Okay I've recovered from that kind of weird almost-drunkenness that comes from being too tired.
I decided to stay up all night before the flight. It usually works out that way whether I want it to or not. It was grand though. Anyways, the taxi got to my apartment early! I was really not expecting it to so I actually scheduled it to come an hour before I really needed it. But guy was really nice. He came up and helped me bring all my bags down. The only thing that sucked was I was flustered so I forgot to take out my last bags of garbage. I emailed Louise earlier and she said she never saw them so I guess Madison just took them out, and that's fine. I just didn't want Louise to have to.
I was talking to the Taxi man for a little while. About the weather and America and driving on the other side of the road and chatty things like that. And then I started falling asleep. I tried really hard not to, but it was just so quiet and calm. When we got to the airport he ran and got me a cart to carry my bags. He was really nice.
Checking my bags was easy. Going through customs was easy. Waiting to board was hard. I started falling asleep sitting up again. Eventually we were allowed on and I ended up sitting next to this woman from San Francisco. She was chatting at first and then got into watching movies. I wasn't really talkative--mostly just gave her the fake laugh as acknowledgement, but that's okay. The few times I did actually say something back to her she didn't really listen, so I don't care. I slept through a lot of the first flight, but it's that weird uncomfortable sleep where you wake up a lot and kind of know what's going on around you the whole time. Maybe I just dozed for most of it.
Security people are much nicer over here now. Dublin security is pretty terrible--they didn't check any of my bags. I don't think they care that much. But going through security in Chicago they checked my carry-on suitcase because I had my paints and paint brushes in there and I guess they look suspicious on the monitor. The woman that was checking it all out was really nice and talking to me about school and stuff. Not like any other time I've flown and they don't say anything to you and always look so serious.
I slept through a bunch of the second flight too. There was this guy who talked to me a lot though. He loves Seattle and has traveled all over the place and taught English in Japan for three years and had a job interview in Seattle and where should he live if he decides to move up here and babies are adorable. He was really nice and I tried to be a good conversationalist, but planes make me feel like shit and I was tired, so I don't think I did very well.
And then I was home. It was a little weird the first day because I kind of felt like I did in February--like I was going to have to turn around and leave again. But once that was over it was great. I did ALL of my clothes in two loads of laundry. I think laundry machines are a miracle. So are dishwashers.
Anyway, yeah. That's all. It's been a good year I think. I do think I've grown up a lot and learned a lot. It's good to have some time away to gain perspective.
If anyone found this remotely interesting or entertaining, ye can go here:
http://lyndsaywulf.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
The last
This is it. I'm almost packed. Almost.
Yesterday was good. I went to the leprechaun museum at last. It was actually really cool. I thought it was going to be really goofy, but it's not. It's all about story telling, so it's all guided. The guide goes through the first instances of leprechauns in stories and then misconceptions and then it moves onto the other mythical creatures of Ireland--Faeries particularly. They're not nice little winged things like ours. They're actually pretty frightening--vengeful, child stealing, and they look like normal people. Changelings are very creepy--if a faery steals your kid they'll put a changeling in its place. One will look like your baby except they always have dark eyes. And they have old man voices.
I got to the hostel later than I anticipated, but it was alright. Maddie found me and we went back to the Queen of Tarts for somethings delicious. Then we had time to kill before music started anywhere. I really wanted to go to O'Donahue's because it's famous and I hadn't. So we ate dinner there and I got in my first two pints of the night.
The Old Storehouse is awesome. It's pretty touristy, but I don't care. They have Trad every night and the drinks aren't too terribly expensive--for Temple Bar anyway. There were a bunch of Americans in there, mostly from Texas. One of them started talking about Australians and how he met one one time in a bar and he called the girl behind the bar over by saying "Hey bar wench!" And then this Texan went on to talk about how that's just how Australians are and things don't mean the same things in other countries blah blah blah. Well, Maddie wanted to kill him because apparently that guy was just an ass and not all Australians are fuck heads.
I'm a big fan of whiskey and coke now. They're a bit expensive though if you don't know what you're doing. If you just ask for a whiskey coke they'll sell you a shot of whiskey on ice and a separate can of coke. It ends up being 9 quid. If you're savvy to this you ask for draft coke. Then it's 5.90euro. Awesome. We each had 5 I reckon.
