32 hours, but who's counting?

Ok, so I know I said the next post would be about Guinness...but I think I'll save that for when I do my comparison taste test in Ireland. So just hold your horses on that one. 


I'm 32 hours out from leaving on a jet plane, and I'm not even packed. My suitcase is lying open and empty on the library floor, surrounded by piles of clothes because I can't decide what to take. I have been stepping over it for two days now. Maybe if I wait another day the clothes will finally get disgusted with me and jump in of their own accord. 


Well that's fine but please make sure the socks match. 


So my friend in Dublin asked me for a favor. She moved there 3 years ago, and seems she left "a few things" at a friends house here and would I mind bringing them over? 


The few things ended up being two gi-normous jam-packed suitcases.


One suitcase I have no idea what is in it because her friend packed all 49 pounds of it all nice and tidy. The other, however, I know exactly what it contains. Twenty three pairs of shoes.


"So ...I just have to ask...have you been going barefoot for the past 3 years?"
(this is an actual conversation I had with her just today)


"Well love..."
(she says love a lot, I'm thinking it's an Irish thing - I may come back calling everyone love)
"...well love..no but remember I was pregnant and then with a baby so there was really no need for nice shoes"


Ah, well then. I love her so I'll happily bring her post-baby shoes to Dublin.


In the same suitcase on top of the shoes, mashed down so as to fit, is a huge variety of 4th of July party goods she has asked that I bring for a party she's planning. Twenty three pairs of shoes, and red, white and blue boa's, garland and party favors.  I'm thinking when customs takes a look in this bag I may have to answer a few questions.


So while her bags are packed and ready to go, my one carry-on is not and I am not the least bit angst'd about it. 


This trip and the planning of it has been like that. There's no explaining it - but I really don't feel that anxious anticipation that usually accompanies a vacation. As a result, I've let a few things lapse till the last minute......


I'm not packed
I don't have a European outlet adapter for any of my 7 powercords I'm taking with me - that's on my "to do" list.
I haven't reserved a rental car for the part of the journey when I'm on my own- I'll get to it tomorrow.
I haven't made plans for getting to the airport - I'll probably call a cab. 
I haven't picked up the cute gift for the Irish wedding I'm going to - I think I can squeeze it in tomorrow.
I forgot I need new glasses to drive in Ireland so I'm going to get those tomorrow. Hope they have same-day service.
I haven't picked up any foreign currency for the trip - gotta hit Dale's Coin shop tomorrow.
Oh and did I mention I still have to work tomorrow?


And I'm (now 31.5) hours away from leaving.  


And yet....I'm content. I feel good about this trip. I'm so happy, that as I sit here in the silence of the late night, curled up on my sofa with my dog enjoying his doggie dreams at my feet - I'm smiling.  Life is good.  I'm going to Ireland. I'm going to walk the cliffs of Moher, drive the Ring of Kerry and sing songs in a pub. 


I'm going to stand on the dock where my ancestor, John Murphy, stood in 1807 - when he was only 26 years old - and I'm probably going to cry and smile at the same time. And while I'm glad I'm going alone, I know I'll have dozens of moments where I'll wish that some of you were with me.


I may not be packed - and I may have a long list of things to do in the next (now 31) hours, but I'm ready. So glad you'll be with me on the journey. 


See you again on Friday in Dublin. Smiles.

Who are you?

My next blog entry will focus on the true gem of Ireland - Guinness. So stay tuned. I'm taste testing now and just need a few more samples.

In the meantime dear friends, I wanted to share something I find quite fascinating. 


We live in a new age. With the push of a button (and barring no power surges) - we have the ability to connect with people all over the world. To this point, since I started this blog barely a month ago, I've had readers from more than 20 countries, several continents and more states than I've ever traveled to. This site has had over 1,600 page views in just over a month. And over 200 people have taken a peek at my personal profile. Have to admit...that makes me feel kinda strange.

