The new journey begins (day 32)

July 24:

This morning I woke up at the butt crack of dawn to get ready and head off on the next part of my journey. Me and my roomies said our goodbyes, and it was really sad...but I'm glad its over with. Michelle and I took a taxi to the train station together and then she hopped on a bus and was headed home. I, however, got on a train at 9:15 and slept most of the way to Dublin. I finally arrived and hauled all my crap down the longggg walk way out to the taxi line up. There was no way I was going to wander around Dublin trying to find my hotel with all my REALLY HEAVY luggage.

I got to my hotel very cheaply, at 7 euro, and was surprised to see how nice it was!!! It is in the heart of the Temple Bar District but is far enough away so I don't have to be kept up till all hours of the morning by the noise in Temple bar. My room is really nice, and my bed is REALLY comfy...thank heavens because after 4 weeks of sleeping on a crappy bed my body needs nice.

I played around a bit on my computer and got settled into my room. Then I ordered ROOM SERVICE! This was very exciting to me because I have never done it before, and it was just as expensive as it would have been to go buy lunch somewhere in town, and I didn't have to WALK! I did however end up walking quite a bit. I went down to the Archaeology and History Museum but didn't stay long because it was pretty lame...but then I decided to just wander around the city. I walked in St. Stephens Green for a while, it was pretty, but sort of dirty. Then I walked by the Liffey and took some pictures on the Ha'Penny bridge. Then on my way back to the hotel I went into the actual Temple Bar district and looked around a bit. Something exciting happened while I was out and about...I got asked DIRECTIONS! I looked like I knew where I was going enough to be asked, I was so excited. And the best part is I actually knew where the place I was being asked for directions to was. Good times.

St. Stephens Green

"The Temple Bar"
View from the Ha'Penny of the LiffeyLook, it's another Quays bar!!!

St. John Gogartys

Then I rested a bit and took a shower and got ready for, RIVERDANCE! I was really excited about this, because the show has gotten so many rave reviews that I had really high expectations for it. My expectations were not only met, but succeeded, but the performance given at the show. It made me tired just watching them dance...and they weren't even breathing hard, that was the most amazing part haha. I think one of the best parts was when 2 black guys came out and were doing like, normal tap dancing, and then the Irish guys show up in old style clothes and start Irish stepping and they are both trying to show each other up, and they would like mock each others moves, and it was just really funny. It really was a good show, and if you ever get the chance you should go see it.

I got a little lost coming home, but I eventually found the right path again...sort of scary walking around the not so main streets of dublin at night by yourself...but all was fine in the end, and here I am, and now it is off to bed...it has been a very long first day of the journey.

(Btw, I got yelled at for taking these pictures...or well, for trying to take a picture when the stupid usher guy didn't want me to. But see, they said at the beginning that you couldn't take FLASH photos...and I wasn't!!! So I don't think I did anything wrong.)