Day Off - Travel to Dublin

After the show last night, Blaine, Wally, and I met up in the hotel bar. Heather MacIntyre, wife of our drummer Craig MacIntyre, was already there. She didn't feel like going down to London and being bored all day long while Craig was doing TV with Josh, so she decided to fly to Dublin with the three of us. Our bus took the band to London, but we're a couple of accountants and an LD, so why would we go do TV?

So, anyway, a few beers before bedtime. Shots started being poured. I just flat refused, and got called a pussy a couple of times. Don’t care. It's gonna be hard enough to get up at 5:30 in order to make lobby call. I really shouldn't have been having any beer, but I was just not ready to go to bed. Finally went up to my room just before 1am.

This morning at the airport in Glasgow, there were about 250 soldiers from the US Army in the terminal, on their way to places east. It was the eeriest thing I've ever seen in my life. Every single one of them had the same look on their face. A look I can't even begin to describe. But I will never, ever forget it. I talked briefly to one of them. He was a teacher at the community college back home where he lived. I felt really bad for him, going off to fight George Bush's bullshit war. I sure hope he comes home in one piece.

We landed in Dublin just after 9am and after taking a car to the hotel, everyone crashed out for naps. I jumped in the shower first, then just cat-napped for about 30 minutes.

Blaine called, and off we went in search of fish and chips. The driver who drove us into town from the airport had told us about a killer place called Fusciardi's Traditional Fish & Chips, and he'd even pointed it out to us – it was only about a block from the hotel – a no brainer.

They had regular cod fish & chips, and what seems to be a more traditional dish, smoked cod fish & chips. Blaine went regular, I went smoked. Never had anything like it before. It was damn good.

After lunch we went over to Temple Bar to walk around and check out what would be our nightlife area for the next few nights. Our hotel (The Morrison) is on one side of the River Liffey, and Temple Bar is just across the river on the south bank, a one-minute walk from here. It's Dublin's cultural quarter and has a lively nightlife that is popular with the tourists. Really cool little neighborhood and they've preserved the area's medieval street pattern, with many narrow, cobblestone streets.

The River Liffey:
Click to enlarge.

We also wandered around the campus of nearby Trinity College, where the members of U2 went to school and supposedly played their first shows, billed as "Feedback", "The Hype", and then finally, U2.

Back to the hotel for some chill time, then Ivan calls me around 7 to meet up for beers. Me and Blaine head over to The Temple Bar Pub, in Temple Bar of course, where Ivan shows up in a bit.
Click to enlarge.

After a few rounds, Dennis and Josh showed up. Poor Josh gets recognized everywhere he goes, so he graciously posed for photos with fans between sips of Guinness.

Wound up down the street for dinner at a place called Gallagher's Boxty House. Dennis had eaten there before and said it was good. Worked for me. Great food, lots of laughter. Josh even picked up the tab for everyone. He's one of the nicest people I've ever worked for, no doubt.

After dinner, everyone decided to head out for more drinks somewhere else. I opted for bed cuz it's a school night…