I took pictures of Limerick from the top of King John’s Castle and I think the shots came out pretty well, considering I have all the photographic ability of a turnip. I reflected that I’ve been focusing on cities, not scenery, in this trip. But history and literature are more interesting things to track down than trees. To me, I mean.
You know what’s good? Onion and leek pie. It doesn’t sound good but it was good. Particularly with Guinness. I wasn’t sure what to order, but I’m really glad I took a leek.
It’s okay to talk to fellow tourists, but ignore like the plague the ones who actually bought and wear “THE LEPRECHAUNS MADE ME DO IT” T-shirts. These are the same people who text their votes to American Idol back home.
Inside a recreation of Ireland’s first mint, a coinsmith told me that if workers were caught hoarding silver, their fingers would be cut off. “But then they couldn’t make more coins,” I said. He looked at me. “Oh, I guess they’d be out of a job at that point,” I added quickly. He nodded and winked. Jet lag plays havoc on my common sense.
Simile used in a local newspaper: “[The politician] took to whiskey like a Hollywood Indian.” I had to read it three times before I understood the reference. It’s like a weird, culturally removed version of political correctness. The guy drank like an Indian, but not a real one--a movie version, so it’s okay and it’s not stereotyping. Well, I guess it beats saying “Took to whiskey like, y’know, all of us here in Ireland.”
I’ve learned not to do any more home improvements. I’ve seen the houses of Oscar Wilde and Nora Barnacle, as well as the general area where Frank McCourt grew up. Let me tell you: not impressive. It appears that you can’t become a famous writer if you remodel your kitchen. From now on it’s filth and table scraps for me. At least until I win the Pulitzer. Then maybe I’ll ease up and put in recessed lighting.
In addition to a crummy kitchen, don’t you also need a room wall-papered with rejection slips?
Nora Barnacle?
“hear, hear!”
william burroughs’ kitchen
You are my hero, Greg. I do believe it was the Irish who coined the phrase “pissed myself laughing”.
you worked on that “leek” pun all the long plane ride home, didn’t you. come on, DIDN’T YOU.
i’m still glad you’re back, though.