Dublin + Fabienne = An Awesome Weekend

Dublin has been fun and I have managed to rope some friends into going out a few times, but it is so much better when I have a good friend visiting. Well unfortunately the weather was against me having a friend in town and wanted to make sure we were as inconvenienced as possible.

The first night we didn't let the cold stop us. And after walking down O'Connell Street and taking some amazing pictures (ok, so Fabienne took them, but I was there) of some of the sites we happened upon this Indonesian restaurant (Chameleon) and actually managed to get a table. The food was amazing! We got this dinner for two which consists of 7 different dishes so you get to try several things. Then we also had to get dessert (mince meat pies and a brownie with ice cream to die for).

The next day was ruled by the weather. So we made it a shopping day and went out to this amazing mall in Dundrum. We were there for a long time and managed to see less than 10% I'd guess. I may have to head out there again sometime soon! Then by the time we got back to the apartment and grabbed some dinner the weather had taken a drastic turn and was even more rainy and windy. So we decided to get up early today and see some sights, which we did in the pouring rain and wind! We walked back to Temple Bar area and found one little place open for a scone and coffee. Then I had the unfortunate task of taking Fabienne back to the hotel so she could catch her shuttle to the airport. I was hoping I could make her miss her flight and force her stay, but since I know I get to see her again in less than 4 weeks it was just see you soon and not good bye. (I am going to spend Christmas with Fabienne and her family in Zurich!) I think Fabienne and I will have to meet here again in the summer sometime and see Dublin the right way (i.e. less rain and wind).

One Part Europe, One Part US

I've discovered that Dublin is not only physically half way between the US and mainland Europe, but is also culturally and personality half way between the two. The architecture and pace of life are very much like the rest of Europe, but the people, stores, food, and bar scene are very much like the states. I like the mix. It's like the best of both worlds, plus they speak English!!

I've been here almost a week and it has been great. I am staying in a great apartment in the IFSC which is also where the office is located. Work has been good, but very busy. The colleagues here are so much fun and since the office is small we can have fun all together. The office mentality here is more like in the states, so it is a nice reminder of home.

It happened and I was there, in person, in Ireland, in a pub, to experience the soccer game of the decade (at least in Ireland). It was a great night. We went to a pub on (which is actually a microbrewery so I didn't drink a Guinness) and watched the Ireland/France World Cup qualifying game. It was so cool to be in a crowded pub with all the Irish fans cheering and yelling and drinking. While I will say that they in fact were robbed, I would however like to put the following question out there too: what if the situation was exactly switched and France had been the underdogs? Then what would everyone think? Huh?

Ok, then on Thursday night I got to see more of Dublin. We had dinner at this place called Gallagher's Boxty House where I had a corned beef and cabbage botxy. It was delicious. So a boxty is like a potato tortilla which is then filled with different things. They are great and quite Irish. Then we wandered down in the Temple Bar area and even stopped in The Temple Bar to listen to these guys preform. It was a nice taste of home.

Then last night we headed to the Temple Bar area again for dinner and then to a play called The Clean House. It was in this tiny theater and the play was fantastic!! If you ever see it showing anywhere you should see it. It is really funny and also, well, I'll just let you find out. Then on our way to a few pubs we saw the greatest street scam, well not a scam, but impossible challenge. This guy had a bike but had reversed the handlebars so that when you turned them left the bike went right and vice versa. So he charged 4 euros for 4 attempts to ride it about 7 feet. So we got a bunch of free entertainment watching cocky guys fall over on a bike. It was one of the best things I've seen in a long time. Then we hit up one pub which was basically like a living room from the 60's filled with groups from each of the possible bar outing scenarios. There was the group of 60 year old guys drinking Guinness, the table with the young college kids, the table that was obviously the family outing with the new in-law, the one lone guy trying to find someone to sit in the empty bar stool next to him, the couple on their first date, and the table of regulars. Quintessential. Afterwards we went to a place called Dakota, which was a lot like the Bubble Lounge in San Francisco but more spacious and with better music. I will absolutely go back.

Today I joined a colleague and went to the Francis Bacon exhibit at the Hugh Lane gallery. Oh and for the record, almost all museums in the city are free. Then we walked around more of the city and I had my first Guinness in Ireland. They were right, it is better in Ireland.

It Was Cosy . . .

The rule, as dictated by my co-conspiriters, was that "what happens in Amsterdam stays in Amsterdam" but since none of them read this, then I can tell about my trip and what I did while in Amsterdam. I will not incriminate anyone nor will I comment on how anyone else spent their time. Here is MY trip to Amsterdam . . .

I went with a group of 10 co-workers (I know that sounds crazy, but they are actually a great group to travel with because everyone has different interests so you just join the group who interests you the most). We spent a weekend there and while the weather was not ideal, I still had a great time. The food was great. I found an American bakery and filled up on muffins, cookies, and my coworkers got brownies. I also ate Dutch pancakes and their traditional fried dough balls (they were like yeast donuts but with sort of a sourdough, stretchy consistency), but didn't get a chance to try the bitterballen which are fried meatballs. I went to the Rijks Museum, the Anne Frank house, toured the canals, walked all over, and ate (did I mention that?).

Amsterdam really is a beautiful city. The canals are fun and the architecture is fantastic. Every building on every street is gorgeous. It very much reminded me of San Francisco, from the architecture and the laid back people, to the food, and even the weather. I would definitely go back to Amsterdam, but maybe next time I'll go in the summer.

It's Like Home, Only More Irish

Well, I made my first short trip to Dublin last week for work and I think my next 5 weeks there will be very good. I knew it would work when after I stepped out of my hotel I ran into a bagel shop which was next door to another bagel place. Next to that was an organic grocery store, then a Starbucks, a salad shop, a sandwich place called O'Briens, then about 6 more coffee shops (including another Starbucks), 3 more bagel/sandwich shops, and then the office. Dublin, I think this will work very well, until my pants stop fitting . . .