And now you know me..somewhat...but who are you? 
You are, with exceptions to the people I know - faceless and nameless, unfortunately.
But thanks to the wonder of the modern cyber-age and those buttons I mentioned earlier, I can see from whence you hail.
You are from:
UNITED STATES
Washington
Idaho
Montana
California (shout out to Olivia!)
Colorado
Texas - (shout out to Joyce and Joe and Jill/Sheri!)
Oregon (shout out to April and Garry!)
Kansas
Iowa
Florida - (shout out to the New World Celts, Kenny, Maggie,Jared, Anne, Cheryl, Matt and Suz... and my family!)
Tennessee
Alabama
North Carolina
Virginia
Wisconson
Michigan
Massachusetts- (shout out to Nancy!)
Delaware
Pennsylvania- (shout out to Jo!)
New York
Maryland
Ohio - (shout out to my family, 'specially Mike and best friend Lisa!)
Georgia - (shout out to Colleen!)
Indiana

UK - Manchester, London, Nottingham

SCOTLAND - (yes I know Scotland is part of the UK technically...however I separate them out in honor of my Jacobite friends) Edinburgh, Aberdeen (shout out to Alasdair and  Dr. Ken !)

IRELAND - Dublin, Cork, Clare, Galway (shout out to Nancy, Peg's Cottage and Tourism Ireland!)

JAPAN - (shout out to Mark!)

BANGLADESH

CANADA

NETHERLANDS

GERMANY

AUSTRALIA

ITALY

AUSTRIA

BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA

SOUTH AFRICA

PORTUGAL

SPAIN

DENMARK

POLAND

TASS, BACS-KISKUN

GRONINGEN

I am overwhelmed and grateful that you may have taken a glance or perhaps even really read through my postings. Thank you.

I hope you will follow my journey as I travel through Ireland, starting next Friday - which also happens to be my birthday - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!

Would love to hear from you if you have thoughts on where I should go, what I should eat, drink or see. If you live in Ireland, let's meet up!  Looking forward to our travels together,
Warmest regards to my friends around the world, Slainte!
JP

Chan eil mi gur tuigsinn

I studied Spanish in high school only because we had to study a language and I figured that sounded as good as any. In my youthful ignorance I remember saying “why do I need to study a language? I’ll never use it.” Fast forward several years – I’m a much wiser adult who has lived in 3 foreign countries, one of them Spanish speaking. Go figure.

When we traveled overseas we would make a very valiant effort to learn as much of the language as we could. We would start studying months before we moved, then once in the country we would attend college language classes.

In Germany, I found I had a talent for the German language. It came easily to me. 

In Italy, I took a few semesters of college Italian, but my professor got so frustrated with me he developed a crook in his neck from shaking his head at my attempts to speak Italian and NOT German. 

I mastered none of the languages I studied, but I sure had fun trying. I learned just enough to make myself dangerous actually.

This past Christmas my daughter gave me a learning CD for the language of Ireland and Scotland- Gaelic. As if I weren't linguistically dangerous enough.

Unlike the other languages, which are Latin based and make a certain amount of sense to the student, Gaelic doesn’t even try to make sense. The minute I opened the package – I knew I was in trouble.

The opening paragraph in the accompanying book to my CD says- “At first Gaelic words may look strange and complicated. The words may not appear to represent the way they are pronounced.” 

No kidding.

Here are some examples of the first lesson in my Gaelic book/CD for beginners. I would love to hear your thoughts on this:

“b” at the start of the word, pronounced as in English but If it falls anywhere else in the word it’s pronounced as a “P”

“bh” at the start of a word, is pronounced as a “v”, elsewhere in the word it’s pronounced as a “v” or “w”

“d” at the start of the word is “d” but elsewhere in a word it’s “t”

“fh” is silent – no sound (so why is it there?)

“g” if not at the beginning of the word, is pronounced “k”

“gh” pronounced as a “Y” (me:why?)

There are three pages of such directions. At this point of reading the book, I’m ready to call it a night and drown my failure in a gallon of rocky road. But I won’t. I’m determined.

On page 4, once you’ve memorized all of these (totally non-sensical) pronunciations, you can move on to the first lesson, where you can actually learn to talk.

Except that doesn’t work. Because I can’t remember how to pronounce the "b" sound when it’s in the middle of the word. I’m totally a loser at the Gaelic alphabet.

I’ve decided to try another tactic. I will memorize phrases I think I will need for my trip. Here are a few I’m working on for conversation’s sake:

- Camar a that thu?  (How are you?)

- Meadhanach math, tapadh lelbh (reasonably well, thank you)

- Co as a tha thu? (where are you from?)

- Tha mi sgith (I'm tired)

- Moran taing airson do chuideachaidh (thanks a lot for your help)

   

-   Then there’s a few phrases I want to be familiar with just in case:

   

     - Chaidh iarraidh oirnn falbh (we were asked to leave)

-    - Cha deach duine a mharbhadh anns an tabaist (nobody was killed in the accident)

-     - Agus de an seorsa caise a tha sib hag larraidh? (And what kind of cheese do you want?)

