Sorry it's taken so long to get this up. Internet has been hard to come by in travels and busy-nesses since the trip. Anyway, I'm home now and here's what happened to me:
July 14, 2007
>We're on our own! Emily, JoEllen and I (Henceforth they will be known as E and J) make our way... with all of our stuff... to the bus station. We talk to a nice man who we have named Dermot who told us to get a discounted ticket to take us to the cliffs of Mohr where we should be picked up for our Bed and Breakfast stay.
>We do as Dermot tells us and get on his bus.
>Dermot proceeds to take us on the greatest bus tour ever! We see castles, abbys, trees and shrines and even stop in at a great place to eat! Amazing!
>After eating, he tells me to play a song for everyone with my guitar. I do. It was fun. There's proof that it happened.
>We also stopped at the ocean. E, J and I accidentally went swimming with all our clothes on. Just go with it.
>We changed while a creepy Spaniard video taped us for a few minutes and then got back on the bus under Dermot's protection and found our way to the cliffs of Mohr.
>WOW!!!!!!!!!
>So, we still can't get ahold of the B&B, so Dermot takes out his cell phone and calls for us, gets ahold of them and tells them we're ready when they are. They say 10 minutes.
>Dermot leaves.
>Bye, Dermot.
>We wait 45 minutes.
>B&B van arrives! The friendliest Irishman you'll ever meet takes us 10 minutes down the road to the B&B.
[Now, I want you all to remember where we've been staying the past few days. A Hostel. Hell. Now we have a room with beds of our own, a shower of our own that has manual temperature control, floor space, it doesn't smell, there are friendly people who give us food and tea and OMG THE VIEW! Rolling Irish hills covered in the greenest grass from the farthest fence you can find. A castle thirty miles away on top of a hill top. Sheep occasionally roam past while Bruno, the big floppy dog, visits you as you eat your breakfast. Trees spot the hillsides and homes collect in small patches where children can find space to play safe from all th expansiveness of the world. One single road leads to the front door and off into nothing.]
>We want to swim again.
>We try to walk to a place to swim. We learn that it's 10 miles away. Stupid old lady telling us it's close.
>We eat some food and then try to get to another suggested swimming place.
>We lose our minds.
>We find said place is full of rocks. E gets her feet wet and J and I watch her and laugh.
>We go to find a gas station to buy some beer and go back to the B&B to relax.
>THE GAS STATION DOESN'T SELL BEER AT ALL! Where have we gone and where is Ireland?
>We go back anyway and read then get the best night of sleep any of us have had in weeks.
July 15, 2007
>Here's what we know: we need to get to Dublin by 8pm tonight.
>Here's what we don't know: how.
>We ask the old lady over breakfast and her daughter looks up some routs for us. Mind you, we are on the opposite coast of Ireland from Dublin. We rule out the bus idea (thank God!) and decide for the train option.
>Two choices, north or south to get East... why God? Why not just East?
>We choose north. We will somehow get to the cliffs of Mohr again, get some bus to take us back to Gallway and get some train to take us to Dublin hopefully by 8pm tonight.
>Her son wakes up and says he'll take us to the cliffs! Huzzah!
>We get there and as he pulls away, the number fifty bus pulls in behind him with a big flashing screen that says 'To Galway.'
>Holy ^%&*.
>We spend an hour at the cliffs again! whoot! then we get on the bus and spend the next 4 hours in the most uncomfortable, sweaty, muggy, smelly and windy bus ride of our mortal lives. None of us can stand or eat by the end of it for nausea. But we're in Galway and that's all that matters Damnit!
>E runs to get some food while J and I get train info. We get our tickets, take our food, walk onto a train and go to Dublin!
[Seriously? Did that all acutually work out? I'm still in a bit of disbelief...]
>We get to Dublin and almost immediately find Emma (Emily's friend who we will be staying with) and Annie (my friend from High School who is studying in Scottland and came down to Dublin for the weekend).
>2E and J decide to take some stuff back to the appartement and Annie and her friend and I will go and eat and start drinking.
>As we all begin to part ways, we turn a corner and WHAM! There are Sean McDowell and Sam Green (our teachers from the trip) standing in our faces!
>We chat for some time and then part ways again. We learn that one of the nicknames given to the two of them (Bert and Ernie) almost caused Sam's demise. While in a pub during our last night in Galway, Sam began singing the Rubber Duckie song in the Ernie voice. Little did he know that he was overheard by a man in a stall behind him! He almost died! We laughed at him.
>2E and J took stuff to the appt. and I kept my huge backpack and went with Annie and friend to food. We ate and had a few rounds before the girls showed up.
>They ate quickly and we all went out to the Arlington, our favorite pub in Dublin.
>Annie and I quickly downed a few Jamesons and got sufficiently tipsy before the girls and I needed to catch the last lightrail to the appt. We parted ways and went.
