Dublin, The NYC of Ireland

Bet you thought that I had disappeared into a hobbit hole in the Irish countryside never to return again... but have no fear I am safe and sound in Ireland.  From Stratford we took a bus and a ferry and have now arrived in a bustling city of new accents.  I can't even express how large this city is, filled with one cathedral after another and a plethora of coffee shops that beckon you in with fresh baked goods.  Museums abound everywhere and yes this is the city of the world-reknowned Guinness factory.  The days are quite busy as we see as much of the city as possible in the few days that we are here...A few highlights from the eyes of a tourist:

1) When we arrived we had a food emergency (aka it was pretty late so most places were no longer serving food) and in a moment of weakness, we all ran to the only thing in site, McDonalds.  I am ashamed to admit it, but really there was not much choice.  You should get a laugh that the first thing we did in Dublin was highly American, though theirs are quite swankier than ours, complete with cafe.

2) Have seen shows at both the Abbey Theatre and the Gate Theatre.  The Abbey is the home of the Irish National Theatre, and last evening we went to see the Plough and The Stars.  I have never seen so many traumatic stage moments, but the production was beautifully done.  It was like watching the history of the Irish people who fought for their freedom unfold before my eyes.  For each scene the set was transformed before our very eyes, with curtains dropping, doors being hung on hinges.  And the acting was incredible, though it took me a bit to adjust to the accents.  The voices here lilt, rising and falling like music.  There is something to say for being able to see a production in the natural accent of the people here.  In contrast, earlier this week we saw Death of a Salesman, where the actors actually put on American accents!  But this set was incredible! Picture a stage sloping upward with a celing sloping downward...everything almost appeared to collapse and suffocate the actors.  It was beautifully simple, all with a trees creaky branches woven through the set.

3) I fell in a store in Dublin; like I mean wiped out.  Just picture me getting excited about a sale in a cute store, bounding up the stairs only to fall flat on my face.  I give you free reign to laugh because I'm not hurt and it was just a hilarious experience.

4) Ate at the Bad Ass Cafe...just a humorous place that we enjoyed.  It was a nice break from PB and J and let's be honest the name is just funny... :)

5) Wandered through the beautiful St. Stephen's Green.  This is a park filled with trees and statues, a sort of green oasis in the middle of a bustling city.

Yesterday we walked to the Museam of Modern Art to find that the new exhibit is surprise...Modern American Art! But it actually was really interesting.  Also, bordering the building was a rolling Irish field and a garden akin to Alice and Wonderland.  It makes me excited for the countryside, but for now I'll continue to be a country girl living in the big city.  Dublin offers so much; now to just find it all...