The Schoolhouse Hotel
Our Hotel Room
The harp-shaped Samuel Beckett Bridge and the Ferris Wheel on the River Liffey
Me Giving the Statue a Helping Hand...
Statue of Oscar Wilde in Merrion Square. The Locals Call It "The Fag on the Crag".
Shamrocks in Merrion Square
A View of Merrion Square
Cornbeef and Cabbage, and a Pint of Guinness for Lunch
A View of St. Stephen's Green
Statue of James Joyce Looking Down His Nose At Us in Davy Byrnes Pub
Troy Imitating James Joyce
A Huge Serving of Irish Stew at Davy Byrnes PubBefore writing today's entry, a few additions to yesterday's:
- Ironically enough, James Joyce's last living nephew, Ken Monaghan, died early last week.
- Overheard at breakfast yesterday morning. An irate American tourist: "They promised us porridge, but this is oatmeal!!"
- For my friend Darren's benefit, I noticed what car Troy was driving because I recognized the logo. We were driving a Peugeot.
- My comment to the waiter at the restaurant last night: "We have a hate-hate relationship with Americans." His response: "Who doesn't?" LOL
And now, on to today's blog entry.
The wake-up call came this morning at 7:00 a.m. because I was determined to spend some time writing my blog. However, I was not that motivated and slept in until close to 8:00 a.m. I then got out of bed, showered, got dressed and made my way downstairs to the computer. I finished working on yesterday's blog and met up with Troy for breakfast at 9:30 a.m. It was pretty much the same as yesterday's breakfast, but without the black blood pudding. After our meal, Troy went to our room to pack all his things because today is the day we were leaving the Jury's Inn hotel for our new quarters at the Schoolhouse Inn, south of the Liffey. In the meantime, I was determined to go back to the computer to make a few additions to yesterday's blog entry, but both computers were then being used. In fact, I never managed to get to the computer terminal before Troy came down to the lobby to join me.
So, we paid for the hotel, got into the rental car and drove ourselves to our new hotel where we dropped off our luggage. Then, Troy and I drove to the car rental place where we returned the rental car. We were then free to set out on foot to explore the new area I had never been to. It was around noon, but because we had only finished breakfast around 10:00 a.m., we weren't all that hungry. But Troy did feel like having a cup of coffee. So, he stopped at a small cafe, and I had a look at the small shop next door, which had a sign in the window advertising a reading from Ulysses on Thursday night. When Troy came out of the cafe with his coffee in hand, I pointed out this sign, and he noticed there were books inside, so we decided to go in. Turns out that this place was actually the chemist's that appears in Ulysses, where Leopold Bloom buys a bar of lemon-scented soap. And I was very excited to discover that I could buy a bar of lemon soap there!! It was so cool, and to think that we just happened upon this shop!
Continuing further on, we arrived in Merrion Square, where we took pictures of the Oscar Wilde statue lounging on a huge rock. Near there, there were two small pillars with engravings of quotes from Wilde. I couldn't help but think of my friend Nick when I saw the following quote: "The well-bred contradict other people. The wise contradict themselves." So, if I am a creature of contradictions, that would make me wise, according to Wilde.
We were getting hungry for lunch in the middle of the afternoon, so I turned to Troy and quipped: "If I were writing 'Eat, Pray, Love', my version would be 'Eat, Eat, Eat'". We stopped at a small pub where Troy ordered the chicken, ham and leek pie. I ordered the cornbeef and cabbage, with a Guinness. We shared our meals so that we both got to sample the amazing cooking. But we were both pretty full by the time dessert came around: whiskey bread and butter pudding with homemade toffee ice cream.
As a sidebar, I recently learned that Irish whiskey is spelled with an "e" and is distilled three times; Scottish whisky is spelled without the "e" and is distilled only twice; and American bourbon is distilled only once.
After lunch, a quick tour of St. Stephen's Green, an incredibly lush and verdant park within the city. It was very magical and I understood why Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle.
We then headed towards the National Library, a stunning building in the city centre. Troy and I took a host of photos. It was only later in the evening that we discovered that we left the book store of the National Library minutes before Dame Judy Dench turned up there. Troy lamented the fact that we missed seeing M. from the James Bond series.
We then kept onwards until we reached the Davy Byrnes pub, the pub where Leopold Bloom eats a gorgonzola sandwich with a glass of burgundy in Ulysses. I was just going to have a Jameson whiskey, but when I saw and smelled the amazing Irish stew, I had to order some for dinner. Troy ordered the salmon pie. Yet another amazing meal. We engaged in conversation with the couple beside us, an elderly man and woman from New Jersey. At one point, the man said that meals in Ireland were delicious, but that he had to be careful with carbohydrates at his age. Then, looking at me, he added: "It looks like you're starting to have that problem too". Gee, thanks a lot...
In the evening, we did a bit of shopping. I bought some books from Sheridan Le Fanu, Bram Stoker and John Millington Synge, all Irish authors. Then Troy and I both bought traditional Irish sweaters (mine is green for St. Paddy's Day). We also saw things we may come back to buy, like plenty of Christmas ornaments and other crafts.
We ended our day at the Cobblestone Pub (which Geneviève Couture had recommended to me), where we got to listen to live jam sessions of traditional Irish music. Troy had a chocolate beer, and I stuck to rum and diet coke. We really enjoyed the music.
We left the pub at 10:30 on foot, but the walk home was very, very long for someone like me who desperately needed to pee! When we got to the hotel, I called dibs on the toilet, Troy got his laptop out, and I was then able to write all the day's adventures. This is the only way to travel!
All in all, a great day!