>The appt. is a godsend! It's amazing! Super modern and artsey, but we can't figure out the futon. I am in no condition to help, but I try. Oh well.
>The sleeping arrangement becomes Emma and Emily in one bed. JoEllen curled up on the half-futon. Me on the couch in the living room for Emma's aunt to find me there in the morning. Whoops. I mean, she knew I'd be 'there' just not THERE.
July 16, 2007
>We all slowly got up, met Emma's aunt and ate.
>We headed out and began our day by wondering and then getting hungry.
>We had failed at getting cash, but we didn't think we'd need it. We found out we did. Fortunately, we still had about 28 cents by the end of lunch to all of our names!
>We went to St. Patrick's park and cathedral then back out to Sandy Cove. Emily swam but JoEllen and I refrained given we had no swim suits, it was freaking cold and there was no excitement from the group's mob mentality. Although, Emily did get yelled at by a house owner onto whose property Emily accidentally trespassed and then was inadvertently flashed by an old man going for a swim, so we're rather glad we refrained.
>We wanted to watch a movie that night, so we tried to rent one, failed and proceeded to buy 'Stranger than Fiction.'
>When we started to watch it, we couldn't get it to work. It finally worked but everyone fell asleep within 45 minutes. We got the futon to work and then all went to bed. I joined JoEllen who was so out of it she hardly noticed that I was there. She doesn't remember doing this, but she said to me, "If you touch me in the night... I'll kill ya."
July 17, 2007
>I'm still alive. Apparently there was no night-touching.
>Literally, this day was spent resting and reading. Emma went to her grandmother's house a ways away and the three of us just found a tea shop and read for most of the day. It was amazing.
>We went out for dinner and a drink and then back to the appt. to watch Stranger than Fiction. Great film by the way. Go see it. Seriously. Now. Well, finish the blog and then go get it and see it.
>We all go to sleep after some hanging out and I get barely enough sleep to sustain me for....
July 18, 2007
TRAVEL DAY
6:15 Dublin
wake up.... oh God...
7:01 Dublin
Leave the appt with all of its sleeping residents.
7:20 Dublin
Arrive by Luas Line (lightrail) at St. Steven's Green
7:24 Dublin
Get a bus to the airport. Go me!
8:12 Dublin
Arrive at airport and realize I can't check in for 45 minutes... Okay, Karma. I get it.
10:21 Dublin
Through checkin and security and on to customs. I forgot to buy food before customs... so... hungry....
10:51
Through customs! Found food! Ate it! Called Emily to tell JoEllen how to get through all the security stuff better than I did. Then sat down and had two bottles of Guinness. Good idea for the plane! Seriously, best idea I've ever had. Thank you Hunter S. Thompson.
11:21
On the plane! I have two seats to myself! SCORE! Thanks, Karma!
13:48 Chicago - 19:48 Dublin
Finished Hunter S. Thompson's 'The Rum Diary.' Yesterday, I read 'MASH.' Good days. We've begun our descent.
15:21 Chicago - 21:21 Dublin
Through security... again. Got some food and waiting for my second of three flights.
15:37 Chicago - 21:37 Dublin
On the plane. The guy who sits down next to me I pin for an aspiring body-builder and jock-a-holic. I notice, then, the 'Muscle Monthly' magazine he's set down in the seat pocket. Man I'm good. That's alright, I'll read 'The Once and Future King.'
18:37 Dallas/Chicago - 00:37 Dublin
Landed about 40 minutes ago, got to my gate and called E and J. Apparently I'm missed! Awwwww. They found Jameson and had some in my stead. I am honored! Also, called home and let the know I'd be on time.
18:58 Dallas/Chicago - 00:58
Called home to let them know I'd be late.
19:25 Dallas/Chicago - 01:25
Finally on the stuipd airplane thing.
20:59 Sacramento - 22:59 Dallas/Chicago - 04:59 Dublin
LANDED! Dad picks me up and takes me to In-N-Out for a Double Double with onion, a strawberry milkshake and fries. I go home, unpack somewhat and sleep until 11:something the next day.
Well, I guess that concludes this journal thing. Thanks for reading it! I hope it was amuuuuusing at least! I'll post some pictures up here soon, so keep looking for the next week or so and you'll get to see some cool places I went.
end captain's log_
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Friday, July 13, 2007
July 13, 2007 - 08:49
July 8, 2007
>We had indivudual meetings with our professors about our work. Sam Green, the poet, helped me a ton with my plot and my character's development. I have a much better idea of where I want to go now, but still have no idea of where it will end.
>Emily, JoEllen and I do the Guinness Storehouse Tour. We hadn't eaten in a very long time... I had most of our pints... yay!
>Had Italian food for dinner.
>Played King's Cup.
>sleep!
July 9, 2007
>Train to Galway! Check in at Hostel and have a walking tour of the main drag in Galway.
>At dinner, a small group of us witnessed, on television at the bar, a few births. No joke. F-ing babies being born on the screen while we eat. We wrote inappropriate drinking songs about it.
