I think I’m still exhausted from my trip to Dublin. I’m still seeing green (figuratively) from the whirlwind three days. It was so much fun! It was very tiring, but I couldn’t have asked for a better time. I’m not going to go into massive amounts of detail if I can help it.
I woke up at 4:00 a.m. (yes, ante meridian) on Friday morning to eat some breakfast, get dressed, throw a few last-second items into my bag (a borrowed backpack–for once I packed lightly and pretty efficiently). I walked over to the Great Portland Street building and got there a bit before 4:45. I am pretty sure we were on the bus and gone by 5:00 or 5:15; two girls were a little late because they had trouble getting the right bus and didn’t know where to go. But that was alright, because we got to the airport with lots of time to spare. I thought that I’d been very careful about not putting anything into my bag that wouldn’t make it through security, but I had put in a can of hair mouse, not thinking that an aerosol can wouldn’t be allowed. And of course it was on the bottom of the bag.
Our flight left . . . when, 7:45 or so? It was way too early in any case. We landed and it was still pretty early. Then we had to collect luggage (some people checked bags) and get bus tickets. We decided not to wait for the bus that stopped close to out hostel, so we had to walk about ten or fifteen minutes. It was only about 11:00, but we were all pretty hungry; I got a panini, and it was an expensive damn panini because of the exchange rate mostly. Then we went on a tour–the driver/tour guide was pretty crude and I’m not sure I believe half of what he said, because he told a really humorous but completely wrong version of Boudica’s story. In any case, we got to see around Dublin and only had to walk a little bit. From there, me and Lana went to the National Museum, which was pretty neat. There were bodies that had been mummified in bogs; they were extremely well-preserved. I almost never sleep in the middle of the day, but I was plenty tired enough to sleep for about a half an hour after getting back to the hostel. The hostel was very nice, also, with comfy beds and nice bathrooms attached to the rooms.
All of us in the group met at 6:15 to go to a restaurant for dinner. The price we paid for the trip included a 10 euro contribution to the meal, ie 130 Euros of the bill was already paid for. However, none of the entrees were under 13 Euros! Meaning we all had to pay anyway. We actually all ended up paying eight extra Euros I think, because we split it. I think we probably should have gone to a restaurant where our 10 Euro contribution actually paid for the meal. But it was a good time and a good meal (I had bangers and mash and even though I don’t like mashed potatoes, I do like sausage a lot, so I was satisfied).
That night we went out to two different pubs. The first one was very old-fashioned. We didn’t stay there all that long. I didn’t get anything to drink that night or the next, mostly because I don’t drink. But I had a good time watching everyone else. I was completely exhausted, though, and was more than ready to leave at 12:30 when a few other people did.
In the morning we got up for breakfast in the hostel–cereal and toast, which is a perfectly fine breakfast for me! Me, Lana, and Erina walked to the Oscar Wilde House in a very leisurely fashion, stopping at souvenir shops along the way. I am not a bit souvenir buyer, but I did get a clover pin and some wonderful chocolate and a postcard. We found out, on arriving to the Oscar Wilde House, that it isn’t open the public. But we took pictures of the plaque that designates it. Across the street there’s a statue of him. Oscar Wilde was amazing–The Importance of Being Earnest is the most amazing play ever written, as far I’m concerned, and it alone warrants him being called a genius. Brilliant isn’t strong enough. All gushing aside, we continued on the National Gallery to see a Picasso and some other paintings. We didn’t have a ton of time, since we had to meet up at 1:00.
As a group we went to Kilmainham Gaol, a prison with quite the political history. I learned quite a bit about Irish history which I didn’t know anything about beforehand. Ireland was very downtrodden for a very long time. The prison held a lot of prisoners who tried to end that and were put in prison for their efforts. It was a very stark kind of place.
Our next stop was decidedly more cheerful: it was the Guiness factory. Guiness, it seems, finances the entire city, becuase it’s everywhere and I mean EVERYWHERE. The Guiness factory was kind of cool, a very neat building. I feel like if I liked beer at all it might have been more interesting. You also get a free pint at the end with your admittance, but I just got a soda instead because like I said I don’t drink, and I don’t like beer. I do, however, quite like soda. The bar is at the very top of the factory, is round, and has ceiling to floor windows so it has great views of Dublin. I took some pictures of course.
Following this, it was getting late enough for dinner, so we walked around until we found a fish-and-chips place where, ironically, most people got burgers. I don’t like fish anyway, so I never planned on getting fish-and-chips. I just got a burger and fries. Then everyone else wanted to get booze for the evening, so it was to a liquor store. One group got beer, the other vodka and Sprite. Then we went back to the hostel and the drinking began. I was there, having fun and taking part but not in the drinking. Almost everyone got pretty drunk. I think only Erina didn’t get drunk, she only had a little to drink. And, at 11:30 when the hostel stops allowing drinking, we all went to a pub, the oldest pub in Dublin. I was sooo tired. I left at around 2:30, but the clocks fell back for autumn that night, so it was really 1:30. And I would just like to reiterate how tired I was.
It was up again at 8:30 for breakfast and checkout (we left bags in the luggage room), and then on a guided tour of a gallery. It was the Hugh Lane gallery. I actually quite liked it, a lot of impressionist stuff which I always love. And the guide was very interesting. We were all pretty beat, though, so I think we all looked pretty dead, even though hopefully at least some of us were interested.
From there, me, Lana, Nick, Keith, Erina, and Sibylla (I think that’s how it’s spelled) went to Dublin Castle, which was more of a small palace. It wasn’t impressive or really grand, but very tasteful, lovely, and full of history. There were the old castle’s foundations underneath. It was another example of information about Irish history and how much they’ve had to fight for what they gained. I was very pleased by the fact that in the shop, there was a pin with an American an Irish flag crossed. It’s probably just because there are a lot of Irish Americans and they come to the castle . . . but it seem like a very hopeful sign of solidarity.
From there, it was back to the hostel to pick up our bags, walk to the bus stop, catch the bus, check in, wander around and get food for awhile until our flight boarded, then onto the plane. It wasn’t a very long flight, but it didn’t leave until 7:50. The rest of the night is a bit hazy from fatigue, but I got my bag from baggage claim (i checked it on the way back). I was going to take the Heathrow Connect, but it wouldn’t leave until 10:30, or 45 minutes. I had a ticket for 6.50 and everything. But I wasn’t going to wait that long. I got a refund and just took the Tube. It only cost one pound and I was back by about the time the Heathrow Connect left. I was in bed by around 11:30 and was soooo ready to sleep.
I want to note that I had a really great time meeting the people on the trip. We all got along well and somehow bonded a lot in three days. We did some bonding stuff, really, running around together. I was a little wary about not knowing anyone on the trip before I went, but it turned out great!
And so, I’m still pretty exhausted. I’m not used to that kind of exertion, hahahaha. I’m just a little thing, coddled and weak. Well, okay, I’m just lazy. But I am still feeling pretty tired. I’ll catch up and all. In the meantime, I have a ton of work to do. I diligently got stuff done before I left and am parceling out what needs to be done, so no worries.
I also want to say THANK YOU to Ciera and Amanda and Beth and Kristen. The box you sent was delightfully random. And that hamster sings “Everybody was kung-fu fighting” really really loud. I love it!
