Back to Dublin!

Headed back to Dublin for the weekend, and Friday night I met up with a friend who took me to a bar called "The Apartment" which is an apartment. Maybe I need to do this idea in the states? It was packed! We also went to another locals bar where there was loads of craic. It is interesting going out here as all of the pubs are ion a close vicinity and the streets are packed with people. My friend told me that there are less people out and about now because of the recession though.

Saturday found me with nothing to do. I had a lot of options, but I had a moment of missing my friends and family terribly. I have packed in so many activities in addition to farmwork over the last few weeks and I think it all caught up with me. I was wishing that I had my friends here to just go grab a bite to eat with and share some stories. Thus I played it low key and took myself to a movie. The movie was called "The Concert" and is Russian and really good. Made me smile at the end which is what I was looking for. Brief synopsis as follows "Conductor of orchestra is demoted to cleaning man after he won't fire the Jewish people in the orchestra 30 years prior and has never conducted again. Decided to get together his rag tag bunch of musicians and impersonate the Bolshoi orchestra in Paris." It was really entertaining.

Post movie I was going to head to bed but it was 8:00 pm. I gave myself a pep talk that sounded something like this "Jessica you worked 6 days a week for the last year to go on this trip now go have some fun!" so I took myself to the oldest pub in Dublin. Now up to this point I had yet to go to a pub in the evening by myself. There are those minutes when you are sitting at the bar wishing you had a book feeling like a yellow flower in a field of grey. Then the locals start with the craic and you are glad you came. My new friend last night was a gentleman by the name of Gareth who was Welsh and said things like "Blimey" in a cockney accent. It was thoroughly entertaining. He enlightened me on the local snack in Wales called "Pig Scratchings" and it is dried pig skins served in bags like potato chips. He said it will sometimes still have the hair on it. GROSS. The bartender was a friendly gentleman as well and kept trying to give me free shots of whiskey. Just say no! I just cannot drink whiskey no matter how much time I spend in Ireland! I entertained the locals with my wide array of jokes and there were many laughs to be found.

Sunday morning arrived and I attended the Unitarian church in Dublin.It was interesting to compare their service with my church back home, and made me miss my church all the more. It did refill my spiritual well and was a great hour spent in a calm and reflective state. The sermon I completely tuned out for as it was an analysis of Dan Brown's book "Demons & Angels." Ah Unitarians, really they can preach about anything! The readings were perfect for my overall existential mood and feelings throughout this trip.
My favorite reading was : We are in this world and of its very texture. May we do nothing that would leave the world the worse for our use of it. May we treat all creation with respect. .... May our help be always practical, cheerful, and ungrudgingly given. Keep us from all hasty judgments and condemnations. Give us courage always to build up rather than to destroy.

Sunday afternoon is here and it is time to head to Galway and the Aran Islands. Really looking forward to it! Also the American WWoofer Allison is coming with me so I will have a friend to pal around with.