ResistedNormalcy

It’s been fun. Moving from Dublin, Ireland to London, England on Saturday.

I’ve:

..had blood pudding, white and black, without any instance of projectile vomit. It’s actually not too bad..

..discovered that American-style breakfast in Ireland is scarce to non-existant. Bacon is called rashers, and it’s just not the same, but I’ve finally come to appreciate it none the less..

..come to appreciate the ability (or lack there of in Dublin) of having lunch for under $50 (US) in a restaurant..

..learned that I have a taste for lamb..

..never been so interested in global money markets. If US currency rises or drops a penny, I’m on it..

..marveled at the Cliffs of Moher, the Ring of Kerry, Bray Head, and a cornicopea of other natural wonders..

..unearthed a new found appreciate for beer. Mmmm.. sweet, sweet beer..

..probably tried almost 100 varities of beer since I’ve been in Europe. Previously, my experience with beer was pretty much limited to: Miller, Budweiser, Coors, Corona, and Shiner..

..learned that American beer is somewhat akin to mildly flavored water. Which — don’t get me wrong, is fantastic in it’s own right. But, there’s so much to appreciate in the varied styles of brewing, ingredients used, and types of beers. Am I still talking about beer? Heh.

..learned that beer for breakfast, especially in the case of Guinness, is plenty..

..experienced first-hand the distaste and loathing the Irish have for George W. Bush. Looking for a sure fire way to piss off an Irishman? Bring up Bush.

..experienced first-hand the unfailing adoration the Irish have for Clinton. I liked Clinton too, but what the fuck?

..come to realize that I will never understand how driving on the “other” side of the road makes any sense..

..had the fortune of driving head-on into oncoming traffic — multiple times — and coming out unscathed. Heh. Which side of the road am I supposed to be on again??

..got to give props to Europeans for their sense of style. You can usually spot an American out of the crowd. We’re the folks in the (insert theme) t-shirt and track pants.

..had some of the most gourmet, delicious (Peploes, I will miss you!), well presented food I’ve ever had the pleasure of consuming over here..

..had the pleasure of expanding my dining horizons. What will it be tonight, baby? Moroccan, Indian, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, or Cuban?

..laughed at the fact that Dubliners, at least the 25 and under crowd, seem to be stuck in the 80s. The trends, music, and clothing pervade the city. Leg warmers for everyone!

..bitched about the fact that it’s next to impossible to find anything even remotely resembling Mexican food in Ireland. While this is entirely logical, it still pisses me off. YOU CALL THESE ENCHILADAS?!

..never understood the natural preference of Europeans to drink something without ice.

..realized that the concept of ‘air conditioning’ hasn’t seem to catch on with the rest of the world yet. Most places just DON’T have A/C.

..solemnly accepted the fact that customer service in Europe isn’t the standard. Don’t like it? Tough.

..never appreciated the local baggers and cart boys back home so much. In Dublin, not only to I bag my own groceries, but I’m forced to pay for the bags and “rent” a shopping cart. Oh, the horror!

..experiend an August where the average temperature was 65-70 degrees, and laughed at those back home enduring 105. Brilliant.

..discovered that Europeans have much cooler verbage than Americans. Brilliant. Bloody hell. Quite nice. It’s not so much the words themselves, as how they’re used.

..come to accept the fact that I will never be able to imitate the Irish accent. It’s almost another language in itself. Doubly so when drunk.

..come to accept the fact that anytime I try to imitate a foreign accent, I somehow manage to sound like Keith Richards. Japanese, Australian, Irish — all sound like Keith Richards. Fidddddy-five.

..seen first hand that the majority of Irish have just a handful of perceptions about Texas: Dallas, the TV show, George W. Bush, and they think most of us ride around on horses with cowboy hats. Yeehaw.

..experienced all seasons in one day. One day, while walking to the store, I was rained on, then hailed on, then walking under a clear sunny sky. All within 15 minutes.

..come to appreciate the 11,322,548,248 types of rain that can exist in Ireland. The Irish weatherman has got the best job in the world.

..treasured my time here. Ireland was brilliant. Guinness is fantastic.

..Goodbye Dublin. Hello London.

Filed under: Blather on September 19th, 2006