I spent giftmas with Fiona's family downin Newbridge. It's a thirty minute train ride southwest of Dubin. The trains weren't running xmas or St. Stephen's day (the day after). So we were "stuck" in newbridge for 4 days. Couldn't complain, there was good food and lots of movies to watch. Christmas was just like any american Christmas, but with silly crowns and "crackers" which are gifts you open at dinner and it takes two people to "crack" them open. I got a pencil, just what i've always wanted.
New years is still a few days away. It's nice to have a whole week off of work, although I wish I would have made some plans to go somewhere (like Greece!) but the flights were expensive and frankly the loss of my camera has put a damper on my picture taking.
Last nite we had our work Christmas party. We started off with lunch (at 3) at Brasserie Sixty6. I had chicken skewers, then a steak for dinner with missisippi mud pie for dessert. Delicious! Around 6 we headed out for some drinks, just went to a few local pubs downtown. At 9 Martina and I headed to Whelands to meet up with Leonie for a gig. Good old rock show, apparently a farely well known Irish rock band. After the band the place basicaly turned into a dance club. Headed home around 2.
Overall a very good nite. Oh, except this morning when i went to load my pictures from the evening onto my computer...my camera wasn't in my purse. Looks like I musta left it at Whelands...just rode my bike back over there. No sign of it. So I had an optio w10, looks like I'll be upgrading to the w20 soon.
So now imagine that i've posted lots of pictures from The Pogues show, the christmas party and from Whelands. Cause those are the ones I lost. boohoo.
Tonite I paid 50 euros to go watch one of the most famous drunken toothless irishmen stumble around a stage.
It was worth it.
There was more energy in the room than I've ever felt. He didn't need to sing because there were about 5000 Irish people singing and dancing for him. Imagine the energy of any rock/punk/metal show you've ever been to, then imagine that the audiance is made up of boys/girls/men/women ages 16-70 all having the same amount of energy singing along with Shane MacGowan. The crowd was something else, most people were wearing red and green, even the punks had died their mohawks red or green. And once the music started, out of now where people in the audiance pulled out huge Irish flags which then "rode the crowd" continually the whole show. In between songs I'd watch the crowd of full of drunken Irishmen hug and yell how much the loved eachother.
They did two encores with one of the final songs being the famous Fairytale of New York. "Snow" fell from the ceiling while they all danced around stage and the crowd went mad...I was also up and dancing. I couldn't let the old women out dance me!
I can't say I feel too sorry for Shawn MacGowan, but he has made some great music and its a shame he can't sing it the way he use to.
This is one of my favorite cinemas in town. It's called the Screen and has this inviting usher outside. I belive the statue is a monument to a real usher who use to work there.
This is what most of my evenings look like.
I saw this hole in the sidewalk.
I put my camera in the hole and took a picture.
Our work christmas party dinner. Chips, chicken wings and sausages. Good thing I'm not a vegetarian.
a few of the things i've been up to the last few weeks
^this is what my umbrella looks like most the time.
^this was at a "psp art" showing...strange.
^today i took a trip out to Howth, it's in north dublin and a very nice coastal village. I will be going back again. Great for long walks along the beach.
^Tommy would be proud. I had korean bbq for dinner.