The music ended kind of early so we went down the street to another packed bar with somebody still playing. Had a Smithwicks. Made plans to go back to Derry within 5 years. Or Australia. A pinky swear happened. It's legit.
Fish and chips at 1am ish.
Everything was closing down by then so we just went back to the hostel to go to sleep and on the way I took some blurry drunk pictures on the Ha'penny bridge.
This morning was a little rough. Just a bit though. I drank some water and felt better. Did some souvenir shopping, said goodbye to the Liffey and the Temple Bar and the O'Connell street and the cross-walk signs that yell at you.
Okay this isn't really the last. I'm far too distracted for a legitimate farewell.
Yesterday was good. I went to the leprechaun museum at last. It was actually really cool. I thought it was going to be really goofy, but it's not. It's all about story telling, so it's all guided. The guide goes through the first instances of leprechauns in stories and then misconceptions and then it moves onto the other mythical creatures of Ireland--Faeries particularly. They're not nice little winged things like ours. They're actually pretty frightening--vengeful, child stealing, and they look like normal people. Changelings are very creepy--if a faery steals your kid they'll put a changeling in its place. One will look like your baby except they always have dark eyes. And they have old man voices.
I got to the hostel later than I anticipated, but it was alright. Maddie found me and we went back to the Queen of Tarts for somethings delicious. Then we had time to kill before music started anywhere. I really wanted to go to O'Donahue's because it's famous and I hadn't. So we ate dinner there and I got in my first two pints of the night.
The Old Storehouse is awesome. It's pretty touristy, but I don't care. They have Trad every night and the drinks aren't too terribly expensive--for Temple Bar anyway. There were a bunch of Americans in there, mostly from Texas. One of them started talking about Australians and how he met one one time in a bar and he called the girl behind the bar over by saying "Hey bar wench!" And then this Texan went on to talk about how that's just how Australians are and things don't mean the same things in other countries blah blah blah. Well, Maddie wanted to kill him because apparently that guy was just an ass and not all Australians are fuck heads.
I'm a big fan of whiskey and coke now. They're a bit expensive though if you don't know what you're doing. If you just ask for a whiskey coke they'll sell you a shot of whiskey on ice and a separate can of coke. It ends up being 9 quid. If you're savvy to this you ask for draft coke. Then it's 5.90euro. Awesome. We each had 5 I reckon.
The music ended kind of early so we went down the street to another packed bar with somebody still playing. Had a Smithwicks. Made plans to go back to Derry within 5 years. Or Australia. A pinky swear happened. It's legit.
Fish and chips at 1am ish.
Everything was closing down by then so we just went back to the hostel to go to sleep and on the way I took some blurry drunk pictures on the Ha'penny bridge.
This morning was a little rough. Just a bit though. I drank some water and felt better. Did some souvenir shopping, said goodbye to the Liffey and the Temple Bar and the O'Connell street and the cross-walk signs that yell at you.
Okay this isn't really the last. I'm far too distracted for a legitimate farewell.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Maynooth
Today was my last day in Maynooth town really. I've decided that I'm going to stay in a hostel tomorrow night because I want to go out with Maddie but the last buses out of the city during the week are at half eleven, and that's far too early for a last hurrah in Ireland.
But yeah, it was a very calm and thoughtful day for me. I woke up late, took a shower, didn't pack a single thing. At around 2 I went to my favorite cafe and sat in my spot and drank tea and wrote in my journal for two hours. Then kind of just wandered around the fields and gardens in south campus. You know, there are few things girlier than picking flowers, but that's what I did, and I couldn't have been happier. I was thinking about how I've been pretty much socialized to love everything green and alive since I've been old enough to hold a hose in one place for an eternity. I don't want to live in a city.
I want to know what Priests gossip about. Especially the new young graduating class of them here. There was some church party thing today and all the priests gathered at the cathedral and there were two walking that way, Bibles in hand, and one guy had that look on his face that said he was saying something he didn't want people to hear him saying and the other guy was all attentive. I'm just curious. There was a guy in Derry who asked me if I were going to be a nun when I told him that I was going to school in Maynooth. We were in a pub.
