Ireland, for the last time, and more.

Happy Sunday FCers, hope the week treated you well.

It's a bit late, but I thought the FC Ireland trip was still lacking something. It dawned upon me that many of you might be interested in a visual representation of our driving route on the Ireland. See the map below, courtesy of Google Maps, to see just how we did it.

So now, with the Ireland tale told in full, all we can do is just wait for the next adventure. Vietnam is on the cards, with a late January/early February departure expected. However, there may still be time to squeeze in another this calendar year. What will FC choose? Its a good question. With winter fast approaching upstate NY, a trip south of the equator isn't out of the question. But, until then though, all we can rely upon foreign films, restaurant reviews, and anything that catches my eye on the interwebs. Speaking of which, if you didn't know already, you really should check out the VICE Guide to Travel, here: http://www.vice.com/the-vice-guide-to-travel

VICE is kind of a mish-mash website/magazine, covering pop-culture, travel, politics, fashion, etc. Their travel guide, which includes video productions, is best summed up as VICE journalists going to the craziest, most dangerous, most off-the-beaten path places, and reporting on them. The videos, which are normally a half-hour long, are enthralling, I highly recommend.

Beyond that, I should have a movie review here soon. No chance to sample more of Utica's finest ethnic establishments, have to wait a bit for that I suppose.

Cheers. 

Northern Ireland: No Trouble Here

Students of history will hopefully get the reference in the post title. Anyway, Its been nearly a week since my return home from the Emerald Isle and some of you may remember that I still owe a post from that journey. Anyway, now that I have my business-related travel out of the way (I had to go to Virginia almost immediately after returning home) and the weekend is finally upon us, here you are:

Going way back, to the third day in Ireland, we picked up our rental from the Dublin airport and, after all the bureaucracy involved there, were on our way out of the country. That's right, don't forget that Northern Ireland is still part of the UK. Crossing over the border is seamless though, no customs stations at the borders or anything. Signs change (miles instead of kilometers, Gaelic is dropped, for example), but other than that, you wouldn't know you just entered another country.

Its just under two hours drive between the island's two largest cities. After entering Belfast, it took us a few minutes to find our destination, but, given that driving was on, you know, the wrong side of the road, Joe handled it well. We were looking for the Days Hotel, right in the heart of downtown. From there, we could call and schedule a Black Taxi Tour. Now, a Black Taxi Tour is given in a cab (not necessarily black though...our's was blue) and it takes one to all the important sites related to The Troubles, the period of strife between Catholics (who favor re-uniting with the rest of Ireland) and Protestants (loyal to the UK) and British forces between the 1960s and 80s, along with a final stop at the shipyard where the Titanic was built.

The hotel staff contacted a company for us and we just had to wait a few minutes until we were underway, though I was quizzed about my Arsenal track jacket a bit (that might not have been a smart choice of clothing for this particular portion of the trip). One of the maids, with a very rough Irish accent, asked me "yer not an Arsenal fan, are ye?!". Anyway, we were greeted by Kevin (wearing a Liverpool shirt. Arsenal had just beaten them the other day, so Kevin wasn't thrilled with my jacket either-but kept it friendly).

Now, I had had the tour recommended to me by a friend who had lived in Ireland. And now I can safely recommend it as well. It was awesome! Even if you aren't interested in that frame of history, it is still pretty eye-opening, and bear in mind that resentment between the two religious groups does linger. Kevin is Catholic, and his tour did come with bias, which I loved. Some might complain about this, but I think it gives the tour a great twist, and makes it even more interesting. He threw the occasional barb at his Protestant countrymen. For instance, when showing us one of the gates to the massive wall that surrounds the Catholic neighborhoods, cutting them off from the Protestants, I asked how British soldiers could tell who to let in and who to turn away (the gates are no longer manned, but do still close at night). He said it was easy, Protestants' eyes are closer together, because they are all inbred (just a disclaimer here: that is obviously not true. It was mainly by choice of clothing). What is also fantastic is the intimate knowledge the driver's have of the whole situation, as they grew up during or were even involved in The Troubles. Kevin was far too knowledgeable not to have had a front row seat to all of it. Our tour took us past some of Belfast's most famous political murals, Europe's most-bombed hotel, the city's infamous prison and courthouse, and the Wall of Collusion, a memorial in the Catholic area to those killed by British and Loyalist forces. Kevin knew several of the faces on the wall. We were also allowed to sign the Peace Wall, a part of the wall separating Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods that has been overtaken by graffiti, much of it appealing for peace. Bill Clinton signed it during a visit. First Bill, then Adam.