July 10, 2007
>Went to the Cliffs of Dun Aenghus. It's somthing like 300m up on the top of the cliff and in the ruin of the old Viking Stronghold. Talk about powerful. Dad, by the way, how did you give me your Vertigo? I didn't know that that was an inheritable trait...
>Okay. This next part makes me really mad.
>A fuck bird shat on my neck.
>2 showers within an hour. and I had to scrub clean my brand new sweatshirt.
>grrr.
July 11, 2007
>Shopping for most of the day. Got almost all the souveniers I needed. Only a couple remain.
>In the evening, we tried to rent Moulin Rouge but failed miserably so we watched 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' instead.
July 12, 2007
>Went to Thoor Balyllee - the tower where W.B. Yeats lived for years. Awesome.
>More shopping.
>Some walking.
>Some eating.
>Watched Wedding Crashers.
LAST DAY OF PROGRAM TODAY! SAD! STILL MUCH MORE TO COME FOR ME, THOUGH!
end of captain's log_
>We had indivudual meetings with our professors about our work. Sam Green, the poet, helped me a ton with my plot and my character's development. I have a much better idea of where I want to go now, but still have no idea of where it will end.
>Emily, JoEllen and I do the Guinness Storehouse Tour. We hadn't eaten in a very long time... I had most of our pints... yay!
>Had Italian food for dinner.
>Played King's Cup.
>sleep!
July 9, 2007
>Train to Galway! Check in at Hostel and have a walking tour of the main drag in Galway.
>At dinner, a small group of us witnessed, on television at the bar, a few births. No joke. F-ing babies being born on the screen while we eat. We wrote inappropriate drinking songs about it.
July 10, 2007
>Went to the Cliffs of Dun Aenghus. It's somthing like 300m up on the top of the cliff and in the ruin of the old Viking Stronghold. Talk about powerful. Dad, by the way, how did you give me your Vertigo? I didn't know that that was an inheritable trait...
>Okay. This next part makes me really mad.
>A fuck bird shat on my neck.
>2 showers within an hour. and I had to scrub clean my brand new sweatshirt.
>grrr.
July 11, 2007
>Shopping for most of the day. Got almost all the souveniers I needed. Only a couple remain.
>In the evening, we tried to rent Moulin Rouge but failed miserably so we watched 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' instead.
July 12, 2007
>Went to Thoor Balyllee - the tower where W.B. Yeats lived for years. Awesome.
>More shopping.
>Some walking.
>Some eating.
>Watched Wedding Crashers.
LAST DAY OF PROGRAM TODAY! SAD! STILL MUCH MORE TO COME FOR ME, THOUGH!
end of captain's log_
Sunday, July 8, 2007
I forgot to tell you all a story.
On July 2nd, I was seperated from my lunch outing group because of a street performer. He was funny looking and gave me a piece of paper with the following message:
''One's beliefs and not one's knowledge determines the conduct and the personal performance. Teaching is nothing else than the transmission of a knowledge, and you cannot always learn. Knowledge is the result of teaching, but comprehension is the result of experience.''
Since he seperated me from the group, I tried to find them where we were supposed to meet up. Instead of finding them, I found an attractive Ukranian girl under a tree while it was raining. We began to talk, then I got her out of the Grafton Street area and sent her on her way. All the while, she was completely under the impression that I was from England. I milked it for all it was worth and even did some States-Bashing!
Anyway...
July 6, 2007
>Went to the National Gallery and looked at art. Cool.
>Took a nap with JoEllen and Emily.
>Beth made us all a goulash and it was delicious. Meanwhile, Kristen and I taught Emily and JoEllen how to play Magic the Gathering. In so doing, I discovered that Harley plays Magic and Reily will buy Yu-Gi-Oh cards and we will play. I love the bonding that Magic brings into my life.
>Sleep. Slow day, right?
July 7, 2007 (tee-hee... 7-7-07)
>National Museum today (by the way, everything is 'National' in this country). There was an exhibit on 'Bog People.' It was bodies found in Irish bogs that have been preserved miraculously by the chemical composition. It's a bit disturbing to look at an almost fully in tact 2000 year old body, but rather incredible. The creepiest parts were the bright red hair perfectly preserved and the hands on one of them. They looked alive.
>Some of us went to a comic book store and Reily bought Yu-Gi-Oh cards! w00t!
>The girls bought temporary tatoos.
>We went back to Trinity, applied the tatoos and went to Hard Rock.
[WARNING: if you like gin, you will cry now.]
>I ordered what I like to call a 'Father Martini.' It is the drink my father always gets. Bombay Saphire Gin, Up, really cold with two olives. I then proceeded to take 3 sips of it before it found its way to the table. And mostly on Emily's lap. I cried a lot inside.
>We bought a lot of beer and drank it while hand-washing our laundry in order to save €3 per load. Then went to a pub.
