My New Work Out Buddies

As some of you may know, we have two kittens (closer to cats now) at the Le Prieure.  They stay down the steps by Tim's apartment.  Also down in this area is the weight room I go to for working out.  For the last 5 times I have gone to the weight room, one or both cats have joined me.   The cat that has been with me most of the time has been the white and grey cat from the picture above, who is sitting casually as Jay-Z stares at him.  Maybe working out with me has made him braver or, more likely, less bright.

The cats are interesting in the weight room, because when they first went, they just liked to run in it and explore.  More recently they have taken to trying participate with me while I lifted.  The white cat, particularly loves to jump on my lap and sit while I am using the overhead weights on the one appartus.  He has recently started to "fluff" my lap while I lift.  This of course is a no-no that has lead to several unconfortable scratches,  He also likes to jump on me when I use the hand weights, and move under me while I do rows and sit-up combinations. Last week was almost  his last on nearth as he decided that he wanted to "explore" the weights while I had them in an up position on the machine.  I kicked, yelled and did wvwrything I could to get him to take his head out from under the 90 pounds of weights I was working with for the exercise.
The grey cat is a bit more shy, but when the white and grey cat jumps on my lap, the grey cat often jumps up and starts wrestling with him.  Now I don't have a huge lap, so as one pushes the other, and the cat silps, they try to grab onto whatever is handy, again, that is my lap.  More scratches where scratches shouldn't be!
I need to stop calling the cats grey and white and grey, and instead name them, at least for myself.  The grey cat is for evermore named Bashful, and the white and grey, due to its bravery and calmness around Jay-Z and its smooth manner in doing exercises with me will for now on be called Cool by me.

Rugby in Albi

Yesterday Lauren, Keirsten, Gabe and I went to Albi to see a rugby match.  Being hungry for sports of any sort, when I was asked to transport these three students, I eagerly accepted.  Originally we had thought that the match was to be played at 3 at another stadium, so we arrived for the 2 o'clock game, we were late.  The fact that we had to park about a mile away from the stadium didn't help matters, but we finally got there.  Imagine my delight and excitement with seeing Steeler Gold and Black colors on the flag of the Sports Club of Albi!  Fans in Black and Gold were all over the place.  Now the mascot is a yellow jacket, which brought me no comfort, but would have pleased my wife, a teacher a Ferndale H.S. for 35 years, where the mascot is, you guessed it, a yellow jacket!

For a releatively low price of 9 Euros, we each were able to get a seat at the very corner of the stadium, where we sat about 5 rows from the field.  Actually pretty great seats.  There was already about 17 minutes into the 40 minute half, so we did miss a bit.  Aurrilac led 7 to nil.  The fabs were cheering Albi, ici,ici.  which roughly means Albi, we are here, we are here.  And I thought Penn States "We are Penn State" was lame.  But we joined in the cheering.  Not knowing the rules, we tried to understand what was happening.  About 7minutes after we got these, a fight broke out on the field.  About 10 players were pounding and jumpimg on each other.  Now there are no helmets for the most part and no pads for these players, so the fighting was intense and several players got really banged up.  A couple were ejected.  The students and I were really interested in response from the fans, similar to hockey fans during a fight in the U.S.  We got into it as well!  Soon, Albi scored a touchdown and then a field goal, or something similar and took the lead 10-7.  They never looked back!

Another neat thing is the little car they use to take the tee for kicking field goals onto the field.  It is remote controlled and I thought very good in the muddy field. 

