Jackie Lennox

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17746846.post-51580222374358732802008-01-09T18:15:00.001-07:002008-01-09T18:15:53.824-07:00Jackie Lennox One very prominent aspect of traveling, for me at least, is the intense appreciation for friends and family. It is also one of the most enjoyable aspects of traveling, and one I’ve written about more than once. It’s happened to me time and time again. I was lying in bed last night and I wished I could get up and call my father to tell him how much I love him. I say intense, and I mean it. I was looking at pictures on Facebook and I suddenly felt like I had underappreciated my friends my entire life. I don’t want to repeat myself though, for I have written about this before, so I won’t continue. The certificate I wrote about in my last blog entry won’t be happening because I abruptly learned today that it will cost 900 Euros. I was like “NINE HUNDRED EUROS?” I can go to <st1:city><st1:place>Dublin</st1:place></st1:City> and <st1:city><st1:place>Belfast</st1:place></st1:City> on my own for far less than that, I’m sure. So anyways I had to reschedule all my classes, which was quite stressful. Also, this morning it was raining terribly hard again (no surprise) and I couldn’t find the music building (also no surprise, even though I Google mapped it). I’m trying to take this class on the traditional Irish drum the Bodhran. Needless to say, today was a complete stress. I had to rationalize calmness to myself, which I succeeded in doing. After that stressful day I couldn’t turn down my fellow Americans’ offer to go get a couple of stouts at the closest pub, Cissie Young’s. I had a Beamish, which is actually brewed here in <st1:city><st1:place>Cork</st1:place></st1:City>. The real reason I’m writing this though is to talk about Jackie Lennox’s Famous Fish and Chip Shop. It’s about as close to The Spires as Cissie Young’s, but in the opposite direction. It’s about as close to fast food as it comes here in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region>, and stays open past <st1:time minute="0" hour="0">midnight</st1:time> to accommodate people like myself. I walked in and stood in line about ten people deep. The guy taking orders yells something and everyone turns around to look at me. I say, “Chips and cheese” and he nods and walks away, so I must have guessed right. This is the same guy I’d ordered from the first time I came in here, and he’s no easier to understand. My brother kept telling me I’ll have a hard time understanding the people here but I never believed him. Boy was he right. If anybody’s older than thirty, I can’t understand a lick of what they’re saying. By the time I get my food and I’m walking out the same guy yells another something, completely unintelligible. I say, “What?” and wrinkle my eyebrows. He says something again and the only thing I can make out is <st1:city><st1:place>Clinton</st1:place></st1:City>. I tell him I like Rudy Giuliani and from the back of the kitchen I hear someone yell, “He’s a nice Republican!” By this time everyone is looking at me, so I just say, “Ya, Republican” smile, wave, and walk out the door. I learned today that a Unionist wants to keep the ties with <st1:country-region><st1:place>England</st1:place></st1:country-region>, and a Loyalist believes the same but will use force to keep it. A Nationalist wants an independent <st1:country-region><st1:place>Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region>, and a Republican will use force to get it. I figured since I’m in the “<st1:place><st1:placename>Rebel</st1:PlaceName> <st1:placetype>County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>” they might sympathize with Republicans from <st1:country-region><st1:place>America</st1:place></st1:country-region>, even though everyone keeps telling me Irish people like Democrats; something to do with JFK. Thankfully, I’m back in my room, safely enjoying some of the best chips (fries) covered in cheese I’ve ever had.Davidnoreply@blogger.com