More Wine. And Bread!

After buying a bottle of red wine for 4 euro, Allison and I made our way to our newly befriended American neighbors for dinner. This wouldn’t be a particularly difficult concept, except for the fact that Ireland is in severe panic due to the snowy conditions. With not a snow plow in the city, the 3 inches of snow in the streets make for slippery travel.

I saw a motorcyclist wipeout when he tried to take a turn. Luckily the car in front, behind, and the store cashier nearby stopped and came running to his aid. Though the country ran out of grit days ago (shutting down banks early, airports completely, and allowing many to skip work on Friday), a lot of people are still out and about, stocking up on food, chasing pretty French girls, etc. And Allison and I, well, we just wanted to eat. So we crossed the Grand Canal Bridge, and began shuffling along.

We found the oys apartment, and were greeted by the smell of gourmet college cooking. And bread!
The neighborhood grocer has about 25 kinds of bread. Wheat, rye, Wonder, sota, hotdog rolls (hotdogs are popular here, don’t ask why). Even a Tim Horton’s bakery. Obnoxious, yes, but they love it. Sota bread isn’t so bad really, when you’ve been fighting the tundra that is Ireland.

Things I have learned so far:

-The Irish language talks in circles, and rarely involves the simple response of ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

-Irish men cannot simply be friends with women. When Harry Met Sally, people. Look it up.

-As a country they are a very proud people, but individually they are quite humble. I had drinks with a multimillionaire lawyer from Britain last night, and didn’t realize it till his buddy pulled me aside to explain why he kept taking calls. This alarmed me, because I was involved in a street snowball fight with these gents, and nailed the rich one in the nose, leaving a bloody cut. Oh well.

-Though I am from a town where 2 feet of snow the norm is, the Irish will talk till they’re winded about how it’s STILL worse in Ireland with their 2 inches.

-I could live here easily, and be very, very happy. Assuming I stop ambushing lawyers and get a job.