I really didn't expect to be sad to leave. And I'm not really, it's just a weird feeling when you know you're never going back to a place.
But yeah, it was a very calm and thoughtful day for me. I woke up late, took a shower, didn't pack a single thing. At around 2 I went to my favorite cafe and sat in my spot and drank tea and wrote in my journal for two hours. Then kind of just wandered around the fields and gardens in south campus. You know, there are few things girlier than picking flowers, but that's what I did, and I couldn't have been happier. I was thinking about how I've been pretty much socialized to love everything green and alive since I've been old enough to hold a hose in one place for an eternity. I don't want to live in a city.
I want to know what Priests gossip about. Especially the new young graduating class of them here. There was some church party thing today and all the priests gathered at the cathedral and there were two walking that way, Bibles in hand, and one guy had that look on his face that said he was saying something he didn't want people to hear him saying and the other guy was all attentive. I'm just curious. There was a guy in Derry who asked me if I were going to be a nun when I told him that I was going to school in Maynooth. We were in a pub.
I really didn't expect to be sad to leave. And I'm not really, it's just a weird feeling when you know you're never going back to a place.
Waxes desperate with imagination
Dublin yesterday was pretty good. I took Maddie to the Queen of Tarts. That place is awesome. My favorite cafe in Dublin for sure.
We went to the wax museum. I wasn't really into it at first just because I thought it would be a bunch of famous people all in a room and that's boring. But we got in there and most of the thing is about Irish history. And I think Irish history is just fascinating. Heaps better than American history. But yeah, all the leaders I've read about it or just heard about in classes now have faces. St.Patrick always looks different. And they didn't have a real one of Oliver Cromwell, but that's understandable. Just for fun they have a horror room. It's pretty nasty shit. And some stuff moves. I wouldn't stand a haunted house. The other floors were people from TV and kids movies and books and then Irish athletes and then the famous people. There really weren't that many.
Then we were on the search for live music. Up to Grafton Street. We watched a couple of the buskers--there was this group of 5 guys that were really good. They were playing lots of blues charts and some rock stuff, but it was all about the two guitar players who would solo. There was a singer but he wasn't that great. He didn't sing much though so it was alright. There were another couple of lads on the steps of the national bank who were really good too. At least one of the singers was.
By then it was proper pub time so we wandered into Temple Bar. We ended up at the Storehouse Bar and it was fuckin awesome. They have Trad every night and we heard this guy on guitar and a girl on fiddle. That was it but it was amazing. Fiddle has got to be one of the most impressive instruments. But even the guy on guitar was amazing. He was strumming all these crazy rhythms and changing capos for every tune in a medley. Just so cool.
Since it was Sunday there weren't any night buses so I left at 9ish. Sunset. It was beautiful.
We went to the wax museum. I wasn't really into it at first just because I thought it would be a bunch of famous people all in a room and that's boring. But we got in there and most of the thing is about Irish history. And I think Irish history is just fascinating. Heaps better than American history. But yeah, all the leaders I've read about it or just heard about in classes now have faces. St.Patrick always looks different. And they didn't have a real one of Oliver Cromwell, but that's understandable. Just for fun they have a horror room. It's pretty nasty shit. And some stuff moves. I wouldn't stand a haunted house. The other floors were people from TV and kids movies and books and then Irish athletes and then the famous people. There really weren't that many.
Then we were on the search for live music. Up to Grafton Street. We watched a couple of the buskers--there was this group of 5 guys that were really good. They were playing lots of blues charts and some rock stuff, but it was all about the two guitar players who would solo. There was a singer but he wasn't that great. He didn't sing much though so it was alright. There were another couple of lads on the steps of the national bank who were really good too. At least one of the singers was.
By then it was proper pub time so we wandered into Temple Bar. We ended up at the Storehouse Bar and it was fuckin awesome. They have Trad every night and we heard this guy on guitar and a girl on fiddle. That was it but it was amazing. Fiddle has got to be one of the most impressive instruments. But even the guy on guitar was amazing. He was strumming all these crazy rhythms and changing capos for every tune in a medley. Just so cool.
