine.
The walls were painted marvelous bright color swirls with large gilded
mirrors and plush places to sit. There were large ferns everywhere and
at looked like three levels when I looked up at the skylights. It was a
rather looong place that needed two bars on the first floor alone
floor. There was even live music nightly. Gorgeous! I was highly
annoyed
that some guy behind me kept putting his empty glasses down on our
table
that we were obviously using. I guess I can't have it all.
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Time to go.
One last photo op. |
Dawn, Andrew, Steve,
and Kell relaxing in the
Guinness Gravity Bar. |
Andrew, Katie, me and
Laura enjoying our free
pints. |
My note and one with
an Irish accent, but Guinness
misspelled. |
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JULY 4 : Happy
Fourth to Me!
Sadly, the Aussie Shamrockers
needed to depart
this morning. We did run into Kat, which was a nice surprise. After
they
left, I went down to see if I could see the Book of Kells. Lo and
behold
I ran into Andrew, my rugby buddy! He was planning on going on the
Trinity
College tour and seeing the Book too. Did you know that the movie
Circle
of Friends was mostly filmed in one of the buildings on the Trinity
Campus?
This very building found here in fact.  After
a humorous tour through the college, we get to see the very decorative
Book of Kells and this awesome very old library that just goes up
forever.
I would definitely like to go to school there if I had the chance. I do
need to get my master's degree still... We grab lunch and sit out by
the
park. I rather wish my town had a park like that. It's smack in the
middle
of the city with a pond and you feel miles away from the bustle of
life.
Andrew and I briefly talked politics, education, and traveling which
really
made me think. No mincing words in that conversation! I'm highly
annoyed
that travel isn't pushed in the States as much as it is in Europe. I
understand
that the countries are a closer and less expensive to get to. Plus,
with
the European Union and common money, blah, blah, blah, but still! It's
informative to see what is going on outside our rather large microcosm.
I bet some Americans would be shocked to know that chunks of people
claim
to be other nationalities when traveling. There was a silver lining
though,
I was told by someone who stopped me at one of the hostels when he
heard
me talk, "I like Americans, I just don't like your politicians." Fair
enough.
We also discussed foreign history being more fascinating than our own.
I definitely agree with that because although American history is full
of significance, and I live on Civil War battlefields, looking around
and
seeing things that are from 2000 years ago...fields just don't compare.
It was also a twist hearing about the War of 1812 from the other
side. Quick Canadian synopsis: US tried to take Canadian land...lost,
etc...I
don't remember in school hearing we lost. I distinctly remember hearing
it was a victory for us. Intriguing how the source can change the
perception.
So we leave for a quick stop at a store or two...where I pick up the
new
Harry Potter book...London edition. Andrew departs to meet up with his
girl friend in the next country, and it's time for me to go back and
meet
some new people in the hostel....duh duh duh...No going out for me
tonight! |
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| JULY 5 : Staying
In??? Nah!
The
morning was boring, I'll spare you. I started talking with one of the
people
in my room. Her name was Molly and she was actually working in Northern
Ireland on break from Harvard. We planned on going to the pub crawl but
didn't realize the time until it was about 20:30. Darn! We decide we're
going out anyway. After a quick change we prance down to the Temple Bar
area where we try to find a good place to stop. The first pub was a
dud,
so we leave and go back to the Arlington. Ehhh, it was an older crowd
that
night. We leave and meet with these two Irish guys who are on their way
to a pub. They graciously offer us to go with, but it was apparent not
to hang out with them. Wouldn't you know it that one of the guys has
been
living in Chicago for the past six years and was back just visiting?!
Crazy.
So we keep moving on. Unfortunately it was getting late on in the night
when we enter Misses Maguire's. Multi level, good music, and very
attractive
guys. Of course, you know that when you go late...no luck. Ah well.
Tomorrow
is a new day. |
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The match begins.
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They even have a half-time band!
