So it's been a while since the last blog. Inexcusable. BUT I have for you now a three-part trip to Ireland.
It started a few weeks ago, when my friend Patrick, from Germany gave me a call.
Patrick: My mom gave me 100 euros for my birthday.
Me: That was nice of her.
Patrick: Yes. We should go on a trip or something.
Me: Where?
Fast-forward to Friday, March 2, when Patrick and I are standing in an airport about the size of the SDSU Student Union. I'm taking random pictures (for this blog) when a security guard comes up to me and requests that I delete the pictures of the airport that are aimed towards the security doors.
Umm, OK.
I thought he was going to take away my entire camera, in which case I would have had to do something drastic to throw him off guard. Like crying, for instance.
But, with Sven the security guard at ease, Patrick and I boarded the plane and were off to Dublin.
Upon arrival, we were so excited that we were actually in Ireland, it took a minute for us to realize we had absolutely no idea where to go from the airport. We looked into renting a car for Sunday, but as it turns out, one needs to be 25 years old to do that. I've been 21 for a month, and now I'm being told I'm not old enough. Just when I thought I had put in my time....
Anyway.
We two intrepid globetrotters jump on a bus for six euros, which Patrick informed me is ridiculously cheap. When I later learned one euro is equal to 1.20 US$, I agreed.
The bus took us past the city center on O’Connell Street (named in honor of Daniel O’Connell, a legendary parliamentary man) and on to the bus stop, which, conveniently, was two blocks from our hostel.
Now, the day I booked the hostel, there was a bit of...confusion. Hostelbookers.com said the Jacobs Inn was the only hostel in all of Dublin that had a room for us March 2-5. I didn't feel like paying the online extra booking fee, so I called the hostel myself. They said there were no rooms available until Sunday the 4th.
So, I booked the rooms online anyway, after Patrick, business major, convinced me that Hostelbookers had a contingency with the Jacobs Inn and that there were no rooms available when we called, because Hostelbookers had already reserved them, and we then reserved them from said website.
“I hope you're right, my German friend.”
So we pull up to the front counter being only half-sure we actually have a place to stay. Turns out, Patrick was right.
We unload our belongings into our room (111) and meet a few of the people we're staying with (as it was a 10-bed room). We met Jeremy, from New Zealand, who was in Dublin looking for work for a few months so he could continue traveling. Hey, best of luck.
With the sun setting over the Liffey River, Patrick and I hit the town. After going in the completely wrong direction for about half a mile and finding ourselves in a part of town reminiscent of Angela's Ashes, we turn around and find ourselves engulfed in the Temple Bar, which is actually an entire section of town. There are pubs and eateries left and right with live music flowing from the windows of almost every one. Patrick and I sample the nightlife in The Vat House, O'Shea's, Maddigan’s, Robert Reagan’s, and the streets in general before calling it a night. After looking at the city map, we plan out a course for Saturday morning.
Ah, Dublin.
