Dublin

We spent 5 days in Ireland over the Easter holiday weekend.  The first two nights in Dublin and then two nights out in the country.   We arrived in Dublin about 3pm on Good Friday.  I was super-exhausted from some greuling weeks at work – so we went straight to the hotel and didn’t leave all evening.  We took a nap, then ate dinner at the hotel restaurant.  The hotel’s restaurant was in an 1861 schoolhouse building.  Very cool.  The hotel had Craftsman style detailing and furniture, instilling a sense of being in Portland, Oregon, USA, for some reason.

Saturday we had all day to “do” Dublin.  We started by heading to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells.  Transcribed by Celtic monks around 800ad, it is the four new testament gospels in Latin, based on the Vulgate.  It was truly fabulous to see in person.  Photographs and reproductions do not do it justice – the detail and depth of the illustrations is amazing. 

The rest of the day we spend walking around to some of the other sites in Dublin, including an obligitory swing through Temple Bar  (extremely overrated).  We toured Dublin Castle with the most efficient and no-nonsence tour guide we’ve ever had (she runs the last group of the day through like a pro).  After dinner, on the walk back to the hotel we stoped at an old bar that has live, traditional Irish music.  There was a trio of older gentlemen performing up by the front window of the pub, and we scored a couple of bar stools near the back end of the bar.  The man who was singing had the most beautiful, clear and powerful voice singing the old traditional songs.  We were 50ft away in a crowded, noisy bar, but it sounded so clear.  Really lovely.  I’d like to find a CD sometime, but I’m sure it would not possibly do it justice.

Overall, Dublin was fine, but not somewhere that we’ll return, and not somewhere I’d recommend as a can’t miss European city.  It felt like I could have been anywhere, I actually never could shake the feeling that I was in Portland.  I like Portland, Portland is a great city too, but to my American friends, save your travel pennies and catch Portland someday. If you’re into the whole Irish thing, throw in a St Patty’s day celebration while you’re there, or maybe one of the great stateside St Patrick’s Day celebrations, like Chicago, and when you make it to Europe skip Dublin.  Other than the Book of Kells, nothing was a “wow.”

No soup for you!

Easter Monday we were tooling around County Meath, Ireland, checking out the local historical sites (to be posted later).  We were in search of a light lunch about 2pm, and were in the lovely village of Slane.  We parked on the main street in front of this lovely pub.  It had a sign (the rectangular one past the guiness sign) clearly indicating that they served soup and sandwiches.  I was in the market for soup, so we headed inside.  I asked the bartender what their soup was today and he said to go across the street, where they serve great soup and that was where they usually went for lunch.  We were a little bit confused, but we headed across the street.

After our lunch (my soup was so-so, Steve had some great homemade fried mushrooms) we headed back over to the pub for a pint.   We sat there for about 45 minutes chatting with the bartender and his buddy Carrol (male), who was sitting at the bar as well.  A big horse race, the Irish Grand National, was on so we learned quite a bit about that.  They had a lot of questions about the Kentucky Derby, which since we’re American we must be experts on (but actually we know practially nothing about it).  We also talked about the local area, as both Carrol and the bartender grew up in Slane.  It is acutally a lot like Morton, everyone knows everyone, most kids leave, but then a few come back.  Lots of people are moving to the area and making the 90+ minute commute into Dublin.  We all agreed that sort of commute was crazy, even with Slane being a lovely place to live. 

As we were getting ready to leave we asked about the sign.  The bartender said they hadn’t served soup for years.  I mentioned that they might want to take the soup sign down, if they don’t ever serve it.  The bartender hollered for the owner to come over and relayed the message.  The owner said “I tried to take it down.  The historical commission won’t let me.”  I noted he should affix another sign, with “no soup for you!”  They didn’t seem to get it, I guess this Seinfeld reference is not as universal as I thought it was.

Working late

This pretty much sums up the last two weeks for me. I had several deliverable deadlines all fall together at work. I pulled plenty of long days and thus so did Steve.

We’re both exhausted. We’re leaving today for a few days in Dublin – but I wish I was staying home and vegging instead of fighting traffic and airports. I hope I get excited when we get there.

We only have one American on our team.

Steve was eating lunch yesterday with his teammate as well as some colleagues visiting from the States.  They were talking about the international makeup of the UK based team (not many Brits or Americans).  Steve’s teammate told the visiting colleague “we only have one American on our team.” 

Steve acted insulted, “what do you think I am?” 
“Well, I don’t really think of you as American.”
“Where do you imagine I’m from?”
“I don’t know.”

This is the third time this week someone has gotten our country of origin wrong.  On Sunday at church twice people asked what part of Canada we were from.  I think our American accent is weakening as we have to ennunciate differently to be understood over here.

How much do you like going to the dentist?

Life has been pretty boring at the Schrock house this past week (pretty much work 24-7 for me) so we’ll use our extended family for material:-)

Funny Ethan (our 4 year old nephew) story:  Ethan LOVES to go to the dentist, maybe because of the “free” tooth brush, etc. he gets.  Anyway, he is lying there waiting for Dr. Zim to check his teeth and he tells mom, “I love that boy what lives here all the time.  He is very nice.”  Well, mom started laughing because he is referring to Dr Zim!  Mom asked Ethan if we could tell this to Dr Zim and Ethan said, “No!  Keep it quiet!  Keep it secret!”  If mom didn’t know better, she would think this kid has been watching Lord of the Rings!  He was pretty much quoting Gandalf!

