Pancake Tuesday

Shrove Tuesday, the annual pancake feast, takes place on February 24th. This night before the start of the Lenten fast, commmonly known as "pancake night," is a time when many still engage in the archaic practice of making, tossing and eating mountains of pancakes. Over-indulgence is expected, if not demanded, and children will come into school on Ash Wednesday boasting of their pancake-eating feats. Generally, large, thick pancakes are simply sprinkled with lemon juice and sugar, rolled into a cigar shape and eaten as a sweet. The survival of this old custom is interesting, since the rigorous Lenten fast is not as widely observed as it once was, though a fair number of people still abstain from alcohol, cigarettes and candy for Lent. Shrove Tuesday, however, is as popular as ever. The ritual is linked to the great European carnival tradition of Mardi Gras ("Fat Tuesday") when people ate as much fat and meat as possible, knowing that these were forbidden for the next forty days. From the early Middle Ages, the Catholic Church forbade the consumption of meat, eggs and dairy produce during Lent. On Shrove Tuesday, thrifty housewives made use of the perishable eggs, milk and butter in the preparation of pancakes.

One social aspect of the night, however, has fallen into disuse - the link between Shrove Tuesday and the romantic fortunes of the unmarried. Traditionally in Ireland, marriage was forbidden to take place during Lent, so in the weeks before Christmas and "Shrovetide," as it's sometimes called, matchmakers busily tried to find suitable candidates for marriage before Ash Wednesday arrived. Households left with unmarried daughters on Shrove Tuesday tried to imbue them with better luck for the coming year by allowing them to toss the first cake. Their pancake-making skills, for better or worse, were seen as an indication of their romantic chances for the next year.

from Ireland Fun Facts

Credit crunch II

Besides food, toiletries are also crucial of course, so whether you like it not, sometimes you have to spend money on them as well... Unfortunately I do like toiletries, so I can hardly resist the temptation to jump into a Boots or a Hickley's whenever I pass one, which is not rare in Dublin I must confess.

However, when "I don't feel like" spending too much, I go either to a Pennies or to a 2 € shop to buy the stuff I need, but before that, I usually check whether the items I want to buy are offered at a favorable, lower price in one of the big, above mentioned stores, because who knows...

Anyway. Just to give a superficial guideline, here is a short list of the average prices of the most important toiletries:

• Shower gel: ~ 2 € (250 ml - Lynx or Nivea)
• Shampoo: ~ 3-4 € (200 ml - Head & Shoulders)
• Conditioner: ~ 2-3 € (200 ml - Sunsilk)
  
• Soap: ~ 3 € (4 x 100 g - Palmolive)
• Face wash: ~ 4 € (150 ml - Nivea)
  
• Toothpaste: ~ 3 € (100 ml - Colgate, Aquafresh)
• Hair mousse: ~ 3 € (200 ml - Wella)
• Anti perspirant: ~ 2-5 € (150 ml - Adidas, Lynx)
• Roll on deodorant: ~ 2-5 € (50 ml - Sanex, Lynx, Nivea)
• Razor gel: 2 € (75 ml - Gilette)
  

Plus, if there is a girl in the house...

• Liquid foundation: 4-12 €
• Mascara: 4-12 €

Quick & impressive

In the afternoon I will write about the dreaded weather in Dublin, but now I have only a few minutes, so let me introduce the topic with the help of two videos, because it is so professional. So.

A unique one:



And a usual one:

Coming out

Ok. I reckon it is time to admit. Music off.

Although I am fond of Ireland and the Irish, there is one thing I can't really tolerate, because it is totally annoying, tiresome and disappointing. And that is...

... the fact that most Irish people bang the doors as idly as they can ignoring that handles have already been invented.

I know, nobody bothers that slowly but surely this will drive me crazy, but pls, pls, pls USE the doorhandles, because they have a function and they definitely should be used.
Thanks for a million in advance.

Herbert Park

After the sensitive issue of money, let me recommend a beautiful park in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. We visited it this Sunday and found it pretty charming, although for some reasons I guess it is not as popular as let's say St. Stephen's Green or Merrion Square...

Anyway. I think it is definitely worth visiting if one needs tranquility and / or loves feeding birds.

History:

The land used for the park was given to the city by the Earl of Pembroke whose family name was Herbert. In 1907, the World Fair known as the Irish International Exhibition was held in Ballsbridge. When the structures had been dismantled, the site was developed as the current public park, with the bandstand and pond being the only remaining structures from the time. It is now maintained by Dublin City Council[1]. The former site of the Johnston, Mooney & O'Brien bakery bordered the park and when that site was redeveloped as the Herbert Park Hotel[2], a new entrance was opened at the easternmost end of the park.

Amenities:

The park is thirty-two acres in size and is in two halves, divided by a road, also called Herbert Park. A full circuit of the park's perimeter is almost exactly one mile, a fact used by runners and walkers to measure their progress. The larger half, on the south side of the road, and which is also bounded by the River Dodder houses a number of soccer pitches, formal gardens, and a large duck pond. The northern half is home to a public children's playground, a number of tennis courts, and the bowling green of Herbert Park Bowling Club.

The park's pond has proven to be an excellent location for breeding of carp. In February 2006 the pond was nearly completely emptied in order for cleaning to take place. The carp were removed to alternative locations. These carp were up to 2 feet (0.61 m) in length. As of October 2007 the pond bed was still maturing but the council plan to restock the pond once it is complete.

