July 7, 2012
The first day here in Galway was a
wild one, mostly because this sailing town on Ireland's west coast was made the
final destination for this years World Volvo boating race. The nine-month race
held every three years ended here just four days ago when Groupama (French boat..)
arrived on Tuesday to win the race. To drop the cliché, this weekend was the
final fuckin’ hurrah; the best excuse to party this town has ever had.
On
the pier where the boats arrived, businesses and individuals had set up to sell
anything and everything, from the sea shepherds and their save the whales t-shirts,
to actual Vikings selling metal helmets, animal skin ponchos, and wooden
spoons. In the backdrop of these stands were the typical rides you’d see at
fair: a ferris wheel, the orbiter, and a gravitron. I got into the festivities
and made a drawing of a JMU sailboat in an art exhibition tent. Afterwards, I ate
a burger from one of the food stands, walked back to the house to change clothes and
collected money from the girls to buy some rum. The streets were so crowded I ended up waiting fifteen minutes outside a liquor store for a bottle of Captain Morgan and a six pack of Bavaria. It took us just about the same amount of time to drink it and we were on our way to Galway’s downtown strip.
We
ended up at the three story“Kings Head” where we had a few more drinks and I
made friends with an Irish girl who gave me all the local pubs and grubs to
hit. She also told me to listen to “The Coronas” (don’t do it), I think I told
her to listen to some Phish or Dr. Dog. A live band came on and covered
some Pink Floyd before we rolled back down the main strip. The group had to
lock hands in crack the whip fashion because now the streets were more crowded then.. china? It was really fucking crowded. The original fifteen or so in the group
got split up after this and half of us ended up at the Roisin Dubh, a bar with
a club sized dance floor about a block from our apartment.
At
this point it gets a bit hazy but what I remember starts with some kind of
Hispanic jive. I remember buying more then one drink for a few friends and
busting my ass more then a few times on the dance floor. At some point I strayed from the
remaining group and ended up at the entrance of a casino across the street. The
bouncer at the front asked for my ID, gazed at it for a few seconds, and as he
handed it back to me remarked, “here you go, mister pen-syl-vania”. I stared back at him for a few seconds Clint Eastwood style and drifted inside.
Now inside, I stood next to one of two black jack tables and for 10 or so minutes began studying the hands players were dealt in an attempt to intimidate the dealer. Once I stepped up to the plate I put down 20 euro, was dealt a 17, asked for a hit, and busted hard. Afterwards I decide to head back on the streets and bummed some loose tobacco and a rolling paper from a gang of teens tripping Mushrooms on the corner. I knew they were tripping because, well they told me. I remember one of the kids saying, “I feel weird, but I don’t feel like I’m coming up”. All I can say is that lad was in for a helluva surprise.
Now inside, I stood next to one of two black jack tables and for 10 or so minutes began studying the hands players were dealt in an attempt to intimidate the dealer. Once I stepped up to the plate I put down 20 euro, was dealt a 17, asked for a hit, and busted hard. Afterwards I decide to head back on the streets and bummed some loose tobacco and a rolling paper from a gang of teens tripping Mushrooms on the corner. I knew they were tripping because, well they told me. I remember one of the kids saying, “I feel weird, but I don’t feel like I’m coming up”. All I can say is that lad was in for a helluva surprise.
After
I got back to our apartment, which was situated on the canal, I grabbed the six pack of Bazaria and hit the streets again in hopes a selling a couple to make back the euro I had just lost at the casino (At least I think that was
my logic). I ended up this time on the other side of town and paid a bike trolley three
of the pounders to bring me back to the canal.
When I got back for the second time I began jamming on the front steps with my ipod and the Djemebe I purchased at the Cliffs of Moher earlier that day. I don’t remember exactly how many people came up to me but it was a lot. Some asked if I had any weed (goddamnit no!), some asked if they could try out some beats, and others just came by to shout and dance. I kept playing what I thought was good music until my neighbor asked if I was deaf. I apologized, notified him I was not deaf and went inside to skype a beautiful girl who told me everything would be ok. Overall it was a craic’n first night in Galway.
When I got back for the second time I began jamming on the front steps with my ipod and the Djemebe I purchased at the Cliffs of Moher earlier that day. I don’t remember exactly how many people came up to me but it was a lot. Some asked if I had any weed (goddamnit no!), some asked if they could try out some beats, and others just came by to shout and dance. I kept playing what I thought was good music until my neighbor asked if I was deaf. I apologized, notified him I was not deaf and went inside to skype a beautiful girl who told me everything would be ok. Overall it was a craic’n first night in Galway.
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