WE ARENT IN DUBLIN ANYMORE….

Day 3 has come and gone and ill actually be getting up in 5 hours to continue the adventure…lets just hope its less bumpy than today….Well since I last Blogged, I had a choice – option A go to Belfast on the 1:20pm train cause I had already missed the 11am train…damn sleep is good sometime or Option B – wander around Dublin some more and catch the 3:20 train to Belfast. I went with option B….hindsite being 20/20 oops my bad.

So I wandered around Dublin, took the tour of Dublin Castle which is the first place I actually went inside. I dont know I am sure the Churches are great but I just like the outsides…After the tour with our cute Irish tour guide it was now what time so I decided to head to St Patricks Cathedral and again wandered down and around the outside and took some pictures. There is a nice park there as well took some more pics. Its amazing how green it is in the winter…its just like Connecticut oh wait its white everywhere there and everything is dead…

So after doing that I headed back to my hotel to grab my suitcase and off to the train station and belfast…I took a cab best 10 euros I ever spent man my leg muscles are kiling me. I was able to quickly get my ticket and get to the right place for the train and pass out…one problem…I knew I had to change over my money BUT I didnt think about the time when I got to Belfast. you know you need POUNDS in Belfast not EUROS or DOLLARS….so here is where the spectical began. My hotel no where near the train station. I have 0 pounds. So I am thinking there has to be one nearby its a train station. HA…that would be logical. I go to the ATM with my ATM card. The ATM machine ate my card. So now my back is really up against the wall did I mention the train was late? got in closer to 5:30. So I ask information he says got to go to center of town. here I am backpack on 50lb suitcase trailling trying to figure it out. One good thing. My train ticket got me a free ride on the bus downtown…otherwise well I dont want to know what favors I would have had to offer.

I get downtown and well I have no idea where anything is. So I see a nice police officer, I go up to him and tell him and he looks at his watch and says um yeah you are in trouble. I said thanks im aware but I have no options…He tells me I have to take the 61 bus to my hotel. I said thanks but I need money to do that. At this point I am like what the hell am I doing…what a moron I am…He says try the belfast information center about two lights down on the left but it might be closed. I already know im not putting my only credit card I have left on me into an ATM machine…So I run quick like a bunny to the BELFAST welcome center and guess what? ITS CLOSED. There is a security guard on the inside. I know he says we are closed and then slightly opens the door to give me a map. I said here is my problem…he says right across the street in that department store. I was very thankful and ran across the street still lugging suitcase and backpack. I get up to the 2nd floor and exchange some cashola for poundage. The lady is really nice she actually lives near where I have to go. She tells me the stop etc. So I get on the bus and I make sure its the right one..bus driver was a douche so I have no idea which stop is mine.

Here is where being Aaron comes in handy. I am on the bus trying to look out for landmarks the lady at the exchange place told me. And this Mom comes on with her two kids the daughter is in the stroller beautiful blue eyes she waves at herself in the mirror. I laugh then she drops her bottle I quickly grab it and hand it to the mom who thanks me. The little girl looks up at me and smiles so I wave and smile you know kids love me for some reason. So I ask the Mom if she knows where the street I need is. She does but doesnt know where on that street my place is. I said just get me off the right stop ill do the rest. This nice older women is sitting near us and tells me its right across from the busstop. I said thank you again. And then when we get to the stop a female probably a little younger than me tells me this is your stop. And right there I can see where I am staying. THANK GOD I SAY.

So I arrive at his bed and breakfast type place that according to google maps was near the venue. Yeah if by near you mean the stadiums in Philadelphia are NEAR the center of the city. So I realise I now need a cab. The lady who checked me in was very nice. She gets me all set up in my room…calls for a cab..and sets me up for a cab in the morning.

I basically throw all my stuff down print out my confirmation number again just in case and head to the show.

Dave was amazing again. Not as good overall as last night but I did get LIE IN OUR GRAVES…which is one of my favorite all time songs as well as some others that were great. The security guards were camera NAZIs so I didnt get but like 3 pics. I did see a lady there who was with her husband and their son who I also saw in Dublin. So I talked to her before the show and she said they were wedding photographers and used their professional camera in DUBLIN…so I told her she had to email me. She gave me her card said email me and remind me where we met and the pics are yours. JACKPOT BABY!!!!

