One Check Off the Life List

Joan had an exam yesterday so I was left to explore and be one with Dublin. It is a completely different feeling walking by yourself in a foreign country. I was never scared but just being on my own put me out of my element. I went from Grafton Street to O Connell and tried to stay away from the gypsies as best I could. I met Joan at the spire or "the erection at the intersection" as the locals call it, and we headed to find some place to eat. On the way, we saw a woman trying to get money from the ATM. A gypsy man kept putting newspaper in front of her hands so she couldn´t dial her pin and then a gypsy woman came and did the same. Joan stopped to help but another man quickly stepped in. The woman pushed the gypsy and was yelling at her. I suppose if that ever happened to me, I would have to be just as tough.

After we went to Arnott´s and had a light lunch and met Joan´s flatmate Adam in town. He leaves today so it was his choice to whatever we did. It was only 5:00 so we walked all over the city, going into shops and just killing time until we met up with friends later. We found some great shops that we never would have found just by following the main shopping streets.

At 7 we met Joan and Adam´s other flatmate from Hungary, Bence and their friend Timea. Adam wanted to go to The Brazen Head. It´s Ireland´s oldest pub and was established in 1198. They play traditional Irish music with a live band seven nights a week. It´s a very cool place, with the walls decorated floor to ceiling with money from around the world. Old photos of the Dublin from yesteryear. It was a twenty-minute walk to get there so when we arrived there were hardly any tourists, just Seamus O´Leary and his friends havin a pint. Soon, Joan´s friend Brenden arrived. He is in his thirties and one of the nicest and funniest guys. He is a true Irishman. We went only planning to stay for an hour and ended up leaving around 10:30.

Now, not many people know this about me but I have a list of everything I want to accomplish in this life. It is very long and some things are silly and some things are serious such as getting married and owning my own company. However, last night I crossed off a very silly dream of mine and was glad to do it because I thought it would be awhile until I was able to.

23. Have an Irish pint in an Irish pub listening to Irish music with an authentic Irish guy.

As silly as it may sound, I did it and it was awesome. We all had a great time, I soaked every ounce of it in. Even if I go back to The Brazen Head it will be hard to top last night.
(The picture is above)

We made our way home and Joan made me dinner and I had the best night´s sleep I´ve had in two weeks.

Now, Joan is at his exam and I decided (stupidly) to stay here. I didn´t want to be up at 7 a.m. He won´t be back until the afternoon and will have to study for his next exam, so I should get out of the flat at some point today even if it is walking to the grocery store or something.

Miss you all
Write me when you can

Love Love Love

C.M.