Before leaving, I was just about to post about how so many people I know are incompetent... and that when one gives their assent that one will do something for someone, they are obligated to do it. In truth, I've been perhaps a bit too reliant on other people since I've been here. Furthermore, I pulled some shenanigans that resulted in the loss of my student discount card for the tube (which is a big deal... say $60 a month). In fact, in this case, it may well not even be incompetence... I maybe have been fleeced. And not by a Bedouin in a back alley of Cairo this time. Well, I got what I deserved, trying to play the mail to my advantage. Now I don't have an oyster card...last time it took me five times mailing it in to get it. Those of you that know what I did this time will get a good laugh out of this.
A story for the rest of you: There are four girls who live in the flat next to mine. Only one of them is attractive, but she is very much so. I had never seen her before tonight. So I had this bottle of Spanish wine, and the cork crumbled when I tried to open it. So I took a knife and tried to hack it out to no avail. Then I tried to just push the cork into the bottle. Slowly the cork slid through the neck past the hillock and then... suddenly... a red eruption spewed from the mouth of the bottle all over the cabinets, the window, and even the ceiling... but more importantly, all over my face. Instinctively, I looked up and into the window... and into the eyes of the most attractive girl in Bethnal Green.
My trip to Ireland was not marred by any incompetence though. I have to admit, my traveling companions were supremely competent, finding their way across the country without a map, and dealing with all the irregularities of European society with confidence and poise. Particularly impressive was the way one of them drove a stick on the left side of the road through both urban Dublin and rural mountain passes. I hope their bosses realize how capable they are! I would trust them with just about anything.
I realize that it's nearly impossible to write anything like that without sounding patronizing, but I do mean it sincerely. Ok, it doesn't hurt to be tooling around Ireland with two hot girls.
While I had a really cheap flight to Dublin (26 pounds round), it ended up being 40 pounds more. I went to my class that morning, and some of the students were there, but it had been moved two hours forward. I figured I could still make it and didn't want to look like a slacker so I went. I figured wrong...and my flatmate (who was going home for the weekend) WAITED too! What a chump...er nice guy. Anyway, we got on the wrong train and a slow bus and missed the flight. We had to wait in the airport for four hours and take the next flight on standby.
That night I stayed at his parents' house. They were very nice people. I couldn't help but be reminded of my Catholic friends' parents back home. Crucifixes, holy cards, pictures of the pope... I could have as well been in Dublin, Indiana as in Dublin, Ireland. Except I doubt that house would be worth $280,000 in Indiana... or anywhere in the US.
Ok, I exaggerate. In NYC or Chicago certainly, but I wonder about the suburbs. The place was about as far out of Dublin as Patterson, NJ is from NYC or maybe Des Plaines is from Chicago. So maybe the value isn't so out of line... I guess what is interesting is that I'm told that property values in that neighborhood were about 1/8 what they are now a mere 20 years ago! Amazing in light of the fact that for much of the 20th century, indeed for much of the last millennium, Ireland has been one of the poorest countries in Europe.
Now, it has one of the highest per capita incomes in the EU. It has even been dubbed the "Celtic tiger" by economist types (yet another sign of cultural pandering to the concept of Asia... I'll write about that yet). They seemed to achieve this by wisely investing in education and infrastructure while keeping labor costs low. The highways around Dublin are equivalent to any interstate in the US and even the rural roads are as good as most state highways (better than most county roads). Trinity College and University College are both highly respected institutions and they are cranking out highly trained workers in the fields of computer science and biological engineering. The country is now embarking on a national programme to boost interest in theoretical science.
Dublin itself is buzzing with building activity. Unlike Cairo and Alexandria, also filled with the cacophony of construction, in Dublin they are building offices, university structures, and high end housing; as opposed to concrete block tenements. Dublin is remarkably clean and full of different restaurants and swanky bars.
It remains to be seen how all this prosperity will affect the country. Certainly, there are far more immigrants in Ireland now than at any time since the Brits came in the Plantation of Ulster. There are now halal groceries and Buddhist temples (in central Dublin to be sure). The barmaid is just as likely to be Asian or Polish as a blonde Celt who addresses you as "love". I have to admit, the Irish seemed far more European to me than my preconceived notion of Irishness. The EU has more than its share of pratfalls.