After a quick stop at the Titanic Shipyard ("The Irish built it and let the English sink it" was the take-home lesson from Kevin) we bade our adieus to Kevin and to Belfast, to explore some more of Northern Ireland. We drove through County Antrim (the county Belfast is located in) along the North Atlantic coast. We bounded upon an abandoned castle (our lucky day too, just as a rainbow was forming over it), attempted to see a long rope bridge (it was closed...but the walk to it was nice nonetheless) and made it to the Giant's Causeway, a curious rock formation, just before it became too dark too enjoy it.

We ended the day, some might remember, in Londonderry (or Derry, as Kevin scolded me). We checked into our Bed and Breakfast, owned by the wonderful Seamus (awesome name, by the way), who wasn't bothered by us showing up at the late hour (2230). He recommended that we walk the few blocks or so down the road to Peadar O'Donnell's, a local pub popular with the locals, as they were having live music that night (check out the bar's website: http://www.peadars-gweedorebar.com/)

So we did just that....and it was remarkable. We walked in to a boisterous atmosphere, a band comprised of a fiddler, a bagpiper, and a dude on guitar were belting out Irish music, and a couple of the bartenders were trying their hand at a jig. Awesome. Derry not being a huge tourist venue, we were probably the only non-locals in the place, which I was just fine with. Despite being a Sunday night, the place was still packed, apparently nobody was too concerned with the start of the working week. So there we were, a table with a perfect view of the band, enjoying music, the atmosphere, the rambunctious guys sitting next to us (they went pretty nuts during a couple of the band's numbers), and our own conversation and jokes. I could have listened to the Irish music for quite some time, but around 0100, some public security officers came in and told the crowd to drink up, it was time to go home.

So that concludes the Irish adventure. Bring on the next one. Until then, I should have some restaurant and movie reviews (its been a while since we had one of those) and anything else I deem worthy. See you back here, very soon. Before you leave though, do check out some photos from Northern Ireland:

Mural in Protestant area of Belfast

Signing the Peace Wall

Kevin and Your Correspondent share a laugh (not at the Protestant's expense though)

Rainbow over County Antrim (castle can be seen in the foreground)

Looking out over County Antrim's coast

Part of the Giant's Causeway

The Four Corners conquers another part of the World

Annnnndd.....we're back!

So from the Emerald Isle to the Empire State....I write to you from Whitesboro, NY-similarities with Ireland? Very few. That's OK though, all good things do eventually come to an end, and what a good thing it was.

Ireland was my first experience renting a car, it may be a bit pricey (and we had 4 people to split the costs), but you just have to do it in Ireland, I actually can't envision doing it any other way. Not only could we bounce between the main sights, but also saw so much of, I'll you use the Four Corners' Official Term here, the spaces in between (for those of you that don't know, those are the parts of any given country outside the big cities and tourist sites, and are likely the most authentic representation of that country's lifestyle). And I just life for that stuff.

Again, a big thanks to my travel partners, couldn't have gone off without you. Joe was a tip-top driver (I only had to remind him once that we had to drive on the left!) and Hayley and Kathleen kept the conversation going doing the long stretches of driving. Nothing really beats traveling with my Big Sis either.

So, with that, I have bid adieu to Ireland and its wonderful people, breathtaking scenery, and its fascinating history. As always, I was disappointed to leave, my time on the island had been such a blast, but, now we just have to look forward to the next adventure.

I realize I owe a post and some photos, and I will get to that in due time, until let, let me first get my bearings and settle back in, and I will be back very soon.

Cheers. 

