Happy St. Paddy's Day
As a bit of an update, I signed up for an online betting site (Paddypower.com) - where you can bet on just about anything. . . I placed a few bets on the latest rugby matches, a few Canucks games, NCAA basketball, and most recently a horse race.
Last week at work each person was handed a random envelope containing a €2 betting slip for the Gold Cup race at the Cheltenham Races and the plan was for everyone to meet up on Friday afternoon to watch the race on the big screen in the office. Wouldn't luck have it, my horse was favored to win - Kauto Star (6-4), and had won his previous 7 races at the Festival that week. Friday morning when I got into work I had an e-mail saying that Paddypower's site had crashed the day before and was giving out free €10 bets on the horse race that day to make up for the inconvenience. I really had no idea who else to bet on so I placed it all on Kauto, figuring it was a fairly safe bet. Race time came and, as predicted by the odds, I was the big winner - not much, but an extra €30 was a nice way to start Paddy's weekend!
After a bit of dinner and pre-game at Susan's that night we (myself, Susan, Joan-her flatmate, Joe-Joan's brother, and Steve-sat beside Susan and I in Virology class and is visiting for the week before moving off to travel more of Europe) went down to the Brazen Head (Dublin's oldest pub - est. 1198) for a few pint and some Trad music, before heading into Temple Bar to join all the rest of the tourists here for Paddy's day. We ended up at Oliver St. John Gogerty's which, as always, was packed to the absolute maximum. Luckily I found a nice seat in the corner in front of the tele, and they just happened to be playing a live hockey game from home. Aside from Joe, who was repeatedly hit on by an older gentleman and a young Spanish/French guy, everyone had a great time.
Saturday I met Jessica (friend from Victoria, but is studying in Exeter, UK) at the bus station and checked out the massive, but extremely random, parade. I would have expected a few pipe bands, floats with St. Patrick and leprechauns, etc. Instead, there were marching bands from a few American Universities, a pirate ship float with a band (named Sticky Digit), quite a few community groups (just a bunch of people in regular dress walking behind a banner stating who they are), and lots of Gargoyle/Monster floats and displays. I would have assumed there was some sort of theme that tied everything together, but it's really lost on me at the moment.
At we went back down to the Brazen Head to try and catch some more traditional music, but they had a cover band on instead. The place was still as full as humanly possible, and even had a line at the door (first time I've seen people have to queue to get into a pub, but definitely not the last time that night). The second stop was Temple Bar, but by this time time everything was full - we were turned away from a half dozen places and decided to call it a night.
I think the plan for today is to check out Dublin Castle and a few of the historic buildings around the city, get some authentic Fish & Chips, then head to the riverfront for music and fireworks tonight. Fingers crossed, the rain will hold off, or at least the wind will die down so that you can actually use an umbrella.
Not that I have never celebrated Paddy's day back home, but I don't ever recall it . . . this is definitely one to remember.
Last week at work each person was handed a random envelope containing a €2 betting slip for the Gold Cup race at the Cheltenham Races and the plan was for everyone to meet up on Friday afternoon to watch the race on the big screen in the office. Wouldn't luck have it, my horse was favored to win - Kauto Star (6-4), and had won his previous 7 races at the Festival that week. Friday morning when I got into work I had an e-mail saying that Paddypower's site had crashed the day before and was giving out free €10 bets on the horse race that day to make up for the inconvenience. I really had no idea who else to bet on so I placed it all on Kauto, figuring it was a fairly safe bet. Race time came and, as predicted by the odds, I was the big winner - not much, but an extra €30 was a nice way to start Paddy's weekend!
After a bit of dinner and pre-game at Susan's that night we (myself, Susan, Joan-her flatmate, Joe-Joan's brother, and Steve-sat beside Susan and I in Virology class and is visiting for the week before moving off to travel more of Europe) went down to the Brazen Head (Dublin's oldest pub - est. 1198) for a few pint and some Trad music, before heading into Temple Bar to join all the rest of the tourists here for Paddy's day. We ended up at Oliver St. John Gogerty's which, as always, was packed to the absolute maximum. Luckily I found a nice seat in the corner in front of the tele, and they just happened to be playing a live hockey game from home. Aside from Joe, who was repeatedly hit on by an older gentleman and a young Spanish/French guy, everyone had a great time.
Saturday I met Jessica (friend from Victoria, but is studying in Exeter, UK) at the bus station and checked out the massive, but extremely random, parade. I would have expected a few pipe bands, floats with St. Patrick and leprechauns, etc. Instead, there were marching bands from a few American Universities, a pirate ship float with a band (named Sticky Digit), quite a few community groups (just a bunch of people in regular dress walking behind a banner stating who they are), and lots of Gargoyle/Monster floats and displays. I would have assumed there was some sort of theme that tied everything together, but it's really lost on me at the moment.
At we went back down to the Brazen Head to try and catch some more traditional music, but they had a cover band on instead. The place was still as full as humanly possible, and even had a line at the door (first time I've seen people have to queue to get into a pub, but definitely not the last time that night). The second stop was Temple Bar, but by this time time everything was full - we were turned away from a half dozen places and decided to call it a night.
I think the plan for today is to check out Dublin Castle and a few of the historic buildings around the city, get some authentic Fish & Chips, then head to the riverfront for music and fireworks tonight. Fingers crossed, the rain will hold off, or at least the wind will die down so that you can actually use an umbrella.
Not that I have never celebrated Paddy's day back home, but I don't ever recall it . . . this is definitely one to remember.
posted by Trevor Schofield at 11:05 a.m.
1 Comments:
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