Since it was Sunday there weren't any night buses so I left at 9ish. Sunset. It was beautiful.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Belfast II
Belfast is okay. But just okay. I got up there at 3:30ish and our ticket to the museum/experience was for five. Maddie met me at the bus station and we just started walking that way. It didn't take as long as I thought it was going to take us. We ended up getting there a little after four, but there's this cool "honesty box" cafe/art gallery place a block away.
The Titanic Experience is pretty cool. And it's brand new so it's not all broken yet. It takes you all the way through the economy before ship building became the huge thing, planning, building, outfitting, sailing, crash, sinking, aftermath, and "rediscovery." The coolest bits to me were planning and outfitting. There are all kinds of pictures from the White Star line showing these huge rooms full of huge desks and drafters drawing away at different sections. And then this massive empty room where they put it all together and drew it in chalk on the floor. For the building part there's a ride. I wasn't expecting a ride at all. It's short and slow, but still. They talked mostly about riveting and how it's done and what a pain in the ass it is, and therefore how impressive it is that ships this huge were ever finished. Next floor had lots of virtual stuff. One room had screens on 3 sides had a video on a loop which showed what you'd have seen if a camera could have gone straight up through every deck. They recreated a first-class room and had projectors going showing a first-class woman talking to the bellboy. They have samples of all the curtains, carpets, and dishes. I thought the part about the sinking was done well. All they had on the walls were the radio calls to and from the ship and the times and a pixelated thing showing the way it broke in half and sunk. It didn't dwell on the gory details so much. The last part is the rediscovery. I think that bit could have been done better. They basically have it set up like a theatre and you can watch the video they took from the little robot thing that went down there. And that's grand, but the commentary is dumb. It's two Americans talking and they just say dumb things and make dumb jokes. But if you just look at the video it's pretty cool.
We went out and it was pretty sketch. It's just a kind of run down city. It hasn't really gotten back on it's feet. And it's interesting because Derry hasn't really either, but at least Derry has some culture to it. Belfast doesn't have that. I think it's still pretty divided with no physical boundaries. I talked to a guy that was really glad that I said Derry and then there was a guy who sternly corrected me: "You mean Londonderry." And I'm not trying to say that there aren't nice people there--Gerry at the hostel is so nice and welcoming--but there's just something unsettling about the place. The Garda all over the place doesn't help either.
The Titanic Experience is pretty cool. And it's brand new so it's not all broken yet. It takes you all the way through the economy before ship building became the huge thing, planning, building, outfitting, sailing, crash, sinking, aftermath, and "rediscovery." The coolest bits to me were planning and outfitting. There are all kinds of pictures from the White Star line showing these huge rooms full of huge desks and drafters drawing away at different sections. And then this massive empty room where they put it all together and drew it in chalk on the floor. For the building part there's a ride. I wasn't expecting a ride at all. It's short and slow, but still. They talked mostly about riveting and how it's done and what a pain in the ass it is, and therefore how impressive it is that ships this huge were ever finished. Next floor had lots of virtual stuff. One room had screens on 3 sides had a video on a loop which showed what you'd have seen if a camera could have gone straight up through every deck. They recreated a first-class room and had projectors going showing a first-class woman talking to the bellboy. They have samples of all the curtains, carpets, and dishes. I thought the part about the sinking was done well. All they had on the walls were the radio calls to and from the ship and the times and a pixelated thing showing the way it broke in half and sunk. It didn't dwell on the gory details so much. The last part is the rediscovery. I think that bit could have been done better. They basically have it set up like a theatre and you can watch the video they took from the little robot thing that went down there. And that's grand, but the commentary is dumb. It's two Americans talking and they just say dumb things and make dumb jokes. But if you just look at the video it's pretty cool.
We went out and it was pretty sketch. It's just a kind of run down city. It hasn't really gotten back on it's feet. And it's interesting because Derry hasn't really either, but at least Derry has some culture to it. Belfast doesn't have that. I think it's still pretty divided with no physical boundaries. I talked to a guy that was really glad that I said Derry and then there was a guy who sternly corrected me: "You mean Londonderry." And I'm not trying to say that there aren't nice people there--Gerry at the hostel is so nice and welcoming--but there's just something unsettling about the place. The Garda all over the place doesn't help either.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Summer?
