Another Day at the Races

The past week has been fairly quiet with not too much activity, but the most rain we've had all summer. At work it was the end of the term so now the Dail is on summer holiday for three months...compared to the US' month long recess, I thought this was fairly ridiculous and unnecessary but oh well..I guess it's not my government. There was a "cuppa and cake" party for the end of the term on Thursday so after seeing the flier on the bathroom door everyday for the past two weeks, I was excited to go. So thankfully Margaret and I went and on the way ran into the American intern who happens to work down the hall and goes to UVA. She informed me that there are several other American interns working in Leinster House...and I thought I was the only one at first. I was invited to watch the office rugby match, but had to politely decline for I was off to a horse race.

After work, I met up with one of my roommates and we got on the LUAS and headed down south to Leopardstown for a horse race. Once we were there we received our tickets and were given a free meal, drink, and race booklet. We met up with people from our program and scoped out the scene at the race. Unlike the other race I had been at earlier in the year, no one was really dressed up and we had thought that they were going to be so everyone in my house was looking spiffy so we were looking a little out of place. The rain started when we were there so it was a bit of a downer but still fun. I bet on a horse called Maverick Man, but he lost of course--the last time I bet on a horse. After the races, the rain was really starting to come down and I was ready to get inside and into my sweats. Thankfully it wasn't too bad getting back and we hung out for a bit and then tried our luck with the rain and going out and tried to see how hoppin' a pub called the Barge down the street was, but I think for the pub where everyone is always outside along the canal, the rain wasn't giving it much business. We then moved on to our regular spot called Flannery's where we had some craic. On the way home, a few of us stopped in the pub closest to us and tried to see if we could join the karaoke, but they had already packed up for the night so we headed home.











The next day we spent running around the city trying to do various things and went to Penney's and got wellies for the next day when we were going to Oxegen Fest, which is the largest Festival in Ireland and has been voted the Best European Festival a few times. The whole day was filled with rain and I was ready to just get back to the house and relax for a bit so that I could be prepared for Oxegen. We had a nice chill night at home and got ready for the following day..