Ireland, pt. 2
March 26, 2007
Foxmount Country House
Waterford, IE
Missed a day! Drat! I completely forgot to jot down yesterday's happenings. Oh well. Yesterday started off on an interesting foot. Karen forgot to set her clock forward [editor's note: Europe didn't see fit to change their clocks when the US did earlier this year. What?!?! You mean the world doesn't revolve around the US of A? Shocker.], so Erin & I waited and waited at breakfast, which was quite good despite the simplicity. It makes me wonder if things here are really all that backward, or if we are. I mean, the size and processing of our food is twice what it is here. It's impossible to find even 2-liters out here. I digress. After the morning meal, we headed out into the fray.
Pedestrian traffic is interesting to say the least. Signs aren't taken as law, but more like suggestion. So naturally I fell right in, jaywalking to my heart's content! Erin & Karen had a harder time of it, especially towards the end of the day, when Karen (who is barely mobile to begin with) really couldn't get the speed up to avoid getting mowed down by a moped. Let alone the army of busses that scream through traffic like vast herds of rhinoceri looking to stomp out some vast fire threatening to burn the jungle to the ground.
There are no signs in Dublin. Directions are: "Go a ways, go right, followed by an immediate right, then left at the church (of which there are 5... million), curve around, etc. etc. etc." Our first outing the night before left us confused and snipping at one another. Although, I felt safer walking around lost in Dublin than driving in San Bernardino in the day time. The streets and the buildings just feel like two time numerous time periods have been thrown together to get a patchwork of surfaces, textures, lighting and blight. Everything looks run-down and harsh, like the backdrop to some urban redemption story starring the rapper-of-the-moment. It's funny. Graffiti looks the same everywhere.
We marched all over that city. Saw thousand-year-old books, colleges, buildings and castles. I like the weight of history I feel, especially when looking at the footings of Dublin Castle. They pointed out the original wall built by the Vikings, which is weird because in the States, Viking stuff is hard to come by. So to actually be in a place where Vikings were is... weird.
Speaking of weird: Nothing will blow your mind more than seeing an Asian girl, then hearing her speak with an Irish accent! I didn't realize that Ireland had such a large Asian population - yellow man really is taking over the world. :)
Our last meal that night was in a fantastic pub. The food here, and the beer, is incredible. Erin mentioned that she hasn't gotten sick once, which is amazing. [Side note from Erin: For those of you who don't know, I have IBS, am lactose intolerant, and allergic to certain preservatives/salt like MSG, etc. In other words, it sucks to be me sometimes.] Gallagher's Boxty House, where we ate, was cozy. Long tables with a close atmosphere. You share the same table with everybody, and can be elbow to asshole with any number of strangers, but no one's pushy about it. In the States, people would be going into conniptions. (sp?) The night ended uneventfully and we ended up going to bed at 9 o'clock!
Now I realize I'm on vacation, but I feel like I'm missing out if I sleep for more than 8 hours. Unfortunately, I didn't take into consideration that Erin might want to sleep longer. We eventually worked it out. I think we both are realizing that we have enough to deal with just with Karen, who, by the way, again (!) forgot to set her clock forward. Not only that, but Erin had to go get her and turn the shower off. Not to be mean, but I really wonder how an obviously smart woman like her has the hardest time with the simplest of tasks. I don't expect her to be able to network a computer but c'mon. The shower's been around a while. Oh, and let me say, I no longer feel sorry for Karen going up those stairs, cuz, GOD DAMMIT, I had to do it with her suitcase that seem to be filled with all the alchemical apparatus for turning lead into gold. Including both lead and gold.
So, cross town, hamlet, village, city, metropolis, whatever-Dublin-is, we go and get... THE CAR! What daft idgit thought traffic should be opposite in the States, or here, (I don't care who's right or wrong) is fucking stupid! Just stupid! You hear?! STOOPID! So there we are, Erin, nervous and irritated that I keep offering unsolicited, unexperienced advice. Like, slow down, careful, CURB! I'd be irritated too if I was driving, and honestly, I'm not looking forward to it. Although once on the highway things were ok. It's funny that their largest roadway here is practicall a country lane in California. Here we are, the main artery from Dublin, sharing a two lane highway and passing FARM EQUIPMENT! Bizarre.
I do have to say there are fewer cemetaries here than there are on Prince Edward Island (honeymoon). Only saw a few, but every town here has an enormous cathedral. Makes one feel very penitent even when driving by at 100 kilometers per hour. The drive was beautiful - rolling green hills, broken into uneven quadrants by ranks and files of fences, walls, hedges and trees. It feels very openly territorial. We did manage to stop by the Irish Sea, and wouldn't you know it, the water was green, too. A chilly ocean breeze was blowing and the ground was like Northern California... millions of little pebbles and lots of flat ones, perfect for skipping, which I haven't done in years. I felt very young and innocent. I haven't felt that for ages. It was nice.
The pilgrimage continued through field and round-a-bout, then hills and round-a-bout, over rivers and still another round-a-bout, then finally we take the wrong round-a-bout, get lost, go back to the round-a-bout and get to Waterford. Waterford, which although huge on the map, is probably the size of Yucaipa. After getting lost again, we finally pull up to a house right out of a victorian novel, complete with moss-covered front. I've yet to walk the gounds but just the ambiance of this place makes one feel at home. This is the first time I've been able to fully relax. That is, of course, after Karen and I had our usual go-nowhere debate. But a few moments alone and a hot cup of tea and I was right as rain. My beautiful wife is snoozing contentedly. I would join her, but the alarm is about to go off so we can leave for dinner.
