Glasgow, Belast, Dublin

On the road. The year is 2010 and nary an internet cafe in site. WTH?

The rain finally caught up with us. Knew it was going to happen. So while two weeks ago I was feeling pretty goofy for having packed my waterproof parka liner, in Glasgow I looked like a genius. Very different town from Edinburgh, which fairly tripped over itself to pack as much humanity, history and horror (OK that was done in the interest of alliteration) into a hilltop; Glasgow rambles. Not just geographically, but in architectural styles, economy and time. Victoria and George predominate, but you`ve got to give a nod to a lot of gothic and modern. (Photo on left from Glasgow). I`m really sorry we didn`t have more time here because there is a plethora of galleries, libraries and museums, but this was really drive-by touristing. Nothing to be proud of. Also, after so many days on the road, we were just tired – a great apartment and cool, wet weather drove us in early – which was good because an early start on Thursday for Ireland!

Fortunately for the tender tummy of this prairie dweller, the crossing by ferry from Troon to Larne was very smooth despite a bit of rain. Landed in Ulster and on the road to Dublin, stopping in Belfast briefly to visit with my cousin Dave Wassell. We were a little leery of stopping n Belfast at all as the British media was covering the Marching Season riots extensively. However, Belfast itself was peaceful and sunny. A quick lunch with Dave near the university where he works and on to Dublin.

Has anyone ever noticed how GREEN it is in Ireland?

Dublin is lovely. (Above, picture from River Liffey, Dublin). Thursday evening, we got into town early so checked in to the hotel and went for a walk down Grafton Street – very similar to shopping on Oxford Street in London. Modern, upscale and fast-paced. Lovely transit system (all above ground – hold your head up Calgary). Visited St. Patrick`s Cathedral, which sadly is not Catholic and not very Irish. Like a lot of the British cathedrals we have seen, the monuments inside are dedicated mostly to military leaders. What is up with that? Peace I leave with you, peace the world cannot give.

Did a city tour and spent time at several of the monuments dedicated to the 1916 Rising. Deeply moving when you understand what people will risk for freedom. How is it that England, who we think of as a hotbed of democracy, was still so severely oppressing its next door neighbours in the twentieth century?

Absolutely poured overnight so we took our umbrella and rain-gear everywhere we went. And, you guessed it, not a drop the whole day long. Yes.
And then there is Guinness. Gift to the world. You haven`t tasted Guinness until you`ve tasted Guinness in Dublin. Yum. Did the tour of the brewery – yeah after 350 years they pretty much have the recipe down to a science. I believe in the book of Guinness.