The Eire Diaries – days 12 & 13

02 June 2007

I’m sitting in the living room at Kinlay. Kenz is here, curling her hair, standing on one of the couches to look into a mirror. We spent most of the day walking around Cork in the misty drizzle shopping, and window shopping and strolling through the English Market (all kinds of fresh meat, fresh fruit, fresh seafood and lots of other amazing foods: cheeses, chocolate, breads. Kenz and I bought fresh pesto. yum.) Kenz and I had falafels for lunch and sat in a little bar/cafe to eat them and have cappuccinos, while the boys went to a pub for brunch. Oh right! The boys…

After Mackensy and I woke from napping yesterday, we went downstairs and made dinner, and when we came back upstairs we met some guys from Wisconsin who were in our room. While Kenz gave them her words of wisdom for traveling through Europe two more guys walked in and it turned out that their beds were right next to ours, literally, like not even a foot of space in between the bunks. Turns out they’re also from Wisconsin. (Hostels seriously must book Americans in the same room.) We talked to the new guys, Brad and Ben, for a bit and decided to hit up the pubs with them. So while they got dinner, we showered and got ready and the four of us headed toward Oliver Plunkett St.

After a bit of walking up and down the road, debating where to go, we stopped in a pub called Rob Roy’s, ordered a round of pints, and sat at a little table and chatted, while trying to follow the rugby match. A guy at the next table overheard our American accents and asked where we were from. Turns out he is from Baltimore, but lives here in Cork where he oversees a division of his family’s business. So he joined us and we drank and talked and Chris, the guy from Baltimore, explained the game of rugby to us. After a few more rounds and a few cigarettes (I know, I know Chris took us to Savoy, a club on Patrick St. which is sort of the main drag in downtown Cork. The downtown area is beautiful during the day, but way cool at night, with color-changing lights lining the streets, and loads of pub-hoppers and clubbers. Savoy was all right with two dance floors and three bars, but nothing special even though we had to pay a €6 cover.(Chris explained the mezzanine was closed, so that was why it kind of sucked). We only stayed long enough for one or two beers before “tour guide” Chris took us back to Oliver Plunkett and into The Old Oak. Known as the best pub in all of Ireland (as Brad and Ben had told us earlier. They wanted to go, but we couldn’t find it! Meeting Chris was fate , it really was a cool place, big dance floor, a couple different sitting rooms, smoking patio, and great music.We didn’t get to stay long unfortunately, because pubs close pretty early, some even earlier than bars in California and we were all a little bummed because it felt like our night had just begun! So we stopped at a little late-night eatery, got “chips” and hung out on the streets with hords of drunk Irish folk. Groups of guys singing and celebrating a rugby win, fist fights, girls dressed to the nines (though horrible fashion faux pas seemed the trend), and the five of us. Though we had just met the boys, and they had just met us and each other, it felt like being with old friends. Kenz and I felt comfortable with them, and Chris made us all feel like family in a foreign city full of strangers. I guess there is something to say about finding a little piece of “home” no matter where you may be, and what that “:home” is, even if it is just one of your countrymen… or countrywomen Overall, we had a super fun night, and before walking back up to Kinlay House, we made plans to meet up with Chris tomorrow (which is tonight) at Rob Roy’s, and said good night. Mel

journal entry . day 12 . Cork

03 June 2007

We woke to a rainy day yesterday, the day we spent walking all over Cork, and today, as we wait for our bus to leave Cork for Kilkenny, the sun is shining and the streets are dry. Murphy’s Law seems to have plagued us a bit over the past week and a half. (At least Brad and Ben will have nice weather to go see Blarney Castle. We just saw them here at the bus station, buying tickets for the bus to Blarney.) But I’m smiling and even laughing ocassionally as I sit in the Busaras, remembering little details about last night…

