Recap: Fanore Trip

Here's Craig summary of our trip down south a couple of weeks ago:

It's way beyond that. Anyway, We're paying £250 rent for a nice room in Stranmillis AND there's no one else in the house. They wont be back until September and thats when we'll be leaving. So basically we have a 5 bedroom house to ourselves.
As for the men being afraid to clean. I spent 6 hours after work last week cleaning the kitchen in this house from top to bottom. Had to get on my knees to clean the kitchen floor 3 times and the oven was fuckin rancid. It's fantastic now.
After all the crap that happened in the first 2 weeks with the accident and then having a total nightmare at the cottage in County Clare, we've really landed on our feet.

Don't think i posted about the Cottage thing...

Because we didn't have a bike to make the trip, we headed down by train. We had a cottage booked 40 miles south of Galway on the coast just north of the Cliffs of Moher on the coast. Got a train to Dublin and had to get from Connelly Station to Heuston station and missed out galway train by 10 minutes. So got another train an hour later. Got to Galway around 9:30 pm and couldn't get a bus that was going even anywhere near where we needed to go. So went into a cab joint and they could only quote us to a place half way there to a town called Ballyvaughen. Actually the guy on here who recently posted his day trip to Lisdoonvarna was extremely close to where we had our cottage booked. probably 15 miles away. Anyway, it ended up costing us 100 Euro in a taxi to the cottage from Galway. We only had around 120 Euro on us. So we left our stuff at the cottage in Fanore and walked 5 minutes to the little pub which had a store across the road which was closed. It was around 11:30pm by this time. The wee pub was like a shoe box but i liked it. There was no food being served but the barman/owner was good enough to make us a couple of cheese toasties for free. We must have looked desperate.lol. We asked was there a cash machine close by. Nope was the answer. So we had a drink or 2 and went to the cottage and had some sleep.

Next morning we went to the wee shop across from the pub to get what we could. Noticed a credit card machine on the counter so all was good. We could by some stuff for dinner and what not. The shop owner was extremely kind. We asked if he did cash back and he said only if our cards were lazer. I have no idea what lazer is. So he said what he'd do is charge 100 Euro to our card and give it to us in cash which he doesn't normally do. Then he gave us a lift around the corner to the cottage with out supplies which i thought was decent of him.

The nearest cash machine was 30 miles away and the only bus that went past Fanore was on Tuesday and Thursday and it ran from Doolin to galway and the last bus to return that way left Galway at 6pm. So on Thursday we waited outside the shop at 9am and got the bus to galway for the day which took 1h30min.

We didn't get to do all the things we wanted to do. Madlyne wanted to go down to Doolin and get the ferry over to the Aran islands and we wanted to travel around on the bike to different parts. We pretty much spent most of our time in the cottage cooking and what not. The weather for the most part was fuckin terrible.

Oh, forgot to mention. When we arrived and went to the bar, we weren't in the place 2minutes and one of the locals offered to pick us up in the morning and take us to the town the cash machine was in. Said he was going that way anyway. Right enough the next morning him and his wife were in their car outside our cottage but by that time we'd already been sorted out by the shop owner. I must say i've never met such nice people. They really go out of their way to help you out if you're stuck. We were supposed to stay from Monday to Monday but it would have been a nightmare trying to get home on the monday so my mom drove down on the Saturday night (took her 9 hours, she got lost) and stayed the night. then we all left on the sunday. 6 hour drive home. My ass was killing me sitting in the back of a car for that long. We stopped a few times but still, it's long enough to be sitting down in a confined space.

I emailed the guy and his wife who own the cottage and who live somewhere in Co. Dublin and thanked them for a lovely cottage and said how we didn't really get to do all the things we'd planned because we had no bike and stuff. They offered us a free weekend in September or October if we wanted to go back.