Ireland Final Day

Did you miss me yesterday? I can only imagine that you did. I will start with an apology then. I was pretty bushed last night, and we had an early start today, so I decided to skip a post. Yesterday it was the day of two castles: The Blarney Castle (yes, the one with the Blarney Stone) and the Rock of Cashel (it's basically a Castle). We spent part of the morning doing some shopping in Killarney (including myself, I laid down a mint on a wool sweater for Hayley....she deserves it though, and she looked good in it, so money well spent) and then made the hour drive to Blarney and see the famed castle and its associated stone. The castle itself is actually pretty neat and well preserved, and the grounds are nice as well. But the visit wasn't complete until we queued with the other tourists and kissed the famous stone, searching for the gift of eloquence that it supposedly imparts.

After that, it was a two hour drive to Cashel, in County Tipperary. The Rock of Cashel sits on a hill overlooking the town, which looks cool unto itself, as you can see it immediately when you pull into town. The structure is home to a rock that comes from a hill north of the site (the hill is actually visible) where St. Peter supposedly banished Satan from Ireland. The on-site castle also apparently served as the seat of kings for several hundred years. There is a big, cavernous cathedral, and the hill-top the Rock sits on gives great views of the surrounding areas. An abandoned monastery is not too far away down the hill, so we checked that out as well to get a good view of the Rock (and no, when we arrived, Sean Connery wasn't there saying: "Welcome to the Rock").

And that was pretty much that, we ended that day by driving to Wicklow, south of Dublin by about 40 minutes. We had some difficulty finding the place, but eventually made it unscathed. It was strategic placement, as we wanted to spend part of today exploring the Wicklow Mountains, another natural attraction of Ireland's. Hayley had to catch a 1700 flight today, and we wanted her to see the area as well, so that was the reason for our early start. Before entering the Wicklow National Park, we stopped at an area known as Avondale Forest that (according to the guidebook) was home to the confluence of two rivers. The spot, known as the Meeting of the Rivers, is so beautiful it inspired one of Thomas Moore's (an Irish poet) poems. We took one of the marked trails for an hour, but never found the spot. The only thing close was a little stream running into one of the rivers, and, if that was the location the book was talking about, I want my money back. Best guess is, we missed it. Anyway, we made up for the disappointment by stopping in Glendalough, in the National Park, and walking around a set of lakes surrounding by mountains. Much more breathtaking stuff, maybe Moore should have stopped by there.

Soon though, we had to get Hayley on a plane back to the states. After seeing her off, Joe, Kathleen and myself made it (again with some difficulty) to our final hotel, where we are just taking it easy until the journey back tomorrow.

So this is the final full day in Ireland. It has been a fantastic trip, but there is still more to talk about. I should have internet in the airport tomorrow, so I can give a final post before boarding, but if not, I'll see you back in the States.

 

Standing in the cathedral at the Rock of Cashel

 

The Rock of Cashel, as viewed from an abandoned monastery

 

Final photo of the whole gang (along with a random duck) this time in Wicklow. 

Dingle and Inveragh: A Tale of Two Peninsulas

I'm not so sure I should even bother with a write-up today. A photo collage would probably due the trick just fine. Today was spent traveling about some of the best natural beauty that the Emerald Isle has to offer, and I doubt any descriptions I attempt will do it any justice. You'll get an idea of what I am talking about from the photos below, but before you get to those, just a little background:

We began the day in Dingle, in the Emlagh Lodge, the small B&B right on the seafront and run by the lovely Maggie. She started off our day right with a full Irish breakfast, and then we explored some of the shops catering to tourists along the little town's main street. From there we picked up the road that rings the entire peninsula, and just took in the scenery, primarily stunning views out onto the sea. The entire peninsula, located in the southwest of Ireland (I probably forgot to give you guys some kind of geographic reference), can be driven probably in under an hour, but you must stop at some viewpoints along the way.

After Dingle we made the short trip down to the peninsula directly across from Dingle (several peninsulas jut out from Ireland's southwest), Inveragh. Inveragh is home to something known as the Ring of Kerry (Inveragh is in Kerry County, as is Dingle), a road that loops the peninsula and offers gorgeous views, both out over the sea and at inland scenery. It is a popular tourist thing to do, but I think we may be approaching the low season, so we didn't encounter too much traffic. A number of towns and fishing villages dot the route, and of course there are numerous designated viewing points to take it all in. Like I said, I won't bother with descriptions, take a look at my teaser picks below, and there will be much more to come afterwards.

