We're back home.
The last day in Dublin was just us heading to the airport and on our way home. Of course, the last day of our vacation was the first day that I felt completely better from my illness. Of course.
We woke up very early and gave a parting thank-you gift to our friendly front desk people. (chocolates and California wine.) It was raining a little bit as we stood at the bus stop. The whole goodbye to Dublin was really kind of anticlimatic.
At the airport, JD and I bought some liquor at the duty free shop. Celtic Cross - something JD was looking for for quite a while - and some Irish cream. The flight back actually seemed a lot easier than the flight there. I think being in a plane with a bit more legroom helped. I fell asleep for a moment. I know, I couldn't believe it myself. But I couldn't help wishing that we were rich enough to fly first class. I'm telling you, the moment we win the lottery, we won't fly any other way. (Except, maybe, if we can travel by private jet!)
So I'm actually glad that we're home. It was an amazing trip, but nothing beats your own bed.
JD says he enjoyed his first foray into Europe.
In fact, you know what... I think for our next overseas trip, I'll have him write on this blog too.
You know what's even better, once I think about it, let me ask him some questions now....
**********************************************************
ME: I'm writing a retrospective interview with you on our recent trip to London and Dublin. Can I ask you some questions?
JD: Sure.
ME: What did you think about your first trip to Europe?
JD: I was so amazingly pleased. One of the biggest uncertainties I had, probably the weirdest, is that I didn't know what life 'looked' like outside of America. One thing I just wanted to know is what a foreign suburbia looked like-- or whether I would walk down the streets of London and feel like I was in an alien world. I was very, heh, relieved(?) that it was familiar while still being satisfyingly new and exciting.
ME: So I know one of the suckiest things that happened, that hindered the trip becoming so much more exciting, in my opinion, was that I got sick. I'm sorry about that. I hope it didn't limit your experience.
JD: Just being there with you was worth it. I would have felt just as bored as if I were in America trying to go explore bars and such on my own. We did get out and push through our cruddy health and exhaustion more than I would have expected. England had that annoying indoor/outdoor climate thing going on that makes me loathe the North East: that it's cold outside, so you dress for 40 degree weather - and wear a coat, but then you go into a pub and the heat is set to 82!!! How do they keep any kind of energy level up at all with that kind of hassle? I felt like I was maybe supposed to carry some khaki shorts and a hawaiian shirt to change into when I go into an establishment.
ME: I know, that bothered me a lot too. Just when you get used to the weather outside, you come inside a restaurant or store and you have to get your body to adjust to the new temperature. Not fun. I supposed i'm used to the So Cal weather. lol. I guess that's a good segue... now that I know what you liked least about the trip, what did you like best about both London and Dublin? What were your favorite experiences?
JD: The best part of Dublin was easily the Trinity College Library and viewing the The Book of Kells. I love illuminated manuscripts. The long room was fascinating, too. I got caught up trying to see if there were any secrets to the busts around the room... were they staring at a secret door, or glaring at the hiding place for some ancient masonic text? I dunno... but I spent most of my time studying the busts. Not to say that the Guinness plant wasn't awesome, too. But I'm a sucker for ancient art. In London, there was just too much. But I guess my favorite experiences there revolved around the oldest architecture-- Stonehenge, and especially Bath. I was completely enthralled with the underground excavations of the temple at Bath.
MO: Yeah, that was pretty awesome. I'm really looking forward to our 2007 trip to Spain. I know we won't have that pesky temperature issue to deal with, so I'm hoping it will be much more fun! (And hopefully, no more illness situations!) So before I sign off, is there anything else you want to add?
JD: Heh... I was talking with a man about all the different lines and patterns on the road and traffic violations. When I told him that in the US, if you get a ticket, you have a right to contest it in a trial, he was taken aback. Maybe he never had to contest a ticket... but I got the impression that they don't get that opportunity in England?
MO: Hmm, I'm not sure about that either. Maybe I'll have to post that question on my travel message board.