There was a nice couple who sat next to me during the show. There were from Belfast and we were talking about my trip Belfast, Ireland Etc. Very nice people. After the show I walked to the center of town like the people at my place told me and found a cab. very nice cabby too unlike the guy who took me to the show he was grumpy. Well now its 8pm your time and when I uploaded my pics my wireless popped up so you got a bonus blog.

So far I have been online less than 30 mins a day without a cell phone and havent watched anything on TV besides the two futbol games while I was in the Bar Sunday night and yes I am still surviving for all you doubters out there.

Tomorrow is another adventure back to dublin to jump on a train to Galway and oh yeah meeting up with my friend Lisa Gerard who I havent seen since high school when we swam together. Should be a blast…till next time this GUINNESS IS FOR YOU..though I didnt have one today unless you could 1am….well ok I didnt have one since I last went to bed….ill make up for it tomorrow.

WHEN IN ROME DONT ACT LIKE CAESAR

That is one of the memorable quote from Dave Matthews last night at the show. He was amazing. That was a response to someone yelling out SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY….Dave chose not to cover of the the greatest rock stars of all time in his hometown.

The venue was very small I was damn close even though I was diagonal. It was just him and Tim. Dave entertained the crowd with random stories and of course a great set list. He played three unreleased songs – cornbread, sister and Cant Stop. He also let Tim jam it out. He kept telling everyone how he was going to die and we could say we were there. He closed with Two Step..here is the song list. I dont remember the order and this is the best I can find online right now.

Satellite
Ants Marching
Dancing Nancies
Crash
Two Step
#41
Crash Into Me
Don’t Drink the Water
Crush
Busted Stuff
Grace Is Gone
Bartender
Everyday
Gravedigger
Save Me
Stay or Leave
Some Devil
Dodo
So Damn Lucky
Old Dirt Hill
Smooth Rider
Sister
Can’t Stop
Corn Bread

Before the show I wandered around Dublin….saw the outside of a couple churches then off to the park and down grafton street through the shopping district. Then I got hungry and walk into this bar and who do you think was in there? Yes the same two Englishmen I had met the night before of all the places I stop to eat. They were staying across the street and heading home shortly. So I wished them luck sat down had a Guinness and Club Sandwich. After that I wandered some more, I hit up Trinity College, great campus.

After wandering around all day I headed to the Dave show. Once I got there, took a cab, I met a group from Vegas and from California. I felt better about coming all the way to Ireland and seeing Dave Matthews. Then when I sat in my seats I was next to this couple who had come in from Texas they didnt make it out the night that I did so they got in yesterday. The are from the top of Texas though I dont remember the name haha. She gave me her email address and told me if I get some pics tonight to send them her way.

After that I left the venue and finding a cab was not happening so I just started walking back, oh did I mention this was my first Ireland Rain experience, mom the coat worked great, I made it home and underneath my jacket was completely dry and so was the limited edition post I bought, which was most important. After getting back to the hotel it was midnight and most of the restaurants were closed so I wandered off to Temple Bar area to find something. I wandered into a Bar that had a club in the basement. I knew it was open and well I wasnt ready to pass out yet.

In the bar was a irishman covering American Music…yeah it was bad…anyone that covers SAVE TONIGHT by EAGLE EYE CHERRY and I WOULD WALK A THOUSAND MILES…well you get the point. I was thinking of heading home when I was done my second beer of the night when a guy orders a Budweiser next to me. Oh before we get there I forgot there were some cute girls in the bar but I couldnt talk to them. Not cause I didnt have the guts but because they were deaf. Ok so this guy orders a Bud and I was wow…didnt say anything just thinking in my head. He introduces himself he actually lives in dublin and is a Marine Biologist. He works 8 months out of the year and makes about 40K euros, not a bad deal. We hung out and had some beers then went to the club and this is more for Kendra and Kim but they played Smack That and Hips Dont Lie back to back…seriously stop stalking me. So Alan, my new friends name, looks at me and Sarah dont laugh too loud, but he says, “im not racist or anything like that but are you JEWISH????” I almost lost it. I said yes I am partially. He said its your accent…..whatever that means. Clearly I look Jewish. This time when I left the bar I knew how to get home See I am learning…

Thats a good start. The next leg of the journey is upon me…BELFAST…DAVE…HERE WE GO AGAIN……

the first 24 hours in Dublin

After the taking off disaster..I was finally in Dublin….I went to my hotel got settled then it was out for some entertainment.

