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5/19/2011 - Tales from Ireland

I’m sitting in a lobby area typing with a man speaking in Spanish to my right. American music is playing softly in the background, lights are dimmed, and the gentle sound of chatter and the clinging of glassware is coming from a restaurant behind me. This casual environment is no doubt a contrast to the events of today.

The flight to Ireland was surprisingly short in comparison to my trip to Greece—we arrived in a little over 6 hours. The in flight movies and my conversation with an Irishman named Roger helped to pass the time. Assuming the fellow was truthful (which he seemed to be), he is a retired counter-terrorism officer for the I.R.A. (Irish Republican Army). He had a kind voice with a thick Irish accent. It was difficult to believe that the jolly fellow could possibly be involved in dealing with some of the stories he told, such as people setting fire to his home and threatening the lives of his family. I often consider how sheltered I am. Conversing with Roger made me realize how fortunate we all are and how appreciative we should be of people like him.

I didn’t get a wink of sleep on the flight. We left from Charlotte at 6:20 pm and arrived in Dublin at around 7 am for a full day ahead. We all managed to fight back our loopy sleep-deprived state as we were caught up in the excitement of driving around downtown Dublin. We saw sites such as St. Patrick’s cathedral, the Book or Kells at Trinity College, and St. Stephens Green.

Following the tour of the city, we were given some freetime to explore and grab lunch. A group of us decided to eat at an old restaurant/pub called Bruxelles. I had a great shepherd’s pie. It was not as good as my mother fixes, mind you, but still an excellent dish.

Once we finished there, it was off to the Hotel Gresham for much needed R&R. After around 3 hours of sleep, it was time to experience an evening in Dublin.

Walking toward the riverfront, a fellow named Chris and myself encountered a woman begging for money. I’ve had this happen before, but she was like nothing I’d ever experienced. She followed us for what seemed like a mile, tapping Chris’s pockets and speaking profanities. I tried to wedge myself between her and Chris, to which she pushed up against me and shouted, “Hey, you don’t push a pregnant lady! Stupid tourists. Help me!” As we kept walking, she finally gave up and left us alone, thank gosh.

Arriving at the waterfront, the streets and bridges were blocked off for the Queen’s historic visit to Ireland. Crowds gathered in the street, as I observed from a distance. There were mixed feelings in the street. I managed to snap a quick video of her motorcade passing (see below).

A group of us then went to explore the Temple Bar district. Dublin nightlife is top-notch. I stayed out until after midnight, but you’d never know it was that late. People, young and old, were out mixing and having a good time. We stopped by one the restaurants/pubs to hangout with the locals. The atmosphere was great; groups singing and the sounds of laughter filled the room. I could almost see myself living in a city like this if my family lived closer by.

We have a full day planned tomorrow. We’ll be traveling to Waterford and stopping along the way at cities like Kilkenny. I’ll try to do a better job of sending updates now that my iPod is charged :)