I'm currently finishing up my 3rd day in Dublin, and it's finally NOT raining! You probably have no idea how huge this is. Dublin is a great, walkable, busy city full of independent shops and many native people with a very matter-of-fact way of being. They have absolutely no bones about writing biting opinions columns in the paper, and I have to say kudos to them for it.
Today I saw two acts of the world championship street performers; both were superb, and both were somewhat secretive about their identities (not unlike the way I've been about my American identity in a crowd; who wants to be that group they make fun of with the Iraq jokes? please). Last night was Int'l night at the Int'l bar (though the only non-Irish was a host from Perth, who was hilarious; will post his website after getting back) in Temple Bar. If you're ever in Dublin.. Temple Bar is a fun place to be. Can't say I've gotten to intimate with the people though, which is a shame -- these ones actually speak my language!
I think traveling with Alberto has a lot to do with *THAT* though. I function a lot better on my own when I don't feel like I need to ask permission to do every little thing. He also has this bit where he doesn't voice his opinion and is perfectly content to do exactly what I'm doing that really bugs me. I start to feel a bit like my ideas are carrying what we're doing and that'd be ok if it were just me, but with two people it begins to feel like a bit of baggage.
Nomatter though-- London is bound to be cool. It's London! Dublin is beginning to feel like a smallish town though, a little like Venice, and maybe my options in my current situation and getting a bit exhausted. It's kind of fun to be able to recognize neighborhoods I've been through a few times, though.
There was a great exhibit at the National Museum of Archeology on bog people - Ireland was once full of bogs! It's a great place to stash a dead body, that's for sure - and while you're at it, you might as well throw in his valuable possessions to hide the evidence. The Irish take on their past is refreshing. There's a bit of nostalgia of course, but why deny a little brutality and pagan practices when they're just facts of life?
Caitlin
Saturday, 19:36
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