So my fellow students formally graduated today. Though I as a foreigner didn't, I was still invited to the afterparty. At 20:30 I got on public transport and at 21:30 I was at the designated club. Seemingly though I was the only one at the designated club and the woman at the reception, when asked, told me the club didn't even open till 23:00. I called Sue. She didn't answer but range me back a while later, just as startled about the clubs opening times. She was still with some friends, but would probably head into my direction within 45 minutes, as she suspected the other invites would, and ring me when she did. Meanwhile I could kill time with a drink in the nearest pub. I like walking though, especially now all the Christmas lighting is up in the city centre, so I didn't exactly go for the nearest pub. Strolling through Dublin, I was finally drawn into some place by the music being played, around 22:00.
The place was very spacious, with several large rooms, two floors and stylish interior. It was completely deserted. The band, consisting of a guy with a guitar and two girls so bored and ill tempered they looked like they wanted to rip your head straight off, played for exactly one black guy in a suit who was obviously drunk. The band was pretty damn good though. I ordered a stout pint and sat down in a corner listening to the music. The bartender took about 5 minutes to pull the pint saying that "this one is a slow one". He filled the glass a bit, let it sit, filled it up a bit more, let it sit, etc. I guess I could have called in some friends, but I didn't bother as it would take them too much time to get over and I was only there killing time for another 20 minutes or so.
By 23:30 I decided Sue or any of the others were probably to pissed to even know where they were and wouldn't be giving me a call. By 23:30 though, I had long started wishing they wouldn't. I was still sitting on my own listening to the music and made no attempt at a conversation with any of the few people in the pub. The drunk guy had left and been replaced by an American couple with a Chinese friend. They ordered their second set of drinks before finishing the first one and after 15 minutes the Chinese guy staggered to the bathroom and when he got back spend the rest of the time staring at the ceiling. The more angry/bored girl from the band was so caught up in her own misery she almost started crying and took a break. The music was still great though and even allthough the bar had formally closed I got myself a whiskey.
Afterwards I did have a chat with some people downstairs, promising to be there next week or the week after and proceedingly rushed to get the last tram home. It's now 01:54 local time, I just made myself a cup of Russian tea and I'm going to bed after a evening I actually really enjoyed.
The place was very spacious, with several large rooms, two floors and stylish interior. It was completely deserted. The band, consisting of a guy with a guitar and two girls so bored and ill tempered they looked like they wanted to rip your head straight off, played for exactly one black guy in a suit who was obviously drunk. The band was pretty damn good though. I ordered a stout pint and sat down in a corner listening to the music. The bartender took about 5 minutes to pull the pint saying that "this one is a slow one". He filled the glass a bit, let it sit, filled it up a bit more, let it sit, etc. I guess I could have called in some friends, but I didn't bother as it would take them too much time to get over and I was only there killing time for another 20 minutes or so.
By 23:30 I decided Sue or any of the others were probably to pissed to even know where they were and wouldn't be giving me a call. By 23:30 though, I had long started wishing they wouldn't. I was still sitting on my own listening to the music and made no attempt at a conversation with any of the few people in the pub. The drunk guy had left and been replaced by an American couple with a Chinese friend. They ordered their second set of drinks before finishing the first one and after 15 minutes the Chinese guy staggered to the bathroom and when he got back spend the rest of the time staring at the ceiling. The more angry/bored girl from the band was so caught up in her own misery she almost started crying and took a break. The music was still great though and even allthough the bar had formally closed I got myself a whiskey.
Afterwards I did have a chat with some people downstairs, promising to be there next week or the week after and proceedingly rushed to get the last tram home. It's now 01:54 local time, I just made myself a cup of Russian tea and I'm going to bed after a evening I actually really enjoyed.