                                               The tee car (thanks Kirsten)
At half time a group of cheerleaders came onto the field.  A Lady Gaga song was started and the cheerleaders, that were dressed in much more clothing than the players, started to dance.  Well, I guess it was dancing.  The only person that looked liked it had any rhythm was the mascot.  They tried to do cartwheels and flips.  One cheerleader's head actually stuck in the mud when she tried to flip!  For the grand finally, the cheerleaders attempted to lift 2 members over their heads in some sort of pose.  The e cheerleaders were only placed about head high, which was lucky, as one was quickly dropped in the mud, tried to be lifted again and went down again.  It was hilarious!  As they left the field, they stopped in front of the grandstands, where the students and I cheered them loudly, but the rest of the fans seemed indifferent.  That's sad because they were very entertaining, albeit not very good.
As we walked out in the area with food stands, we were disappointed to see that you needed to have something called jetsons (tokens) for food and drink.  I was going to have a boisson, but couldn't due to not having jetsons and not really knowing how to procure them.
In the second half we had similar confusion over rules and such, but the final score favored Albi, so we, like everyone else, were quite excited.  I went into their souvenir shop, thinking I'd like to buy a tee shirt or something.  There had been signs for golf shirts with the team emblem for 15 Euros as well.  When I got there, no shirts of any sort were available in my size.   I'll try later, I guess.
As we left, we saw a sign that indicated there would be a bus for the game against Auch next Saturday night.  It is 12 Euros for the bus and 15 for the game, if i read the sign right (of course, there is no guarantee of that).  We are thinking about going!
After the rugby match we went to the Irish Pub for a pint and watched the Irish national team play the Argentine national team on TV.  Great fun all day!

The students at the rugby match!  These were the only empty seats in the stadium, so there were a lot of fans at the game.  Here, I'll show you.

Our Trip to Lourdes

Deb, John, all the students and I went to Lourdes today.  What a wonderful experience it was.  As many of you know, Lourdes is where Saint Bernadette saw the Virgin Mary for 18 days.  The site of the visits is now a shrine.  People from all over the world have had cures and there have been 67 recorded miracles involving Lourdes.
The grotto where Mary presented herself is still as it was those many years ago, but all around it are basillicas, churches, statues and other things.  There is also, of course, a huge tourist area. 

In the legend of Bernadette, Mary asked her to drink from the ground and eat the grass.   When Bernadette looked at the ground she just saw a wet area, with some mud, so she dug some dirt out with her hands and after 4 attempts, drank the water.  Since then water has been plentiful in this spot and is said to be Blessed by God.  From the water, there were baths made, and people come to those to be cured of moral and physical illnesses.  Some of the water has also been taken to other areas and shrines and people that haven't visited Lourdes, but bathed with or immersed themselves in the water claim cures and miracles.  It is really fascinating.

I am taking a little bit of the water home with me. 

The Basillica of Notre Dame of the Rosarie has beautiful mozaics throughout, and has several mosaics outside on its wall as well.  The were amazing.

The ride to Lourdes was 3.5 hours each way, so it made for a very long day.  It was well worth it.  I will have photos on Lourdes when we get to load them, so be watching!

                                                          The grotto at Lourdes

                          The Mozaic in the Notre Dame du la Rosarie (thanks, melanie for the pictures!)

Anniversary DInner

Deb and I went out for our 28th anniversary this evening.  We went to a restaurant named Le Veile d Albi, that was rcommended by Margaret and Peter.  We had a 7:30 in the evening reservation and when we arrived we were the only ones in the restaurant. This caused some concern, but we figured it would be okay.
We had an all French menu and a waitress that spoke no English.  And even though we knew some French dishes, we were unfamiliar with the majority of what was offered.  We finally recognized the word canard (duck), so we decided to have it.  We started with an excellent tasting salad, but other than the greens, I could not tell you one thing that was in it.  Our duck came out in a with anvy beans in a soup type broth, and with a piece of sausage.  It looked a bit strange, but was delicious. 
After I fnished the main dish, I needed to go to the toilet.  I found it, but for the life of me could not find the light, and it was very dark.  Taking some time, my eyes adjusted enough to find what I needed in the toilet, but it was still a tough assignment making sure that all things were properly performed, if you know what I mean.  When I went to wash my hands, I noticed a glow in the mirror.  I looked and the opoosite wall and found a light switch.  I will honestly say that I would have never imagined that the light would be there. 
I then returned for desert.  I had ordered something that said sorbet in the menu, and ended up with an apple turnover type thing with banana sorbet. It was delicious.  Deb had ordered chocolate cake with glace', (ice cream).  When she ate it, the glace' tasted lke roses smell.  It was very strange.
It was a very nice dinner and Deb and I were glad to be able to spend our 28th anniversary celebration in France.

