Weekend of a Lifetime

Relaying events in their proper order is predictable. Far more exciting and interesting is to go backwards. At least that is the excuse I'm sticking with.

This past weekend was absolutely fantastic. Thursday night, I was invited to go to a party for work thrown by Sunday World. It was 70's and 80's themed, and while I was not cool enough to wear a costume, most people did. Everyone was so creative. From the Jackson 5 to Madonna to a Rubix Cube to Hulk Hogan, I was so impressed with how into it everyone was. I have never been to anything like it; open bar, food everywhere, and of course- the celebrity appearance.

If anyone caught these guys on Ellen Degeneres on St. Patty's day, you'll know just how ridiculous it is that I got to meet them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2XXuRHq15o
Check it out first. They are outrageous. Goofy and cheesy, and yet incredibly fun and full of energy. Bit of a running joke amongst Irish people who are mortified that they were on Ellen. I missed the performance, unfortunately, as I showed up a bit late, but I got to meet all three of them later on. I chatted with the Mom for a solid twenty minutes. They are just as wholesome and sugary sweet as they seem on TV. It was bizarre seeing them up close. I also had a fantastic time with my coworkers who were introducing me to everyone and constantly making sure I was having a great time.

Friday, I was treated to my very first rugby game, Leinster v the Ospreys (Wales). The O'Keane family, friends of my dad, have been absolutely fantastic about showing me everything about Dublin. They have season tickets to Leinster rugby and were generous enough to bring me to a game.

The rules flew over my head, of course, but Eoghan O'Keane was great about filling me in on the basics. It is one of the coolest games I've ever watched. I can see how it's easy to get addicted; by the end of it, I had a good idea of what was going on, picked my favorite player, and was cheering as loud as everyone else. Leinster won 20-16. It was certainly a game I'll remember, a great first rugby experience.

The next day, I met my friends in Galway. They were able to go to the Aran Islands; due to the rugby game I had to miss out on that (save it for the next time I'm in Ireland!) but met up in Galway that afternoon.

It was so nice to see that city again. It brought a feeling of closure to my experience here, remembering a few months ago when I was there and all the amazing places I'd seen since. We had dinner at Couch Potatas, an amazing hidden gem. Every dish is a baked potato stuffed/topped with meat, veggies, sauce, cheese, etc. I could probably eat there every meal if it in Boston and was nutritionally acceptable. We had a few drinks on the town, but we were all pretty exhausted and called it an early night.

The next day we shopped for gifts around the city. Amongst wonderful souvenirs for my beloved friends and family, I also got myself something. I knew what I wanted; something I would wear every day, to symbolize my unforgettable time here in Ireland, and purchased from its city of origin- a claddagh ring. The original shop was closed for Sunday, but I found another jewelry place (that was most certainly cheaper anyway) that had just what I wanted. While I have an astounding amount of earrings that I change daily, I wear the same rings every day. I have worn the one on my left hand for two years now, and I envision this new claddagh ring will be around for a while, reminding me of my time here everytime I glance down at it.

A beautiful stroll around the harbor, some silly time taking pictures amongst large rocks like the mature 21 year olds we are, and we were off to catch the 3 hour bus back to Dublin. I felt pretty emotional leaving Galway (there may have been a rogue tear or two) but it only reminded me that I need to live it up the next two weeks. Tonight I'm going to try out the dancing at a local school. Let's home my feet remember what to do!