The historical center of Dublin is small compared to many European capitols, but then again the city (and the country) are relatively small. The river Liffey, which is spanned by several picturesque bridges, (I guess in Ireland as well as the UK the noun goes first...the river Ohio?) divides the city in two and most of the historic district (as well as the trendy Temple Bar bar district) lie immediately to the south of it. To the immediate north of it are the Four Courts (a pretty cool but not too functional building apparently) and some other stuff I didn't look at too carefully (THE PARLIAMENT IS TO THE SOUTH) and further on, the "bad" side of town. The famous General Post Office which was under siege during the Easter Rebellion is also located here on O'Connell Street. O'Connell Street is a broad thoroughfare with many monuments to various Irish heroes. It also contains the Dublin Spire which was erected upon the ruins of Nelson's Column which was blown up by the IRA in 1966. (Ok, THAT is kind of funny.)
My second day in Dublin I met my companions at the hostel and walked through most
of the south bank while they took a nap. We then went out for some Irish food (leg of lamb and soda bread!) and then to the bars with my flatmate and some of his friends. We were treated to THREE drunk Irishmen saying, "They always take me lucky charms!"
The next day, we tried to hit the historical sights. First up was Trinity College. The campus reminded me of Columbia in NYC. We went to the famous library and saw the Book of Kells. Usually, these overhyped artifacts are a bit of a letdown. Can anybody actually say that SEEING the Rosetta stone is as exciting as the IDEA of it? But the Book of Kells is just as spectacular as its reputation suggests. Not just for its content but for its overall artistic aesthetic. It is a blend of Christian and pre-Christian color and forms that are beautiful not only to the eye but to any spiritual observation. It is a monument to the culture that produced it as well as to the faith it represents. I won't even get started on its paleographical beauty.
The other striking feature of the library is the Long Room. This is certainly what a library should look like. It isn't too hard to imagine that the total sum of human knowledge should be in a place like this. The fact that it contains first editions of books like "On the Origin of the Species" and "Principia Matematica" doesn't hurt either. I can imagine literally ascending towards the barrel vault as I reach higher and higher elucidation. I might actually study in such a place... (not that don't in the King's Library... where "Johnny English" was filmed).
After Trinity, we headed to the National Gallery. It was nice in that it is not so overwhelming as to not be able to be seen in a day. There was some interesting Irish art (particularly Yeats) and the highlight for me was Caravaggio's "The Taking of Christ." That kind of goes without saying.
After that we headed to Dublin castle. It appeared to be a conglomeration of medieval, Baroque, and Georgian architecture. It was impressive... but not outstanding.
From there we went to the two cathedrals, Christchurch and St. Patrick's. Remarkably, they are both Protestant. They were confiscated from the Catholic Church during the Reformation. What is remarkable is the restraint that the Irish showed in allowing them to remain Protestant after independence. The Catholic Church still considers Christchurch to be the cathedral of the city..only designating another church as pro cathedral. That degree of tolerance is impressive. For example, of the thousands of churches that existed in Constantinople during the Byzantine period, only one remains. The Greeks responded in kind, there are NO mosques in mainland Greece except in Thrace where they were protected by international treaty (though I have to add that the Turks didn't even respect that ;) ). In any event, for me it throws new light onto the Northern Ireland issue. Did the Protestants there really need to be protected? Unfortunately, we didn't enter the churches OR Dublin castle. I think all three of us regretted this a bit... perhaps I should have been insistent, but I didn't want to be TOO autocratic.
Especially since I led the girls on a wild goose chase for half an hour looking for the remains of Viking walls. I never did see anything that satisfied me as being from the early middle ages. It all looked heavily reconstructed to me. But this detour did result in some of the best fish and chips I've ever had (well as good as they CAN be).