After Kenz finished curling her hair we went upstairs to wake Brad and Ben who were napping. On our way to Oliver Plunkett Street, we stopped in Supervalu (no e) in Merchant’s Quay Centre and stocked up on a few tall boys of Carlsberg. Kenz and I decided that tonight we would employ the sneak-a-drink! Brad and Ben were a little shocked, (like they’ve never snuck beers into a bar before!… oh wait, well, they hadn’t!) and Ben didn’t want to do it at all. So we bought six cans, two for each of us minus Ben, hid them in our purses and went over to Rob Roy’s.
It was pretty empty whe we first arrived and Chris wasn’t there but we figured he’d arrive later for the Ireland/Argentina rugby match. Kenz and I got a pint of Calrsberg and an extra glass We’re such rebels. (In the Rebel County too!) Brad got a Carlsberg too, and Ben got a Bulmers and we sat at the same table as then night before. I pulled out the pink cards and we played a few rounds of Asshole (I was the asshole EVERY hand. UGH )as the pub slowly started to fill. We cracked a couple of the tall boys under the table, and Kenz and I had to get up and go to the ladies a few times when it was impossible to be sneaky out in the open. Chris finally showed up and joined us and soon after the place was PACKED. Watching the rugby match in, as Chris informed us, the BEST rugby pub in Cork was such a great experience. Especially having Chris there to explain the rules, and what was happening and why, made it an even more exhilarating experience. Rugby is so awesome to watch when you actually understand what is going on! And to be in that crowd, rooting for Ireland, was amazing. Unfortunately Ireland lost but it was still a great time. Chris’s fiancee Teresa showed up and joined us. (Kenz and I were a little bummed b/c we both ADORE Chris. He is the kind of guy we both want to marry. He’s like, perfect.) Teresa, a cute blonde Irishwoman, was such a cool chick though, and the six of us had a blast together at Rob Roy’s, just drinking and talking and laughing. Kenz and I each took a Carlsberg pint glass with the “Official Sponsor of The Irish Team” logo imprinted on it. We’ve been total pint glass thieves
After Rob Roy’s we walked in the rain to a nightclub. I can’t remember where it was or what it was called; a true testament to my Irish roots! I can drink with the best of ‘em, but don’t expect me to remember everything! Kenz and Brad didn’t want to go in, so Ben and Chris and Teresa and I went inside. It was very hot and very empty, until we explored a bit and found other rooms that were packed. I got a beer and danced with Teresa a bit, even though no else was on the dance floor until we started dancing. Then we went upstairs to smoke and spent the rest of the night there. It was like a completely different place, with pool tables and another bar and an enclosed smoking patio. We talked and laughed hysterically, most of the time because of Teresa and her ecstatic chattiness and cute Irish accent and voice. Ben was dying, he could hardly breathe he was laughing so hard! Suffice it to say, we had a crazy, drunken fun time. After they kicked us out we stopped at the falafel place and got souvlakis and talked and hugged and said our good byes. Teresa and I exchanged email addresses (I hope I can find it) and she and Chris hailed a cab, as Ben and I walked the quiet streets of Cork back to Kinlay House…
All in all, Cork was a blast, brilliant as Chris would say, and I am so glad we came here. So many people told us it sucked, or was lame, or was just another big city, nothing special. It turned out to be two of the best nights we have had so far. (With the possible exception of that night in Temple Bar Now, off to Kilkenny. Mel

After traipsing around Kilkenny for the better part of an hour, in the rain, we got lucky. We were a bit worried at first, as the first hostel we tried, in the Old Methodist Church, was a run-down shamble of a building with broken windows and boxes and furniture all askew in the front rooms. We rang the bell anyway, a sign of our desperation, to no avail. So we walked until we came across the Kilkenny Tourist Hostel on Parliament Street. A beautiful old building covered in ivy, with a huge, heavy bright red front door. We walked in and our spirits were instantly uplifted as the girl at the desk, who had long dreadlocks and wore glasses, told us they had just a few beds left! We sat in the living room by the fireplace while the girl checked us in and relaxed for a moment. Not only was it the June Bank Holiday, but Kilkenny was hosting a huge international comedy festival, so we were certainly lucky to find a place to sleep, and happy that the place was not just decent, but very nice and very homey. We walked into our room and saw a bunch of guys asleep in their beds. So we quietly settled and changed, in the bathroom , and set off to find some food.
We had some garlic cheese “chips” at Uncle Sam’s American Eatery, although not much about the place was American (we would not call fries, “chips”, for one). We tried to find a falafel place but there weren’t any. So we went to a grocery store in a mall (typical of Ireland) and got milk and broccoli for our pesto pasta, and bottles of water. When we got back to the hostel, the “sleeping beauties” were awake and they turned out to be Irish cuties from County Clare They were all dressed and ready to go out for the night. A mixture of men’s cologne permeated the air in the room and I inhaled deeply. Guy smell is such a turn on We talked to them for a bit even though it was slightly difficult to understand them and they seemed a little shy. They invited us for a drink and said they would be at Matt The Miller’s, a pub just down the street near Kilkenny Castle… We’ll see Mel