Showing posts with label Ireland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ireland. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Monday, November 20, 2006
Apparently Free is not Good Enough
Today we had planned to go out with an alcohol-soaked bang with tours of the Guinness Storehouse and the Jameson Distillery, but because we headed out so late, (and because... well, I'll explain later) we only had time to visit Guinness before heading home.
It took us a while to get to Guinness. For some reason, busses were few and far between so we just kept walking towards the place with the hope that we'll run into a bus going in that direction sometime. 1 hour later we had succeeded in walking the near 3 miles from our hotel to the Storehouse.
When you purchase the 14 euro admission ticket, you receive a map of the factory and a special ticket which looks large plastic round, clear "dewdrop" with the Guinness brand embossed onto it and a little bit of "the black gold" rolling around inside. Attached to it is a plastic tab. The salesperson said that this plastic tab can be exchanged at the 360 view bar at the top of the Storehouse for either a free soda or a free pint of Guinness. Who orders a soda at the Storehouse? I thought to myself. Cuz, geez, FREE PINT, bitches! The salesperson explained further that once you trade in the plastic tab, the plastic half is now your official souvenir. Cool.
Anyway, I can understand why many people consider the Guinness Storehouse a total ripoff, but then again, I can also understand why Guinness is one of the most popular attractions in Dublin. See, if you're not a beer enthusiast - better yet, not a Guinness enthusiast, you would consider the 14 euro admission a complete waste of money, even with the free pint at the end. The Storehouse has several levels, with each level focusing on a certain part of the beer manufacturing process, or Guinness's history, both culturally and socially. In my opinion (as a Guinness lover), I thought the place was worthwhile. All of the exhibits were smartly designed with the visitor having some hands-on interaction in witnessing the Guinness-making process. It was all very interesting and very fun.
We finally made it to the top bar, and it had the best view of the city.
Dozens of people were in there, and I noticed that almost all of them were trading their tabs for pints. We did the same. I went to find a seat and noticed something offensive and sacreligious going on around us: People were leaving half full to completely full pints of Guinness behind. What the F*CK?!! I thought. JD eventually arrived with our pints and I pointed this out. Completely unbelievable, we both agreed. We even pointed it out to a server who was making his rounds clearing glasses from the tables. "Tis a bit shameful, in'it?" he said. Umm, YEAH, we replied. I mean, not to gross you out, and not that I would ever do this, but I was almost tempted to take these untouched Guinness pints and drink them myself. I mean, c'mon. Free Guinness, - the king of beers - and you're not going to even finish it? If you don't even like beer, order a soda for chrissakes and save us the black gold.
Anyway, before I took a good long sip of my beer, I thought - for a millisecond - that maybe I shouldn't be drinking this because of my recent IBS bouts. To hell with it, I thought almost as quickly, and guzzled my oh so satisfying bread soda... down the hatch. Here's some piccies of the calm before the storm:
Bad idea. By 30 minutes I was experiencing the worst bouts of stomach pain I've ever experienced. It was difficult getting myself to the gift store to buy souvenirs for my sister, her boyfriend and my coworkers. By the time 20 more minutes passed, I was barely able to stand. I had to sit and wait while JD called a cab for us.
We got back to the hotel in a few minutes and it was straight to bed with me. I mean, no joke, I was in so much pain that I was almost going to ask JD to take me to a hospital. I was sweating and rocking back and forth in a fetal position in bed. I even tried to induce vomiting, thinking that would help. No dice. I tried eating some granola bars to "soak up" the alcohol. Nope. I started breathing very quickly and very hard. Luckily, after 3-4 hours, the pain had subsided enough that I was able to go to sleep. IBS sucks. Gotta be more careful next time.
It took us a while to get to Guinness. For some reason, busses were few and far between so we just kept walking towards the place with the hope that we'll run into a bus going in that direction sometime. 1 hour later we had succeeded in walking the near 3 miles from our hotel to the Storehouse.