                         This is actually a picture of Deb and I at the Thanksgiving Dinner.

Time to catch up on some pictures!

As promised earlier, I am going to place some photos from various locations here.  I will put some in today.

                                            Jenn, a Bird and I in front of the Jameson Distillery
What's great about this picture is that Jenn and I saw the bird before we started to taste test the three whiskeys and "graduated" as master tasters!

Also, while at the distillery, i made a few friends. 
The fellow on the left is from England, and the gentleman on the right is from Sweden.  They are both in Ireland on vacation from work in Germany, drinking whiskey with an American who is teachng in France!  What a small world, but wonderful, world we live in!

                                                              Jenn and I received "diplomas" at Jameson!


Although Bill and I are descendants of Irish immigrants, we aren't actually products of Ireland.

We also had some neat pictures from Paris.  This first one was at the Arche de Triumphe, I believe.

                           That's most of the gang and was a creative shot taken by Jenn.

Of course you can't have a Paris picture set without the following:


Yes, a boat on a river!  No actually this is one of the Eiffel Tower at night.  While Deb and Deb went up the tower partially,  Bill and I decided to save the money.  Its foolish to spend money on something you are going to have your eyes closed for, in my opinion.

                                           This is Venus at the Louvre.  That place was incredible.

This is a monument honoring all the men that died in Normandy from the Big Red 1 Division.  This was a very somber place and was even more special because we were there on Veteran's Day!

Le Mont St. Michel was incredible!  I can see why it is considered one of the 7 man made wonders of the world.

Well, that's all for now.  once again, i hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving.

Sick day in Ambialet and giving thanks

Thus far, while being here, I have felt remarkably healthy.  That ended this morning when I awoke with a fever, stomach discomfort and a headache.  My body ached and I felt completely worn out.  Deb and I had planned to join the rest of the group going to 2 museums in Albi, but I decided I just wouldn't do to well being out and about.

I am not sure what occurred that caused my illness, and as of 10:43 this evening, I am at times feeling a little better, and then feeling sick.  I slept most of the day.  With our Thanksgiving celebration coming up, I am concerned that I become healthy enough to attend tomorrow's get together.

Here is hoping all of you have a great Thanksgiving tomorrow.  If you are from out of the U.S., it is a day that U.S. citizens celebrate the dinner the Native Americans and Pilgrims enjoyed many years ago.  It is a day of giving thanks for all the wonderful things we have been given.  I have to think this semester is something I am, indeed, thankful for.  I have met some wonderful people, particularly the students and John.  I've had a chance to get to know Lori Woods better, and have really enjoyed being around her.  The staff at the Ambialet site have been really nice to work with as well. Tim, Gerry, Sophie, Marie, and Bernard are all dedicated, wonderful people that have made our time here special.  Our friendly neighbors, Peter and Margaret, have been so nice and helpful.
Of course, what I'm most thankful for has been the opportunity to be with Deb for these past few months, sharing this amazing adventure.  It was like living with another student at Ambialet, since we shared the same room.  But that has been fun as well. 
  Deb and I had the opportunity to travel through much of Europe with our oldest daughter, Jenn and had a wonderful time with my favorite cousin, Billy, and his wife in both Paris and Ireland.  Getting to know Luc and Floren (?) in Fontenay Aux Rose has been a real highlight.  The boys in the Pubs, including Noel, Eddie and the rest were a great joy to meet and interact with, and the trip to Ireland was an actual dream come true for me.  While missed my younest daughter, Caitlin, being able to Skype and IM her was really nice.  I just wished she could have had the time to join us here. 
Yes, its been a great semester with much to be thankful for, and I feel truly blessed.  I have to add that I would have never been comfortable with coming to France if not for my confidence in the abilities of Sue Black and Mary Latterner, back at SFU.  I am truly thankful for the good work they do!