>The band at the pub was a female singer with a guitar and a male with a guitar on backup. They played Whiskey in the Jar three times in the hour we were there and still managed to be teh best band we've encountered since being here.
End of Captain's Log_
On July 2nd, I was seperated from my lunch outing group because of a street performer. He was funny looking and gave me a piece of paper with the following message:
''One's beliefs and not one's knowledge determines the conduct and the personal performance. Teaching is nothing else than the transmission of a knowledge, and you cannot always learn. Knowledge is the result of teaching, but comprehension is the result of experience.''
Since he seperated me from the group, I tried to find them where we were supposed to meet up. Instead of finding them, I found an attractive Ukranian girl under a tree while it was raining. We began to talk, then I got her out of the Grafton Street area and sent her on her way. All the while, she was completely under the impression that I was from England. I milked it for all it was worth and even did some States-Bashing!
Anyway...
July 6, 2007
>Went to the National Gallery and looked at art. Cool.
>Took a nap with JoEllen and Emily.
>Beth made us all a goulash and it was delicious. Meanwhile, Kristen and I taught Emily and JoEllen how to play Magic the Gathering. In so doing, I discovered that Harley plays Magic and Reily will buy Yu-Gi-Oh cards and we will play. I love the bonding that Magic brings into my life.
>Sleep. Slow day, right?
July 7, 2007 (tee-hee... 7-7-07)
>National Museum today (by the way, everything is 'National' in this country). There was an exhibit on 'Bog People.' It was bodies found in Irish bogs that have been preserved miraculously by the chemical composition. It's a bit disturbing to look at an almost fully in tact 2000 year old body, but rather incredible. The creepiest parts were the bright red hair perfectly preserved and the hands on one of them. They looked alive.
>Some of us went to a comic book store and Reily bought Yu-Gi-Oh cards! w00t!
>The girls bought temporary tatoos.
>We went back to Trinity, applied the tatoos and went to Hard Rock.
[WARNING: if you like gin, you will cry now.]
>I ordered what I like to call a 'Father Martini.' It is the drink my father always gets. Bombay Saphire Gin, Up, really cold with two olives. I then proceeded to take 3 sips of it before it found its way to the table. And mostly on Emily's lap. I cried a lot inside.
>We bought a lot of beer and drank it while hand-washing our laundry in order to save €3 per load. Then went to a pub.
>The band at the pub was a female singer with a guitar and a male with a guitar on backup. They played Whiskey in the Jar three times in the hour we were there and still managed to be teh best band we've encountered since being here.
End of Captain's Log_
Thursday, July 5, 2007
July 5, 2007 - 23:17
After the last post, I found a great place for a €5 sandwich with a salad. It was delicious! Then, the night went as follows:
>Met up with good ol' Spencer Price! He's a friend from high school who I went on a Mexico service trip with and also made two pro-quality videos for that trip and a school play. He's my Fezzik if I'm Inigo. He's 6'5'', about 300lbs and if you've ever seen the show 'RECESS,' he's Mikey. (If you haven't, go to www.youtube.com now and find an episode so you know what I'm talking about.) We went out with some of my friends and a girl who he apparently met about 2 hours ago named Vicki.
>We went to our first pub together and toasted a pint. Our first pint together! The first alcohol he's ever seen me drink.
>We moved on to another pub. There, we drank a 'Baby Guinness' (bailey's, peppermint schnopps and jameson shot), another pint of Guinness and then a very, very, very strong Vodka/Redbull. We had very tall glasses and shared the Redbull between them.
>We felt great!
>We went to Eddie Rocket's (Think Johnny Rocket's but way less cool, more expensive and in a dialect you can't understand when you're drunk) and ate.
>Back to campus where our friends left us while I walked Spencer back to his dorm. We met up with two of my other friends (drunk... very) and we all had a great time with the walking thing. We found free internet via Spencer and his passwords on Trinity Campus (we later acquired our own, but for then it was nice to know) and off to bed after much water and staring at walls.
JULY 3, 2007
>€200 million worth of Cocaine fell into the Irish Sea today. We want to find it.
>We went to the train station to go to the coast where the Joyce Museum is on Martello Tower. Amazing!
>McDizzle (our name for Dr. Sean McDowell) bought us all a pint at a Joycean pub (thank you tuition money!... and Mom and Dad.)
>Some of us decided something.
>We carried it out.
>We swam in the Irish Sea.
>We had no swim gear, so we stripped down to boxers (okay, so mine came off once I was in the water... When else can you say you skinny dipped in the Irish Sea for a school function?!) and swam in the '40 foot,' a place where gentlemen ritually swim, some daily, some weekly, montly or annually. Great time for all!
>Whiskey.
>Went back to campus, showered and hung out with Emily and Joellen until late then slept.
JULY 4, 2007
>We had to write what we think the first two sentences of our eventual story will be. SON OF A...!