When you purchase the 14 euro admission ticket, you receive a map of the factory and a special ticket which looks large plastic round, clear "dewdrop" with the Guinness brand embossed onto it and a little bit of "the black gold" rolling around inside. Attached to it is a plastic tab. The salesperson said that this plastic tab can be exchanged at the 360 view bar at the top of the Storehouse for either a free soda or a free pint of Guinness. Who orders a soda at the Storehouse? I thought to myself. Cuz, geez, FREE PINT, bitches! The salesperson explained further that once you trade in the plastic tab, the plastic half is now your official souvenir. Cool.
Anyway, I can understand why many people consider the Guinness Storehouse a total ripoff, but then again, I can also understand why Guinness is one of the most popular attractions in Dublin. See, if you're not a beer enthusiast - better yet, not a Guinness enthusiast, you would consider the 14 euro admission a complete waste of money, even with the free pint at the end. The Storehouse has several levels, with each level focusing on a certain part of the beer manufacturing process, or Guinness's history, both culturally and socially. In my opinion (as a Guinness lover), I thought the place was worthwhile. All of the exhibits were smartly designed with the visitor having some hands-on interaction in witnessing the Guinness-making process. It was all very interesting and very fun.
We finally made it to the top bar, and it had the best view of the city.
Dozens of people were in there, and I noticed that almost all of them were trading their tabs for pints. We did the same. I went to find a seat and noticed something offensive and sacreligious going on around us: People were leaving half full to completely full pints of Guinness behind. What the F*CK?!! I thought. JD eventually arrived with our pints and I pointed this out. Completely unbelievable, we both agreed. We even pointed it out to a server who was making his rounds clearing glasses from the tables. "Tis a bit shameful, in'it?" he said. Umm, YEAH, we replied. I mean, not to gross you out, and not that I would ever do this, but I was almost tempted to take these untouched Guinness pints and drink them myself. I mean, c'mon. Free Guinness, - the king of beers - and you're not going to even finish it? If you don't even like beer, order a soda for chrissakes and save us the black gold.
Anyway, before I took a good long sip of my beer, I thought - for a millisecond - that maybe I shouldn't be drinking this because of my recent IBS bouts. To hell with it, I thought almost as quickly, and guzzled my oh so satisfying bread soda... down the hatch. Here's some piccies of the calm before the storm:
Bad idea. By 30 minutes I was experiencing the worst bouts of stomach pain I've ever experienced. It was difficult getting myself to the gift store to buy souvenirs for my sister, her boyfriend and my coworkers. By the time 20 more minutes passed, I was barely able to stand. I had to sit and wait while JD called a cab for us.
We got back to the hotel in a few minutes and it was straight to bed with me. I mean, no joke, I was in so much pain that I was almost going to ask JD to take me to a hospital. I was sweating and rocking back and forth in a fetal position in bed. I even tried to induce vomiting, thinking that would help. No dice. I tried eating some granola bars to "soak up" the alcohol. Nope. I started breathing very quickly and very hard. Luckily, after 3-4 hours, the pain had subsided enough that I was able to go to sleep. IBS sucks. Gotta be more careful next time.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
The City Tugs At Me
Dublin in my head is two cities. During the day, the old brick and metal buildings seem harsh and dirty against the autumn sun. There is smoke and rot and wetness and unfamiliar smells. Dublin in the daytime seems ugly to me. Yet somehow the air smells pure and everything is real. This city is solidly real, with no pretensions or social facades, it is what it is.
At night, Dublin transforms into something dark and cluttered but somehow warm and welcoming. The lights soften the buildings and there's comfort in the air. And yes, you hear music in the pubs.
The people are like the city, rough around the edges and a bit … unglamorous, but REAL and warm and so very welcoming. Everyone is friendly and the cab drivers tell you jokes featuring their wives and insist you take your time getting out of their taxi.