The Need for Food

We  have been able to have bread almost every day since arriving in Ambialet.  It is part of the French culture to enjoy bread and wine with meals.  Most of the time we have had French bread that is relatively thin and long.  The crust is hard and at times a little difficult to chew, but always tasty.  One day we had run out of bread and John made a bread run.  The results are pictured below!


I almost felt like a fisherman with a big catch!  The bread was delicious and now we look for other types of breads when we go.  We have also been sampling different wines, because the 2010 wines "premiered" last week and have been sold for pretty good prices.  Overall, however, the wines have been a bit disappointing.  The white wine wass okay, but the rose was a bit vinegary and both reds had an aftertaste.  Listen to me, I'm starting to sound like a wine connoisseur! 

A Day in Toulouse

Since we had no other organized activities planned, several of us took a trip back to Toulouse to look at Saint Sernin's Basilica.  I was surprised that more didn't go since earlier in the week many students indicated they were planning to attend.  Deb and I even went to the crypt in the church to look at relics of the saints and other objects.  It was very interesting.  The altar is amazing in the Basilica, and roped off from people.

We also had a nice lunch at a cafe in Toulouse.  I had a fish with steamed vegetables meal that was surprisingly good, Deb and Keirsten had duck and John had fish and chips.  It was a pleasant meal, very relaxing.  I continue to look for the elusive pair of jeans.  We even returned to the store where I originally saw them and still haven't been able to find my size.  I think I have been in every C-A store possible!

The mall in Toulouse was decorated for Christmas.  Deb and I noticed something very interesting, none of the trees in the mall were green.  The trees were usually purple or pink, with an occasional white tree.  While attractive, it just seemed strange to us.  Someone said that this is how the French celebrate, and I think that's fine, but why pink and purple?  Trees in the woods here are as green as they are back home, and I've yet to come across a pink or purple one while walking around here.  And although the towns around here all have lights out, they are not turned on just yet.  John thinks it may happen on December 1. 

Christmas at the Mall in Toulouse

Melanie and Gabe were working on their "wine" tree today, but I've yet to look at it with them.  Maybe later.  We may also have another Mel Brook's movie, "Blazing Saddles"!  John's mom sent it to him in a "CARE" package.  Tomorrow we will just lay back and take it easy.

Passing time

Our time in France is starting to wind down.  John and I went into to town to get some more weights for the exercise room.  It was at a store called Go Sport.  While there I decided to get afew more pairs of socks, and started to talk to a very nice worker at the store about the socks.  She said she only spoke a little English, and that she was much better at Spanish.  That really didn't help, and I actually thought she did a pretty good job with English.  John was able to find an excellent deal on a coat, but when I tried to take the same coat without a price tag on it, they attempted to charge me much more.  Because I couldn't explain the situation, I just decided to take the coat back.  I also noticed that the fleece sweaters that were so popular in the U.S. a few years ago are very popular here now and go for top dollar, eh, euro.

We then went next door and found some Christmas lights and some inexpensive skin lotion.  I also found a manger scene, so we can at least decorate for the holidays while we are here.  Since Melanie still wants to make a wine bottle Christmas tree, we went to the hardware store for materials in the afternoon.  After an extensive search we found some things that "may" work for the Christmas tree.  I will say that we all did our very best at each dinner to "contribute" to the wine bottle collection.  Each empty bottle was set side for the project.  If the tree works out, I'll be sure to take a picture and place it here.

Tomorrow, several of us are traveling to Toulouse to just get away for a day.  It is the closest larger city, and I look forward to it. 

Things are starting to get back to normal, almost!

We are all starting to settle into our routine again.  I had classes here yesterday and did my online for SCWK 315 with Sue and my SOC 202 CE class caught up for the most part. 
There have been some problems. First, I have been trying to fix the internet so that it works on the ethernet as well as Wifi.  Usually when it goes down, it is the other way around, so I have been confused.  The person that set the system up is in Paris, so we were only able to talk to him on the phone.  He suggested that we do something that I had already tried, and that was to unplug the router and the main internet systems, and then let them reboot.  Now remember that the students have Wifi, although we can't get that in my room.  I have to use the classroom or common room to use the Wifi.  I opened the locked door to the internet machines and discovered there were about 8 different pieces of equipment and about 100 wires coming out of the them.  I also discovered that all the plugs came out of the back.

