Swimming in Ireland, the Goonies and some restaurant takeover!

Sunday, November 29, 2009

This morning I was second to take a bath. I learned my lesson after yesterday. Technically I guess it wasn’t a shower. It was more of a bath since there was not constant running water. I turned it on then off and scrubbed down then hosed off again, but at least it was hot.

I ate the last of the Thanksgiving leftovers and then sat around trying to decide if I wanted to go to the swimming pool or not. Marta showed us a Youtube video labeled Europe v Italy - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAJNFoHuLno. The differences are comical because they are true!

After much debate, I decided I would hike the 30 minutes down to the indoor pool in Salthill. Today was not as cold as yesterday, which I was very thankful for. However, I was still layered up. I also had shampoo and a hairdryer with me.

The organization of the place was much like any pool at home. The lifeguards; however, were able to be fully dressed in sweatshirts on deck. I picked a lap lane and begun my swim. I didn’t put much in the requirement for a swim cap, but here they are serious about it. I was able to borrow one I have not been in a pool since July. It was refreshing. I was more in shape than I thought I would be. Having only run a handful of times while here and nothing much else (except for walking everyday) I thought I would tire easily. I swam for about an hour and got in about 1,800 meters. Not too shabby. I made sure I got my 5 Euros worth and so I sat in the steam room and sauna for a little bit before getting a shower (room temperature water) of course. I couldn’t find an outlet, so I dried my hair under the hand dryers before going outside.

I probably could have gotten a job at the pool if I had my certificates with me, but then I would have had to walk down there everyday and I have had plenty of experience working at a pool. It was time for something different.

When I got back from the pool I was so tired from the long hike that I decided to watch the Goonies. Ok, I had planned to do that anyway, but I felt i deserved a nice sit down. Marta and Zach watched it with me. We got through almost the whole movie on my computer and the end started skipping and we never recovered it. BOOO!

After the movie, we had to hurry to meet up with everyone around the corner for dinner. When I say everyone I mean EVERYONE! We somehow managed to fit 16 people into this little Japanese cafe. It was not really made as a restaurant. It had about four small tables for a sit down lunch or cup of tea, but Shin worked there and we felt like supporting him.

So, our support might have turned into something like a burden when they had to bring chairs out from the back, which they thankfully had and then they ended up running out of rice!!! An Asian restaurant running out of rice! But I think Shin was glad to have all of his friends there and the food surely was good.

After dinner, we went back and Marta showed Monica a game called Samorot. It was an anime game that I actually became obsessed with. Well, at least for that night.