Ireland is a country of musicians and writers and I see why, albeit in my limited experience staying only within the confines of its largest and capital city. Dublin is filled with stories and walking the streets inspires me because this really is a city out of some novel, romantic and tragic, its people reflecting their centuries of hopes and struggles and simple joys. Yes, I'm sounding cliché, but I can't think of any other way to describe it. I look forward to a future visit, but this time to its hills and villages. Just to see. And to fall in love some more.
This is so refreshing, having lived in Los Angeles for almost 13 years. The two cities are so vastly different, though both the stuff of legends. I am intrigued by Dublin. I too, am compelled to write novels.
At night, Dublin transforms into something dark and cluttered but somehow warm and welcoming. The lights soften the buildings and there's comfort in the air. And yes, you hear music in the pubs.
The people are like the city, rough around the edges and a bit … unglamorous, but REAL and warm and so very welcoming. Everyone is friendly and the cab drivers tell you jokes featuring their wives and insist you take your time getting out of their taxi.
Ireland is a country of musicians and writers and I see why, albeit in my limited experience staying only within the confines of its largest and capital city. Dublin is filled with stories and walking the streets inspires me because this really is a city out of some novel, romantic and tragic, its people reflecting their centuries of hopes and struggles and simple joys. Yes, I'm sounding cliché, but I can't think of any other way to describe it. I look forward to a future visit, but this time to its hills and villages. Just to see. And to fall in love some more.
This is so refreshing, having lived in Los Angeles for almost 13 years. The two cities are so vastly different, though both the stuff of legends. I am intrigued by Dublin. I too, am compelled to write novels.
Manuscripts and something out of a movie
Today we walked around the city, having a late start because of my illness, and went to see the Book of Kells at Trinity College. We began the day with scones and tea and all sorts of yumminess at the Queen of Tarts, a fabulously delicious bakery and tea room on Dame Street across from Dublin Castle.
Dublin is a walking city. There is no subway, but there is a great and reliable bus service and taxis galore. But when the main stretch of the city is about 3 miles across, you can really get around just by walking .
The Book of Kells is located in Trinity College's library on permanent display. Trinity College was established in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I of England. It's a compact college, right in the heart of the city, with the Bank of Ireland building (former location of the Irish Parliament) across the way.
The Book is a set of ornately decorated and written manuscripts done by Celtic monks in the 1st century (around 800.) The Book contains the 4 gospels of the New Testament in Latin. The exhibit also features other famous Dark Age-period illuminated manuscripts, as well as offers a timeline based around these books and the history of Ireland at the time. There are videos detailing how these books were made and how these monks – artists in their own right, really – decorated and wrote these texts. I love calligraphy and the art of book-making and this exhibit fascinated me.
We later walked into the College's Old Library Long Room and it was something out of some period film, just utterly amazing. JD was floored. The Long Room is wall-to-wall first editions and bound books, many of them hundreds of years old. It's just hard to describe this place. I looked up information about the Long Room on wikipedia and supposedly, the Jedi Archives featured in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones was inspired by the Long Room.
After leaving the College, we spent some quiet time in Ireland's National Gallery. We are culture-heads, yes. We are not ashamed.
Hate to say it is an early night for us, as I was feeling a bit worse by late afternoon.
We depart for London in the morning!
Dublin is a walking city. There is no subway, but there is a great and reliable bus service and taxis galore. But when the main stretch of the city is about 3 miles across, you can really get around just by walking .
The Book of Kells is located in Trinity College's library on permanent display. Trinity College was established in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I of England. It's a compact college, right in the heart of the city, with the Bank of Ireland building (former location of the Irish Parliament) across the way.
The Book is a set of ornately decorated and written manuscripts done by Celtic monks in the 1st century (around 800.) The Book contains the 4 gospels of the New Testament in Latin. The exhibit also features other famous Dark Age-period illuminated manuscripts, as well as offers a timeline based around these books and the history of Ireland at the time. There are videos detailing how these books were made and how these monks – artists in their own right, really – decorated and wrote these texts. I love calligraphy and the art of book-making and this exhibit fascinated me.
