Dublin's Top Ten

Okay, time for the list of things I love about Dublin:

1. It's so small. I can walk EVERYWHERE. No need for a car which is a relief since the driving here is...well, let me put it this way. Up until a few years ago you didn't need to pass a test here to get a driving license, you just applied for one and got it. That said the cars here have a lot of respect for pedestrians, who cross the street all over the place at any time (we hark back to the traffic light phenomenon). I walk to work, I walk to Temple Bar, I walk to the shops, I walk to the bus stop if I want to go far away. It totally rules to be able to go out at night and not have to worry about who's going to be the designated driver.

2. The people here are totally friendly. I've had more conversations with random strangers here in Ireland than anywhere else. Granted not all of them have been with Irish people, but I guess the culture rubs off. The other day on the bus this German couple didn't have the right change, so this random girl on the bus is like, "Does anyone have change for €5?" And someone did, and everything was ok.

3. Grafton Street on a sunny day. It's a pedestrian street, with buskers and all, lots of crowds, lots of cool shops (for window shopping only) and the famous statue of Molly Malone at the top of the street (totally underwhelming).

4. It's cosmopolitan, like Melbourne, but it's a different mix of people. Back home it's Italians, Greeks, and Asians. Here there's a few Asians but mainly stacks of Spanish and Polish people, which makes things interesting. I know the Spanish people come to Dublin because companies recruit them over in Spain and pay their relocation costs to come here, but what the hell all the Polish people are doing here I have no idea. Well, actually, the fact they get paid €2 an hour back home and here minimum wage is €7.50 an hour may have something to do with it.

5. This has nothing to do with Dublin as a city, but I love the freedom I have here. It's a sort of limited freedom, since my work restricts me a lot, but basically I answer to no one. I do what I want, when I want, with my own money, have my things, I can satisfy my every whim (within reason). It's totally hedonistic and I love it. Clearly the novelty will wear off soon but I'm enjoying this string-free life while I have it.

6. The Spire. It makes me laugh every time I see it (at least twice a day going to and from work). What is it? A huge phallus, right in the middle of O'Connell Street. The biggest, shiniest, pointiest pointy-sticky-uppy thing you have ever seen. And it's completely useless. It does nothing, except stand there and look pointy and shiny. Why did they build it? Who knows. I can't wait till I have a camera and can take a picture of it to post here.

7. Guinness here is about one thousand times better than Guinness back home. I assume this is self-evident, but I thought I might just put it down to make sure.

8. The accents. Not too many Irish ones, to be sure to be sure, but enough to keep me entertained. I'm still terrible at imitating it, but I should improve with time. Sometimes I have trouble understanding it, which is a bit worrying, since I'm not even in the country, where the accents are as thick as two planks. The poor Spanish and Polish people must have no hope.

9. At any given time there is a 90% chance there is an Oscar Wilde play being performed that day in Dublin. I'm going to see "The Importance of Being Earnest" soon. That play cracks me up. "A Ha-a-andba-a-a-ag?"

10. The Irish Times. Well, it actually irritates me a bit too, because it tends to be a bit repetitive, which gives one the impression that there's not enough news to fill a whole broadsheet in this country. Which is patently untrue, since every day I open it up to find a fresh gruesome murder has occurred somewhere in the Republic. Not to mention road deaths which are sky-high (16 in less than 24 hours last weekend - see my notes on Irish driving licenses above). But it's a bit more lively than "The Age" - the journos here have a bit more of a sense of humour. The letters to the editor are longer here too, which is nice, but it means they don't have as many. At the moment the big news stories are:

*The upcoming IRA statement to be released later this week (allegedly), which (allegedly) contains a statement to the effect that the IRA will be dismantling all its weapons and will proceed to "liberate" Northern Ireland through non-violent means only. The Irish Government's reaction to this (alleged) statement is "Fat chance, they've said that a million times before".

*A leaked document from Aer Lingus that outlines a policy to try to force people to take voluntary redundancy packages (as opposed to sacking people, an IR disaster) by making them work crazy shifts with lots of overtime, changing the uniform to something tacky, giving pilots menial desk jobs, and basically making life difficult until everyone got sick and tired of working for them. Totally illegal of course, and more of an IR disaster than firing the 1200 would have been in the first place. (Though I hear that John Howard and co. are making an IR mess for themselves. Somebody has to stop them!)

*Five people jailed for protesting a Shell gas pipeline which they say is a danger to the health and safety of the residents living near it.

Anyway that's what's going on in Ireland at the moment. Of course they've got lots about London, and that poor Brazilian chap (I am absolutely LIVID about this whole "shoot first ask questions later" policy) and about the Galway races. The Irish are obsessed with racing.

Well, there's a lot more things I love about Dublin, but I think 10 is enough for now. It's a Bank Holiday on Monday, so long weekend for me! I think I might go to Belfast. I've been dying to go there since I got here. I'll keep you all updated.