>Went to the Dublin Writer's Museum. Amazing exhibits and a lot to learn. Some great portraits and sculptures of Beckett (if you do not immediately recognize the name, go immediately to your local Borders or Barnes and Noble and buy 'Waiting for Godot' then read it over the next two hours of your life. It's worth it. I prommise.) and other writers.
>Next to the Joyce Center. Cool, but a little long and we were already very tired.
>Now shopping for tonight's potluck for one of our number's birthday and America Day! GO FREEDOM!
>Emily, Joellen, Kristen and I prepped the potatoes we would later boil and mash and ate some bread and cheese for lunch. (by the way, in Ireland, you eat meat, bread, potatoes, and Guinness. That's all.)
>We saw Arthur Miller's 'The Crucible' at The Abby Theatre (Ireland's theatre. Very historical, been around since 1904 and survived the seige of the British. It burned down later, but they rebuilt it and it still resembles the old model. Great opportunity for me, a theater student.) and I can honestly say that this is within the top 5 plays I've ever seen. Now, let me remind you all that I review plays nigh professionally. I see them about one a week. Easily this one is in my top 5 ever. It was incredible. I can't describe to you how good it was via writing, but let's just say that when the stage itself rests under a gallows for the whole show, you know some bad shit gonna go down.
>Potluck time.
>no...
>Babysitting time. Emily, Joellen and I (so we're traveling companions. They're the ones I'm staying with after this official trip is done) ended up being the cooks, cleaners, babysitters, chaperones and doctors for the night. Some of our number (unnamed for their dignity's sake... or what's left of it) did not quite make it through the night unscathed. The birthday girl was alright the next morning; as was the girl I carried (CARRIED) up to her room on the third floor (apparently the evening included more... um... activity for her and her personal porcelain diety after I left, so the morning was alright). We got the place cleaned up by around 2 when Joellen went to bed. Emily and I talked until 4 and then also slept.
JULY 5, 2007
>Up at 8:15 today! yay...
>We went to the National Library with a Yeats exhibit (W.B. Yeats. Great poet and author/wizard). The girls and I got left behind when we watched the 'Yeats and the Magic he did' video three times in a row. Woops! The program ended up being done for the day, but that was fun anyway.
>We checked out the rest of the library. AMAZING! I've never seen stucco cherubim on the walls of a library and been okay with it before.
>Went to Marion Park and visited Oscar Wilde's statue. He's just so fancy!
>Ate some oranges and chocolate, went to Trinity, showered, ate dinner and met up with Spencer again. We had a drink with him, did our homework and headed back here.
>Now, off to finish said homework and get more than 6 hours of sleep at least one night this trip...
Ta!
>Met up with good ol' Spencer Price! He's a friend from high school who I went on a Mexico service trip with and also made two pro-quality videos for that trip and a school play. He's my Fezzik if I'm Inigo. He's 6'5'', about 300lbs and if you've ever seen the show 'RECESS,' he's Mikey. (If you haven't, go to www.youtube.com now and find an episode so you know what I'm talking about.) We went out with some of my friends and a girl who he apparently met about 2 hours ago named Vicki.
>We went to our first pub together and toasted a pint. Our first pint together! The first alcohol he's ever seen me drink.
>We moved on to another pub. There, we drank a 'Baby Guinness' (bailey's, peppermint schnopps and jameson shot), another pint of Guinness and then a very, very, very strong Vodka/Redbull. We had very tall glasses and shared the Redbull between them.
>We felt great!
>We went to Eddie Rocket's (Think Johnny Rocket's but way less cool, more expensive and in a dialect you can't understand when you're drunk) and ate.
>Back to campus where our friends left us while I walked Spencer back to his dorm. We met up with two of my other friends (drunk... very) and we all had a great time with the walking thing. We found free internet via Spencer and his passwords on Trinity Campus (we later acquired our own, but for then it was nice to know) and off to bed after much water and staring at walls.
JULY 3, 2007
>€200 million worth of Cocaine fell into the Irish Sea today. We want to find it.
>We went to the train station to go to the coast where the Joyce Museum is on Martello Tower. Amazing!
>McDizzle (our name for Dr. Sean McDowell) bought us all a pint at a Joycean pub (thank you tuition money!... and Mom and Dad.)
>Some of us decided something.
>We carried it out.
>We swam in the Irish Sea.
>We had no swim gear, so we stripped down to boxers (okay, so mine came off once I was in the water... When else can you say you skinny dipped in the Irish Sea for a school function?!) and swam in the '40 foot,' a place where gentlemen ritually swim, some daily, some weekly, montly or annually. Great time for all!
>Whiskey.
>Went back to campus, showered and hung out with Emily and Joellen until late then slept.
JULY 4, 2007
>We had to write what we think the first two sentences of our eventual story will be. SON OF A...!
>Went to the Dublin Writer's Museum. Amazing exhibits and a lot to learn. Some great portraits and sculptures of Beckett (if you do not immediately recognize the name, go immediately to your local Borders or Barnes and Noble and buy 'Waiting for Godot' then read it over the next two hours of your life. It's worth it. I prommise.) and other writers.