We later walked into the College's Old Library Long Room and it was something out of some period film, just utterly amazing. JD was floored. The Long Room is wall-to-wall first editions and bound books, many of them hundreds of years old. It's just hard to describe this place. I looked up information about the Long Room on wikipedia and supposedly, the Jedi Archives featured in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones was inspired by the Long Room.
After leaving the College, we spent some quiet time in Ireland's National Gallery. We are culture-heads, yes. We are not ashamed.
Hate to say it is an early night for us, as I was feeling a bit worse by late afternoon.
We depart for London in the morning!
Wow, there are drunkards in Dublin?
Welcome back, all. It's day two of our Dublin stay, and what do you know, I GET SICK. Of all the shit-ass luck. But did it stop me? Of course not.
A funny anecdote about last night from JD's point of view. While I was in the internet café typing away, JD chose to hang outside to give me some privacy and he becomes witness to an amusing drunken episode. So the café owner was outside talking to some guy (don't know if he was talking to JD too), and a few minutes later, one of the city custodians comes by and parks his wheelbarrow of trash. Suddenly, some drunkard comes up and grabs the wheelbarrow and starts running around with it doing a little jig and saying something unintelligible that sounds like "wheeeeeeeee!" with many more syllables.
Needless to say, the custodian does not like this one bit and mentions something to the drunkard about there being human waste in the barrow, and the drunkard needs to stop messing around with it. Then the drunkard comes up and put his arm around the custodian and was saying a bunch of stuff and ribbing the guy. To which the custodian was cowering and yelling "fuck off! fuck off! GAH!" The custodian manages to coax the drunkard away from the door to the internet cafe and when he leaves, the one guy who was friends with the proprietor looked over at JD and knowingly smirking... like "ay- kin ye believe that!"
Dublin rocks. More to come… ;)
A funny anecdote about last night from JD's point of view. While I was in the internet café typing away, JD chose to hang outside to give me some privacy and he becomes witness to an amusing drunken episode. So the café owner was outside talking to some guy (don't know if he was talking to JD too), and a few minutes later, one of the city custodians comes by and parks his wheelbarrow of trash. Suddenly, some drunkard comes up and grabs the wheelbarrow and starts running around with it doing a little jig and saying something unintelligible that sounds like "wheeeeeeeee!" with many more syllables.
Needless to say, the custodian does not like this one bit and mentions something to the drunkard about there being human waste in the barrow, and the drunkard needs to stop messing around with it. Then the drunkard comes up and put his arm around the custodian and was saying a bunch of stuff and ribbing the guy. To which the custodian was cowering and yelling "fuck off! fuck off! GAH!" The custodian manages to coax the drunkard away from the door to the internet cafe and when he leaves, the one guy who was friends with the proprietor looked over at JD and knowingly smirking... like "ay- kin ye believe that!"
Dublin rocks. More to come… ;)
Monday, November 13, 2006
The Shite Plane Ride and Gammon Steak
Ok...
I have been totally spoiled on JetBlue and British Airways.
To its credit, Aer Lingus DOES have some of the friendliest flight attendants in the business. But could it HURT to have the seats placed a little farther apart? I mean, I'm a midgetey 5 feet 2 inches and the seating was cramped even for me. I had to witness my poor boyfriend suffering with his knees practically to his chest the entire near-10-hour flight. We didn't sleep at all on the the plane by the way... surprised?
When we arrived at Dublin Airport, the weather was gorgeous - meaning gorgeous for Dublin standards - all pretty clouds and dappled sunlight and 60 degrees at noon. We arrived at our hotel, crazy exhausted and thinking only of ... well nothing... only to find out that check-in was an hour and a half away. We tried to kill some time, which in a normal state of mind, would not have mattered in the least, but in the current situation of mind-bending walking dead-ness, was mildly perturbing at best. When we finally checked in, it was like time ceased to exist. (Our hotel, btw, was lovely in the budget sort of sense, which mattered not to us, being of the budget sort of traveler. I found out later from the brochures that I happened upon in the lobby that the hotel was featured prominently in The Commitments!)
