Ye Jolly Olde England

INVENTORY

Item 1:

Wallet containing, among other things–

US$300

£40 Irish

Credit card

ATM card

Driver’s license

Item 2:

Pair of pants with ~ £18 Irish in a pocket

I decided to make a side trip in Dublin, Ireland before I began my studies here at Edge Hill College in England. So Thursday morning I awoke to the first of my four day excursion well rested in the Dublin International Youth Hostel. However, one of two items I listed above missing.

…

I would much rather be walking around Dublin in my boxers and missing £18, but unfortunately it’s the other way around.

Although my day was slightly tainted because of the theft, I managed to get by, finding many free sites in the city center and sneaking past distracted cathedral workers. I can’t say the meals were excellent or my spirits the highest in a strange, foreign land by myself with very little money (if you’d even call it that), but I did have an excellent time. Considering the circumstances.

The literary history of Ireland is profound and Dublin’s museums (The James Joyce Centre, The James Joyce Museum, Irish Writers’ Centre) give due justice to this great tradition. I also stumbled upon some incredible art galleries (for example, blindly running into a well-hidden H.L. Lane Museum and finding Degas’s L’Absinthe inside). The Book of Kells was beyond my budget, but the rest of Trinity College was free, as was Dublin Castle, Temple Bar (a large pedestrian historic area), and the Chester Beatty Library (whose collection has even more than just original papyrus scrolls of all four Gospels, ancient religious artifacts from all major world traditions, and books from medieval times).

By the end of the trip, I was able to see possibly more than I would have if I had the money, maybe even a value of personal enrichment that exceeds $350. But I don’t want to think about it just yet–it’s still a touchy subject. Right before I left Ireland I even managed to scrape up my final pence for a pint of Guinness on the River Liffey (and yes, it does taste even better in Dublin for some reason).

I arrived in Ormskirk, England, the other day and college food has never tasted so good, especially after five days without a decent, full meal (unless you have a peculiar taste for water, an apple, cheese and a small loaf of bread every day from the market).

I think my replacement credit card arrives either today or tomorrow and will be relieved when it comes. England is a terrific place so far, but money would be nice.

Well, I’m off for now and once England settles in a bit I’ll write more. Don’t anyone tell my family about this escapade just yet….

Ryan Barnes

Phone:

011 44 1695 584248

Mail:

Me

c/o Katherine Fletcher Hall

Edge Hill

St. Helens Road

Ormskirk

Lancashire

L39 4QP

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (or England or whatever)

Overheard:

English guy at a club: The American is rapping in the correct manner, would you say?