RIP Robert Goulet

1933 - 2007

A Weekend in Wales

This past weekend we ventured to Wales, or as I like to call it: the Bizarro World. Wales has it's own language, which gets a huge thumbs up from me, despite the massive headache I got whilst trying to phonetically sound out such words as, "Llanrwst," "Machynlleth," and "Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch."

Oh, you've never heard of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch? Too bad, it's famous.

Wales is wet, old timey, and fabulous. Despite being sea sick and car sick (I guess you could just call it "motion sick" at this stage," despite the haunted hotel, despite the nightmares and 3 hours of sleep, and despite the use of sterling, I had a hell of a time.

The Haunted Hotel:


Show me the way to go hoooooome:



Say this ten times fast:


Having arrived safely back in Dublin on Sunday, it was off to Milano (shocking!) and then some sleep. Yesterday was Marathon Monday. I appreciated this event as it reminded me of Marathon Monday in Boston, however, they are not exactly on par with each other. For starters, I didn't see any part of the marathon. Instead, I went to lunch at the Bad Ass Cafe and to see 'Rendition.' Happy Marathoning, everyone.

Six Things I Miss About Boston

1. Target. Sweet Jesus, you don't know how good you have it with a Target in your area. One stop shopping for movies, batteries, lawn furniture, toys, clothes, makeup, toiletries, etc etc etc. What a wonderful store.
2. Driving on the left. I ALWAYS look left before I look right even though I've been here long enough to know that you have to look right before you cross the street. Maybe in another 5 years it will sink in.
3. My Family. Self explanitory.
4. Sam Adams. It was brought to my attention yesterday that I'm missing out on Sam's Octoberfest. It's the less satisfying fall alternative to Sam Summer, which as we all know is the GREATEST beer in the history of microbrews.
5. NBC's Thursday Night Lineup. Specifically: The Office. We don't get the channel that it's on here in Ireland, so I am forced to go online and read the recaps and try to imagine the episode. It never quite works out in the end.
6. Last, but certainly the most important - Baseball. Especially considering that the Red Sox are in the World Series. I have woken up at 5am for the past 2 mornings to check Boston.com for the score. I sleep much easier afterwards.

Ten Things I Love About Dublin

1. My Roommate
2. EuroSpar charges you 22 cents for a plastic bag. This is to force you to bring your own bags, dummy, and save the environment. Al Gore would be proud.
3. The DART. Efficient, timely, somewhat old school.
4. The sunshine. I don't think we've had much rain since I came over here. You're welcome, Ireland!
5. Judge Judy on Channel 3. I believe this is an English station, but I look forward to swift justice now and then, and a tough as nails judge from Brooklyn does the job.
6. Sparkling vs. Still water. Sparkling water is commonly known as "seltzer" water back Stateside, but the term "sparkling" evokes an air of elegance that seems to be lacking in the water industry. Still water took me a bit longer to figure out. It's just tap water.
7. Bewley's Hotel Ballsbridge. AKA Bewley's Haunted Manor and Bewley's Haunted Walk (for Halloween purposes.) Granted, the Bewley's Hotel has yet to capitalize on the Haunted aspect of the renovated 19th Century Masonic School. Should they decide to do this soon, I am ready and available for consultation.
8. Pizza Restaurants. The Bad Ass Cafe, The Gotham Cafe, Milano... The list is endless. This pizza is good but not always sliced for you. This is when it becomes evident who was raised in Ireland (cuts with the left hand, eats with the right,) and who was raised in America (cuts with the right hand, swaps utensils, eats with the right.) Odd, but true.
9. You don't have to have insurance to go to the Doctor's. Take note, America.
10. Grafton Street. I dream of the day I have a lot of money to blow on shoes and make up. Brown Thomas, here I come.

You have the map of Ireland on your face...

I must.

Every day that I set foot outside the apartment (which is every day of my existence,) I am stopped and asked for directions to get somewhere. I am fine with this as I find humor in a foreigner asking for directions and getting a response from someone with an American accent.

I really started to take note about two weeks ago when an Eastern European looking lady asked me for directions to Lansdowne Road while I was waiting for the DART to chauffer me from Grand Canal Dock to Blackrock as per usual.
"Excuse me, where is Landsdowne station?" the lady asked in broken English.
"It's the next stop after this - stay on this side of the platform." I responded. She looked at me with a combination of shock, confusion, and "Oh hell, I just asked an American for directions."

Last night while walking from the Bad Ass Cafe to the DART, a young Middle Eastern looking man asked me where O'Connell Street was. I pointed. Then he asked the SJC where "That street was where everyone goes." Ah, Temple Bar. Enjoy it, young man.

I look forward to responding to traveler's queries today, tomorrow, and for the rest of my time here. Just because someone has headphones on doesn't mean they can't hear you!

London by the Numbers

Number of times I have been to London: 2
Number of times I looked left instead of right while crossing the street: 10 (I do this in Dublin, too)
Number of times I gave up reading the Underground map: 5
Number of times I complained about the Spaniards who cut us in line at the London Eye: 7
Number of times I underestimated the last step of the escalator in Harrods: 3
Number of times I sang the following song: "Oh Baxter, you are my little gentleman! I'll take you to foggy Londontown because you are what? My little gentleman!": Countless

London. What a city. It's like New York City times eleven. We left the apartment at 5:30am on Saturday morning to be at Dublin airport by 6:45 to catch an 8am flight to London/Gatwick, where we got on the train and went to Victoria Station. We met the SJC's sister and headed out to paint the town red. We went to the Eye and then to Harrod's, at which point the crowds and exhaustion had set in. Then it was back to the hotel where we saw South Africa beat England to win the Rugby World Cup. Sunday morning we woke up and headed back to Gatwick to make a triumphant return to Dublin.

What a vacation!

The weekend is nigh, and after about a month of no broadband activity (I'm looking at you, Eircom,) we still don't have it, and the phone isn't working. And that, apparently, is how a monopoly works.

Last weekend we went to Sligo and it was absolutely beautiful.

A few pictures that barely scrath the surface of all the splendor:



Ben Bulben and Rosses Point from a distance (the top of Knocknarea)


Glencar Waterfall


The Lake Isle of Innisfree


"There's no earthly way of knowing...which direction we are going...."

This weekend brings us to errands on Grafton Street and a possible jaunt to Bray.

Ireland - what a great place to spend Christmas! (hint hint)