Surviving Ireland without alcohol

Happy Bloomsday!!!!

Ireland is for traveling wimps.

Don't feel like roughin' it? Don't want to speak a different language when you travel? Do want to travel with the fear of death or mugging at every corner?

Come here.

I was so tired of feeling so comfortable that I set up my tarp in a park a couple of days to rough it up a bit.

Ireland is nice

The mountains are nice: not too high, not too low.

The summer weather is nice: not too hot or cold.

The people are nice: not too mean and not too sober.

How to survive without alcohol

It was tough to go to pubs and ask for an OJ. They said, "Don't you want a Guiness with that, laddie????"

Nevertheless, I survived and fortunately none of my bus drivers were drunk at the time.

Bloomsday century!

So what's Bloomsday? It is a major event in Ireland, especially Dublin.

James Joyce, a Dubliner and Nobel Prize Winner, wrote Ulysses. The entire book takes place on June 16, 1904. Today is the 100 Year Anniversary of that event!

He selected that date because that was the first time he went out on a date with his future wife.

Today, I went to see readings and celebrations throughout the city. James Joyce is a BIG DEAL here. I'm pretty fortunate to be here during the 100th Bloomsday.

Besides, I took a class on Joyce at Amherst, so I actually like the guy.

...a long a last a love along the riverrun pass eve and adam from swerve of shore to bend of bay.....

Next stop: Finland!

June 16, 2004