Sure feels like it.
I did go to Dublin on Wednesday, but I got a late start and the buses were unusually late, so I didn't get into town until 4. And I just assumed that the museum closes at 6, and I need more than two hours in a museum, so I didn't go. I went to a cafe I've passed by a bunch of times. It's kind of cool cause it's a specialty tea place. It was too warm to be drinking tea, but I left without having eaten or having any tea, so it was necessary. Walked around a bit and ended up just sitting in the sun on a bench on a bridge writing Emma a letter. I really enjoyed it.
Yesterday was gorgeous. I've been meaning to get up to the Carton house since September. Madison made it sound like it was really far, but it's not at all. I think it's like 3 miles from my apartment. About. But yeah I walked up there: through town, along the Carton Ave, through the golf course, up a hill, and there it is. It's impressive, but it's just a hotel or something now. And there's this Hermes fountain in front of it. He's the god of sports, so maybe it's proper.
Once you get up there and see it that's pretty much it. It's not like there's anything to really do there. But there's this long lake going through the golf course that you can sit next to and just chill. I brought my book but didn't end up reading. It's much more relaxing to just lay in the sun. I love when you lay in the sun with your eyes closed for a while and when you open them again everything looks faded.
I was really sleepy when I got back here though. I crashed before midnight for once. It was kind of hard because there were all kinds of parties going on. I think all exams are over so everyone is leaving which means that they all have to get shitty one more time. Aoife is leaving today or tomorrow though. That's exciting.
Today is gorgeous. I'm just packing though. Maybe in a bit I'll go do something.
Tomorrow I have to get up and catch 3 buses to Belfast. Maddie got our Titanic tickets for 5pm. And then we'll probably just go to a couple pubs. I'm staying only one night.
I did go to Dublin on Wednesday, but I got a late start and the buses were unusually late, so I didn't get into town until 4. And I just assumed that the museum closes at 6, and I need more than two hours in a museum, so I didn't go. I went to a cafe I've passed by a bunch of times. It's kind of cool cause it's a specialty tea place. It was too warm to be drinking tea, but I left without having eaten or having any tea, so it was necessary. Walked around a bit and ended up just sitting in the sun on a bench on a bridge writing Emma a letter. I really enjoyed it.
Yesterday was gorgeous. I've been meaning to get up to the Carton house since September. Madison made it sound like it was really far, but it's not at all. I think it's like 3 miles from my apartment. About. But yeah I walked up there: through town, along the Carton Ave, through the golf course, up a hill, and there it is. It's impressive, but it's just a hotel or something now. And there's this Hermes fountain in front of it. He's the god of sports, so maybe it's proper.
Once you get up there and see it that's pretty much it. It's not like there's anything to really do there. But there's this long lake going through the golf course that you can sit next to and just chill. I brought my book but didn't end up reading. It's much more relaxing to just lay in the sun. I love when you lay in the sun with your eyes closed for a while and when you open them again everything looks faded.
I was really sleepy when I got back here though. I crashed before midnight for once. It was kind of hard because there were all kinds of parties going on. I think all exams are over so everyone is leaving which means that they all have to get shitty one more time. Aoife is leaving today or tomorrow though. That's exciting.
Today is gorgeous. I'm just packing though. Maybe in a bit I'll go do something.
Tomorrow I have to get up and catch 3 buses to Belfast. Maddie got our Titanic tickets for 5pm. And then we'll probably just go to a couple pubs. I'm staying only one night.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
I don't know more everyday
The packing has begun. It really is daunting.
Had a long chat with Louise mostly about how Aoife sucks and about cleaning up the place so we don't get charged for the cleaners.
Tomorrow's a Dublin day. I'm feeling like a museum.
Had a long chat with Louise mostly about how Aoife sucks and about cleaning up the place so we don't get charged for the cleaners.
Tomorrow's a Dublin day. I'm feeling like a museum.
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