Yes Virginia, business class really is that much better

So it's over. We got on the plane and came home...but like the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame taking the field on a brisk October Saturday afternoon, we 'played like champions today'.










The beauty of 'business class' you ask? 1) Your own check-in line so you don't contract lice from the 'huddled masses' in coach, 2) priority bag, so yours come out first when you get home, 3) the actual seat you have on the plane 4) 'Fastrack', so you don't have to wait in line for security, and 5) the most important one...the Red Carpet Club. Where food and drink are waiting for you when ever you feel like it. There is an open bar...and I don't mean 'open' as in 'hey go ask the bartender'...no friend, I mean 'open' as in 'anything you want is on the counter, go help yourself'.









Once while riding passed the site of the 'Battle of Waterloo' (just outside of Brussels) I asked a good friend "So Napoleon/French lost the Battle of Waterloo, who did they lose to?"..."uh, the Giants in 6. But Game 6 went 11 innings".

Sing me a song indeed Piano Man...and yes, mama does love Mango...

What are you doing?!

There were many great moments on the trip. One of the finest involved my newest brother JJ...

So the whole gang is holed up in a bar in London watching USA v. Ghana (Hey Ghana-ria..you're not Ghana win!). The folks in the bar were really cool and for the most part (except for the one guy from Ghana) were rooting with us and not against us. There was one midget...er...lady who was asking Harris who #21 was on the US team. "That's Donovan"..."who"..."Landon Donovan"..."I'm sorry, who"..."Laaan-donnnn Doooon-ovaaaaan"..."oh, Donovan. Like the rapper?" ...to which we all gave a hearty roll of the eyes, a 'who the hell is Donovan the rapper', and a 'well for f%$k sakes!'.

Anyhoo, the US team is getting kicked around like your little step-brother...then a ray of sunshine. DeMarcus Beasley steals the ball and streaks up the sideline...he has a '1 on 1' with the goalie...we're all on our feet praying...and he centers the ball!! JJ leaps into the air and shouts "What are you doing!?!"...just as Clint Dempsey fields a perfect pass and sticks a great shot passed Ghana's keeper...the crowd in the bar goes nuts...laughing/pointing at JJ and asking him if he'd ever seen a "soccer" game before...

It was freaking fantastic. And even though we went on to lose and get officially bumped from the World Cup, JJ set the tone for what turned out to be a 'brilliant' day in London.

The Queen wants some ice cream, cut her some slack

After a smooth flight from Dublin to London (smooth except for the multiple 'Hen' or bachelorette parties that made up most of the folks on the plane...good lord they're loud), we got to our hotel and promptly met up with Ryan and Megan! So good to see them and catch up. They had been having a great trip that included the US v Czech game, Hofbrau House, Euro Disney and a ton of other things. We headed out into London and found a great pub with the Argentina game on. Once we all had a few pints and fish & chips, it finally felt like we were on London time. The picture to the left is from the pub, if you look closely at the TV in the background there is a commercial on of a huge group of people playing futbol in the steet...with a naked guy scoring the winning goal...god I love the UK, not quite as up tight as here, and their politicians can actually speak cohearantly.

Kindra and JJ got in late that evening and after checking in, we all headed off to bed. But we rallied the next day and began a huge tour of London. We checked out the Tube (London subway, where you can get Toblerone on the platform...so good!). We went for visits at the Tower of London, London Bridge, the Milenium Wheel, Buckingham Palace and numerous pubs for lunch and mid-day pints. Kate took some heads in one of the local gift shops and we had to calm her down after she went 'Braveheart' on one of the store clerks. We did watch the USA v Ghana game that evening, but for more on that, check out the blog above.








The next day we did some impressive touring around London again. We started off with a quick Tube ride to Abby Road (famed home of the Beatles recording studio). We got there early, which is good, because it's a full-on busy-ass intersection...which obviously did not stop us from blocking the interstion numerous time and holding up traffic until we got the right picture. In the end it was worth it...even if Harris did exchange a few 'waves' with some of the locals...after all, its not like the recording studio is a new thing...if you're driving passed it, you know that the tourist are going to be out in force.
That same day, we also made it to the British Museum, which is freaking incredible. Basically they've 'borrowed' all of the best stuff from all of the countries that the British Empire has ever conquored...which as you can imaging is a lot! We saw the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, Greek carvings and reliefs, Asian writings and weapons...and seriously we didn't see 10% of the museum...which is even scarier if you think that the display items probably make up only a tiny portion of all their holdings. Ashker even pointed out that they have one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World (The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus)!...of coarse this is all hear-say, as he also pointed out that "they just closed the exhibit...a likely story I say! That evening Harris and Erin went to see a musical and the rest of us had one last great meal and pints before heading back to the hotel for a much deserved nights rest.



