Today began with a classroom session of Dr. Wilbur and a classroom session, which honestly I would have slept through were it not for my back pain keeping me awake.
After the class session Delaney and I wandered around until our next classroom session at 2 pm, which was actually an assignment for us to do that was assigned during class at the National Museum of Ireland.
National Museum of Ireland
The museum was cool, the exhibits weren’t overwhelming and you can actually finish the museum in one day. The highlights by far were the bog men, bodies that were found in bogs and were perfectly preserved and are now on display there. Ironically enough one was so well preserved that his red hair was still in tact, and looked very similar to Conan O’Brian.
The other highlight was the Viking exhibit, which was rather extensive with Viking weaponry and tools they used in their trades of fishing and weaving. The only exhibit that was pathetic was the Egyptian one they apparently just added. It wasn’t extensive, which I can forgive, but it quite honestly seemed like it was rushed to be added.
After that we went to the GOP (Post office) to see where Michael Collins got shot at during the Easter Rising of 1916 and took a few pictures of where the bullet holes are still present from the machine gun fire. Then we took the light train (a glorified Disney monorail) to the Brazenhead to eat diner, and then walked back to Trinity, where my night got even more awesome.
Bruxelles Basement Bar
This by far has been the most fun I’ve had thus far on this trip (granted my massive back pain hasn’t been a major contributor to the fun factor, either). I got that tip from the guy in the Sound Cellar the other day suggesting Bruxelles to me and said “it’s the only place we still own.” I was dumbfounded when I found the place and saw the outside. It was mostly rich college students and tourists like every other restaurant off of Grafton Street. I saw the stairs off to the side heading to the basement and prepared myself for disappointment, only to not be. I walked into the place, low and behold... metalheads! Just to list a few of the songs that were played on the jukebox while I was still sober enough to write them down:
Steel Panther – I Want it That Way (yes, it is a Backstreet Boys cover)
And the list goes on. I was so relieved, especially since there were only a handful of people in the bar, so I knew it wasn’t touristy.
Chronicles of Riddick playing on the plasma on the wall while metalheads shooting pool (and they actually shake hands and show good sportsmanship after the game). A properly mixed Jack & Coke properly mixed upon my lips makes this atmosphere even better. Most important of all, the introduction of a brand new favorite drink for me. Apparently these guys had a spare slushie machine just sitting in the back room, and since they are Irish, they decided to put alcohol in it. More importantly, they put my drink in it…that’s right, they had JACK & COKE SLUSHIES!!! I officially entered heaven, my back quit hurting, and it was miraculous.
I also met this badass Irish couple that are metalheads, Aido and Heidi. Heidi is obsessed with Slayer. Aido is obsessed with Amon Amarth. They invited me to drink with them after obliterating any hope of anyone else using the juke box that night (which nice bit of trivia here, apparently that basement bar was the first bar in Dublin to get the digital jukebox, and also this jukebox was amazing, because unlike in American ones, you could literally find almost any song you could think of, including metal artist). Concert experiences were shared, Sláinte was yelled numerous times as we toasted, many fags were smoked, and memories were made with my new friends. The bathroom of this place was also hilarious, because not only did it have the waterfall urinal again, but I could hardly stand up straight in it, and I feel really bad for anyone who had to take a shit in there.
Eventually I had to depart and leave my new friends, but it’s all good, that’s what facebook is for, and why it’s important to always have a writing pad with you.
Tonight I go to see a metal show for a band called Neurosis, and I can’t wait.
~Will
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