More Dublin

Shandy--A beer ale or lager w/ red or blonde lemonade. However the lemonade is carbonated. The mixture takes out the bitterness.

Lots of people in London rode scooters, mostly here are motorcycles. All vehicles are small, no SUV's or large trucks.

Very polluted to me in Dublin, smells smoggy and exhaust like.

4.5 million people in Dublin.

Went to Guinness Brewery yesterday, had a pint at the top, Gravity Bar. Also saw Dublin Castle and St. Patricks Cathedral and Park.

Wish I hadn't brought TRAVELERS CHECKS, no one accepts them.

"Bleeding Horse" Pub---very cool old pub. Gets it's name bc after battle, the soldiers would literally "bleed" their horses. Like after a hard workout, our bodies build up toxins and we get stiff and sore. The soldiers would cut the horses on their necks or behind their ears and bleed them in order to prevent that and thought to save their life. My mom used to feed me a banana for potassium. Guess horses don't like bananas.

Seems everyone listens to IPODS, or at least it seems, they have headphones in their ears. Probably to drown out traffic.

Not customary to tip here or London, for bartenders, taxi's etc. Seems strange to me, feels cheap. They think you left your change behind if you do, but are VERY grateful if you do tip, not at all expected.

Euros look like Monopoly Money. All different colors. The hundred is the largest bill and the size decreases along with the value. 5 Euro is the smallest paper bill. Then a 2 Euro coin and a 1 euro coin. I guess size does matter!

Dublin!

Leprachauns everywhere throwing gold when I got off the plane! No, not really. Took a bus to b&b. Missed my stop bc I couldn't understand the system or what they were saying, so I was on the bus for an extra half hour and the bus driver had to take me back.

Directions here are given by what pub things are near. So, I was dropped off at Madigan's and had to lug my bags up the street to b&b. Clean and cozy. Room is "en suite," my own private bathroom is down the stairs, I have a skeleton key to get in and out of both my room and bathroom.

Had my first real Guinness and fish n chips at Madigan's. The bartender is native Irish and gave me a history lesson and what to see/do in Dublin. Most bartenders nowadays aren't from here. Said Ireland is having a problem w/ influx of foreigners, mostly Nigerians and Polish. Overcrowding could be a problem and lack of jobs in 10-15 years. He said the Irish and the Scotts are very cordial, but the English are the ones who've had the most problems. They want to colonize everywhere and claim the land. The IRA was the underground army blowing up buildings and killing the English way back when. They were fighting for a noble cause, but maybe didn't go about it the right way, and the Irish police would arrest them. The Irish wanted their land back.

Have to seek out the "diddly-doo" music as they call it. The locals don't listen to fiddles and such....mostly just the tourists.

Similar to London, public transportation is big...buses, trains, subways etc. Not many people have cars, therefore, the markets are small, Tesco is the main one. No large grocery stores or super stores like Wal-Mart or Albertson's. Can't carry all that home on foot or bike.

Woke up w/ sore throat and achey. Had a traditional Irish breakfast, fresh grapefruit, fried egg, ham, sausage, toast, beans, black and white pudding. It's not pudding, it looks like sausage patties, but tastes sweet. I still don't know what it is actually, but I ate it.

Slow day since I don't feel well, walked down to St. Stephen's Green (huge park w/ fountains and ponds)...Saw a couple beautiful churches and am down on Grafton Street, which is an all pedistrian walkway w/ shops, restaurants etc.

Asked a woman if she could take my picture in the park, and she and her boyfriend were from Colorado of all places! Chatted for a minute, then went our own ways.

Ireland uses Euros, like most of Europe. The UK still uses Pounds. A british fellow suggested I use the ATM machines mostly since the banks will give the best exchange rate instead of exchanging on the street.

The signs here are printed in English and Gaelic. I love the language, hard to understand. Thick accents...

Sitting in an internet cafe having vanilla tea. Cold outside but will venture out again.

**Does anyone know how to upload pictures to a blog w/out having to download software or download to a PC first?

LONDON!!

I finally am able to get to sit and write! Plus, I forgot my password to my own Blog site, oops.
Here's a quick run down....landed on Thurs a.m. Saw Buckingham Palace, Duke of Wellington Arch, Hyde Park, Regeant's Park, Traflagar Square.....
Friday, I had to venture on my own to find the Tanzanian Embassy to get my Visa. Took the "tube" (subway), had to pay 5 extra Pounds to get Visa the same day, otherwise it would have been Tuesday, and that would have been too late. I took a bus tour, a very touristy thing to do, but I LOVED it! Two hours, got to see the Tower of London. Known for it's torture and beheadings....Took lots of pictures and will try to upload them. Parliament, Westminister Abbey, London Eye....all kinds of great structures.

London is so CLEAN! I am very impressed. The streets are virtually litter free. Street signs are posted on the buildings, not on the corner, the ground floor is first, then floor 1,2, 3 ext. Tough to find the restroom when I don't know how to count their floors, plus restroom is a fitting room, "toilet' is the bathroom.

London has beautiful buildings and lots of statues and fountains. Very historic,metropolitan and BUSY! Also, the parks are gorgeous, so green and lots of people sitting on the park benches having lunch or business people just relaxing on their lunch hour.

My oldest girlfriend, Carrie, her younger brother Craig, now lives in London. He and his fiance, have a "flat" in an upscale area. It is very clean and modern with beautiful furnishings and within walking distance to the tube, small shops and restaurants.

The public transportation system is great! If you are from New York or Chicago, it isn't much different, but since I'm not, I think it's great!! Very efficient, but again, the directions aren't clear....Example, it doesn't say East or West, you just have to look to see if that direction of tube takes you to the stop you need.

Saw "Les Miserables" at Queen's Theatre. That theatre is where Phantom of the Opera began. The show was good, but I was still jet lagged....

Yesterday, took a boat ride on River Thames and saw the National Gallery Museum. The museums are all free in London. However, some exhibits like Van Gogh and Picasso were closed for renovation. Saw Rembrandt and others. Tried to tour the Westminister Abbey, but they didn't have tours on Sat. afternoon. I got to see from the outside.

Food is very bland. If you order a chicken sandwich, you get chicken and bread. No fixings. Condiments are extra.
The pubs you can order half pints which is good, I just want to have some of the local brews, but not have to drink full beers....

Americans are NOT the rudest by far!! A family of Ukrainians at the airport took the prize, cutting in line of 500 people to get through customs and lied about it, talking on the phone, holding up the line....Then on the boat ride yesterday, an Italian Family was standing and talking while the tour guide was speaking and told them to sit down and be quiet. Plus, they pushed their way through the whole crowd while trying to disembark the boat. Completely oblivious.... So, Americans are not the rudest....

I already have two blisters! Walking a ton! So much to see, also asking for directions is difficult, they don't really tell you where to turn by street names, they tell you by "turn where all the shops are." (shops are everywhere)

The flight was good, everyone rushed to the middle seats when we were in flight, I didn't know at first, but I had 3 seats to myself to sleep. However, I didn't sleep one wink! Too excited. Did have toiletpaper stuck to my shoe and didn't know it all the way back to my seat. Classy.

That's it for now! :)

Preparing for the trip

I just made my own Blog page! I don't really know what a Blog is, but I am assuming it will be a way for me to post a journal of my adventures for friends and family to read as I travel. I am very busy planning this trip, packing the house and getting prepared for a 4 month trip in a 2 week time period. Nothing like the last minute.....