Goodbye to Dublin

We are done with Dublin, Ireland. We had a great time it was really fun overall except for a few unpleasant things that we can't control like the weather and traffic. Okay so I took another afternoon nap that felt gloriously delicious. I don't think I have ever slept this good since I was in a crib some 20 years ago. After my nap I got ready and went to the famous temple bar. I must say it was really cool, I lost Nick and we were looking for each other at the bar but we failed miserably. So I ended up walking back alone all by myself. Then like 10 minutes later he walks in. He must have been following me close by. I was up late but not as late as the night before. I called up my some people after having some Kilkenny beer at Temple Bar. Funny story: I walked in casually because there was nobody at the gate and then half way into the bar some tall security guy taps my shoulder and mumbles who knows what, and I said 20 years old, he said thats nice but thats not what I asked, he said "Are you American" naturally I said yes and then he replied with "Oh its just that I didn't see your face when you walked in." He turned around and I was like ????? what was that for, he just wanted to see my American face??? I looked for Nick and then went to the back and got my beer and on my way back I saw this Blond wearing a National Mexican soccer jersey. I didn't think she was Mexican but I still spoke in Spanish and then after getting a few blank stares I spoke English. It turned out that they were German and in those few moments for the first time in my life I felt so out of control with myself and I felt so helpless and it just hit me that I didn't know what to say. I felt so weird because I didn't have the slightest idea about what to say after facing the language barrier. My thoughts were all jumbled up. But, but I quickly got my feet back on my feet and regained control. I talked to them until they left for the next bar because they were bar hopping. We talked about were they were from and their names were too complicated for me to repeat. It was not until I said California that their eyes lit up and they all of a sudden engaged me in conversation. One had been to San Francisco and the others only to the East Coast of the US. They were friendly overall. I felt a little out of place however because everyone seemed to be in a group and I didn't really want to be the new guy who just joined in. I hope that now that we are going to be staying at hostels where there will be other young people we will can socialize with as a group.

Then this morning I got up bright and early to enjoy a "Traditional Irish Breakfast" it was actually filling...granted I ate every single thing on the plate and all the toast that came with the breakfast. Then I went out and explored the city with a tour guide. Quick observation: I must have been offered the local newspaper like 5 times!! I guess people don't have the time to go to a news stand they were even offering it to those who already had a news paper as if one was not enough maybe they thought you needed an extra one to wipe your....I don't know maybe your feet as a door matt. Okay so on my tour we went to St. Patricks Cathedral, Christ Church, the Dublin Castle, and then the Guinness Factory (oh the Germans told me how to get in for free and we did, thanks) So went on the tour which was self guided and pretty much not worth the 20 dollar tickets. We got some sample Guinness then at the very top we Nick took some video of the entire city. I bought a 25 dollar shirt so I guess it all balances out. Then we leave and we were feeling like we could just sneak our way into anything now.... so we get on the Dublin Tour bus on this hope: Nick had bought a ticket the day before that was expired, old and wrinkled, and AND we tore it in half. We got on the bus and we were all excited about sneaking on until we heard on the mega phone: "Please have your tickets out so they can be checked" my smile quickly faded and I had to think fast because the man was coming straight up. I get up and pass him by and go down and sit near the exit. Nick followed me and then the man checking the tickets sits right in front of me. At the next stop he ask for it and I had gotten a brochure and was shaking it like I had Parkinson's so didn't know what to say so we just got off. Now here is the real kicker: we ended up farther AWAY from our hotel than when we got on the bus!!!!! so we literally had to walk our sorry feet across town!!! Nick said he felt like he had thorns in his feet and I felt like I was walking on nails every step we took. All in all we had a great adventure full of thrills. We got the bus to the airport and it literally took us one hour from check in to our gate, this airport is the longest worm I have every been on!! It probably seemed longer because I had a 60 pound backpack grinding on my feet every step I took!! OH before I forget I noticed that there are clock everywhere, all over the place I don't know maybe the people here are really punctual or maybe they need reminders of what time it is after so many beers.

By the way did I mention that the beer here is amazingly good!!!!!!! I mean this stuff tastes like liquid candy!! The foam is soooo good. It is so absolutely delicious. I drank it like juice but it crept up on me pretty good, at that point I left and called it a night.


Thankful: for Knowing English, the Friendly hospitable Irish.

Thought of the Day: Embrace other people's ideas.