7/7/08 Monday

Again, I didn't do too much today...that's the beauty of being on summer vacation.

I bought a ticket for another day trip to Limmerick and Galway. I was really torn apart about which trip to choose: the Galway trip or the Waterford. But I finally reasoned that while I could tell Mom all about Waterford and get video of the area and perhaps buy a little souvenir, taking the tour would just be for her and not for me. I heard her in my head telling me that I should take the trip that interests me; it is after all my vacation and I should do what I want to. So I bought my ticket for tomorrow's tour and I'm off. Yeech-another 7 am departure time...

I watched a DVD by Stephen and Sean Walsh (both Irish) to help me write a paper for a SJSU class in fall 07. Ever since I watched that DVD, I wanted to see the rugged west coast of Ireland. The picturesque scenes on the DVD were so peaceful...I could picture myself on one of the cliffs with a blanket spread out on the ground, a picnic basket, a picnic umbrella, a book, and a kite and spend the afternoon there. It was such a clear, sunny, blue, windy, and peaceful place...and now I have the opportunity to see it in person! But that will be tomorrow...

I explored the northern part of Dublin by foot. It was a 2-hour walk, at leisure’s pace, looking around the buildings in awe. On the map, it looks like I walked pretty far-maybe 2 miles. And this was in the drizzly, rainy, windy, and gray weather. In the afternoon, I went to the larger theater I found the day before to see Gone Baby Gone. This was a good movie with a lot of plot twists that kept me engaged throughout. It was less bloody than Wanted, but I could've done with less profanity but I suppose the profanity helped to establish the living conditions of the neighborhoods. Gone Baby Gone was much better than Wanted.

I'm turning in early tonight...I have to be up at 5 am for my adventure tomorrow!