From there we headed to the Guinness brewery. You can't really go into the brewery, but you can pay 10 euros to go into the "storehouse" which is sort of a museum. It is pretty corny... in that the reconstructed brewing equipment is ridiculous. But there were a few interesting tidbits regarding the history of the brewery, such as one about coopers, and the history of their advertising was exemplary. Amazing how they have managed to be so innovative for almost a century. From the cartoon animals saying "It's Guinness time" to more avant garde pictures from the 70's and 80's. It was capped off by a free beer in a circular bar on the 7th floor surrounded by windows... and an excellent view of the city. That really put me in the mood to buy lots of overpriced paraphernalia (oh if only that WAS sarcastic).
Next up was another night of drinking with Irishmen... we really got a good impression of the Temple bar that night, with public urination and all. After that we went to a very uncrowded bar mainly patronized by locals. One of my companions was particularly taken with a soccer hooligan....
The next day we drove across the country towards Galway with the intention of seeing the Cliffs of Moher. I should have spoken up here too...after spending so much time in the British Isles, and being in Dartmoor the week before. In fact, we saw jack shit. Visibility was about 500 feet, and it was raining pretty hard to boot. So it goes.
The hotel the girls were staying in was amazing though. It is owned by Merv Griffin (who steadfastly refuses to let me on Jeopardy), and formerly by John Huston. There were pictures of John and Angelica Huston with people such as Orson Welles on the walls. The place was REALLY swanky. The bathroom was huge and marble. The furniture was plush and there was even a crystal decanter filled with port and two port glasses on the mantel in the room! I can't wait to hear how the food was. The mansion was surrounded by green pastures and forest. I half expected Cary Grant to pull up in his Aston Martin and throw his Burberry over my swarthy face commanding me to hang it up while proceeding to steal my girlfriend (which I don't have but...).
From there we went to a store that sold Irish wool... where I spent way too much on a sweater and wool socks... ok and a ridiculous Irish hat that my mother will grow to hate once I wear it.
Then I parted with my companions with much sorrow in my heart and got on a bus back across the country. I can't believe how much public transport it took me to get home....
Galway to Dublin: 4 hours
City Center to Clondalkin: 30 min
(slept in flatmates' parents' house again)
Dublin to London: 1 hour
Luton airport to St. Pancras: 30 min
St. Pancras to Bethnal Green: 30 min
I'm complaining for no reason.... I just want my own Aston Martin.
Ireland was a very nice country though. I'd really like to go back and see more of the natural wonders and the medieval monasteries. Ireland actually was quite a center of learning in the middle ages (in fact it was the last place in Western Europe where Greek was known), and it had its own Celtic Christianity and culture.... the ruins of which are still there to see!
A story for the rest of you: There are four girls who live in the flat next to mine. Only one of them is attractive, but she is very much so. I had never seen her before tonight. So I had this bottle of Spanish wine, and the cork crumbled when I tried to open it. So I took a knife and tried to hack it out to no avail. Then I tried to just push the cork into the bottle. Slowly the cork slid through the neck past the hillock and then... suddenly... a red eruption spewed from the mouth of the bottle all over the cabinets, the window, and even the ceiling... but more importantly, all over my face. Instinctively, I looked up and into the window... and into the eyes of the most attractive girl in Bethnal Green.
My trip to Ireland was not marred by any incompetence though. I have to admit, my traveling companions were supremely competent, finding their way across the country without a map, and dealing with all the irregularities of European society with confidence and poise. Particularly impressive was the way one of them drove a stick on the left side of the road through both urban Dublin and rural mountain passes. I hope their bosses realize how capable they are! I would trust them with just about anything.
I realize that it's nearly impossible to write anything like that without sounding patronizing, but I do mean it sincerely. Ok, it doesn't hurt to be tooling around Ireland with two hot girls.
While I had a really cheap flight to Dublin (26 pounds round), it ended up being 40 pounds more. I went to my class that morning, and some of the students were there, but it had been moved two hours forward. I figured I could still make it and didn't want to look like a slacker so I went. I figured wrong...and my flatmate (who was going home for the weekend) WAITED too! What a chump...er nice guy. Anyway, we got on the wrong train and a slow bus and missed the flight. We had to wait in the airport for four hours and take the next flight on standby.
That night I stayed at his parents' house. They were very nice people. I couldn't help but be reminded of my Catholic friends' parents back home. Crucifixes, holy cards, pictures of the pope... I could have as well been in Dublin, Indiana as in Dublin, Ireland. Except I doubt that house would be worth $280,000 in Indiana... or anywhere in the US.