>Next to the Joyce Center. Cool, but a little long and we were already very tired.
>Now shopping for tonight's potluck for one of our number's birthday and America Day! GO FREEDOM!
>Emily, Joellen, Kristen and I prepped the potatoes we would later boil and mash and ate some bread and cheese for lunch. (by the way, in Ireland, you eat meat, bread, potatoes, and Guinness. That's all.)
>We saw Arthur Miller's 'The Crucible' at The Abby Theatre (Ireland's theatre. Very historical, been around since 1904 and survived the seige of the British. It burned down later, but they rebuilt it and it still resembles the old model. Great opportunity for me, a theater student.) and I can honestly say that this is within the top 5 plays I've ever seen. Now, let me remind you all that I review plays nigh professionally. I see them about one a week. Easily this one is in my top 5 ever. It was incredible. I can't describe to you how good it was via writing, but let's just say that when the stage itself rests under a gallows for the whole show, you know some bad shit gonna go down.
>Potluck time.
>no...
>Babysitting time. Emily, Joellen and I (so we're traveling companions. They're the ones I'm staying with after this official trip is done) ended up being the cooks, cleaners, babysitters, chaperones and doctors for the night. Some of our number (unnamed for their dignity's sake... or what's left of it) did not quite make it through the night unscathed. The birthday girl was alright the next morning; as was the girl I carried (CARRIED) up to her room on the third floor (apparently the evening included more... um... activity for her and her personal porcelain diety after I left, so the morning was alright). We got the place cleaned up by around 2 when Joellen went to bed. Emily and I talked until 4 and then also slept.
JULY 5, 2007
>Up at 8:15 today! yay...
>We went to the National Library with a Yeats exhibit (W.B. Yeats. Great poet and author/wizard). The girls and I got left behind when we watched the 'Yeats and the Magic he did' video three times in a row. Woops! The program ended up being done for the day, but that was fun anyway.
>We checked out the rest of the library. AMAZING! I've never seen stucco cherubim on the walls of a library and been okay with it before.
>Went to Marion Park and visited Oscar Wilde's statue. He's just so fancy!
>Ate some oranges and chocolate, went to Trinity, showered, ate dinner and met up with Spencer again. We had a drink with him, did our homework and headed back here.
>Now, off to finish said homework and get more than 6 hours of sleep at least one night this trip...
Ta!
Monday, July 2, 2007
July 2, 2007 - 18:27
Here's the most recent update:
June 29, 2007
>posted here
>I don't remember if I mentioned the free sandwich I got from the little 'Save Darfur' type restaraunt, but I got that!
>Went to a few pubs to check them out for the group... people are very generous to American tourists here... especially underfunded students... I couldn't pass up their hospitality...
June 30, 2007
[editor's note: though certain phone conversations were had recently, they were not entirely true. I had to hide some of the more graphic details for this blog. There was the gentler gender in company and I felt it necessary to keep things un-explicit. In short, sorry about the lack of precission and actuality in the one part of the conversation to you, party who I spoke with, about a certain trip that didn't end up happening on Saturday...]
>Woke up at 10:00 hung over like a bludgened squirell.
>Woke up again at 15:34. Showered and went out to buy bread and water.
[Note to self. Don't lose count of pints.]
>Arklow didn't quite happen, in fact. Instead, I bought a cheap guitar!
>Tried to earn some cash on Grafton street with the guitar. They just weren't biting. Even for Van Morrison - jerks.
>Wen to a little park and messed around on the guitar for a bit to unwind from the oh-so-busy day.
>There is a sweaty Englishman in the room now. He talks... A lot... The Spaniard and I now converse freely and very nicely. Good conversation about Tim Burton!
>I went to the 'Games Room' of the hostel to read and play guitar and met some Germans. They wanted to learn to play the guitar (yay...). I tought one of them 'free falling.' A) I hate Tom Petty. B) HOW HARD ARE D AND A CHORDS?
>Went upstairs to the common area to avoid them after an hour. Met more Germans who wanted me to play stuff and talk for two hours. At least they're conversational and English-speaking.
July 1, 2007
>check the hell out of that Hostel.
>Met a man from Cantebury England named Gareth. He decided to come with me on my adventures today. Okay by me!
>Wen to Trinity. Found people! Met a guy named Garry Hollywood who wants us to see his band on Tuesday. Hollywood? Really?
>Went with a group to Jameson Distillery. Whiskey! Yes!
>Gareth and we part ways until tonight.
>Checked into Trinity after lunch. NICE ROOM! THANK YOU, JESUS!
>A comedic police officer with a whistle and children surrounding him (and a clown) made me do pushups in St. Patrick's park for smiling without a permit.
>Got lost in Viking District...
>Found Trinity again! Went on Dublin tour with the group.
>found 2 cents.