Oh aye, on the saturday night we went to the bar with my mom for a meal and there was apparently traditional music going to be played that night so Madlyne was well excited. We're sitting there eating looking out over the sea when this wee van pulls up outside and some old women get out, like in their 60's atleast. They start carrying monitors and speakers and mic stands into the restaurant part of the bar. They get it all set up and this really fat girl gets up on stage with an accordion and sits on a chair. Then this old boy with a guitar hangin round his neck gets up. Then comes the traditional Irish Music.

Love is a burning thing
and it makes a firery ring
bound by wild desire
I fell in to a ring of fire...

I fell in to a burning ring of fire
I went down,down,down
and the flames went higher.
And it burns,burns,burns
the ring of fire
the ring of fire

We were laughin our asses of. It was hilarious.

Cheezy

Wedding reception with a playlist stuck in the 80's: Grease Lightening, Saturday Night Fever, and a finale of New York, New York. I don't get it. What is also perplexing is the row boat thing. It seems they do this in a lot of British weddings. They sit on the floor in a single line and pretend to rock the boat. Hurm...

When I get married, I just want a small intimate sit down dinner with immediate family. Just enjoy good food, good company, and get to know one another without screaming each other down over blaring cheesey music. Possibly a swing band for dancing. Simple, nice, classy.

But I digress! Craig and I were buzzed out of our minds after pints of guinness, white russians, baileys, and some mysterious green liquid in a shot glass. We left the reception. On the way there, I was complaining because I had to walk 10 miles on uneven pavement in heels. Hard to get a cab at this hour. Craig just stopped me on the street and gave me a passionate kiss. I melted. He probably just did it to shut me up...lol. He wanted to carry me home but I was afraid he would break his back so I endured the pain.

We went home and looked up places on the net for take aways that deliver at 2am. Shit out of luck about this town. Very few places are open at wee hours of the night. With my elephantastic memory and search engine skills, I found a kebab place on Botanic Avenue that delivers until 4am. In just 15 minutes, we were stuffing pakora and kebabs with chili sauce down our fat necks.

When we were finished, we stripped off our clothes and devoured each other on the couch.

Nervous

I am a ball of nervous energy. I have less than an hour to get ready for Craig's friend's wedding reception. I am sure I will get a lot of "What the fuck is she doing here?" stares.

Did I mention that this is a Protestant wedding? Should be interesting...

Fuck All

Awww! I am sad that our Johnny is leaving us forever! He cleared his room today. This means we have the house to ourselves for 3 months! YAY!

I have done absolutely nothing today but sleep in our luxurious double bed. I figure if I sleep, I can't spend any more money. I woke up from my sleep thinking I was home in California. Once I realized I was 5000 miles away, I started to freak out and have a panic attack, and then I realized that Craig was at work and he won't be home for another 5 hours, which made me panic even more. So I pulled the covers over my head and slept again.

Now it is off to Centra yet again for basic provisions that have run out like milk, juice, eggs, bread...I might as well live in Centra.

Domesticity

So we've settled into the new house. Our roommate Johnny has decided to leave for a month so we have this 5 bedroom house all to ourselves. Johnny seems like a nice kid. You can tell from his accent he grew up in a well-to-do part of town. Long hair, tall, drummer (like myself), and into Swedish death metal. He is in his second year studying Computer Science at Queen's University.

Yesterday we were being domestic and tore the kitchen apart. The kitchen was a bit mucky so we decided to give it a good scrub. There is nothing more I hate than a dirty kitchen. I love to cook so I spend a lot of time in this area of the house. Craig mopped the floor and gave oven, counter, and sink a good scrub. Johnny must think we're germaphobes or something. LOL!

There are a few things I want to do to our bedroom to make it a little more homier. But we have to wait until Craig's next payday. It seems that all we have been doing is going to Centra and buying groceries and cleaning products. We need to take it easy on the spending. I have more than enough funds but we need to budget
ourselves carefully so neither of us end up in the red.

Sheesh! We've both been through a lot in a short span of time. If there was any test, we've just about been through it all: Motorcycle accident, looking for a place to live, arguments over said places to live, in-laws driving me crazy, cleaning house the list goes on. I'm surprised we're still going strong. I probably just jinxed myself. I have this superstition that if I write about my relationships, it falls to shit.