Foxmount Country House
Waterford, IE
Missed a day! Drat! I completely forgot to jot down yesterday's happenings. Oh well. Yesterday started off on an interesting foot. Karen forgot to set her clock forward [editor's note: Europe didn't see fit to change their clocks when the US did earlier this year. What?!?! You mean the world doesn't revolve around the US of A? Shocker.], so Erin & I waited and waited at breakfast, which was quite good despite the simplicity. It makes me wonder if things here are really all that backward, or if we are. I mean, the size and processing of our food is twice what it is here. It's impossible to find even 2-liters out here. I digress. After the morning meal, we headed out into the fray.
Pedestrian traffic is interesting to say the least. Signs aren't taken as law, but more like suggestion. So naturally I fell right in, jaywalking to my heart's content! Erin & Karen had a harder time of it, especially towards the end of the day, when Karen (who is barely mobile to begin with) really couldn't get the speed up to avoid getting mowed down by a moped. Let alone the army of busses that scream through traffic like vast herds of rhinoceri looking to stomp out some vast fire threatening to burn the jungle to the ground.
There are no signs in Dublin. Directions are: "Go a ways, go right, followed by an immediate right, then left at the church (of which there are 5... million), curve around, etc. etc. etc." Our first outing the night before left us confused and snipping at one another. Although, I felt safer walking around lost in Dublin than driving in San Bernardino in the day time. The streets and the buildings just feel like two time numerous time periods have been thrown together to get a patchwork of surfaces, textures, lighting and blight. Everything looks run-down and harsh, like the backdrop to some urban redemption story starring the rapper-of-the-moment. It's funny. Graffiti looks the same everywhere.
We marched all over that city. Saw thousand-year-old books, colleges, buildings and castles. I like the weight of history I feel, especially when looking at the footings of Dublin Castle. They pointed out the original wall built by the Vikings, which is weird because in the States, Viking stuff is hard to come by. So to actually be in a place where Vikings were is... weird.
Speaking of weird: Nothing will blow your mind more than seeing an Asian girl, then hearing her speak with an Irish accent! I didn't realize that Ireland had such a large Asian population - yellow man really is taking over the world. :)
Our last meal that night was in a fantastic pub. The food here, and the beer, is incredible. Erin mentioned that she hasn't gotten sick once, which is amazing. [Side note from Erin: For those of you who don't know, I have IBS, am lactose intolerant, and allergic to certain preservatives/salt like MSG, etc. In other words, it sucks to be me sometimes.] Gallagher's Boxty House, where we ate, was cozy. Long tables with a close atmosphere. You share the same table with everybody, and can be elbow to asshole with any number of strangers, but no one's pushy about it. In the States, people would be going into conniptions. (sp?) The night ended uneventfully and we ended up going to bed at 9 o'clock!
Now I realize I'm on vacation, but I feel like I'm missing out if I sleep for more than 8 hours. Unfortunately, I didn't take into consideration that Erin might want to sleep longer. We eventually worked it out. I think we both are realizing that we have enough to deal with just with Karen, who, by the way, again (!) forgot to set her clock forward. Not only that, but Erin had to go get her and turn the shower off. Not to be mean, but I really wonder how an obviously smart woman like her has the hardest time with the simplest of tasks. I don't expect her to be able to network a computer but c'mon. The shower's been around a while. Oh, and let me say, I no longer feel sorry for Karen going up those stairs, cuz, GOD DAMMIT, I had to do it with her suitcase that seem to be filled with all the alchemical apparatus for turning lead into gold. Including both lead and gold.
So, cross town, hamlet, village, city, metropolis, whatever-Dublin-is, we go and get... THE CAR! What daft idgit thought traffic should be opposite in the States, or here, (I don't care who's right or wrong) is fucking stupid! Just stupid! You hear?! STOOPID! So there we are, Erin, nervous and irritated that I keep offering unsolicited, unexperienced advice. Like, slow down, careful, CURB! I'd be irritated too if I was driving, and honestly, I'm not looking forward to it. Although once on the highway things were ok. It's funny that their largest roadway here is practicall a country lane in California. Here we are, the main artery from Dublin, sharing a two lane highway and passing FARM EQUIPMENT! Bizarre.
I do have to say there are fewer cemetaries here than there are on Prince Edward Island (honeymoon). Only saw a few, but every town here has an enormous cathedral. Makes one feel very penitent even when driving by at 100 kilometers per hour. The drive was beautiful - rolling green hills, broken into uneven quadrants by ranks and files of fences, walls, hedges and trees. It feels very openly territorial. We did manage to stop by the Irish Sea, and wouldn't you know it, the water was green, too. A chilly ocean breeze was blowing and the ground was like Northern California... millions of little pebbles and lots of flat ones, perfect for skipping, which I haven't done in years. I felt very young and innocent. I haven't felt that for ages. It was nice.
The pilgrimage continued through field and round-a-bout, then hills and round-a-bout, over rivers and still another round-a-bout, then finally we take the wrong round-a-bout, get lost, go back to the round-a-bout and get to Waterford. Waterford, which although huge on the map, is probably the size of Yucaipa. After getting lost again, we finally pull up to a house right out of a victorian novel, complete with moss-covered front. I've yet to walk the gounds but just the ambiance of this place makes one feel at home. This is the first time I've been able to fully relax. That is, of course, after Karen and I had our usual go-nowhere debate. But a few moments alone and a hot cup of tea and I was right as rain. My beautiful wife is snoozing contentedly. I would join her, but the alarm is about to go off so we can leave for dinner.