The Connection Lines for Communications and Internet

As anyone that knows me will attest, this is like giving a child a handgrenade to play with, which we all know should not be the first choice of toys!  I opened the door using a screw driver, (a not so minimal task for me at that), and proceded to reach behind and unplug all the power wires I could find.  There were plenty, believe me.  I then proceded to plug each back in.  It took about 20 minutes to make sure they were all in the right place. (Sophie later showed me where I could have just hit the breaker in the electric box to shut all the power down, 20 seconds, nit 20 minutes was needed) I then reset all the machines.  I went out into the hall way to see the results.  Deb had been working with her computer in the common room, so I went down stairs to see if the ethernet connections were working, and guess what, no luck.  I didn't panic, I just decided I'd have to work with the Wifi in the common room until I could get something to fix the ethernet.  Lori Woods was the first to ask me what happened to the Wifi, then Deb and then several students.  I explained that I had rebooted the system and that all should be fine now.  Au contraire mi ami! Now there was no internet anywhere!  As panic set in, I figured there had to be a simple explanation, so I got back into the area pictured above and started to look to see where lights weren't on.  No help, all were lit as before the great experiment.  So I started to think of what else could be wrong.  I thought maybe the router was having some problem since the reboot of the entire system.  No such luck, its lights were flashing as usual.  Just when I thought I better sneak out and find somewhere to stay until a repair person would come in, I noticed that the router cable looked a little loose.  Now I hadn't touched any of this, but I took it out and pushed it back in.  The lights continued to flash as before, but then someone from the student's hall stated that they had internet again.  Hurray!  Of course, still no ethernet line was working, but you can't have everything. 

I also found upon our return that there was no heat in Deb and my room.  Its nice to snuggle and all, but this would be a bit much.  So I looked around and found a space heater.  I plugged it in and there cam this godawful noise, a weird smell, and finally heat!  SO until the regular heat can be fixed, I guess this will do.

The other side of French golf

As many of you may know, I love to golf.  After coming home from church, because it was so beautiful, I decided to go out for 18 holes if I could find a course.  Golf d' Albi, where I have played was booked, so we went to the next nearest golf course, Golf de Florentin Galliac.  It was about 27 kilometers away in distance and about 300km in quality.  In fairness, it is mid November, so I didn't expect pristine conditions, but these were down right bad! 
The first tee was a mud box.  No grass.  Not a blade on the tee.  I teed up and hit a beauty right down the middle of what I guessed was a fairway, and couldn't find the ball.  Grass and leaves had taken over the fairway.  When I hit my approach on the green, I started to notice little clumps of mud everywhere, aand sure enough found quite a few on the green as well.
There was no sand in the the sand traps, none, not one grain.  I mean you'd expect an accidentally blown piece of sand to be in there, but no.  I actually "putted" with my 7 iron to get out of the traps near the green.  But starangely enough, I'd get out and be pretty close to the hole each time.  After John and I played, I had a total of 40 on the front 9!  Maybe I always need crumby conditions.  Once again, like in Ireland, I drove the ball well.  Unlike Ireland, there was no scenic view for the most part, just sides of hills.  John and I noticed that we were always climbing to the next tee box, after every hole.  It was strange.
The back nine had 3 par 5s.  That's plenty.  There was water everywhere from various small ponds and ditches ( not streams mind you, ditches).  But I only hit one near the water, none in!  On the back nine. which had a par of 37, I had a 42!  The greens were slow and had all kinds of barriers to the hole, but I putted very well, and even had a chip in for a par on one hole! 
My buddy John, the fearless leader, hadn't played in 4 years but did okay.  With a little practice, he could be pretty good.  I hope this is not my last time out this fall, but with the weather changing this week, it looks bleak for me and golf.

