Eirann Go Bragh

Ireland is the least foreign foreign country I've ever visited, which is helpful, since it's the first place I've visited alone. I didn't secure a hostel in advance (I know, I know) so I ended up staying in the last room available in the entire city (per ze internets). This was not a good way to spend my first night alone, but it was a great lesson: always plan ahead. Flying by the seat of your pants sounds sexy until you are surrounded by drunk teenagers at 4 in the morning, desperately trying to get enough sleep for next 8 hours of exploration. 

I spent the morning at the Guinness Storehouse learning how beer is made. I finally know what barley looks like (wheat) and learned that hops is a plant that grows up to 15 feet tall when strung up by growers. I also learned about coopers, the craftsmen that made waterproof wooden barrels by hand (they used steam to push the boards together) - at the end of the tour I got a pint of guinness, which tasted a little different from the guinness they serve at home (less good).

This a photo of part of the Guinness factory, which reminded me a bit of Charlie and the Chocolate factory. 

I spent the afternoon on a three hour walking tour of Dublin. The company works for tips only and only employs locals. While on the tour I noticed/learned/thought the following things: 

 Clover is everywhere. 

This church had the family coats of arms carved into the woodwork. I want to make one and have someone carve it into my front door.

This beautiful thing was built to hide the unsightly ghetto that was behind it years ago:

This is the Christ Church Cathedral. It has catacombs you can explore underneath for 6 euros. I'd like to go, but it looks like I'm going to run out of time before I get there. 

More great wall art.

It rains all of the time in Ireland. You should just suck it up and buy a ridiculously expensive, lifetime guaranteed umbrella made by some company that's been making umbrellas for the last 200 years. Maybe something made out of mahogany or ivory tusks or alligator bones. I'm now on my third cheap umbrella because I can't convince myself to follow my own advice and because I like to fill landfills and because I like to pretend I'm surprised and disappointed when my plastic piece of crap can't withstand a wee bit of wind.

Our tour guide told us about the potato famine and said that, at the time, the island was producing more than twice the food necessary to sustain its inhabitants, but that unaffected crops were mostly cash crops which were sold to England and that Soldiers were deployed to prevent islanders from eating the crops they produced, at their own peril. I haven't had time to read up on this to understand exactly what happened, but it's on my short list of things to do. 

After the tour, the rain slowed to a drizzle and the sun came out. The following three pictures do not begin to depict how beautiful it was - the light striking out through the clouds, the last few fat rain drops, the swans, and the people coming out from under the trees they'd sought shelter under - all at once. 

Then I found some good and inexpensive Indian food and took my exhausted butt home - home being a much, much nicer hostel than the night prior: 

The next day I plodded out to Kilmainham Gaol (an old prison) and saw these things along the way: 

This is the interior of Kilmainham Gaol. It was built in the late 18th century, and, according to what I found interesting and remembered from the tour, it's significant for a number of reasons: when it was built it was a state of the art facility and was one of the first prisons to separate the prisoners rather than throwing them together in a large room (to avoid violence and disease). The new idea was to reform the prisoners by ensuring silence (so they wouldn't negatively influence one another) and exposing them to the godly goodness of sunlight. Prisoners included women, men, and children as young as 5 and was also the site where many of the revolutionary leaders of 1916 were executed.  

That afternoon I caught a train to Belfast and hit the couchsurfing jackpot (beginners luck?). More on that later. Hugs, Erin

Remainder of London

The next day I set off to explore the city. A few minutes later, I saw this cab - upon reflection of the week, I agree.

First stop was the free and fantastic Tate Museum of modern art, which I accessed by crossing over the Millenium Bridge:

Next was hyde and green park and Buckingham Palace. I spotted a man walking a ferret, which was more interesting than staring at the gates of the palace.

I had fish and chips for lunch, which were bland and not delicious, but Chris tells me that's because I got them from a pub and not a special fish and chips shop - I'll have to try again later. 

Then, I went to the British Museum, which is free and a very popular tourist attraction. It's huge but I disliked it immensely because there were not enough museum staff on hand to control the crowds. It literally took me more than 4 minutes to read the informational plaque in front of the rosetta stone because people physically pushed me out of the way in order to photograph it (not read it, photograph it). In another room, people were touching and leaning against pieces that were thousands of years old. I found the whole thing very stressful and left. 

That night, I ate at a delicious vegetarian restaurant and saw Andrew Maxwell at a comedy show:

There, I learned about alcoholic ginger beer, which is now my favorite type of beer:

Now, three random things about London: 

The metro in London is called the "Underground" or the "Tube." It's the best city transportation system I've ever used - very easy to navigate, clean, and has frequent trains; I never had to wait more than 4 minutes. At the more popular stations they've installed LCD screens along the escalators that flash advertisements at you. I didn't particularly appreciate it because the flashing screens make it impossible for you to ignore, but I suppose that's the point... 

Also, everyone drives on the left side of the road here. In order to minimize tourist accidents/deaths, the crosswalks are painted to tell people to check for traffic. Checking the street for traffic before crossing isn't something I give a lot of thought to at home, but here I read the sign every time - it's a bit like learning how to drive stick in the beginning when you have to carefully and consciously shift gears. 

Also, a lot of the toilets I used flush when you wave your hand in front of a small, circular sensor. I am going to have one installed in my future home. 

The best thing I did in London was visit the Wellcome Collection. It hosts a floor of very interesting things - mostly medical, but not all. I didn't have to feign interest in a single exhibit - my eyes never glossed over while reading descriptions - and I was sad when I learned it was contained on a single floor. If you go to London, go there.

I mean, who doesn't want to see 19th century Italian porn?

Or the robot that was used during the human genome project?

Or forceps from 1726?

Or an old wooden model of a pregnant woman used for teaching OBGYN professionals in the 18th century?

That night, I went to London's equivalent of NYC's Time's Square and saw the musical "Blood Brothers," which has been running for over 20 years. 

The next evening,  I headed to the country and had an amazing vegetarian feast, lots of wine and I learned that in England you can foster children as a job. It doesn't pay a lot, but it pays enough to get by. I am jealous, of course.

The next day I spent hours and hours looking for the docks from which tour boats depart. 

Along the way, I found Big Ben, which (in a very knowing tone), is the name of the bell - not the clock or the tower. Now I know that, which means I'm better than people that don't. (oy vey)

Finally, a tour boat! 

The rings were installed underneath the tower bridge.  Or, as I'm reminded, tower bridge - many people here drop "the" when referring to places.  For example, instead of saying "I went to the library" they'd say, "I went to library." 

Then,  I was faced with my first night alone overseas, ever. Luckily, a guy from couch surfing.org messaged me and we met up for beer and nachos at a local pub and talked for a couple of hours, so it was bearable. Then I checked into a hostel and shared a room with 5 other girls. I was apprehensive but it turned out I chose a very nice hostel with beautiful wood, a knight in shining armor, and bunk beds with thick red velvet curtains for privacy. 

Now, for some art. I wish these lips were aligned... 

And that's my week in London. I'm going to miss the tube and the $6 fresh baguette sandwiches. Exploring London by myself during the day was a nice way to ease into traveling alone, which is an incredibly different feeling from traveling with friends. I'm not entirely sure it's for me, but we'll see what Ireland holds next week. Much love, Erin.