(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Credit crunch

Speaking about money, just a few average numbers* quickly:

• Milk: ~ 1,7 € (2 l)
• Sliced bread: ~ 1,5 € (800 g)
  
• Spread: ~ 1-2 € (400 g)
  
• Ham: ~ 3 € (100 g)
  
• Apple / pineapple etc. juice: ~ 1,5 € (1 l)
  
• Coke: ~ 2 € (2 l)
• Mineral water: ~ 1,5 € (2 l)
  
• Digestive biscuits: ~ 1 € (400 g)
  
• Chicken breast filets: ~ 5 € (2 small ones)
• Sugar: ~ 1,5 € (1kg)
  
• Flour: ~ 3 € (2 kg)
  
• Pizza: ~ 3 € (frozen, let's say Ristorante)
• Raisins: ~ 1,5 € (365 g)
  
• Pasta: ~ 1 € (500 g)
  
• Sour cream: ~ 1,8 € (200 g)
  
• Yogurt: ~ 0,7 € (150 g)
  

* based on my own experiences in Dublin (I must confess that most of the time I do the shopping in Spar, Centra, Lidl and Tesco.)

Otherwise it is important to add that prices might vary very much depending on where you do your shopping... I tried to write average numbers, which means that if you enjoy bargain hunting and don't really pay attention to quality, you can spend less of course, than I, but if you prefer 'high quality food', you definitely need more money than you would think on the basis of my numbers...

What else...

Yes, the offers. There are great offers, which help you save a lot of money, if you are clever and patient enough. (The most common offers are: 2 for 1; 3 for 2; Half price; Save x € (where x is a natural number usually between 1-3 €...))

Language & numbers

After arriving to Dublin, we immediately started to look for a proper permanent accomodation, because at first we moved into a temporary one, which was extremely expensive (appr. 2400 € / month)... Although we were supported by a professional orientation team, who showed us plenty of properties, we were searching for the appropriate flat on our own as well. (Most of the time we checked the daft.ie for flats, I think it is the most useful homepage if you want to find a place where to live in Ireland.)

Anyway.

While looking for the perfect flat, we learned that here, prices are not given in the way we were taught at the school... Because. If a flat is let's say 1200 € / month, they say it is twelve hundred instead of saying it is one thousand and two hundred as I would have expected... At first this was pretty unusual, but we soon got used to it.

Just a quick remark

Today I was so clumsy, that I managed to pour some tea on the floor. I rushed to tear a kitchel towel and I started to murmur to myself fretfully, OK, OK, come on ants, you can have a lovely breakfast, don't hesitate... but then... like a bolt from the blue... it came to my mind... that... I have never seen any insects here, in Dublin... Not even a spider in the corner... Not even an ant looking for some crumbs... Not even an ugly something just crawling all over the flat...

I haven't decided yet whether this is positive or not, but it is strange - that is for sure!

Update: This morning I found a rather weak and ill-looking spider hanging in front of one of our windows. I didn't remove it, but I decided to call it Bob from now on.

First impressions

Right after my adventurous arrival at Dublin in the beginning of December, I was immediately forced to realise that I am not in my homecountry, as when I woke up the next morning at about half past 8 (a.m. not p.m.), I had to contemplate for a while about the fragile nature of clocks and watches around me, which might have broken down (maybe) due to the flight we had survived together, because I simply couldn't believe my eyes, when I looked out of the windows and realised that the lights are on in the streets, as the sun has just started to rise... Hmmm... Not a very warm welcome...
Later, when I regained my senses, I googled it (I mean the phenomenon, not my senses) and found that in December in Ireland the sun rises at 8.25. a.m. and it sets at 4.10. p.m. OMG. Practically this means that in winter the sky is gloomy until half past 8 a.m. and that it is growing dark at around 4 p.m. Not much, but believe me, it is tolerable.

And since I wrote down the word gloomy, I cannot think of anything, but a song. A kind of supreme power demands me to show it and I cannot resist, although it has nothing to do with the Irish... Sorry for the depressive tone. After all, it is in my blood due to my nationality... So. Here comes the suicide song related to gloomy in my mind:



And for those, who are interested, here is the story behind the song:

Basic facts

Wow, how to start, I have got so much to write about my new home...
First of all... Where is Ireland? Where is Dublin?

The most important facts about Ireland can be found HERE, while all the basics you have to know about Dublin, can be read HERE.

To tell the truth, before I arrived in Dublin at a nice, chilly, but promising night, all I knew about Ireland was that its evergreen grass is world-famous and that Irish people are quite passionate about drinking... Alright, I was also warned that the weather is very tricky here, but at that time I did not really notice it, as it was 11 p.m. and I was happy that after a paralysing 30 minutes my taxi driver finally found out where I intended to go... (Later on, it turned out, that it was not at all unusual that he tried to rely on me, as regards the direction of my destination - even though I spoke to him with a rather strange accent, I looked like a scared rabbit and I hailed him at the airport, so he could have guessed that I am not the one, who is able to direct him... Anyway... Two or three days later I was told that I should have mentioned a pub near my destination, because taxi drivers in Dublin don't know the streets precisely, but they never get lost if they are given a pub to go to... OK, I have learnt the lesson.)

Otherwise...

With so little previous knowledge about Ireland and Dublin, I know, I have to learn a lot consciously and unconsiously, but first of all eagerly not to feel alien, but I do hope that in a few months' (years') time my efforts will be crowned with success and I will know this city and country as the back of my palm. (And I might even decipher what the classic word craic means...)

A kind of introduction

Although it is hard to believe, in two weeks' time we are going to start our third month here, in Dublin, in the capital of Ireland.

As leaving your homecountry is never an easy matter, I decided to create this blog to help those, who plan to take this big jump: moving to Ireland.

I promise that I try to be as comprehensive as I can, but that can be taken for granted that I will be absolutely subjective and I tend to generalize - sorry for that in advance.