>Went to a good food place, Peter's Pub. They're closing tomorrow for 6 weeks. They only had bread and cheese. Good dinner!
>Found a man on a motorcycle with amazing leather pants!
>Met up with some from group and Gareth with his Spanish friend David. New Spaniard!
>Pub hopped to a few.
>The French came to the last one. We ran away.
End Captain's Log_
June 29, 2007
>posted here
>I don't remember if I mentioned the free sandwich I got from the little 'Save Darfur' type restaraunt, but I got that!
>Went to a few pubs to check them out for the group... people are very generous to American tourists here... especially underfunded students... I couldn't pass up their hospitality...
June 30, 2007
[editor's note: though certain phone conversations were had recently, they were not entirely true. I had to hide some of the more graphic details for this blog. There was the gentler gender in company and I felt it necessary to keep things un-explicit. In short, sorry about the lack of precission and actuality in the one part of the conversation to you, party who I spoke with, about a certain trip that didn't end up happening on Saturday...]
>Woke up at 10:00 hung over like a bludgened squirell.
>Woke up again at 15:34. Showered and went out to buy bread and water.
[Note to self. Don't lose count of pints.]
>Arklow didn't quite happen, in fact. Instead, I bought a cheap guitar!
>Tried to earn some cash on Grafton street with the guitar. They just weren't biting. Even for Van Morrison - jerks.
>Wen to a little park and messed around on the guitar for a bit to unwind from the oh-so-busy day.
>There is a sweaty Englishman in the room now. He talks... A lot... The Spaniard and I now converse freely and very nicely. Good conversation about Tim Burton!
>I went to the 'Games Room' of the hostel to read and play guitar and met some Germans. They wanted to learn to play the guitar (yay...). I tought one of them 'free falling.' A) I hate Tom Petty. B) HOW HARD ARE D AND A CHORDS?
>Went upstairs to the common area to avoid them after an hour. Met more Germans who wanted me to play stuff and talk for two hours. At least they're conversational and English-speaking.
July 1, 2007
>check the hell out of that Hostel.
>Met a man from Cantebury England named Gareth. He decided to come with me on my adventures today. Okay by me!
>Wen to Trinity. Found people! Met a guy named Garry Hollywood who wants us to see his band on Tuesday. Hollywood? Really?
>Went with a group to Jameson Distillery. Whiskey! Yes!
>Gareth and we part ways until tonight.
>Checked into Trinity after lunch. NICE ROOM! THANK YOU, JESUS!
>A comedic police officer with a whistle and children surrounding him (and a clown) made me do pushups in St. Patrick's park for smiling without a permit.
>Got lost in Viking District...
>Found Trinity again! Went on Dublin tour with the group.
>found 2 cents.
>Went to a good food place, Peter's Pub. They're closing tomorrow for 6 weeks. They only had bread and cheese. Good dinner!
>Found a man on a motorcycle with amazing leather pants!
>Met up with some from group and Gareth with his Spanish friend David. New Spaniard!
>Pub hopped to a few.
>The French came to the last one. We ran away.
End Captain's Log_
Friday, June 29, 2007
June 29, 2007 - 20:30:41
As I begin writing this blog entry, I am sitting in a dirty little internet cafe. The man to my right is gambling in an online cassino. The men to my left just stood to leave; they seemed to be looking at something I felt somewhat uneasy seeing when glancing.
At any rate, DUBLIN! w00t! I've been here 2 days and have walked almost every direction in the city limits of Dublin. I've been to the Guinness Storehouse (the tour where you get a free pint at the top!); I've been to the largest park in Europe (Phoenix Park. There's a zoo. I didn't go in.); I've been to the Gate Theatre (saw Sweeny Todd and broke the curse upon my soul that has weighed me down for over 6 years); I went to revolution memorials and shopping areas and tourist traps and traditional 'Dub' hangouts and even an art museum (free of course! I don't have that much money in my bank account and the dollar is weak... Stupid €...)
Basic catchup on my experiences:
?Flights were late up until the ultimate arrival which was 10 minutes early (impressive for being over an hour late most of the way there). On the planes I read 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,' listened to Wagner's 'Das Rheingold' and watched 'Grease' (on the in-flight movie programming, this last one).
>Took the bus to Dublin. An elderly woman helped me find my way.
>Got off the bus and got lost. More elderly women seemed eager to help...
>Checked into my hostel, got unpacked-ish and headed out!
>First: food. Fish and Chips on O'Connell and Abbey. Good food!
>Went to a free art gallery. An old guard showed me a tourist map of Dublin. He told me many places to check out. I wrote the names down and prepared to go to get a map.
>B.T.W. this feels like a video game, so I'm keeping my journal like I'm playing Elder Scroll's III: Morrowind.
>Tried to get a map, store closed. Got enchiladas. They were good.
>Went to the Gate Theatre and got a student ticket to Sweeny Todd! AMAZING!
>Slept well.
