You’ll never believe it but I’ve got a hangover. Drank a few too many Guinness and red wines. The Guinness in this country really is smooth it’s undeniable and despite the hangover I’m actually looking forward to some more. I went with a couple of my cousins on a little racing bike around Dublin today which probably helped me sweat out some of the alcohol. Dublin is not necessarily bike friendly but it’s not too difficult and dangerous to get around in the centre of town. I know how useless I am on racing bikes, especially in crocs which don’t fit well into those little peddle holder things but I survived. Also spent most of the time thinking it was a one gear bike, which is wasn’t, but meant I got a real workout on the cobbled streets. It is a beautiful city though, some lovely old building and a hell of a lot of interesting looking pubs.
There is probably a little too much of a worring trend in what some call progress as they build flats everywhere though. It’s strange how people who run the city seem to think the place needs an infinite amount of hotels and flats, and that they can repossess these old buildings with history and character, and not lose the very character that makes the place desirable in the first place. We passed an old market which is the most beautiful building and which is now going to be turned into some commercial shopping centre. Or the oldest horse market in Ireland, which I remember going to as a child, being closed down because the owners of all the big hotels and office buildings recently built around it started putting in complaints. How will these things benefit the city, it’s people and those who want to visit interesting culturally renowned places. We know who it benefits and it’s depressing. People consciously make decisions which will be to the detriment of their hometowns just to line their own pockets. I guess it comes down to priorities and perspectives, I know mine.
With that in mind I’m going to do what people do best on Christmas Eve, when they’re not happy with something but not going to do anything about it. I’m going to have a drink, chill out and get on with the daily grind of a life full of everything.
Observations and Misunderstandings 