Buddies in Ireland: A Webby Riney Good Timey

Our most recent visitors, Melanie and Eric Webb just left on Saturday. Melanie, my childhood best bud, and sidekick of serious silliness came with her fun-loving husband to Galway to visit for the last week. Despite their major jet lag, they were fun from the start. I made some WAY too strong java (note to self, never let the tea drinker mix the instant coffee) to keep them from falling asleep standing up. They were even up for exploring on that first evening. So of course we introduced them to Galway properly with McDonagh's fish and chips and a trip to the Front Door for some pints, Baileys and Irish Coffee (that's all together, not for each of us). Unfortunately I had to work the next day, but i left early after meeting them for lunch. We walked along shop street, the pedestrian only street, which is filled with funky shops, restaurants and talented street performers during the summer. That evening Eric played a spot of footie with Mike in his weekly soccer game. Melanie and i cheered them on and were ready with our CPR skills at any moment- the sides were playing fiercely.

The next day at work i was pretty miserable/ thankful to be there... why such a contrast you ask? Well Mike took Mel and Eric to the Aran Islands for some biking fun. I hated being away from my friends and the exploration they were experiencing while i was stuck in an old hospital with an old smell, wearing bottle green trousers; hence miserable. However, there was not one moment of the day that i looked out the window and didn't see lashing rain and gray skies. I often thought about how i lent my rain pants to Melanie, how Eric declined borrowing Mike's, and Mike fully clothed in his rain gear.... if there was one more on the trip, Eric wouldn't be the only one with a pruney, dish-pan-hands-like body; hence thankful. However, I have never met 3 people who are better sports about being fully soaked and clammy for 5 straight hours while touring a small island by bike. The 3 of them stepped off the ferry into 50 degree lashing rain weather and took a minute to decide between taking a bus tour around the island, a horse and buggy or bikes. After a minute they all said "what the hey, let's get wet and go biking!" They were trekking along the narrow roads trying to see through splashes and drops, attempting to climb hills through the insane weather, and what was that noise? The melodious sound Melanie was hearing was Eric (A.K.A. champ of the day) singing silly songs and keeping everyone laughing. At one point, just as Melanie was getting the hang of riding a bike without really being able to see or being able to remember what dryness felt like, two tour busses, were about to pass right next to little Melanie as she was cut off the road and was forced to hop off the bike to avoid being smushed into the stone wall. As if she wasn't wet enough, she hopped off directly into a puddle ankle deep and for the rest of the day her socks were sloshing with each step. Although it was a "crappy/ fun" day i am told it was the true bonding time for Melanie, Eric and Mike.

Wednesday i woke up with a bit of a cough, a headache, and i just couldn't make myself go to work. Especially not after Tuesday when every time i coughed a little the entire department tried to throw me out on the streets. A cultural lesson for me: Back in the states staying home sick from work meant you actively were experiencing both diarreah and vomitting, had a severely contagious disease which caused death, or had a limb actually hanging off of your being, otherwise you're considered fit to treat patients. This is in comparison to Ireland where if you cough more than 4 times, or complain of a headache or god-forbid, menstrual cramps, or say

that your belly doesn't quite feel right after eating mashed potatoes, chips and crisps for lunch you can't be at work, someone must give you a lift home immediately and don't even think about coming in tomorrow if you don't feel better. But i digress. So Wednesday i went with

my buddies on a bus trip to the Burren and Cliffs of Moher. We had a surprisingly beautiful, mostly dry day. The Burren was again phenomenal, the Cliffs were extremely windy (see picture on the far right of the page) and the coast line, my favorite, was breathtaking.

Thursday we head off to Dubs, Dublin that is. The

train was SO worth it! 2 1/2 hours v. 5, toilets, food, a table to play cards, take 2 or to sleep on! I don't know that we'll EVER take the bus cross country again. We got to our B & B and were on the move again. We checked out Temple Bar, where all the pubs and restaraunts

are and found the Bad Ass cafe where Sinead O'Conner used to waitress. We saw Christ Church, an impressive Cathedral with history dating back to the 1100's. Click on the

picture and note the sign: We also got to St. Patrick's Catherdral too late to go in but the park was beautiful. And we saw the place where St. Patrick is to have baptized the Irish in the 5th century.

Our dinner was as Irish as it gets, some form of meat, some form of potatoes and Guinness.
Friday we got to see the Book of Kells at Trinity College after an amusement park-like wait in

line. It was worth it- the history of the 8th century text of the 4 gospels was fastinating. It is an illumiated manuscript made with colors from ALL over the world from things like chalk from northern Ireland, to blue from a certain plant in China, to purple from a pregant insect of the Mediterraean (i'm serious). Then the ancient library of 2 open arched stories was beautiful! The old books from centuries ago were arranged on enormous bookcases about 30 deep! We finally got to see St. Patricks Cathedral on the inside, we checked out St. Stephen's Green and Marrion Square. After walking for hours 2 days straight we needed some rest so we found ourselves a cozy pub. We taught our buds how to play King, an easy to learn game our Brazilin friends taught us. Melanie and I