Three days of hotels

After we got back to Paris, we had to book a hotel so I could go to Fontenay Aux Roses and get the car, and then get back to the bus station where we were meeting the rest of the people.  We looked on line and saw many hotels near the station, but they were all terribly expensive.  Not wanting to put the school in great debt, I booked a night at the Miramar Hotel.  It had 3 stars rating and I felt that even though it was 140 Euros, it was the best we could get.  The first problem was that we were on the sixth floor, and the elevator only went to 5.  It made for a rough, narrow climb with our suitcases.  It also appeared that we were placed in the attic.  There was no room to stand in much of the bathroom.  There was no heat in the room, and it was not very clean.  Strange humming noises and vibrations kept us up most of the night, as well as a loud knocking that occurred intermittently in the walls.  It was a terrible nights sleep.
The next day we traveled to Le Mont de St. Michel.  We had been left in paris with directions to get to St. Michel, but it was a difficult trip.  We got lost several times.   It was an interesting place.  I was told that it is one of the 7 man made wonders of the world.  I  can believe it.  The church built it from 800 A.D. to 1300.  It is out on a Presque in the sea.  It is immense and quite spectacular.  We stayed in a hotel on Le Mont.  The hotel was small, but comfortable.  No internet was available, but the TV had 2 stations that broadcast in English for some shows that were on French stations, which was something we had not seen in France before.
That next day we were to travel to Omaha Beach, Normandy.  The other two cars left without us for some reason, after having given us questionable directions.  We got lost several times, and did not arrive before the others had been there and left.  Omaha Beach was very isolated and quiet.  There were a number memorials to the brave individuals that died there.  When we were ready to leave, we had little Idea ofd where we were going, again! This sort of exasperated me because the next part of the journey was to a city called Nantes.  It is a large city.  We were again given directions that were not only difficult to understand, but were inaccurate.  We spent the better part of 2 hours traveling throughout Nantes looking for our hotel.  It was a miserable trip.
The hotel in Nantes was on a small isle in the middle of the city.  It had no parking.  My bed was too short for me !!  Anyone can tell you that I'm not exactly tall.  The bathroom was moldy and the pillows had a very strange smell to them.  Not a very pleasant place to stay, although the person at the desk was quite nice.
We left the hotel and went to 2 Chateaus.  One was for Britannia in Nantes and one out side the city.  The hotel in Nantes had a great history museum that not only explored the Chateau when it was built, but throughout the centuries, including a great deal of information about Nantes and the slave trade.  The other Chateau was a lovely country chateau that is a historic place that included amazing pictures and decorations in the chateau, and is related to a famous vineyard that makes delicious wine that we were able to sample. 

The country chateau had a great fireplace and was that was good because it was quite cold. John Tolan, who wrote the book about Saint Francis of Assissi meeting and talking to a Sultan was at the chateau and discussed his work.  Unfortunately since I hadn't slept well the night before in my mini-bed, I fell asleep during his talk and missed quite a bit.  I plan to read the book though.

I guess word had gotten out about my frustration with being left on our own to find things the days before, so I was able to follow all day.  It made for a better trip, even though we were deluged with rain on the way home.

The Dublin Zoo

This will be our last full day in Dublin.  Since Jenn loves zoos and since we have heard a great deal about the Dublin zoo's efforts to help endangered speicies, we spent the day walking around the zoo.  It was really an exciting zoo that allowed you to be closer than any zoo I have ever been to in my life.  It was really fun and I was able to get some neat video.  We were able to watch rhinos fighting (really quite intersting) and were able to see more animals than I ever have at a zoo. 

We also had a horse auction in front of the hotel.  Each first Sunday, there is a horse auction on the Smithfield Plaza.  Deb and I went out and looked at the horses brought by the numerous farmers.  The whole plaza smelled like a barn that hadn't been cleaned for a while.  Horse manure was everywhere.  The other thing that stood out to me was how cruel the young teenage boys were to their animals.  It was very difficult to watch as they used crops to strike their beast.  One pony was being struck from several different angles, so I don't know how it wouldn't be confused about the commands of its owner.  The parents did not react so I kept my concerns to myself, and for anyone that knows me will tell you, it was very difficult.  But I kept my concerns to myself and all went well for the most part.  Jenn was actually angry that I did not intervene.