The next day, Harris, Kate and I went for a run through Hyde Park and saw Princess Diana's garden at Kensington Palace. The run was nice, even if we did get heckled by Ashker..."running, you're kidding right"..."nope, this is me, this is me avoiding a blood clot on the 11 hour plane ride home". When we got back, we saw Erin, Ryan and Megan to their cab for their ride to the airport. We met up with Kindra and JJ shortly after and saw them off too. Then the three of us cruised to Portabello Road for some last minute shopping on the "street where the riches of ages are stowed". We did find the lawn bowling ball with an "M" insignia (the only thing I truely wanted on the trip), and enjoyed the rest of the morning. After that we had a nice breakfast and headed off to London-Heathrow for our flight home...on Buisness Class...bitches!

Would it be bad if I ordered an 'Irish Car Bomb'?

After a great time in Edinburgh, we loaded onto a plane (at the only airport in Edinburgh) and took a short 1 hour flight to Dublin. I should mention that there were a few tense moments when the fog rolled onto the airfield, but after about 20 minutes, it cleared and all was well. Oh by the way, once on the plane, we were told "don't fasten your seatbelt yet, we're refueling the plane"...where am I!?

Dublin is a brilliant town (or "gilliant" as Harris would call it...you know half great, half briliant). The people are cool and there is history all over the place. We cooled our jets at one of the pubs in 'Temple Bar' one evening an watched more World Cup matches. The Guinness is great and the company is even better. The live band that night played a number of 'traditional' songs we knew, including: Whiskey in the Jar, The Irish Rover (yes I hear my name in the lyrics!), Christmas Eve (by the Pogues) and Dublin City. They also hit up some more recent songs like Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash) and The Boxer (Simon & Garfunkel).

We toured around the entire city. We checked out St. Stephens Green, Trinity College and the Phoenix Park. The hotel we're in is nice, although Erin accurately pointed out that "I think our room is over El Camino". Breakfast came with the room and worked our really well. Everything was fried in bacon grease, and was brilliant...even the tomatoes! One morning Harris, Kate and I went for a run around Dublin. Doesn't seem like it would be that difficult, except that in the morning, all of the bars are changing out their kegs...and the delivery guys are not afraid to throw the empties around...more than once I saw Harris go "Donkey Kong" and leap over moving kegs to save his own life...great way to start the day.
We all took advantage of being in Dublin and went to visit the Guinness brewery. You can smell the hops and barley from miles away, and I gotta tell you, that it smells like heaven. The 'tour' was really weak when I went six years ago, but I tell you what, it much improved since then. They now have seven stories of interactive 'Guinness' tour which you now walk around. The whole tour concludes in the 'Gravity Bar' on top of the building over Dublin. I'm told that it's the highest bar in the whole city. And with 15 foot plate glass windows...lets just call it 'gorgeous'!


Harris and I also toured the Jameson distillery. It was a complete blast. Harris even became a certified Whiskey Taster. When they mentioned that they would be asking for volunteers, I grabbed his arm and raised it, essentially throwing him in the ring...to which the guide told us "I'll be picking volunteers after the tour". But we still got Danny in there and he had a blast. The woman in front of me thought he was having too much fun and commented that "...you may have to carry your friend home". 'Partently she ain't from around here!


Erin, Kate and I also toured the Zoo (you know, 'go to the Phoenix Park and tour the Zoological Gardens'). It was actually quite impressive and modern. They did a good job on the enclosures and have a great variety of animals. I rank it on just above the Rome Zoo, but below the Portland Zoo...overall, 4 of 5 Tiger Tails.

We ended the trip with a night out at the famed 'Temple Bar'. We got in early for a good seat at the England v Sweden game (hey Sweden, get off the fence huh!?). The bartender set up the game and then turned off the TV (not uncommon before the game starts)...and then never turned it back on. We asked WTF!? and he said, 'oh, we're not putting it on that TV'. Kidding me?! So now all of the other TVs are too crowded to get seats and we end up having to leave to see the game. So where does this story get good you ask? It got great when Baly decided that we'd just go ahead and keep the pint glass they served the Guinness in. So now I have a true Irish/Guinness pint glass courtesy of the Temple Bar...and all it cost was a short walk to another pub (don't forget, we're in Ireland, there are a lot of pubs).

One last memory...a true conversation between Harris and a bartender at the Temple Bar:
Harris: So what is Guinness cold versus regular Guinness?
Bartender: It's Guinness but cold...the price is still the same as regular Guinness.
Harris: Well I should hope so, it's the same beer.

My only hope for the Irish, is that the bartender was joking...otherwise it's just gonna be another century of ridicule.