-     - A bhell thu posda? (Are you married?)

-     - Tha do mhathair an dochas nach do ghabh thu cus fion (your mother hopes that you didn’t have too much wine)

-     - Am pos thu mi (will you marry me?)

-     - Hell no (Hell no)

 -  conas a dhéanann tú breith a thabhairt ar an b sa bhfocal seo? (How do you pronounce the "b" in the middle of this word?)

Good thing that English is spoken throughout the country. Still…I want to give it a good shot. So I will give it my best shot.

     

     Oh..and the title of this posting; "Chan eil mi gur tuigsinn" translates "I don't understand you" 

     I'll definitely have to learn that one.

I hope you find what you are looking for....

I have received a lot of well-meaning and interesting advice regarding my upcoming solo trip to Ireland, which I gladly take. It seems that everyone who has an opinion…..well..…has an opinion.

I'm glad to consider their suggestions. But the fact is, I've traveled a lot. Maybe not alone, but I’ve got a few overseas trips under my belt, and most of them to countries with serious language barriers…

On San Marco square in Venice, Italy, I had the absolute pleasure of surviving the amorous (and graphic) flirtations of a very hunky Italian, delivered in Italian.

I’ve been on the receiving end of shouted opinions regarding American political issues from passionate Germans in a guesthouse in Germany and lived to talk about a walking tour I took by myself in the bowels of Panama City, Panama right after Operation Just Cause.

I endured a 4th of July celebration with a man named Davey Jones from (ironically) England, and a held a rather uncomfortable conversation with a topless German women on a nude beach in Italy. 

Heck, I ate shellfish in a 3rd world country and I am still alive to write about it in this blog


So I think I can handle Ireland.

Advice, ideas and opinions begin to fly about the room as soon as the topic of my upcoming trip is brought up.

“Well, ya got ‘ta kiss the blarney stone....”

“Whatever you do, DO NOT kiss the blarney stone! Do you even know how many people have put their nasty germs on there?”

“There’s no friendlier folk than the Irish…just drive to small towns, find a pub and just talk it up with the locals”

“Don’t talk to strangers”

I love that one best. I’m going to a country with 4.5 million strangers I’m apparently supposed to avoid.

I’ve received all kinds of advice on what I will see, what the people are like, the food…the language, the pubs, the roads, the weather, the men, the women, yada yada yada….

Whether they’ve traveled there themselves or are sharing something they read in an old magazine in their doctor’s office, most everyone I talk to has something to share. Seems they want to live vicariously through me. And I’m okay with that. In fact, I’m counting on that through this blog.

My girlfriends hope I’ll find a boyfriend in Ireland. There’s no end of advice on that topic. In interest of good taste and readers under 18, I’ll not share their candid and demonstrative suggestions. Suffice to say I wish I could just wipe it from my memory, but there it is. I’m just hoping for a good time – nothing against Irish men – but my experience with across-the-pond celtic men have had questionable results.

Recently, a friend wrote “I hope you find all you are looking for in Ireland.”

This got me to thinking…what AM I looking for?  I want to go and have a memorable and relaxing time…I want to have every one of my five senses tickled and maybe have a moment of reflection on the dock in Cobh. Frankly though, I just need a vacation. And it just so happens that right now, green is my favorite color.

I’m not sure what I’m looking for in Ireland. What is anyone looking for who packs a suitcase? Whatever it is...I hope I find it daily.

I have no idea what I will find, see or experience. But I plan on having conversations with at least half of the population as well as a lot of quite/alone time - and no, I do not plan on kissing the blarney stone. But I wouldn’t mind kissing a few Irish cheeks, or being kissed in return.

And, I plan on taking all of my friends with me through this blog. Through pictures and words I will share the sights that take my breath away. 

I will give details of quirky conversations, and do my best to describe the sounds of whispered conversations and footsteps as they shuffle on old stone in a castle. I’ll try to describe the sounds the surf makes as it smacks against the cliffs of Moher and I will search carefully for words that describe the smells in a small-town pub and the feel of the fur on a border collie.

I’m looking forward to our trip together. If you’ve never been to Ireland, let me know what you want to see or experience through this blog and I’ll do my best to deliver.

And maybe, just maybe, at some moment I’ll find what I didn’t know I was looking for all along. I’ll let you know.

Slainte