I don’t love the dentist, but they always love to see me.  Maybe that is because I help finance their new boats…

Spring bike ride

This morning we headed out on the bikes and checked out some of the nearby villages.  Yesterday the weather forecast looked bad and we didn’t thing we’d get out, but by in the morning it didn’t call for rain until after noon, so we got up and out early to try to squeeze a ride in.  It was a beautiful spring morning, the daffodills are up and blooming all around – many out in the wooded areas – makes for beautiful walking and cycling.

We headed up to Stoke Row and checked out Maharajah’s Well.  Then we meandered about from town to town – checking out the various pubs – making notes for future walks and cycle trips.  Our friend who moved from Seattle to Reading about the same time we did wants to come out on a country pub walk with us sometimes soon, and we’ll probably hit a couple that we saw today – proper country pubs.

At noon we stopped at a pub for a light lunch and as we were eating the weather started to look bad.  We paid our tab and scurried out.  We cycled straight home and the rain started to fall less than a minute after we got in the door.

A visitor!

Yesterday I got to spend the afternoon with an old family friend in London.  Linda – the best friend of my Aunt Brenda – was in London with a group of her university students.  We went to the National Portrait Gallery, had coffee, and then did a bit of shopping on Oxford street.  At the gallery we saw an http://www.npg.org.uk/vanityfair/index.htm.  Very interesting – some beautiful portrait photography.  We also saw just a portion of the gallery’s regular collection which included several pieces featuring Florence Nightingale (very appropriate as Linda is a nursing professor leading a group of nursing students).

 Our shopping was fun as well.  Linda, who has a grand neice on the way, checked out the amazing selection of baby buggies at Mamas and Papas.  I finally made it Top Shop on Oxford street and was promptly overwhelmed at the enormous selection.  At another shop I found a small gift for Brenda, who we wish could have been with us.

 PS:  For those who have been asking I posted a photo of our new sofa on Flickr.

Tuesday in Paris: Versailles

Versailles did not live up to expecations.  How could it really?  Castles and gardens all over the world are compared to it, it is talked up to be the greatest.

In reality the house was stripped of most of its original glory in the French Revolution.  You can’t explore much of the house at all, and the parts you do see are crammed insanely full with tourists and mobs of school kids.  The state apartments were filled with a temporary exhibit of silver work from other great houses in Europe.  “Hey – look at the stuff we borrowed from Chatsworth and other great houses in Europe.  Of course what we had originally was better though.”  I didn’t come to Versailles to see stuff borrowed from other places I’ve already been.  Plus it just made the mobs crowd into smaller spaces.  Ick.  The hall of mirrors had a painted theatre-prop replica of the throne as it was set up at one time.  Very lame.  Just let me see the room (which might be impressive) without filling it with junk.

Going outside was a wise move.  Once you go around to the back side of the house you see why Versailles is the legend it is.  The gardens go on for miles (literally).  After walking and enjoying the gardens you turn around and see the massive scale of the house.  It is truly huge.  Entering at the front is not nearly as impressive as this view.  A hilight of gardens are the subsidiary palaces Petit Trianon and the Grand Trianon.  Where the kings would “get away from it all.” 

My advice – skip the palace.  Only make the trek out to Versailles you truly have the time to make the trek and you have good weather.  If so you can spend the whole day enjoying the gardens.  There are many other great houses and palaces in Europe where you can enjoy and appreciate grand scales and great luxury and amazing craftsmanship.  I’d recommend the Residenz at Wurzburg as a place to start.

Tuesday in Paris: Notre Dame and Sainte-Chapelle

You really can’t appreciate this day without seeing the photos – so click on the photo or on this link to go to Flickr. 

Monday we got up early (for us) to head over to Notre Dame as soon as it opened at 7:45 am.  It was totally worth it.  We got to see the sun rising over the Seine as we headed towards the cathedral.  Inside there were no crowds, just a few travellers quietly looking around as mass was being held in the Quire.  We also got to see the sun rising through the stained glass inside.  Incredible.  A place like this is only really appreciated when it is still and quiet, serving its purpose as a place of worship, not just a tourist attraction.

 After almost an hour in Notre Dame we walked the few blocks to Sainte Chapelle.  It is a lesser known church – now a part of the Palais de Justice, home of the French Supreme court.  It was built by Louis IX to house the relic of the “supposed” crown of thorns.  The chapel stained glass is incredible.  15 panels with 1,100 scenes from the Bible and from the history of the relic.  Due to a midevial mis-translation of the Bible Moses has horns (instead of “rays of light”).  The chapel was exclusively for the private worship of the King and his special guests, his staff worshiped downstairs.  Not very egaliterian.

After these two stops we got on the train out to Versailles – where we arrived by mid-morning.  I’ll save that for one last post.

Slacker

I’ve been slacking on the blog. Sorry!

I’ve been in Florida since last Friday (sitting in the airport lounge ready to head back right now). I spent 2 days in training, 4 days at the HIMSS conference and 1 day at the beach with Steve’s parents. Add two trans-Atlantic flights and you have 9 days of slacker blogging.

I’ll try to post the last day of our Paris trip and then resume with my Florida exploits.

After almost a week in France and a week in the States my diet starts tomorrow!!!