>Woke to a talkative Spaniard in the room. We ate food and tried to communicate. Mostly failed because he's like trying to talk to Mr. Brusel.
>I went out to get a map. Acquired Map! Went to Trinity College and got the lay of the land. Went to a little coffee shoppe and mapped out my day a bit. Good Cappuccino.
>B.T.W. average tourists in Temple Bar are scary.
>I found 2 cents on the ground.
>I went down Grafton St. - Amazing street music. Then went to St. Steven's green - gorgeous park (the entryway arch has names of 'traitors,' or men who fought for the British, inlaid in the underside as you walk through).
>Going back up Grafton, I found a 'silver statue man' dressed in Arthurian clothing. I felt good about myself.
>A ate at a palce called 'Abrakababra.' Seriously.
>Wandered Phoenix Park. Okay, got over that fast.
>Went to the Guinness Storehouse and did the tour and drank an pint. P-Magnum, that one's for you!
>I tried to find Dublin Castle and failed. I found a churc that looks like a castle though. I even took some video and jumped off a wall after doing so (Mike, that one's for you).
>Almost bought a guitar... I don't know if that'd be stupid...
>I got a pre-made sandwich from a nature-food and save-Darfur kind of place. They were closing for the night so gave it to me for free! w00t! I told them I'd come back and gave them a 2€ tip.
>Went back to the hostel and tried to sit down in my room. My key didn't work. About that time I was told at the front desk that they had me down for only two nights... not four... BUGGER! They got it fixed. HUZZAH! I sat, I organized something (OKAY I'M COMPULSIVE!) and came here. I'm thirsty, though. OFF TO QUENCH MY THIRST!
End Captain's Log Entry_
At any rate, DUBLIN! w00t! I've been here 2 days and have walked almost every direction in the city limits of Dublin. I've been to the Guinness Storehouse (the tour where you get a free pint at the top!); I've been to the largest park in Europe (Phoenix Park. There's a zoo. I didn't go in.); I've been to the Gate Theatre (saw Sweeny Todd and broke the curse upon my soul that has weighed me down for over 6 years); I went to revolution memorials and shopping areas and tourist traps and traditional 'Dub' hangouts and even an art museum (free of course! I don't have that much money in my bank account and the dollar is weak... Stupid €...)
Basic catchup on my experiences:
?Flights were late up until the ultimate arrival which was 10 minutes early (impressive for being over an hour late most of the way there). On the planes I read 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,' listened to Wagner's 'Das Rheingold' and watched 'Grease' (on the in-flight movie programming, this last one).
>Took the bus to Dublin. An elderly woman helped me find my way.
>Got off the bus and got lost. More elderly women seemed eager to help...
>Checked into my hostel, got unpacked-ish and headed out!
>First: food. Fish and Chips on O'Connell and Abbey. Good food!
>Went to a free art gallery. An old guard showed me a tourist map of Dublin. He told me many places to check out. I wrote the names down and prepared to go to get a map.
>B.T.W. this feels like a video game, so I'm keeping my journal like I'm playing Elder Scroll's III: Morrowind.
>Tried to get a map, store closed. Got enchiladas. They were good.
>Went to the Gate Theatre and got a student ticket to Sweeny Todd! AMAZING!
>Slept well.
>Woke to a talkative Spaniard in the room. We ate food and tried to communicate. Mostly failed because he's like trying to talk to Mr. Brusel.
>I went out to get a map. Acquired Map! Went to Trinity College and got the lay of the land. Went to a little coffee shoppe and mapped out my day a bit. Good Cappuccino.
>B.T.W. average tourists in Temple Bar are scary.
>I found 2 cents on the ground.
>I went down Grafton St. - Amazing street music. Then went to St. Steven's green - gorgeous park (the entryway arch has names of 'traitors,' or men who fought for the British, inlaid in the underside as you walk through).
>Going back up Grafton, I found a 'silver statue man' dressed in Arthurian clothing. I felt good about myself.
>A ate at a palce called 'Abrakababra.' Seriously.
>Wandered Phoenix Park. Okay, got over that fast.
>Went to the Guinness Storehouse and did the tour and drank an pint. P-Magnum, that one's for you!
>I tried to find Dublin Castle and failed. I found a churc that looks like a castle though. I even took some video and jumped off a wall after doing so (Mike, that one's for you).
>Almost bought a guitar... I don't know if that'd be stupid...
>I got a pre-made sandwich from a nature-food and save-Darfur kind of place. They were closing for the night so gave it to me for free! w00t! I told them I'd come back and gave them a 2€ tip.
>Went back to the hostel and tried to sit down in my room. My key didn't work. About that time I was told at the front desk that they had me down for only two nights... not four... BUGGER! They got it fixed. HUZZAH! I sat, I organized something (OKAY I'M COMPULSIVE!) and came here. I'm thirsty, though. OFF TO QUENCH MY THIRST!
End Captain's Log Entry_
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