Traveling seeker in British Isles

Information entry:

This is my first entry to my blog since arriving in Dublin, Ireland. I have been unable to get my computer set up to download the blogs that I write. I’m staying in a Hostel that doesn’t have a network (surprise) and I have had a time getting it properly set up. But I have been writing them as I do along (mostly).

I am leaving Dublin for the isolated West this Thursday the 26th of January 2006. If you think the blogs have been long in coming here- just wait. From what I hear, I’m going back in time in the West. So until I get there I have no way of knowing what I can expect. I might have to travel to another area to download the blogs to this site. Bear with me. I’m not a big techy girl to begin with, so I have to depend on others to assist.

I know that this is out of order to the blogs that will follow – but I want to give a sum up of the city that I am experiencing.

· Dublin is like New York City, USA- there is more NON-Irish then there is Irish. It’s a city of transit. Meaning, most everyone here (that I have encountered) is from another country – traveling through.
· There is a sharp difference in ages. The very old of Ireland and the 20 something of kids from other countries. Middle age must not be in the general area of where I am staying or going.
· There are more “Irish bars” for the natives. The Swan for one. This has locals, mostly men and some of them “dirty-old-men” types. If your Irish, I think you know what I mean. And I didn’t find them all that friendly. But then again, I’m a woman in her 40’s and have weight on me. Don’t know which one turned them off – but I’m grateful.
· Every square inch of land is developed (except Stevens Green and Trinity Collage. There is a store front one next to the other and no space in-between.
· At 5PM-6PM the very bright colored storefronts turn into steal garage doors and steel bars. It gives it a very “crime” feel to it.
· There are people on the streets at all hours. Your never ALONE and scared, people are everywhere but at night I get an odd feeling and am a bit scared of purse-snatchers.
· The only real crime is purse snatching – but not from your person as much as at a coffee house or shopping area when you put it down. My friend got her purse snatched while sitting with a group of people having tea. People all around and no one saw anything. A woman in the same group got a camera taken out of the bottom of a backpack – and the backpack was on her back the whole time! So they are crafty these thief’s. The funny thing is that there are a lot of cameras hidden in these places and no more then 15 min after the robbery was found out- the police (called Gardai) arrived and looked at the tape and recognized the thief as a heron attack that was scheduled to be at the gardai station that very afternoon for another “issue” from earlier in the week. So that very afternoon the thief arrived at the gardai station and ended up telling them exactly were he had dropped the purse. And by the next day it was returned to my friend at the Hostel with all the contents except 10 euro! Very efficient!
· There are 1 million people in Dublin. Exactly half walk and the other half drives. There is never a time that there is not tons of traffic buzzing by and people bussing by me as I walk!
· Everyone is in a hurry here. (Also per New York reference). I have no idea where the hell they are going- but they are sooo fast! I know that I walk like a Sunday stroll- but this is odd. I have to really pick up my pace to get out of the way of the people and the cars! I counted that I was almost hit by a car 5 times in one afternoon!
· They drive like crazy here! One nice thing – I didn’t see one GAS-GUZZELING-SUV’s here! YEA! All small cars. And they use them like they are toy cars – buzzing in and out of traffic and alleyways! CRAZY!
· It is really easy to get around here. Lots and lots of walking – but still very easy to maneuver. Even though on my first day out- I got very lost and walked till I wanted to faint!
· The thing that messed me up – is I thought if you are on one street all the way- it stays the same name- WRONG. Every block is a different street name. After you realize that – you see that even though you are walking 10 min down one street- the name changed 10 times! Then the map makes sense.
· In the 7 days since being here- I have heard the languages of other countries MORE than Irish borough. I don’t even know what I’m hearing- I have no experience to hearing these languages.
· How to maneuver in a hostel is a whole page. I will have to take that on another time.
· No 24 hour ANYTHING here. PERIOD.
· It’s winter (Jan) it gets dark at 5pm.
· I was told that January is the worst rain month. It was wrong. There has not been one day of rain since I arrived. Great weather, light jacket needed. It’s been a balmy 40 degrees. I’m upset that I have been lugging around a wool long coat and heavy heavy waterproof boots!
· Euro money doesn’t hold up well. Not in spending or in carrying. The paper it is made of is crappy. It looks like a piece of receipt in a day or two all balled up and thin. It’s very expensive here. NOTHING seems to be under 1 euro or 2.
· Internet is big business. I have seen such a range of prices from 1 euro for 5 min to 1 hour and more. It makes no sense. And boy does time fly when you pay by the minute! I think most of my money was spent on hostels and Internet.
· Great food! Every kind you can imagine. Everywhere. Easy to find – all accept Irish stew. Haven’t found it yet- but haven’t been able to eat for days.
· Guinness is good, strong and gets me drunk on a ½ of pint!
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Tags: Travel

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