On my way......

Its as if Portugal had to prove how unpredictable it is. Its crazy enough when its calm but last night the guys decided we had to have a dinner for my going away. No Im not leaving already, my contract hasnt ended, I havent quit, the company hasnt been taken over. Im going back to Australia for just over 2 weeks. Thats it. But I had to have a send-off dinner?! I suspect any excuse to have a boys dinner out is good (I can just imagine them getting home and explaining to their wives "Sorry darling but it was terrible, the boss made me stay out until 1am!") but it was also a very nice gesture and one of the reasons I love it here. You never quite know when your next dinner is coming from (last Monday I was settling in on the couch at 8pm when the phone rang "Will you have dinner with us?"), in fact you never quite know when your next course is coming from. Last night we had soup alentejano which is soup with coriander, garlic, egg and about a loaf of bread soaked in it, with two trays of chicken pieces if you feel like adding meat to your soup - this is after the customary starter of bread, cheese and olives. I wasn't quite sure whether there was another course coming or not - as it turned out only chips and salad followed. Other days I would've expected half a pig to be the next course. You never know so you eat tentatively waiting for a sign you should restrain or go the whole hog (pardon the pun!) - which isnt a bad thing as dinner stretches out over a couple of hours anyway (no such thing as fast food!).

Its funny how just before I leave I feel most at home in a place. In a way I dont want to go back home as theres so much happening here. In fact Im having problems working out where "home" is for me! especially when hearing others about "home" be it Australia, Zimbabwe, England, Ireland, Germany. I wonder what Im feeling for Portgual. Its funny - I can understand the connection for places you grew up in a place, or lived/worked there for a long time, or have family, but Ive only been here such a short time! Mind you I had similar feelings for Berlin but its hard to understand especially when Im also looking forward to the people I'll see in Perth, to sun and heat and beach and the Indian Ocean and the Swan, to volleyball and cricket not just football, to thai or indian food and no fries. I cant win can I?! Suddenly I relate to BJ in trying to explain a feeling in a way that I dont alarm or offend - how can I explain that while I cant wait to see everyone, I can't wait to be home but I'll be sad to be away from here? How can I feel both those things?! Maybe a pic is the best way to explain why Im a little confused - this was the scene out at the rig this morning. At times its hard to make people believe we actually do work. Its impossible for me to justify it based on this photo!!!!

I haven't told too many people Im coming back, not because Im trying to be secretive but because I have work stuff on the first week and until I know whats happening there I can't plan much. But I'd forgotten that Im not the only one who needs to plan around work - we all work in the mining industry and as such our lives are governed for us at times. In a lot of ways Im a little jealous of the geos here as they have a job geos in Australia would dream of - they can be in Lisbon every night (or wherever home is) and really havent had to sacrifice much of their personal life for their choice of career. I feel terrible at times trying to make them put the project first because while Ive done it and endured it do I really want to force that on others?

Anyway Im close to heading off. For those in Perth I'll be in touch - promise!! For others Im not sure what I'll blog from Aus - like Dublin I predict it will be a lot happening and a lot of fun but perhaps not much to tell. Its hardest to write when all you think you're doing is "the usual" and the places is familiar to you, yet its probably just as interesting for others. Im sure I had more to write about Dublin but when it came to it I couldnt think of what to say other than I had a good time!!! Retrospective blogging.... never quite what it should be..... sometimes it helps to be spur of the moment instead of considered. Partly I wanted to be sure Id finished one trip before I headed off on the next but it says something that I found Dublin so familiar that I couldnt pick out something "different" to share.

Glendalough (Wicklow)

Even if I cant say much about Ireland's history it does make for nice photos. And the scenery is beautiful.

Dublin

Luckily the Cardiff cabbie was proved wrong. My uncle and aunt restrained themselves to plying me with a port after dinner. Im not sure I ever managed to recover from New Years Eve due to a steady diet of Guiness. And yes it does taste different in Ireland. Guiness have also brought out a “new and different” range of boutique stouts each available for a limited time only. They all taste like, ummm, Guiness.......

Im not quite sure what to write about Dublin. My cousin asked me “did you not find it both nouveau-riche and falling apart at the edges?” Well yes there is a certain amount of bling and fake tan slapped onto an ageing city which might not have been that attractive to start with. The “celtic tiger” economic boom (which appears to have been driven by the Irish ability to con the EU out of money) has driven the prices up, allowed it to put on airs like a uppity housewife and put up lights everywhere. And build a very excellent new tram system.