5 lost hours later...
Wandering Temple Bar and - yes - Dublin is fantastic. As I am writing this, JD and I had just finished a lingering boxty and irish stew dinner at Gallagher's, ending with an uber-bang of divine chocolate steamed pudding with fresh cream. For those of you who don't know, a boxty is like a huge potato pancake stuffed with various yummy stews or such, then topped with gravy, cheese, herbs, etc. Radical. Anyway, he ordered a "gammon steak boxty", thinking it was some sort of fancy irish-type BEEF, but when it arrived... gammon steak is some sort of ham. I didn't like it. He liked it a lot. You learn something new every day.
Anyway, I want to keep writing, preferably something wittingly observant and/or amusingly trivial, but I'm at an internet cafe right now and JD is standing out in the rain. Don't ask my why. I'll write more tomorrow. Just wanted to let all of you know we're well and good and ... goddamn we're in Dublin. I promise the next entry won't seem so rushed and checklist-ey. (I realize I make up a lot of words.)
JD also promised to take lots of pictures, so I've entrusted him with the camera. Unfortunately, no piccies today.
I have been totally spoiled on JetBlue and British Airways.
To its credit, Aer Lingus DOES have some of the friendliest flight attendants in the business. But could it HURT to have the seats placed a little farther apart? I mean, I'm a midgetey 5 feet 2 inches and the seating was cramped even for me. I had to witness my poor boyfriend suffering with his knees practically to his chest the entire near-10-hour flight. We didn't sleep at all on the the plane by the way... surprised?
When we arrived at Dublin Airport, the weather was gorgeous - meaning gorgeous for Dublin standards - all pretty clouds and dappled sunlight and 60 degrees at noon. We arrived at our hotel, crazy exhausted and thinking only of ... well nothing... only to find out that check-in was an hour and a half away. We tried to kill some time, which in a normal state of mind, would not have mattered in the least, but in the current situation of mind-bending walking dead-ness, was mildly perturbing at best. When we finally checked in, it was like time ceased to exist. (Our hotel, btw, was lovely in the budget sort of sense, which mattered not to us, being of the budget sort of traveler. I found out later from the brochures that I happened upon in the lobby that the hotel was featured prominently in The Commitments!)
5 lost hours later...
Wandering Temple Bar and - yes - Dublin is fantastic. As I am writing this, JD and I had just finished a lingering boxty and irish stew dinner at Gallagher's, ending with an uber-bang of divine chocolate steamed pudding with fresh cream. For those of you who don't know, a boxty is like a huge potato pancake stuffed with various yummy stews or such, then topped with gravy, cheese, herbs, etc. Radical. Anyway, he ordered a "gammon steak boxty", thinking it was some sort of fancy irish-type BEEF, but when it arrived... gammon steak is some sort of ham. I didn't like it. He liked it a lot. You learn something new every day.
Anyway, I want to keep writing, preferably something wittingly observant and/or amusingly trivial, but I'm at an internet cafe right now and JD is standing out in the rain. Don't ask my why. I'll write more tomorrow. Just wanted to let all of you know we're well and good and ... goddamn we're in Dublin. I promise the next entry won't seem so rushed and checklist-ey. (I realize I make up a lot of words.)
JD also promised to take lots of pictures, so I've entrusted him with the camera. Unfortunately, no piccies today.
Thursday, November 9, 2006
London part deux, Dublin part un
In 3 days, 1 hour and 15 minutes, JD and I will be on a plane headed to Dublin. It's the first time in Dublin for the both of us, and as I've said in a past blog, if I was going by myself I would be excited in a totally different and more introspective way. Having someone with you whom you love deeply, am more comfortable with than in one's own skin, and is new to the overseas travel process - it's a whole new excitement ballpark. 2 days into the trip we're doing a 5 day run in London and I can't wait to show my boyfriend around one of my most favorite cities in the whole entire world.
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