By around 2030 we arrived in Killarney, one of western Ireland's larger towns, and where we will bed down tonight. We walked around the town a bit after dinner in our hotel pub, but most shops had closed for the night, and even the pubs sounded a bit too quiet. So, with that, here I am, ready for bed, and for more to come tomorrow.

 

One of the viewing points along Dingle Peninsula, overlooking a set of islands

 

From Dingle Peninsula again

 

Driver and Navigator, with their set of wheels

 

Along the Ring of Kerry, looking inland. Kathleen, Joe's sister, is on far left

 

A loch along the Ring of Kerry. 

 

I'll have to check, but I don't think we have this kinda thing back home

On the road from Sligo to Dingle

Just a quick recap here folks, I want to get some shut-eye before a busy day tomorrow. We started our day in Sligo, driving southwards along Ireland's western coast. I primary destination was the Cliffs of Moher, in County Clare. The Cliffs are a prime tourist spot, and the place was crowded, despite the biting wind coming off the Atlantic. The Cliffs are a magnificent site, and you can walk all along them (some spots lack any guard-rail or fence...yeep) but you have to see to believe.

It took us maybe 3 hours to get there from Sligo, but we made a couple stops along the way, including a quick peek into a small castle in the little town of Kinvara, in County Galway. After the Cliffs it was another 3 hours to our next resting stop, the quirky-named town of Dingle, in County Kerry. The route once again took us through some picturesque Irish countryside. It was our longest day of driving, but we passed the time with jokes, debates, and conversation.

We arrived in Dingle just in time to catch dinner at the local pub, Murphy's, before the kitchen closed at 2130. Right then though, two singers showed up (an older dude and woman), to entertain the crowd (which was basically all tourists) with some life music, the man on the acoustic guitar, the woman switching between flute and banjo. The sang folsky Irish songs for the most part, and got the whole bar involved, or tried to, having us clap and sing along. They did take some suggestions, and I had him sing "Peggy Gordon". I'll say that he did a much better job than the group of drunks in Dublin. We listened until they called it a night at 2330, and then we retired ourselves.

More tomorrow hopefully, here are some photos from today:

 

The castle in Kinvara, with a loch right beside it

 

The Cliffs.......

 

....and from the other side

 

Not my most flattering pose...it was windy and I had four layers, I promise I'm not that fat

 

The Irish countryside rolls on by (warning: low quality)

County Donegal: Where Eagles Dare

Another wild day to follow up yesterday's amazing adventure (regarding that...you will probably have to wait until my return back to the States for that story..it is a long one, and definitely worth telling. It ranks as one of my best days of travel, and that is saying something).

Today was spent in County Donegal, Ireland's northernmost province. We started the day in Derry, in Northern Ireland, where we ended off yesterday. Before leaving town we took a quick walk down Rossville Street in an area known as the Bog Side, site of the Bloody Sunday Memorial (Blood Sunday, for the uninformed, took place in Derry, or Londonderry (the official name, but Republicans, or those who want to unite with the rest of Ireland, like to drop the "London") when British Paratroopers opened fire on unarmed protesters) and some really neat murals related to The Troubles. From there, we hopped back in the rental and pretty soon we had crossed back into Ireland proper and into County Donegal.

First order of business was to stop at Grainan of Aileach. The Grainan is circular, stone structure that apparently was built by pagans, probably to sacrifice animals and do other unspeakable things. The site itself wasn't much, but it was located on a hilltop and gave good views of the surrounding areas. Donegal is not heavily urbanized, and hosts some wonderful countryside. I read that it remains the most untouched by tourism, and gives the best feel for rural Irish life. 