The horses seemed to be so varied in their appearance and value.  Some were obviously stock horses for farm work, other were show horse level.  There were Shetland ponies and some very powerful looking plowhorses. 

We also went to the Dublin Zoo.  It was really great there.  The animals were all very easy to spot and were in a sort of "natural habitat" setting.  The lions were laying on there back like huge house cats waiting to be scratched.  The rhinos were even more interesting, as they were 'fighting' each other by ramming into each others heads, struggling a bit with each other, letting go, and then striking each other again.  It looked like a Rugby scrum. 

                                     Fighting Rhinos (wouldn't that be a great name for a sports team!)
This evening I met Noel at the Walsh Pub.  It was quite an interesting pub.  The were given an award for the best "snug"in Ireland.  I was not quite sure what a "snug" was, but founf out after asking Collin, our bartender.  It seems that for some years women were not allowed in pubs.  So some pubs made a special room, called a snug, that was used by women that wanted a drink, but were legally kept out of the pub proper.  The Walsh "snug" was really quite nice and collin mentioned that it is still used by many women, despite the change in policy.  When asked to go back to check it though, I was a little nervous.  As they say in Ireland (over and over again), "no problem".

Noel had said he would come to the Richmond and meet us there.  Unfortunately he didn't make it, and as disappointing, Eddie wasn't there.  Jenn and I arrived around 8:30 and didn't see Noel or Eddie.  We drank a pint and a bit of Bailey's and decided to leave.  I went to ask someone that I had spoken to previously at the pub if he would tell Eddie that we stopped by and he asked if Jenn and I would like to play darts.  I explained we weren't really dart players, but they insisted on a match. I said okay and tried to but them a pint, but they wouldn't hear of it.  I actually refused a drink, and Jenn had another pint bought by the guys.  We played several games and had a great time.  We also were able to arrange a taxi ride for the airport with one of the dart players.  It worked well for us. 


What a great night again.  I have to say that the people here are the friendliest, most helpful and fun people I've met outside the U.S. and I will miss Dublin greatly when we return to France tomorrow.

At the Pub

Jenn and I went to a pub close to the hotel, The Cobblestone.  We were listening to some great Irish music and enjoying the company of several new friends.  We met a gentleman named Noel, who had a policy that no person coming to Ireland should have to get in his own pocket to pay for a drink.  he also gave his chair up to Jenn, a precious commodity in the crowded pub.Around 9 o'clock he bought a drink for Jenn and I and said he was buying a "last one for myself".  We discussed politics and the current state of both Ireland's and U.S. economy.  He asked what the hell Iraq was about and what were we doing in Afghanistan.  All in all it was a very stimulating discussion. 
Meanwhile, the bartender, Paul and I became good friends as I was close to the bar opening area, and passed out many a drink to patrons behind me.   Around midnight, Noel decided that he really had to go.  This was a number of drinks later.  I was kind of happy because I really didn't want to go another Guinness.  After he left a young man came to the bar and ordered around 10 drinks.  I helped him get them to his table.  After I finished the young man thanked me and we talked briefly about where I was from.  After he paid I thanked Paul and said I was getting out of there.  He said I couldn't because the table (those sitting with the young man) had bought me yet another.  When I lifted the glass toward them, they cheered.  They also had he same policy as Noel. 
Meanwhile, Jenn had been talking to some of the other patrons.  A young man found out she was from the U.S. and asked me for her hand in marriage.  This was Jenn's second proposal since being here!

Guinness Yesterday and Golf Today

Well, I finally made it to the world famous Guinness Brewery yesterday.  It was an interesting place, but not really too exciting.  I enjoyed the pint after the tour much more than the tour itself.  We also went to see Dublinia, which is a museum celebrating the history of Dublin and the Vikings. 

Enjoying a Pint at Guinness

After Enjoying a Pint at Guinness!

Last night we went to a pub we found right up the street where they played authentic Irish music.  We stopped for a couple of pints and listened.  Great sound, but we got there at the tail end of the playing.

