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noodles

It’s just one of those days. I left the office to get lunch (drunken noodles at the Thai place down the block) and when I came back, I just stood at the security turnstile like a lump. Not moving. Waiting for the plexiglass doors to swing open. After an awkwardly long time I remembered you have to s...

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Achaius (Lvl. 45) - Aug. 6, 2025

uncrowned

Okay, vacation’s over. Time for random dental emergency. To back up, for roughly 10 days before the start of my vacation, I’d been getting a foul taste in my mouth at random intervals every few hours. Couldn’t figure out what it was. At one point I thought it was water contamination, but that wasn’t...

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Achaius (Lvl. 45) - Aug. 2, 2025

war and peace

Belfast still bears the scars of the past. I vaguely knew this, but didn't realize how deep they run or how many people see it as an active ongoing conflict. We got an exclusive black cab tour of West Belfast. Actually I'm not sure what was "black cab" about it...it was in an unmarked gray van and t...

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Achaius (Lvl. 45) - July 31, 2025

giant's causeway

Another day in Northern Ireland, with the Union Jack and the Red Hand of Ulster flying from the flagpoles. The towns here feel different. Less candy-colored, more somber and worn down. "IRA" and "End internment" scrawled on walls. Today we went to the Giant's Causeway, an incredibly cool formation o...

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Achaius (Lvl. 45) - July 30, 2025

the old days, the old war

Yesterday we went to a museum dedicated to recording and preserving methods of craft from old rural Ireland. The farmers back then lived hardscrabble lives and were incredibly resourceful with the little they had. They made ropes and chairs and thatched roofs from straw, baskets and cradles from ree...

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Achaius (Lvl. 45) - July 29, 2025

a dog's day

It's sheepdog day!! but first, Kylemore Abbey The abbey was located in a castle manor. Now, there's castles and castles. Cahir Castle is like a fort taken by orcs three eps before the Battle of Helm's Deep. Kylemore Castle is like the setting for some trending YA romantasy with a rakish dissolute y...

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Achaius (Lvl. 45) - July 27, 2025

by the grace of saint brigid (the tale of dave)

We began with a brief stop at Saint Brigid's Well. It's an active shrine frequented by pilgrims; Dave said a group is coming this Sunday. The pilgrims recite a chant and walk five times sunwise around the statue of Brigid. (Quick quiz: Imagine a bridge. Now imagine yourself on the island countercloc...

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Achaius (Lvl. 45) - July 26, 2025

for sale 52br 10b

We went to Killarney National Park for more breathtaking mountain views and a horse-drawn carriage ride around the Muckross House and Friary/Abbey grounds. (My phone wants to correct "horse-drawn" to "horse-dragon." Not this time, phone.) The horse's name was Scooter. "He's the fastest horse we have...

Comments: 3 Words: 667

Achaius (Lvl. 45) - July 25, 2025

the great derrynane power outage

I've been eating a lot. Normally I just have a mug of mocha for breakfast. But on this tour, breakfast is provided at the hotel, while lunch and dinner are "on your own." Knowing Mom and Dad, I expected we'd be eating gas station hot dogs for lunch and convenience store sandwiches for dinner. So I'v...

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Achaius (Lvl. 45) - July 25, 2025

gallivanting (moonshine and chowder)

We spent the night in an old world mansion that has been converted to a hotel. Before breakfast, I wanted to take a walk but couldn't find the exit. Or rather, I found two exits marked by green exit signs, but they were both locked. Finally through trial and error I found a completely unmarked door ...

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Achaius (Lvl. 45) - July 23, 2025

carriganass, bantry, garinish

Jet lag lets me experience life as a morning person, sort of. I crashed at 10:30 pm, woke at 6, and had two hours before breakfast at 8:15. Kinda bizarre. I did my morning wake-up walk, packed completely, drew a picture of the dresser and desk, even had time for a walk outside... But breakfast time ...

Comments: 2 Words: 707

Achaius (Lvl. 45) - July 22, 2025

castling

It's castle day! After a resounding Irish breakfast (featuring smoked salmon on soda bread, really good sausages, and black pudding (I had to try it. it's surprisingly okay)), we joined up with our tour group. It's a small group: the three of us plus a family of four (mom, grandma, two kids) and th...

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Achaius (Lvl. 45) - July 21, 2025

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