Ok, I exaggerate. In NYC or Chicago certainly, but I wonder about the suburbs. The place was about as far out of Dublin as Patterson, NJ is from NYC or maybe Des Plaines is from Chicago. So maybe the value isn't so out of line... I guess what is interesting is that I'm told that property values in that neighborhood were about 1/8 what they are now a mere 20 years ago! Amazing in light of the fact that for much of the 20th century, indeed for much of the last millennium, Ireland has been one of the poorest countries in Europe.
Now, it has one of the highest per capita incomes in the EU. It has even been dubbed the "Celtic tiger" by economist types (yet another sign of cultural pandering to the concept of Asia... I'll write about that yet). They seemed to achieve this by wisely investing in education and infrastructure while keeping labor costs low. The highways around Dublin are equivalent to any interstate in the US and even the rural roads are as good as most state highways (better than most county roads). Trinity College and University College are both highly respected institutions and they are cranking out highly trained workers in the fields of computer science and biological engineering. The country is now embarking on a national programme to boost interest in theoretical science.
Dublin itself is buzzing with building activity. Unlike Cairo and Alexandria, also filled with the cacophony of construction, in Dublin they are building offices, university structures, and high end housing; as opposed to concrete block tenements. Dublin is remarkably clean and full of different restaurants and swanky bars.
It remains to be seen how all this prosperity will affect the country. Certainly, there are far more immigrants in Ireland now than at any time since the Brits came in the Plantation of Ulster. There are now halal groceries and Buddhist temples (in central Dublin to be sure). The barmaid is just as likely to be Asian or Polish as a blonde Celt who addresses you as "love". I have to admit, the Irish seemed far more European to me than my preconceived notion of Irishness. The EU has more than its share of pratfalls.
The historical center of Dublin is small compared to many European capitols, but then again the city (and the country) are relatively small. The river Liffey, which is spanned by several picturesque bridges, (I guess in Ireland as well as the UK the noun goes first...the river Ohio?) divides the city in two and most of the historic district (as well as the trendy Temple Bar bar district) lie immediately to the south of it. To the immediate north of it are the Four Courts (a pretty cool but not too functional building apparently) and some other stuff I didn't look at too carefully (THE PARLIAMENT IS TO THE SOUTH) and further on, the "bad" side of town. The famous General Post Office which was under siege during the Easter Rebellion is also located here on O'Connell Street. O'Connell Street is a broad thoroughfare with many monuments to various Irish heroes. It also contains the Dublin Spire which was erected upon the ruins of Nelson's Column which was blown up by the IRA in 1966. (Ok, THAT is kind of funny.)
My second day in Dublin I met my companions at the hostel and walked through most
of the south bank while they took a nap. We then went out for some Irish food (leg of lamb and soda bread!) and then to the bars with my flatmate and some of his friends. We were treated to THREE drunk Irishmen saying, "They always take me lucky charms!"
The next day, we tried to hit the historical sights. First up was Trinity College. The campus reminded me of Columbia in NYC. We went to the famous library and saw the Book of Kells. Usually, these overhyped artifacts are a bit of a letdown. Can anybody actually say that SEEING the Rosetta stone is as exciting as the IDEA of it? But the Book of Kells is just as spectacular as its reputation suggests. Not just for its content but for its overall artistic aesthetic. It is a blend of Christian and pre-Christian color and forms that are beautiful not only to the eye but to any spiritual observation. It is a monument to the culture that produced it as well as to the faith it represents. I won't even get started on its paleographical beauty.
The other striking feature of the library is the Long Room. This is certainly what a library should look like. It isn't too hard to imagine that the total sum of human knowledge should be in a place like this. The fact that it contains first editions of books like "On the Origin of the Species" and "Principia Matematica" doesn't hurt either. I can imagine literally ascending towards the barrel vault as I reach higher and higher elucidation. I might actually study in such a place... (not that don't in the King's Library... where "Johnny English" was filmed).
After Trinity, we headed to the National Gallery. It was nice in that it is not so overwhelming as to not be able to be seen in a day. There was some interesting Irish art (particularly Yeats) and the highlight for me was Caravaggio's "The Taking of Christ." That kind of goes without saying.