journal entry . day 13 . Cork & Kilkenny

The Eire Diaries – days 9-11

30 May 2007

We got up super early today, around 6. Showered, dressed annoyed the French girls in our room (who were bitches anyway), and set off to catch our bus to Killarney. We were disappointed to see the rainy weather but at least it was on a travel day for us. I was hoping we’d get lucky again though. I guess the luck o’ the Irish can’t always be on one’s side, even while in Ireland! Um, yeah. Anyway, the bus ride from Galway to Killarney was long, four hours, which was the same length of time it took to get to Galway from Dublin. We had to transfer busses in Limerick, which did, in fact, look a little ghetto, as we were told, but not too bad. Fortunately we didn’t have to wait too long in the rain, as our next bus pulled up right away. We arrived in Killarney around noon and started to walk. We stopped at a fruit stand and got a few apples and oranges and bananas, and finally made it to our hostel, Neptune’s. It is okay, but nothing like Sleepzone. We were truly spoiled there and now I am certain we will be disappointed with every hostel.
It was drizzling when we arrived. We dropped off our luggage but it was still too early to check in. So we sat in a cafe and had coffee and soup and the fabulous Irish soda bread. Then we went to the Tesco grocery “arcade”, though not quite as nice as Dunnes, which we love. After we went back to Neptune’s and checked in we walked down the street a bit and discovered St. Mary’s, a cathedral at the edge of town right across from the Killarney National Park. I love all the old gothic cathedrals, the stained glass, the creaking floors, the worn pews, the old engravings and plaques. Even though I am not a parishioner or worshipper of any specific organized church/religion, I still stand in awe of those sacred places, in awe of the history, the architecture, the amazing faith of those who do believe, and dedicate so much of their thoughts and their lives to their religion, specifically catholicism. I don’t understand it but it is fascinating, especially knowing what a huge role religion has played in history.
After we walked around inside St. Mary’s we went across the street and through the entrance to the Killarney National Park, where the rhododendrons have overtaken the forest floor, like a contagious cold or disease spreads through a community. It is a beautiful flower, but shades so much of the forest that seedlings from the oak trees cannot receive enough sunlight to take root, and that is jeopardizing the area’s eco-system. We watched as workers used chainsaws to cut down the plants, which grow enormous, overwhelmingly so. It is quite an undertaking. We read about how anyone who would like to help can do so in the summer, and only 45 euro for two weeks secures one a hostel and food. We seriously considered staying two extra weeks to do that.
We walked the two and a half kilometres to Ross Castle, or as they say in Gaelic, Caislean Ross. We saw the “jaunting cars”, horse carriages, trotting through the park, and even got to pet one named Jessica. She was dripping with sweat. The poor animals pull a cart with as many as 8-10 people. How cruel. Lazy American tourists. Mel

Kenz made dinner. Left overs from last night’s pasta with some more fresh peppers and garlic and broccoli mixed in.She wasn’t feeling well (uh oh her turn) and went to bed early. I have no idea what is planned for tomorrow, since we don’t plan really, but if the rain persists it might become another boring, wasted day. Mel

journal entry . day 9 . Killarney

31 May 2007

It is sunny and beautiful! I feel like I’ve used that word so many times in the past week. Beautiful. It’s begun to lose its meaning.
We are unsure of how long we have with the sunshine, as the weather can turn quickly here. It is just as unpredictable as the weather in California, maybe even more so, since rain is more common here.One just never knows quite when it’ll happen. Mel

Everybody smokes in Ireland. No joke. EVERYONE. And they call parking lots, car parks. They drive on the wrong side of the road. And the driver’s seat is on the right, not the left. Many people ride the bus, all over Ireland, Bus Eireann, since it is easy and the busses are really nice coaches. Signs at bus stations read “Please watch out for moving vehicles at the yellow kerbs.” ha ha. Kenz and I decided to adopt that word as slang. “That’s so kerb.” The Irish say, “Good craic (crack).” Meaning it was a good time, or good conversation. I feel like such an obvious tourist, every time I speak. My American accent sounds so out of place and boring, and I feel as if every time I open my mouth I’m being judged by it. I’d almost rather not speak to anyone, and just smile. Mel

We’re in Cork now. Our hostel, Bru, is definitely the hippest one yet, with a nice bar instead of a lobby We’re in room 401, the penthouse, which seems more like an apartment with two bedrooms, a walk-in closet, a kitchenette, and a jacuzzi jet tub in the bathroom! The place is packed with people’s stuff though, and a little dirty and smelly, as if they live there, or at least have stayed a good while. I’m sitting at the bar, having a pint of Guinness, while Kenz is upstairs in the kitchen/”wroom” downloading pics to the internet. She saw a USB cable in our room and is “borrowing” it. Sneaky. She also stole a little shamrock pendant at the Kylemore Abbey gift shop, to hang from her cross necklace. Its leaves are made from Connemara marble. I told her that since she stole it, it wouldn’t be good luck. Her argument was that bad luck always turns out to be good luck for her! Which is actually true sometimes, oddly enough. Mel