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Young hurlers demonstrate their skills
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Pub Crawl (the guy on the right is the
organizer ...kinda makes
you wonder...)
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The Norwegians and Molly
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JULY 6 : You don't
always get
what you want, but what you get isn't bad either. I
didn't have much planned, but it ended up being crazy fun anyway!
Remember
back in Amsterdam, I met the two Irish guys who were talking about the
hurling championships? Apparently they are a HUGE deal in Ireland. It
is
the last remaining sport that has roots in Ireland, so that makes
sense.
I tell Molly that I really wanted to check out the hurling
championships.
So she and I set off for the park. We get there and find this super
helpful
lady who snags someone to ask how we can get tickets for today's match.
Some gentleman overhears and says he has two fee tickets he doesn't
want.
Being the skeptic, I reluctantly accept. We find out that not only are
they good seats, they are in the area that you need to have tickets
bought
for ten years in order to sit there! Whoa! We watch the pre-game match
between the junior teams. Molly decides to leave, but I'm sticking
around
for the real one. Was I glad I did. Hurling is like lacrosse, baseball,
and soccer rolled into one. Very fast paced and the crowd really gets
into
it. The streaker was a nice touch too in the middle of the second half.
I still don't know how more people don't get injured. People are
getting
strangled with the hurls and whacked. So I walk back and get ready for
the
pub crawl.
Five Euro later with a very
chatty young bunch,
I have nothing to lose. The guide said the first place was a
power
dating scene so those of us looking to get Irish passports could do
well
here. He walks us to...Cafe En Seine! Yes, the very place I had been
Thursday
night. We walk through and I see these two guys at the bar. I have to
talk
to them! We get to the end of the place and he tells us to go to one of
the bars to order a drink. Well, I spin back around and know where I'm
going. I park myself next to the two guys and get my Bailey's on the
rocks....yum!
The farther one whispers to the one next to me, "she's single...look!"
Duh, I look down and see the Claddah ring I had bought days before. I
ask
if I can sit and start chatting it up. One of the guys (again don't
know
the names because I'm really bad with them!) was a courier and the
other
in sales. I ask how sales are going and he claims his success on his
Irish
charm and grins. I just about about pass out. They both used to cycle
and
lived in Dublin their entire lives. Like the accents didn't give that
away!
I finish my drink and he buys me another. We continue talking and I
mention
that I'm on a pub crawl but plan on coming back. Of course at that
moment
the group is ready to leave...do I stay or go? 99.999% of normal people
would have stayed, but silly me! I leave...he says to come back or I'll
miss out...on what...I would need to come back to find out. Doh!
Condensed
version: three pubs later: talked with Germany boy who buys me a
rose...talk
with two interesting guys from Norway, who ended up being super cool
and
buying Molly and I drinks. We go to the night club spot and with Molly
and the Norwegians in tow, I try book back to the Cafe. I just about
cry
when I find out it's closed! ::drop to knees:: STELLA!!! (Okay, so
Freya
got that.) Like the title says you may not have gotten what you wanted,
but what you did get isn't bad at all. Got the e-mail address and had
some
very interesting conversations about life in general. Late night food
run.
That was funny. We end up sitting outside and chilling until about
3:30,
when Molly and I walk back to sleep.
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| JULY 7 : Trying
to Repair the
Error.
This day
is more low key than anything. Boring morning. I go back to the Cafe
that
night in hopes of running into the two guys. That's a little pathetic
right?
What was I thinking? ::sigh:: I figure I'll go on the pub crawl again
and
just meet new people. Whoo hoo! Wouldn't you know it, we actually go
back
to the Cafe...where I just jam out to the music instead. The people on
the crawl were pretty cool, and the pubs were fun. Only two of them
were
repeats from the night before. Lots of live music. I did enjoy the last
place, Down Under, a whole lot with the yummy Funky Monkey drink. Think
banana and chocolate milkshake. Alas no guys really. Plus, I knew I had
to wake up early to catch the flight to London. I'll just need to come
back! |
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