From there we drove the half-hour or so into the heart of the county to Donegal's large Glenveah National Park. There on of our more intrepid adventures awaited us: hiking Mount Errigal. Errigal is the tallest mountain in the county, standing at about 751 meters. However, it is considered the island's most iconic mountain. So there you have it. So, dressed as warmly as we could make it, we parked our car at the little spot at the mountain's base, and set off into the clouds. You basically had to march through a bog at the base, so right off the bat our feet got a bit wet, but eventually things got a little drier, albeit steeper. Eventually we reached a rock-strewn point that seemingly offered no route to go further. Thinking we had done all we could, we began to descend, but we saw a lone hiker above us, an older gentleman, and he shouted in his sing-song Irish accent- "Not going to the top"? Indicating our ignorance, he pointed us to a path, and then we were on our way. It was really a path in name only-a steep slope made of mainly loose rocks meant you couldn't just stroll up. At some points you get..let's say a little too close for comfort to the edge...as in, you slip and your afternoon is going to end very, very poorly. Either way, huffing and puffing, we made it to the top of this bloody mountain. Initially, the clouds that you are standing in (yes, that high up) limited visibility, but, because our luck is similar to that of the Irish, the wind cleared the clouds, and the spectacular views of the surrounding areas opened up. Several bodies of water dotted the land below...and they looked so blue and clean that they may have not been real. We also met up with the Irish dude at the summit, where he kindly offered us some biscuits and snapped a photo of us. Desmond (or Des, as he liked) typified the friendly Irish disposition, and he gave some advice for other spots to check out in the county. Though older, he was much fitter, and made the (rather harrowing) descent down much quicker than we could.

Already well into the afternoon, we changed out of or wet and muddy clothes and headed southwards. We really only had two destinations in the County, but I had us take a little detour. First though, driving through the County gives one an outstanding look at Irish countryside-I just had to take a couple shots from my seat, riding shotgun. On the other hand, the roads are incredibly narrow and twist this way and that...so the driver's experience might not be that relaxing. Joe didn't seem to mind though, and I give him all kinds of credit, he has taken to driving on the left like a champ. So far only he has taken the wheel, and I think being on the left wouldn't bother me so much, but the absolute tightness of some of these roads would have me white-knucklin'. Tip of the hat to Joe, he doesn't seem too bothered. Anyway, I had us stop in Glencolumbkille, a tiny little village that I had heard was kinda neat. It worked out well, since we were hungry. Well, sort of. It appeared that all food places we closed up, so we had to settle with buying sandwich-making materials from a little convenience store. The old guy running the cash register seemed nice enough, but I could barely understand his accent. Lucky for us, we had parked in a small, gravel area that had, get this, picnic tables. There enjoyed a dinner of sandwiches and chips in this quaint little town. Before moving on though, we took a quick drive through and found a thatched-roof cottage (thanks to the cashier's barely intelligible directions), one of my main things to see. Check that one off.

Last site was the Slieve League, some of Ireland's tallest cliffs. Luckily, we could drive up to a view point and look over the cliffs. It was essentially a one-lane rural road leading the way up, so passing oncoming traffic got kind of interesting, but we made it unscathed. We enjoyed the awesome views, along with some daring sheep, chewing grass along the edge. Soon though, tired, cold, and with darkness setting in, we made our way back to the main road and drove the Sligo, in, well, County Sligo, where we will bed down for the night.

Hope that was enough for you, cause I'm whipped. Here are some shots of today's action, hopefully more good stuff will come from tomorrow:

 

Paradise found...near the top of Mt. Errigal (maybe paradise would be a bit warmer)

 

Snapshot of rural Ireland from the front passenger side

 

The main street in Glencolumbkille (basically the only street)

 

Thatched-roof cottage!

 

Yeah, don't mind the, ya know, imminent death that awaits you if you slip

 

Your Humble Correspondent with his lovely sister, Slieve League in the background

 

With the Slieve League again, this time different angle

Northern Ireland: Doesn't Get Any Bigger Than This

Sorry for lack of a post last night folks. It was an action-packed day, but we had some internet issues here in the bed and breakfast in Derry, but I was beat anyway. We are getting set to head back into Ireland proper, so I will have to give you the details later.

Until then, still more to come.

Dublin Day A Dó (that's two in Gaelic...though barely anyone speaks it)

The curtain has closed on our second day in Ireland's capital. We didn't cover a whole lot, but still made a full day of things.

After rousing a bit later than we had intended (barely sleeping on the plane ride over really sapped us, so I think we earned a 10-hour night), we took the Luas down to the center of the city, where we moved onto the Temple Bar area. On Saturday mornings, an organic food market sets up in Temple Bar, and we were all curious. Disappointingly, it wasn't very large, with maybe just a dozen or so stalls. Organic fruits and veggies, baked goods (which did look delicious), and meats were all on offer. We all ended up buying a little something-I plumped down for some homemade sausage wrapped in a flaky roll. A decent lunch (yep, that's how late a start we got).