But that’s not what I take away from Dublin, I wasn’t really sightseeing, I didn’t really “see” that side despite spending a lot of time wandering around. It is a nice town, full of monuments, old buildings, Trinity College, the old bank, museums, statues (have you guessed I didn’t do my research?), the Book of Kells was amazingly intricate and spectacular, Brian Borus harp (its not his but don’t let the truth spoil a good story), ancient churches at Glendalough/Wicklow, the green hills etc. etc. Seeing more modern history too – the copy of the Proclamation of the Republic, including “The Republic guarantees religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities to all its citizens, and declares its resolve to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation and of all its parts, cherishing all of the children of the nation equally….” A stunning realisation that maybe history wasn’t meant to be this way. The feeling I had was almost homey, it seemed more familiar than a new city should. Partly this was because Dublin became the backdrop to catching up with family and others, the scenery behind scandals and gossip and innuendo, the ground from which old alliances were built again. It was great to spend with my cousins and catch up on their lives, it amazes me with all the time and distance from our childhood, the paths we’ve taken and the different people we are now that we are still close and keen to understand and support each other. Its probably not that inexplicable since they are extremely nice and wonderful human being and also given we started from similar backgrounds. My favourite memory is on my way to have another drink with my cuz after seeing the other cuz off on the bus, walking through Dublin alive at night and just feeling good. Something to do with the half dozen pints of Guiness perhaps?

Maybe I should end where I started with the Guiness as I was also on a mad dash through every gradient of the spectrum that is “the Irish pub”. From the ‘roughness” of Mulligan’s (where you’re not allowed to smoke OR use your mobile inside – which is the more dangerous addiction?!), more respectable establishments like the Castle Inn and the M1, inner-city bars like McDaids with endless staircases, ignoring the touristy traps of Temple Bar (apart from Messrs Maguires where they brew their own although I had to deal with a Swans supporter) all the way to the red velvet couches and mood lighting of The Front Lounge where you weren’t sure who was being nicer, the barmaid or the guy letting you through to get a drink. Oddly enough the extreme ends of the spectrum were my favourite. Throughout all this the craic and the humour stood out. There was something the barman at Mulligans said that made me piss myself laughing. I wish I could remember it to tell you, but I can remember him spreading cream cheese on his cracker biscuit while telling stories with a cheeky grin. Or the graffiti on a condom machine in one of the toilets - underneath "Tested to EU and international standards" was etched "so was the titanic”.

The most precise fine in all Ireland. You wouldnt want to be short 5 euro.

Happy New Year?

And the wheel comes full circle.

Im back where I was 2 weeks ago but with a Guiness-induced hangover that proves that until 7.30am this morning I was in another country. That I have only had 3 hours sleep (there may be an argument Ive been on a different planet thats neither here nor there since 4.30am!). That I have about 4 posts still to come from my trip (are you all getting bored of photos yet?!). That Ive already shelled out 50 euros for work stuff in the first hour. I have that sneaking feeling that life is moving on and Im still standing still counting the change.

Must blog.

Marty's Wedding (Cardiff)

After this headline I was too afraid to move from my 5 star luxury resort (nice change from a hostel in Dresden!). Well apart from getting fitted for suits and getting rained on in luverly Cardiff. As a result of this quick trip we were two cars away from an "interesting" 3 car smash - Stu and I spent the rest of the day deciding how it had actually happened, me using all my accident investigation skills. The photo below is taken in the markets when we were chasing brunch - somehow we resisted the rows and rows of bacon rolls, ham off the bone etc. etc. and ended up in a pub for breakfast beers! (well it was midday).
The night before the wedding we marked Marty's stag in less alcoholic but more entertaining fashion than usual. We went go-karting where I stood out at the other end of the ladder managing to be beaten by a Tongan front-rower and a Welsh blonde. Since Im being PC I wont mention the sex of the latter (is it still sexism when you use it for you?). Lets just say dinner was more fun for me.

The wedding was lovely - nice old church, Welsh choir with everyone's favourite hymns to be belted out (and a male voice choir for "incidental" music), the bride looked beautiful in vintage silk (I might have made that up), the bridesmaids looked gorgeous in red dresses, blonde curls, and 3 old UWA geos even managed to clean up their act for the day.
Some of us didnt completely clean up our act - my memory is a bit lacking after too many pre-dinner champers and Fosters (everytime I asked for a Kronenbourg I got a Fosters. Must be my accent?!) then some Aussie red with dinner. I remember heckling the speeches "a bit" but live in fear I might have been a drunken idiot instead of funny. With any luck the smile in Marty's eyes is joy at cutting the cake with his lovely new bride not "Shut up Bill or I'll throw the knife"
After the reception we had to negotiate the 2kms back to the hotel from the clubhouse (whhere the reception was held). I suspect the walk might have done me good but I accepted the offer of a lift... an idea we all reconsidered during the couple of laps of the carpark trying to find the exit. Hmm. Not that I can talk - apparently my commentary about getting stuck in, then through, the revolving door at the front of the hotel was insanely funny for the person on the other end of the phone. I do remember being in the hotel bar at 3am, with the amassed Welsh youth singing Oasis and thinking it was about the time I should be moving towards bed.

At 8am the next day I was wondering why I bothered. The cab driver was touching in his concern "My God you're going to Ireland? You'll be given a drink before you leave the airport". I suspect his concern was easily brought (85quid cab fare from hotel to airport) but it was touching nonetheless. As was Ryanairs surprising ability to leave on time and arrive in Dublin early (so much for a sleep on the plane). For those playing at home the airline with the worst reputation was the only one to be punctual - what the?!