And (don't tell anyone), but I think I am enjoying Ireland even more than Sweden! The thing is that the music, the food, the hospitality is all so reminiscent of the east coast, and in many ways, Troy and I both feel like we are home in Moncton.
Good night all,
M.
- Ironically enough, James Joyce's last living nephew, Ken Monaghan, died early last week.
- Overheard at breakfast yesterday morning. An irate American tourist: "They promised us porridge, but this is oatmeal!!"
- For my friend Darren's benefit, I noticed what car Troy was driving because I recognized the logo. We were driving a Peugeot.
- My comment to the waiter at the restaurant last night: "We have a hate-hate relationship with Americans." His response: "Who doesn't?" LOL
And now, on to today's blog entry.
The wake-up call came this morning at 7:00 a.m. because I was determined to spend some time writing my blog. However, I was not that motivated and slept in until close to 8:00 a.m. I then got out of bed, showered, got dressed and made my way downstairs to the computer. I finished working on yesterday's blog and met up with Troy for breakfast at 9:30 a.m. It was pretty much the same as yesterday's breakfast, but without the black blood pudding. After our meal, Troy went to our room to pack all his things because today is the day we were leaving the Jury's Inn hotel for our new quarters at the Schoolhouse Inn, south of the Liffey. In the meantime, I was determined to go back to the computer to make a few additions to yesterday's blog entry, but both computers were then being used. In fact, I never managed to get to the computer terminal before Troy came down to the lobby to join me.
So, we paid for the hotel, got into the rental car and drove ourselves to our new hotel where we dropped off our luggage. Then, Troy and I drove to the car rental place where we returned the rental car. We were then free to set out on foot to explore the new area I had never been to. It was around noon, but because we had only finished breakfast around 10:00 a.m., we weren't all that hungry. But Troy did feel like having a cup of coffee. So, he stopped at a small cafe, and I had a look at the small shop next door, which had a sign in the window advertising a reading from Ulysses on Thursday night. When Troy came out of the cafe with his coffee in hand, I pointed out this sign, and he noticed there were books inside, so we decided to go in. Turns out that this place was actually the chemist's that appears in Ulysses, where Leopold Bloom buys a bar of lemon-scented soap. And I was very excited to discover that I could buy a bar of lemon soap there!! It was so cool, and to think that we just happened upon this shop!
Continuing further on, we arrived in Merrion Square, where we took pictures of the Oscar Wilde statue lounging on a huge rock. Near there, there were two small pillars with engravings of quotes from Wilde. I couldn't help but think of my friend Nick when I saw the following quote: "The well-bred contradict other people. The wise contradict themselves." So, if I am a creature of contradictions, that would make me wise, according to Wilde.
We were getting hungry for lunch in the middle of the afternoon, so I turned to Troy and quipped: "If I were writing 'Eat, Pray, Love', my version would be 'Eat, Eat, Eat'". We stopped at a small pub where Troy ordered the chicken, ham and leek pie. I ordered the cornbeef and cabbage, with a Guinness. We shared our meals so that we both got to sample the amazing cooking. But we were both pretty full by the time dessert came around: whiskey bread and butter pudding with homemade toffee ice cream.
As a sidebar, I recently learned that Irish whiskey is spelled with an "e" and is distilled three times; Scottish whisky is spelled without the "e" and is distilled only twice; and American bourbon is distilled only once.
After lunch, a quick tour of St. Stephen's Green, an incredibly lush and verdant park within the city. It was very magical and I understood why Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle.
We then headed towards the National Library, a stunning building in the city centre. Troy and I took a host of photos. It was only later in the evening that we discovered that we left the book store of the National Library minutes before Dame Judy Dench turned up there. Troy lamented the fact that we missed seeing M. from the James Bond series.
We then kept onwards until we reached the Davy Byrnes pub, the pub where Leopold Bloom eats a gorgonzola sandwich with a glass of burgundy in Ulysses. I was just going to have a Jameson whiskey, but when I saw and smelled the amazing Irish stew, I had to order some for dinner. Troy ordered the salmon pie. Yet another amazing meal. We engaged in conversation with the couple beside us, an elderly man and woman from New Jersey. At one point, the man said that meals in Ireland were delicious, but that he had to be careful with carbohydrates at his age. Then, looking at me, he added: "It looks like you're starting to have that problem too". Gee, thanks a lot...
In the evening, we did a bit of shopping. I bought some books from Sheridan Le Fanu, Bram Stoker and John Millington Synge, all Irish authors. Then Troy and I both bought traditional Irish sweaters (mine is green for St. Paddy's Day). We also saw things we may come back to buy, like plenty of Christmas ornaments and other crafts.
We ended our day at the Cobblestone Pub (which Geneviève Couture had recommended to me), where we got to listen to live jam sessions of traditional Irish music. Troy had a chocolate beer, and I stuck to rum and diet coke. We really enjoyed the music.
We left the pub at 10:30 on foot, but the walk home was very, very long for someone like me who desperately needed to pee! When we got to the hotel, I called dibs on the toilet, Troy got his laptop out, and I was then able to write all the day's adventures. This is the only way to travel!
All in all, a great day!
And (don't tell anyone), but I think I am enjoying Ireland even more than Sweden! The thing is that the music, the food, the hospitality is all so reminiscent of the east coast, and in many ways, Troy and I both feel like we are home in Moncton.
Good night all,
M.
Fantastic - that old man from New Jersey got my message and found you in that pub!
ReplyDeleteBest. Story. Ever. I had to laugh out loud, mon ami.
Troy, you're laughing with me too, right?
hugs and kisses to you both! Keep up the carbs!
-Nick