With the organic market done with, we moved on to one of the city's main sites: The Guinness Storehouse. I doubt I have to get into much history here, but Guinness is Ireland's signature brew-Arthur Guinness set up his company producing the famous black drink in 1789 in Dublin. If you haven't heard about this drink, I ask how you have an internet connection where you live under a rock. Anyway, the so-called storehouse is more of a museum, giving the history of the company, details about the process of making Guinness, and of course opportunities for tasting. Its a huge building, something like 8 stories (that's big for Dublin, its a very low-lying city, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Storehouse is the tallest structure). The bottom floors have exhibits on the process of making Guinness, which didn't really interest me that much, but some of the higher floors have more interesting things, such as a history of the company's advertising campaigns.

The self-guided tour (16 euros for an adult) ends off with a free pint at the top of the building known as the Gravity Bar, which gives great panoramic views of the city. It was packed with tourists though, so we took our drinks to a lower level with ample seating. After hanging out for a bit and then doing some souvenir shopping in the obligatory gift shop (you would be surprised the kind of things you can slap the Guinness logo on-oven mitts? Really?), we headed back to our place of residence for a rest and to put down our gear.

After hanging out for a beat, we headed back out into the cool evening (a jacket is recommended for the later hours here in Dublin), primarily for a meal. Returning to the city center, we first passed by St. Patrick's Cathedral (another huge stone structure) and its adjacent park, where locals and tourists alike were enjoying the evening. From there we basically just ambled about for a place to get an Irish meal, finally settling on a pub called O'neill's (a bit cliche, I know), where I could satisfy my urge to get Shepard's Pie. It was a bit odd, it had all the look and feel off a pub, but you had to go to a room in the back to order the food cafeteria style. This was alright, we didn't have to wait long to eat. Better yet, the food was good. Shepard's Pie eaten, check that off.

From there we walked along Grafton Street, the main pedestrian and shopping street in the city. Disappointingly, it was a bit quiet, I was hoping for a chance at some people watching, but apparently things slow down on Grafton during the night. We took a quick peep into Dawson's Lounge (on Dawson Street, parallel to Grafton), supposedly the smallest pub in the World. It was pretty tiny, but could probably take 20 or so people, I think that claim might be dubious. From there, we walked around just a bit more, checking out another pub of note, Grogan's. The interior was very nice, with wood-paneled walls adorned with various artwork, and a stain-glass window. We didn't hang around for a drink though, as the crowd's absent from Grafton had apparently congregated there. So with that, with the clock nearing ten, we came back to the apartment. I'll say that, despite my short stay so far, Dublin has pleased me. It isn't really packed with things to see, but it has a wonderful big-town feel (I love a mega-city as much as the next guy (Bangkok-can't wait to go back) but sometimes large cites can be overpowering. Dublin, even though its a capital, doesn't do this to the visitor. Its just pleasant), it's very easy to get around, and the locals have proved to be very friendly and always willing to help. Many parts are very touristy, but Dublin is most certainly worth a shout.

Tomorrow, the real adventure begins, as we rent a vehicle and head north. Come by to see how we did driving on the left, and more. Until then, check out some pics:

 

Try the sausage roll....it's delicious

 

The gang does Guinness

 

Dublin skyline from the top of the Guinness Storehouse

 

The park next to St. Patrick's Cathedral

 

The interior of Grogan's was pretty classy

 

Dublin-First Full Day Recap

Picking up where I left you all this afternoon (or morning, for my stateside readership), here we go:

With our minds on getting something to eat, the first part of our journey was on foot, in the immediate vicinity of our apartment. We didn't spot anything that we fancied food-wise, but we came upon one of the main sites in the city, Kilmainham Jail. I am not too far up to speed on the jail's history, but do know that it served as the execution spot for the perpetrators behind the 1916 Easter Rising against British rule. Now a museum, guided tours are required to see the inside, and all at that point were fully booked, so we cut our losses and just snapped some photos of the outside.

