An Island of its own - On Ireland's quirks and curiosities
Wow I've just noticed that I haven't posted here in a long time. I guess all the hubbub about moving over here to Ireland really did keep me busy. Furthermore, its much harder to run a blog in a language that is different from the country you're living in. Quite simply, many people who read my english language blog probably wouldn't give a damn about the tribulations of railroad entrepeneurs in Germany or my short-lived political activism back home, both things I blogged about on my other blog.
But things are going to change. I am going to put more of a focus on my english language blog.So, there will be no more escape for those of you who don't speak german.
It has now been almost four months since I left Germany to make my home here in Ireland. The move, and the settling in at my new employer have kept me pretty busy. Still, even with all that buzz, you can't help noticing that things here are a bit different over here.
I don't drive, so left-handed driving really doesn't affect me as a pedestrian. Of course, you need to look out for traffic when crossing the road, but I learned immediately after arriving here that you need to keep your head on a swivel anyways. Road discipline definitely wasn't invented in Ireland. Traffic lights are seen as a general, non-binding, advice, so you really need to pay attention in order not cause a sudden and thoroughly unpleasant body-car bumper interface. However, things go both ways. Green lights aren't really observed either. Trust me. I live right over a busy intersection. I hear it every time that happens.
Public Transit is another matter altogether, especially down here in Cork. On paper, the public transit network is quite extensive, with 18 bus routes covering a good part of the city. That's not quite the whole truth, however. The buses are clean enough, admittedly, and they are also pretty modern, but, to be honest, Bus Eireann hasn't really gotten a clue yet about how to operate a modern urban bus network. Some Bus lines, for example, the 202 service to Hollyhill, don't show up in the online journey planner on the company homepage.
The bus drivers are a different matter yet again. For the most part they are friendly and helpful, like the Irish in general. There are a number of grouches on the staff as well, but name a company that doesn't have them. Driving styles vary but tend to lean towards the "Sebastian Vettel on LSD" variety. Having witnessed the driving style, that appears to be a necessary survival technique. Still, that doesn't stop them from occasionally blocking up the street for a quick chat with the driver of the oncoming bus, or stopping to get the paper from one of the numerous flying sellers of the local newsrag, the Evening Echo.
One thing that really surprised me are the opening hours of the shops around here. Many, especially the large ones, are open even on Sunday. Given that Ireland is a conservative, staunchly catholic country, one would expect that the stores along Patrick and Oliver Plunkett Streets would be all but boarded up. Anyone who has dared to venture into downtown Cork will tell you that this is definitely not the case.
With that however comes a not so pleasant side effect. At the risk of sounding like a grumpy old geezer, what is it with the youth today? I'm not the most style savvy person out there, but I would NEVER be seen out on the street in some of the outfits that those creeps are wearing. Plus, almost every teenager seems to wear the exact same thing. Its almost as if they are produced in a cloning factory. Hmm, why does Eminems "The Real Slim Shady" video come to mind here?
I'm not gonna tear my mouth about these guys for much longer. Thank God I don't have to. The guys over at the People's Republic of Cork have taken care of that for me and penned two articles that describe the situation much better than I ever could.
One last subject needs to be laid out here, and it's a particularly gruesome one: Irish Cooking. I honestly don't get it. Ireland sits next to some of the best fishing grounds in the Atlantic, and the best seafood they can produce is either Fish and Chips, or some Seafood pies? Well, I guess thats what several centuries of british occupation will do to you. The Situation isn't much better with "terrestrial" foods like pork, or poultry. The beef here is excellent though. The good thing is that the ingredients are generally of very high quality, so you shouldn't have any difficulties conjuring up something decent if you know your way around a kitchen.
Having said that, I still think that I made the right decision by moving here to Ireland. All of the above are just small quirks, like the guys in Germany who sweep the sidewalks in front of their houses every saturday, and file a shitload of charges if even one leaf from a neighbours tree lands on their property. Ireland is a great hospitable country, and Cork, while not being the prettiest city on the planet, has its very own appeal. I like it here. Really. You can take the gun away from my head now, guys...
I don't drive, so left-handed driving really doesn't affect me as a pedestrian. Of course, you need to look out for traffic when crossing the road, but I learned immediately after arriving here that you need to keep your head on a swivel anyways. Road discipline definitely wasn't invented in Ireland. Traffic lights are seen as a general, non-binding, advice, so you really need to pay attention in order not cause a sudden and thoroughly unpleasant body-car bumper interface. However, things go both ways. Green lights aren't really observed either. Trust me. I live right over a busy intersection. I hear it every time that happens.
Public Transit is another matter altogether, especially down here in Cork. On paper, the public transit network is quite extensive, with 18 bus routes covering a good part of the city. That's not quite the whole truth, however. The buses are clean enough, admittedly, and they are also pretty modern, but, to be honest, Bus Eireann hasn't really gotten a clue yet about how to operate a modern urban bus network. Some Bus lines, for example, the 202 service to Hollyhill, don't show up in the online journey planner on the company homepage.
The bus drivers are a different matter yet again. For the most part they are friendly and helpful, like the Irish in general. There are a number of grouches on the staff as well, but name a company that doesn't have them. Driving styles vary but tend to lean towards the "Sebastian Vettel on LSD" variety. Having witnessed the driving style, that appears to be a necessary survival technique. Still, that doesn't stop them from occasionally blocking up the street for a quick chat with the driver of the oncoming bus, or stopping to get the paper from one of the numerous flying sellers of the local newsrag, the Evening Echo.
One thing that really surprised me are the opening hours of the shops around here. Many, especially the large ones, are open even on Sunday. Given that Ireland is a conservative, staunchly catholic country, one would expect that the stores along Patrick and Oliver Plunkett Streets would be all but boarded up. Anyone who has dared to venture into downtown Cork will tell you that this is definitely not the case.
With that however comes a not so pleasant side effect. At the risk of sounding like a grumpy old geezer, what is it with the youth today? I'm not the most style savvy person out there, but I would NEVER be seen out on the street in some of the outfits that those creeps are wearing. Plus, almost every teenager seems to wear the exact same thing. Its almost as if they are produced in a cloning factory. Hmm, why does Eminems "The Real Slim Shady" video come to mind here?
I'm not gonna tear my mouth about these guys for much longer. Thank God I don't have to. The guys over at the People's Republic of Cork have taken care of that for me and penned two articles that describe the situation much better than I ever could.
One last subject needs to be laid out here, and it's a particularly gruesome one: Irish Cooking. I honestly don't get it. Ireland sits next to some of the best fishing grounds in the Atlantic, and the best seafood they can produce is either Fish and Chips, or some Seafood pies? Well, I guess thats what several centuries of british occupation will do to you. The Situation isn't much better with "terrestrial" foods like pork, or poultry. The beef here is excellent though. The good thing is that the ingredients are generally of very high quality, so you shouldn't have any difficulties conjuring up something decent if you know your way around a kitchen.
Having said that, I still think that I made the right decision by moving here to Ireland. All of the above are just small quirks, like the guys in Germany who sweep the sidewalks in front of their houses every saturday, and file a shitload of charges if even one leaf from a neighbours tree lands on their property. Ireland is a great hospitable country, and Cork, while not being the prettiest city on the planet, has its very own appeal. I like it here. Really. You can take the gun away from my head now, guys...
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