Dubstepping

Dubstep: abstract. a ridiculous music craze to which frat boys and people who wish they were frat boys subscribe.

Dub-stepping: literal. stepping into the streets of Dublin with a group of semi-culturally aware people. 

I am of the latter. 

A city built up around the River Liffey for trade and commerce, Dublin is a hub for tradespeople. You may wonder of what nature this trade is. Or you may not wonder at all. Dublin is the birthplace of Guinness Beer. Now, before you go all teetotalling crazy on me, let me reassure you and defend Guinness. 

Before I came to Ireland the first time, I was required to read a book entitled "The Search for God and Guinness." In it, I learned all about the beer's history, how it was created as an actually healthy substitute for other lagers, and how gosh darn well Guinness treated his workers and his workers' families, even today.  In a time of famine and utter poverty, Guinness fought for social justice. And won. It's a pretty insane story, really.

I have a thing for post offices. Sometimes back at home or at school, I would write someone a letter just so I could go to the post office. Don't really know why. Don't have a specific warm childhood memory associated with post offices (except a sweet elementary school field trip involving being given an airplane stamp), I just like them. They're soothing. 

My friends, meet the mother of all post offices. 

 

You may be wondering what those odd little squiggles are where there should be words. We're in Ireland, right? They speak English! Nope. Gaelic is actually the official language of The Republic. Spoken in homes, taught in schools. They've been fighting for ages to make it the only language, but alas, the colonization did its job too well, and English has stuck. 

Of course, because it's me, there had to be some sweet frozen goodness involved in the day. But seriously, look at that. Tell me you would have resisted. I dare you. 

In other news, since we don't have Thanksgiving here, Belfast is already stepping into Christmas.  For me, this means seeking out and listening to every version of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" and dancing to the NSync Holiday Album like it's 1998.