Sorry I missed a day but I am happy to say it is because I am too busy.
We did the history class on Friday and as usual it was very interesting. After that the class all went to the Irish Museum of Natural History for a tour. Interesting fact that all museums in Ireland can be visited at no charge. I have too many pictures to include on this blog but they have artifacts from the stone, iron, and bronze ages dating to long before the birth of Christ and after. They find a lot of it in the bog (peat moss many yards deep) that preserve almost anything due to the lack of air. Side fact is the Irish Parliament sits right next to the museum and I happened to be about 20 yards away from Ireland Prime Minister, Enda Kenny, when he was being interviewed by the press. I could not hear the questions but they were undoubtedly about the Brexit vote
Friday evening 19 of my new friends introduced me a new card game that is the rage on college campuses called Cards Against Humanity. The game bills itself as ‘A card game for horrible people’. The idea is to match the cards to create hilarious ‘politically incorrect’ or downright obscene answers to hard-hitting questions. Never one to be bashful or easily offended, I was right at home very quickly.
Saturday 8 of us left on a bus at 7 AM to travel to Cork. Cork is a smaller and more intimate version of Dublin. We toured the downtown and some beautiful churches and then took a short bus ride to Blarney Castle to kiss the famous stone. Blarney Castle was first built around 1000 AD and was added on to over the years. Even today it is a very impressive tall structure that sits on a hill with a command of all the land around it.
A brief comment about local politics in the wake of the Brexit vote. The big issues surround what rules will govern trade between Ireland and Britain – including the South and the North of this island? Britain and Northern Ireland are the Republic of Ireland’s largest trading partners. What will be the nature and legal basis of British-Irish relations, from free movement of people to taxes. It is felt in Ireland that the consequences of the Brexit vote will be the breakup of the UK, something that is inevitable whenever the formal break with the EU comes. Lastly, central to the Northern Ireland peace settlement was a slow process of making the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland less important. Now it is about to get more important. That may not immediately threaten the peace process, but it certainly requires a resetting of the relationships between Ireland, Britain and the North.
Pictures: Bill eating sausage on a stick at Cork’s English Market; St Finn Barr Cathedral labyrinth; The Blarney Castle
Hi Papa, glad to see you’re having a fun time and taking in all the sights! I enjoy reading your blog and seeing the pics so keep it coming. Cards against humanity is a ridiculously funny game 😀. Love you!
Thanks Shanny for your comments. It helps to know you are tuning into the blog. Mom said Alaina was at our house and asking for Da. It made me feel bad not to be there but I am hoping some day she will think what Da did this summer is really cool!
Is the food good?
Are the cost of common staples like food and transportation similar to the US?
Have you had much homework?
Jay
Unlike my other trips to Ireland the food has been sensational! Yesterday for diner I had mussels in a garlic and onion broth for starters and a lamb shank with potatoes and carrots as an entre. Both were positively excellent. I even was able to get a MEDIUM RARE filet for dinner on Sunday that was as good or better than anything the Palm would serve! Taxi’s are everywhere and very easy to get. The buses are clean, prompt, and arrive 5 or 6 times an hour. In fact I have been taking the bus on most of my travels rather than a taxi because it is just as easy yet costs 2.50 euro to get into City Centre vs. about 12 euro for a taxi.
I am having a very good time in case you cant tell from my posts.