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June 28, 2007
Guinness is Good for You
I pulled into Belfast last Wednesday night, (after missing a ferry due to an unsightly sidewall failure on my bike), and while in line at the hostel was asked, "Where in BC are you from?" Having not met any other Canadians to date I instantly made friends with two boys who were from Merritt, (in the Okanagan). We went out for some pints, checked out the nightlife and as we were ushered out of the clubs I even got hugged by an extremely mushroomed out Irish man. He was amazed at how white my teeth were and how tanned my hands are. Geesh, some great assets-I suppose.
The next day I was tempted by the Coastal Causeway, and although I was told the best way to tour Ireland is clockwise, I headed North making my route a counter-clockwise affair. I got hit with a torrential rain storm about 40-kms out and stopped to check out the tourist information. Luckily I managed to hop on the last bus of the night headed in my direction, as in the bus was pulling out as I arrived. I had a road map and from that had to decide where I wanted to get off, I choice Ballycastle, (hey it sounded nice). As we pulled into the little town a giant yellow building with the words HOSTEL splayed across it caught my attention. Things were working out.
Two girls also got off at this stop, and there I meet Alison and Rosy, the second set of Canadians in as many days. We were told of live traditional Irish music up the road that evening and arranged to meet up later. As I settled into the little hostel I heard some slightly familiar voices, JP and Clint, (the Merritt boys), had also been drawn to the yellow hostel. We made the most of Ballycastle and hit all the pubs, got front row seats for the improntu Irish jam, and even watched a wee Irish girlie show us her jigging skills.
As the night wore on our Canadian continguency chatted with the locals and I overheard the best line ever. The drummer from the jam sat down next to an aged man and started talking loudly. I am not sure the preamble but the just of it was:
"Wow, you are looking pretty good for 91," the old timer looked very proud, as the drummer continued, "shouldn't you be dead!" WTF, I instantly turn my head to see that the old timer was in fact sipping on a pint of Guinness.
I guess the phrase mounted over almost every bar here is true, "Guinness is Good for You!"
Posted by jmclean at June 28, 2007 09:28 AM