After that we headed to Dublin castle. It appeared to be a conglomeration of medieval, Baroque, and Georgian architecture. It was impressive... but not outstanding.
From there we went to the two cathedrals, Christchurch and St. Patrick's. Remarkably, they are both Protestant. They were confiscated from the Catholic Church during the Reformation. What is remarkable is the restraint that the Irish showed in allowing them to remain Protestant after independence. The Catholic Church still considers Christchurch to be the cathedral of the city..only designating another church as pro cathedral. That degree of tolerance is impressive. For example, of the thousands of churches that existed in Constantinople during the Byzantine period, only one remains. The Greeks responded in kind, there are NO mosques in mainland Greece except in Thrace where they were protected by international treaty (though I have to add that the Turks didn't even respect that ;) ). In any event, for me it throws new light onto the Northern Ireland issue. Did the Protestants there really need to be protected? Unfortunately, we didn't enter the churches OR Dublin castle. I think all three of us regretted this a bit... perhaps I should have been insistent, but I didn't want to be TOO autocratic.
Especially since I led the girls on a wild goose chase for half an hour looking for the remains of Viking walls. I never did see anything that satisfied me as being from the early middle ages. It all looked heavily reconstructed to me. But this detour did result in some of the best fish and chips I've ever had (well as good as they CAN be).
From there we headed to the Guinness brewery. You can't really go into the brewery, but you can pay 10 euros to go into the "storehouse" which is sort of a museum. It is pretty corny... in that the reconstructed brewing equipment is ridiculous. But there were a few interesting tidbits regarding the history of the brewery, such as one about coopers, and the history of their advertising was exemplary. Amazing how they have managed to be so innovative for almost a century. From the cartoon animals saying "It's Guinness time" to more avant garde pictures from the 70's and 80's. It was capped off by a free beer in a circular bar on the 7th floor surrounded by windows... and an excellent view of the city. That really put me in the mood to buy lots of overpriced paraphernalia (oh if only that WAS sarcastic).
Next up was another night of drinking with Irishmen... we really got a good impression of the Temple bar that night, with public urination and all. After that we went to a very uncrowded bar mainly patronized by locals. One of my companions was particularly taken with a soccer hooligan....
The next day we drove across the country towards Galway with the intention of seeing the Cliffs of Moher. I should have spoken up here too...after spending so much time in the British Isles, and being in Dartmoor the week before. In fact, we saw jack shit. Visibility was about 500 feet, and it was raining pretty hard to boot. So it goes.
The hotel the girls were staying in was amazing though. It is owned by Merv Griffin (who steadfastly refuses to let me on Jeopardy), and formerly by John Huston. There were pictures of John and Angelica Huston with people such as Orson Welles on the walls. The place was REALLY swanky. The bathroom was huge and marble. The furniture was plush and there was even a crystal decanter filled with port and two port glasses on the mantel in the room! I can't wait to hear how the food was. The mansion was surrounded by green pastures and forest. I half expected Cary Grant to pull up in his Aston Martin and throw his Burberry over my swarthy face commanding me to hang it up while proceeding to steal my girlfriend (which I don't have but...).
From there we went to a store that sold Irish wool... where I spent way too much on a sweater and wool socks... ok and a ridiculous Irish hat that my mother will grow to hate once I wear it.
Then I parted with my companions with much sorrow in my heart and got on a bus back across the country. I can't believe how much public transport it took me to get home....
Galway to Dublin: 4 hours
City Center to Clondalkin: 30 min
(slept in flatmates' parents' house again)
Dublin to London: 1 hour
Luton airport to St. Pancras: 30 min
St. Pancras to Bethnal Green: 30 min
I'm complaining for no reason.... I just want my own Aston Martin.
Ireland was a very nice country though. I'd really like to go back and see more of the natural wonders and the medieval monasteries. Ireland actually was quite a center of learning in the middle ages (in fact it was the last place in Western Europe where Greek was known), and it had its own Celtic Christianity and culture.... the ruins of which are still there to see!
posted by akrites @ 6:22 AM
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