Coronation Street and Gardens
Saturday, 30th January. I had overslept, took a later bus and arrived to Dublin at around 1pm as opposed to the original time of 11:30. Idalle had wanted to meet at the Connelly train station despite my numerous protests that I didn't know where and would prefer to meet at the bus station then go home. I couldn't find Idalle and eventually found the train station which was a block away *grimace*. I had it mixed up with a different train station.
We had previously agreed that if all went wrong after 2pm, I'd go to her home by bus or taxi. I found a proper city bus route and took it to Glasnevin, a suburb of Dublin. I arrived and found her place. Fortunately it wasn't cold and rainy so I was able to wait for Idalle. She arrived under an hour later, she had been using her car waiting for me (no wonder I couldn't see her). She gave me tea and toast and we caught up a bit. Most of the deafies had gone to a wedding in Wexford and would not return until tomorrow. We spent the day relaxing and watching television. Some shows I hadn't seen since I left Limerick: Coronation Street and Eastenders, the soap operas. Nice difference is that the actors are more normal looking, have few extra pounds as opposed to American soaps.
Later in the evening, Idalle's boyfriend Karol came to cook us dinner as he is more adept cook than Idalle. We had stuffed chicken wrapped with rashers (thick bacon) along with vegetables, mashed potatoes and baby potatoes. Afterwards, Idalle informed me that Paul would be coming over. I did not know who he was until she showed me a picture of him. He was vaguely familiar until I realized I met him after I graduated from Limerick. I had celebrated, uh heavily, and barely remembered our conversation. Nice guy but didn't fancy him. Once Paul arrived, Idalle immediately attached herself to Karol for some coddling. Paul and I talked a little but mostly watched tv. I was a little peeved but said nothing.
Her friends paraded through the apartment the very night and following day. I remembered a couple that I had met in Montreal for WFD. I finally got a decent night's sleep, ensuring that I stuffed myself to gills with dinner and bread. Idalle couldn't go with me to National Botanic Gardens on Sunday which is only a short walk distance within the neighbhorhood, so I went alone.
The Botanic Gardens were laid out and built in 1795 five years after the Dail (Irish Parliament) granted funds to the Dublin Society. Exotic plants were brought in from Asia and Africa, orchids were successfully coaxed from seedlings into blooming flowers among other accomplishments in 19th century. There is a centre of study in horticulture.
I do not have much knowledge in plants as the maps named plant names - I know what they look like, not their names. So I wandered around for two hours looking at variety of gardens (not much this time of the year) went to glass (green) houses where there are amazing arrays of orchids, cactuses, ferns, palm trees and so on. I took loads of pictures - Pity I do not have adequate technology to attach pictures to this website. Ofoto will have to do. There were lovely and manicured streams, a herb's walk, some bridges. Lots of families with small children were out and about, groups of people so it was a very lively park. I found a statue of Socrates and someone put a hot pink sweat band with "Princess" emblazoned across the band on top of his head. Nice. Spotted a cemetary (oooo) behind the stone walls but did not make the time to find the seperate enterance.
Returned to Idalle's home. Another friend was there. He had brought pictures of Deaflympics in Austraila. the Deaf Irish brought home 11 gold medals including Idalle's roommate John who won a gold in swimming (I would never meet him during my stay). My friends had arrived but I wouldn't be seeing them til tomorrow which was fine with me because I was definitely coming down with something. *sniffle* the stratchy throat that appeared Saturday morning didn't go away as I had hoped. We relaxed with TV, watched the "Green Mile" and went to bed.
That was a quiet weekend. The next two days would pick up before I left for the US.
We had previously agreed that if all went wrong after 2pm, I'd go to her home by bus or taxi. I found a proper city bus route and took it to Glasnevin, a suburb of Dublin. I arrived and found her place. Fortunately it wasn't cold and rainy so I was able to wait for Idalle. She arrived under an hour later, she had been using her car waiting for me (no wonder I couldn't see her). She gave me tea and toast and we caught up a bit. Most of the deafies had gone to a wedding in Wexford and would not return until tomorrow. We spent the day relaxing and watching television. Some shows I hadn't seen since I left Limerick: Coronation Street and Eastenders, the soap operas. Nice difference is that the actors are more normal looking, have few extra pounds as opposed to American soaps.
Later in the evening, Idalle's boyfriend Karol came to cook us dinner as he is more adept cook than Idalle. We had stuffed chicken wrapped with rashers (thick bacon) along with vegetables, mashed potatoes and baby potatoes. Afterwards, Idalle informed me that Paul would be coming over. I did not know who he was until she showed me a picture of him. He was vaguely familiar until I realized I met him after I graduated from Limerick. I had celebrated, uh heavily, and barely remembered our conversation. Nice guy but didn't fancy him. Once Paul arrived, Idalle immediately attached herself to Karol for some coddling. Paul and I talked a little but mostly watched tv. I was a little peeved but said nothing.
Her friends paraded through the apartment the very night and following day. I remembered a couple that I had met in Montreal for WFD. I finally got a decent night's sleep, ensuring that I stuffed myself to gills with dinner and bread. Idalle couldn't go with me to National Botanic Gardens on Sunday which is only a short walk distance within the neighbhorhood, so I went alone.
The Botanic Gardens were laid out and built in 1795 five years after the Dail (Irish Parliament) granted funds to the Dublin Society. Exotic plants were brought in from Asia and Africa, orchids were successfully coaxed from seedlings into blooming flowers among other accomplishments in 19th century. There is a centre of study in horticulture.
I do not have much knowledge in plants as the maps named plant names - I know what they look like, not their names. So I wandered around for two hours looking at variety of gardens (not much this time of the year) went to glass (green) houses where there are amazing arrays of orchids, cactuses, ferns, palm trees and so on. I took loads of pictures - Pity I do not have adequate technology to attach pictures to this website. Ofoto will have to do. There were lovely and manicured streams, a herb's walk, some bridges. Lots of families with small children were out and about, groups of people so it was a very lively park. I found a statue of Socrates and someone put a hot pink sweat band with "Princess" emblazoned across the band on top of his head. Nice. Spotted a cemetary (oooo) behind the stone walls but did not make the time to find the seperate enterance.
Returned to Idalle's home. Another friend was there. He had brought pictures of Deaflympics in Austraila. the Deaf Irish brought home 11 gold medals including Idalle's roommate John who won a gold in swimming (I would never meet him during my stay). My friends had arrived but I wouldn't be seeing them til tomorrow which was fine with me because I was definitely coming down with something. *sniffle* the stratchy throat that appeared Saturday morning didn't go away as I had hoped. We relaxed with TV, watched the "Green Mile" and went to bed.
That was a quiet weekend. The next two days would pick up before I left for the US.
posted by Kate O. Breen at 1:52 PM
1 Comments:
I kind of grew up watching British shows with my Mom. "Coronation Street" was/is a favorite of my Mom's and of course, we would watch it in our Canadian living room on our Canadian couch. ;) Yes, 'tis a pity Americans don't get "Coronation Street" or other soaps like that. I absolutely agree, the actors on British soaps are much more realistic looking with a couple extra pounds in comparison to the American skinny soap actors. :)
XOXOXO
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