Today I finally got to fulfill one of the things I've wanted to do for many years, play a round of golf in Ireland.  It was at a course that overlooks the Irish Sea called Deer Park, in Howth, Ireland.  The course is really very nice, but of course it was very wet.  In spite of this, and the rented clubs I used, I hit an 86.  My first par in Ireland came on a par 4 hole, and I followed it with a par on the next par 3.  The weather was what I really expected it to be, and it reminded me of the British Open tournaments I've watched on TV.  The wind blew extremely hard at times, and at times there was a driving rain and others it was sunny, but always with at least a bit of wind.  I was able to walk the course in around 3 hours.  It would have been shorter, but I left the 7 iron and putter on the 18th tee box.  Of course that was also the longest hole on the course and I didn't notice not having the clubs until I was just short of the green.

The trip to the course was very nice. I had cancelled the tee time earlier because it ould have cost me around 80 euros to take a taxi there and back.  But after looking over the Laus tramway and the Dart trains, I figured a way to get there.  And it was a total, there and back of only 7.20 euros!  The train was great and traveled from Dublin up the coast for a bit.  I think we'll all go to Howth tomorrow for lunch, and watch the seals come in from the sea.  Should be an interesting day.

Well, I can't drive in Ireland.

As some of you know, I decided to rent a car in Ireland to travel around the country while here.  On Sunday, I went to pick my cousin Bill and his wife up at the airport.  After the relatively short 55 minute drive, which would have been a lot less with a working GPS (should have been 23), I decided for the sake of people throughout the country of Ireland that I would take the car back. 

It started in the garage.  As I mentioned before, I was given a Monedo by the rental company, much too large a car for me on these roads, and barely able to fit in any parking garage here.  It took me several attempts to go through the gates to get to the various floors as I left.  When I got out I proceded to go the wrong way on a one way street (thank you GPS!).  As the GPS "recalculated", I noticed it was sending me to belfast for some reason.  None of the streets were correct on the little map.  Now when you have no clue where you are and less about where you should go, that is a problem.  I did a u-turn, no small feat in this car, and went the other way.  The GPS again said turn left in 50 meters, and I would have turned into the side of a huge church!  Not an alley beside a church, mind you, a church.

I decided to pull over and see if I could get the GPS to work.  I unplugged it and started again.  This time it did seem to be sending me to Dublin Airport, but as I drove I started to notice that it was sending me in circles.  Not good.  At one point it told me to turn at a street 850 meters ahead, and then 900, the a kilometer.  I discovered it was sending me away from the street it was supposed to be sending me to turn on!  I started to look around the car and outside for a camera and crew, thinking that the Irish must have their own version of Candid Camera.  So I again turned around, and went towards the road.  I got there and guess what, wrong way again.  I turned and three lanes of vehicles were coming my way!  I have to say, although I dreaded having to do a three point turn for my PA license years ago, I was never so happy to have the skill! 
After this had occurred, I noticed the GPS said I had a final destination of Belfast Airport again.  I turned it off, and rebooted and it was back to the Dublin Airport map again.  Now you have to remember all of this is occurring with  me on the opposite side of the car driving a standard.  This does not help the situation.  When I finally arrived at the airport, I immediately went to National Car Rental and handed the car back in.  I told them of my difficulties driving on opposite side of the car and road that I am used to, and also about the GPS plotting to kill me.  They will penalize me a bit, but said I would not have to pay the full amount for the 8 days I planned to use the car.  I figured that people all over Ireland can breath easier now that I am off the road!

I went to the airport and told my cousins that I had turned the car in and that we would be using public transportation.  They were fine by this, after I told them of my difficulty, and we caught a taxi back to the hotel.  That night Bill, Jenn and I hit a pub for a pint or two and all was right with the world again.

Yesterday we went to the National Leprechaun Museum and found some shopping areas on the Laus.  It is a tram like vehicle.  Today we plan to go to get a tour pass for the bus line.  It should be okay.

A picture of me with my art at the National Leprechaun Museum.  I am finally featured in a gallery, next stop the Louvre.

The actual picture which I have named "The Actual Picture"!