Happy Days!

We found a place in Stranmillis!

After threatening to go back home twice and Craig ready to take me to the airport. We took a very uncomfortable silent walk from the Shankill to Lisburn ( a total of four miles). On the way there, I was thinking how much of a mistake I've made coming here and thinking that this is such a waste of time.

Somewhere around Stranmillis, I thawed out. We decided that staying with the woman in East Belfast was our only option. Only I will be alone nights for the next two weeks because Craig needed to go to work and will not be able to get transportation to that side of town.

A beacon of light shined over a house on "R" Street. In the window was a sign that read "Rooms to Let Call 123435323". Craig called and explained our situation telling the dude that living in his parents' house is driving us up the wall and we've had a hard time looking for short term rentals with a 2 month lease. It just so happened that a person that was renting a double room wanted to get out of their contract early. We'd take over his lease which ends in September. So it works out for everyone. It's a 5 bedroom house and there is one other person living there but he's hardly ever there. All the other rooms are vacant, all the students went back home for the summer. So we practically have the house to ourselves.

We officially move in tomorrow. Today we were all domestic and bought bedding and such. I know we'll be here for a short while but we want to add our personal touches to make it feel like our own. I had no idea that picking out bedding as a couple would be a complicated process. He wanted dark sheets, I wanted light so we comprised and got both.

I'm so relieved we found a place so quickly and in Stranmillis of all places. I like the vibe here. It reminds me of the Haight in San Fran. I feel at home here and relaxed which is a good thing. Craig is ecstatic that he's out of the shitehole aka Shankill. Stranmillis was a place he's always wanted to live and he may just stay on when I return home.

Hopefully, our luck has turned for the better!

The Holiday is Over

Craig went back to work yesterday and now I am left to my own devices during the day. Yesterday, I explored the city center. It's about a 20 minute walk down the Shankill. It wasn't too bad despite my anxiety of getting lost. It was a weird feeling walking down the Shankill Road. Maybe it was just my paranoia, but I felt like all eyes were on me and I clearly didn't belong here. This is a protestant area and catholics are strictly prohibited. I'm Catholic and even though Craig says that I don't count because I'm not Irish, I still feel unwanted here. I walked with my head down and focused to my destination praying that people don't find out that I'm a Catholic even though I don't really count in their eyes. I'm just an American. It's the Irish Catholics they hate. I can't help but feel the hatred.

Even the peace treaty was signed a few years ago, there is still tension in the air. And you can see it with union jacks flying from almost every household and murals that are a constant reminder of the hatred between the two religions (pics later I'm too lazy...I always say this). Religion is weird.

On the household front, Craig and I are doing well relationship-wise but this trip has been a true test. Ever since it has started it has been falling down like dominoes. The motorcycle crash, the trip to the west has been one farce after another, and now our living situation has taken a turn for the worst. His stepfather, out of the kindness of his heart, said we can take his empty house rent free at least we'd have privacy and our own space. It was an ideal situation until we saw the place. The fusty smell was unbearable and seems like it hasn't been cleaned for years. Mold and mildew on the walls. The kitchen unappetizing and the bathroom was disgusting! We stayed the night and I just had this icky feeling like I wanted to take a shower 20 times to watch off the stench of the smell. I didn't want to touch anything! All I can do was put my head in my hands and sleep. Craig wasn't too happy about it either but he has a stronger stomach than I do.

So back to his mom's house. Both of us can't sleep in his tiny single bed so he gave it to me and he's sleeping in the living room. It's sad but that's the way it goes. No hanky panky.

So we're looking for a room/apartment to rent for two months. We visited a nice hip lady in a well to do area of town. She has a double room to rent but the room is so small there's barely enough room for our stuff. This will be our last resort. His coworker said he saw a bunch of room for rent signs in Lisburn. We're going to check those places out today. If we have no luck with this, we'll call the lady with the double room tonight. Fingers crossed!

I feel like a vagabond. Coming in and out of places. No place to put my feet up and relax. Oh well...