We aren’t quite sure what we’ll do tonight. I’m glad we came to Cork though. Yeah, it’s just a city, but it seems more real, less tourist-y. Killarney was a little boring, though we didn’t see much, and Neptune’s wasn’t the most comfortable place. Tomorrow if the weather clears *fingers crossed* we might ride bikes up to Blarney Castle. It is only about 8 km outside of Cork, but we also need to find out what the roads are like before we commit to that. Mel

journal entry . day 10 . Killarney & Cork

01 June 2001

Rabbit rabbit Last night we made dinner again. Some pasta and vegetables. We met a few of our dorm mates before dinner, Graham from England and Sebastian from France. Nice guys.We watched this INSANE drunk-driving PSA on the tv in the dining room. It was horrific. They are hard-core about that issue, since eveyone in Ireland drinks and all.
After Kenz came down to Bru bar yesterday, we sat for a bit, and ended up meeting a guy named Eric from South Carolina. We talked to Effa (eefah), the bartender/concierge/front desk about biking and availability for tonight but they were booked. So we finished our pints and walked up the street to Sheila’s hostel but they were booked as well, and we realized that it is the June Bank holiday weekend in Ireland. So we’re not sure what we’ll do. Uncertainty certainly seems to be the theme of this trip Mel

After dinnner, and that scary PSA, we went down to the bar. I love having a bar IN our hostel, so convenient. We had a few pints, and I took the Heineken glass I had because it had the Bru Bar & Hostel logo on the other side Since the pubs have to close early, mandated by Irish law, they put up these large shades and blockaded the front door, so they could keep serving! Very cool. If you wanted to leave you’d exit through the side door, but couldn’t come back in unless you were staying in the hostel. After that we just went upstairs to bed… ha ha how boring are we! Whatever…
We woke this morning. had breakfast, dressed and packed. I had a slight headache, which sucks. I still kind of do. We left our luggage and trekked off to find a room for tonight. We got a little lost but eventually found Kinlay House, and luckily they had a few beds available for €16 each. After we secured the beds at Kinlay, we bought bus tickets to Blarney. Very cute little town just outside of Cork and as we walked to Blarney Castle from the bus stop we realized how lucky we were to have nice, sunny weather.
The castle was very cool (so kerb LOL), the grounds lush and green, with a trickling creek, and the Rock Close. The history of the castle is quite dramatic, like most. And, of course, there is the Blarney Stone. Up many flights of steep spiraling stairs carved out of the stone, that get narrower as you go higher, we waited in the “queue”, as they say here. No one says “line”. There are passageways to other rooms as you go, and the view from the top is a little dizzying, but beautiful, as you can glimpse much of the town. When it was finally our turn to kiss the Blarney Stone I went first. I had to take off my beanie and sit on the mat facing away from the wall. Then I had to lay on my back and grab the rail, sliding down little by little while one guy held onto me and another took a picture. (They certainly have interesting jobs.) Crazy. Kenz took a picture too and then I took a pic of her kising it. It is such a weird concept, to kiss this stone believed to give anyone who does, “the gift of gab.” (Jeffrey kissed it and it worked on him all right! He’s a genuine chatty cathy, when he’s drunk that is Everyone from Winston Churchill, to a few U.S. Presidents, celebrities and millions of people all over the world, have kissed the Blarney Stone… I wonder if they ever clean it
We walked to the Rock Close after and saw the wishing stairs and the witch’s kitchen. We ran into Tracey and Matt, the newlywed couple from Baltimore, who were on our Cliffs of Moher tour! They told us they also saw us walking down the street in Killarney as they were driving by! Weird.
We sat on a little wooden bridge, our feet dangling above the creek, and ate our fruit. Then we walked around the town square for a bit, hopped back on the bus and went back into Cork, picked up our luggage from Bru and made our way to Kinlay House. Time for a nap, because we are going OUT tonight Mel

journal entry . day 11 . Cork & Blarney

P.S. It wasn’t a drunk-driving PSA, it was an anti-speeding PSA and I found it on youtube. Check it out, but I’m warning you, it is VERY graphic.