I first stopped off at International Bar had a Guiness but there wasnt much going on there…there was a comedy show but I didnt really come all the way to Ireland to see a comedy show I wanted some live musical entertainment. Worst thing I saw at International Bar was someone ordering a Budweiser, I mean come on now…So I left International Bar to look for some food and live entertainment.

I stumbled upon a bar called O’Neills because outside of it there was sign that said live musical entertainment tonight…wow thats just what I need. So I walked in and found some food, ham mashed potatoes peas carrots and cabbage with some gravy. The food was good as was the cabbage which I havent really ever had before. So I sat down at a booth and ate my dinner with a beer..Smithwicks to be exact.

As I sat there after eating and watched Football, the kind with the round ball people…I started to feel the jetlag kicking in as my eyes started to droop and I was thinking about calling it an early night to catch up on sleep, when all of a sudden this older gentleman comes up and asks is he and his buddy could share the booth, I figured why not. The older man whose name was lost in the upcoming drinking said hope we dont ruin your evening, I said impossible and it only got more entertaining.

His brother in law was with him and sat across from me he asked who won the first match? ask if they tied nil nil…I said no there were two late goal 1-1 tie. The the older man sat down and asked me who I root for. I knew I was in trouble. I said I didnt really follow. He said just tell me you root for Liverpool, his brother in law said no no…I told them they dont want me rooting for their teams because every team I root for loses.

We had a couple guinesses together, they are both from England. They told me I should visit there next, who knows maybe next year. yes Mom I know you want to go. The older man told me he lives right near where William Shakespeare is from. I told him my mom would be proud. The highlight of the night with them came when the older man came back with two beers I wasnt keeping up at this point and he went to sit down on his stool and completely missed it. HILARIOUS…I didnt laugh though. He was fine and somehow managed only to spill about a quarter of each beer. They left after that round and then I heard something from upstairs…MUSIC.

I went up and had another guinness which I didnt really drink before now but it tastes so good when it hits your lips…This was a small local band who plays there every sunday night three guys with an accordian guitar and banjo, now this is what I had been looking for. Then when the bar closed I started to walk home and realised I didnt really remember how to get home. So I caught a cab and headed home…ok off to my new adventure and Dave Matthews tonight.

ILL MISS YOU GRANDMOM

This past week has probably been one of the hardest for me in a while…work has been crazy…my second semester of grad school is starting and on the first day my grandmom had a heart attack. after class I was able to drive to jersey and see her in the hospital…she made it through the first 24 hours which are the most touch and go and improved a little during the week till she hit a wall just over a week later here I am sitting here trying to understand it all.

I really do appreciate how lucky I am to have such a great family. We were all in town today to say our goodbyes as we knew it was time to take grandmom off the ventilator. my heart is truly with my grandfather right now who after 65 years doesnt have his partner in crime. They were that old couple you see walking at the park or boardwalk that you think to yourself, when I get that old I want to be that cute.

It has been a rough couple weeks and I am sure the viewing and funeral will hit me pretty hard as well. My parents are divorced and remarried and this is my step dads mom but if you ever told her that I wasnt her grandson watch out.

From day 1, she took me as her one of her favorites and never let me forget that.

She also never let me forget when as a young kid about age 7 I crawled under the table while they were all playing cards and heard my grandmother swear and poppy probably cause he was messing up something they had going in pinnochle. What did I do? Well what any young child would do….OOOOOOOOOOOOOO WHAT GRANDMOM SAID!!! to this day I say she is the one who taught me any swear word I use. This is the same women who could pray the rosary while watching the Phillies…look up swear at them and look back down and start right where she left off as if they didnt interfere with each other.

I will miss her dearly but I will always treasure the time we did spend together….88 years strong she was and certainly helped me become the person I am today.