From there we caught the Luas into the city center, getting off at Abbey Street, right in the heart of the city. The area was bustling with shoppers and tourists in the afternoon (the day was graced with very pleasant weather, cool, but not so much that you were uncomfortable in a t-shirt). On one of the pedestrian side streets we grabbed a bite to eat at a fish-and-chip type joint (burgers and other sandwiches were also on the menu...prices weren't shocking, but what you would expect in a European capital). After replenishing our energy reserves, we walked southwards, crossing the Liffey River, the main waterway in the city, heading in the direction of Trinity College. Trinity is an exceptionally old (1600s maybe? I'm not sure, I have a lot of reading up on Dublin's history to do) campus located right in the center of the city. The college is known for its beautiful grounds as well as housing the Book of Kells, an illustrated version of some of the gospels, written by Celtic monks way back, and I mean way back (800 AD apparently). We checked out the campus and paid the admission to see the Book (its normally 9 euros per adult, but, since it was so close to the closing time of 1700, the price was cut in half. Just a little tip there for those of you considering a visit). Maybe we are all just a bunch of brutes, but none of us were overly impressed by the Book of Kells. What did catch our interest was the so-called Long Library that is attached to the building holding the Book. Its the type of library you see in the films, an elongated room with rows of tall bookshelves stacked with old book. Ladders are attached to sliders in the ceilings for ease of access. Unfortunately, no photos allowed (though Hayley did sneak some on her iPhone).

From there were explored some more on foot, walking through the Temple Bar area (a rather cheesy pedestrian area filled with pubs that serve tourists at jacked-up prices), giving a quick look at the ground of the Dublin Castle (nothing too special there) and then hanging around the Christ Church Cathedral. Tables were set up on the grounds of the church, allowing us to rest our dogs and enjoy the nice weather.

From there though we decided enough was enough, we were battling some pretty heavy jet-lag, so we took the Luas back from whence we came. The night wasn't over though. After hanging out in the apartment shooting the breeze for a stretch of time, we set out into the night in the direction of the Black Horse Inn, a pub located five minutes from us. What else could it be for other than to indulge in some Guiness.

Now, I'm sure that many of my readers know my take on alcohol, but for those who don't, its not my scene. But, I couldn't come to Ireland and not have some Guiness with my traveling mates. So, there we were, four foreigners in a dingy bar filled mainly with old Irish men. Our first sight was a table of four older gentleman, already three sheets to the wind, arms around eachothers' shoulders, belting out the Irish classic "Peggy Gordon". That made my day right there.

We grabbed a table with our dark brews and each drew down our glasses to the bottom, with good conversation accompanying. One was enough though, and we finally called it a wrap on our first night in the Republic of Ireland.

Still more to do tomorrow. Be sure to come back and hear the deets, until then though, her are some photos:

 

Joe enjoying the comforts of our accommodations (nice job Hayley!)

 

Your Humble Correspondent at Trinity College

 

The College's near perfect grounds

 

Gangster.

 

Christ Church Cathedral

 

When in Rome........

Dublin

And now here we are. Joe, Kathleen, and myself have just linked up with Hayley at our apartment. Hayley picked out a lovely spot in Inchicore, one of Dublin's eastern suburbs. Even so, it's not very far from the city center (Dublin is not a very big place area-wise) and a tram (known as the Luas) stop is just a couple blocks away.

Right now, a rest and a bite to eat, and then hopefully more to come later on.

Check back for more soon.

Ireland

Good day FC'ers, apologies for the my recent absence....matters have been a bit crazy lately. I just spent the past weekend in my old stomping grounds, Buffalo, seeing some old mates and visiting some old haunts. I will give you more on that later. Before though, I suppose I should let you in that I write this from JFK airport in New York City, as I am en route to Dublin, Ireland.

I will be accompanied by my lovely sister Hayley (back in action after Australia earlier this year), and my travel partner-in-chief, Joe, is finally linking up with me again after our awesome stay in Cape Town, South Africa in December. Joe's sister, Kathleen, is also along for the ride.

I think we have a solid itinerary, and hopefully I will have the means to keep you all informed. As always, where there is internet, there is FC. Should I fail to make a connection (I am not too worried about it), I'll always make up for it.

First stop is Dublin for a couple days, then you'll just have to wait and see what adventures may come. Until then, I gotta hang out in JFK for a bit, but I'll be seeing you on the other side of the pond, very soon.

Cheers.