Lost In Ireland Pt 2 – Google Fail

Monday morning we woke up early, got dressed and ready and headed off where Google told us to go when you type in VMware Cork: “Parnell Ho Barrack Sq Main St, Ballincollig, Cork, Co. Cork, Ireland (Vmware International Ltd)”

We got to the intersection of wherever it was Google decided to send us, and nothing in sight had a VMware or EMC logo on it. We asked some old passer-by for assistance, and he had never heard of VMware, and told us there was a Parnell Square nearby, close to the bus terminal. About a five minute walk. So off we go. We get to the bus terminal, and look around all confused-like. Again – no VMware logo, no EMC logo, nothing to indicate they know anything about VMware around here. We asked some guys watering the plants on one of the buildings. He took our Google Map, and reading further into the address proclaimed that the important part of this note was that this address was in Ballincollig, which is a satellite of Cork, about a twenty-five minute journey west. Or you could take a bus.

We went back to the hotel to regroup and get the car. One of the nice people at the desk helped us by printing off a new Google Map, with directions to Ballingcollig, and told us how to get out of the downtown core. She said once we get to the town, to stop at a gas station and ask where we needed to go from there, wished us luck, and sent us on our way.

Two wrong turns later, at a gas station not in Ballingcollig, we got the instruction to keep going past the pub in the middle of the road. Seriously. Indeed, there really was a pub in the middle of the road. Because roads here make no sense.

When we eventually made it, we got into a gas station, some further directions, and Alan said have a good day, left me with his phone and car keys, and hustled into the building, a little bit late.

It was at this point that I realized I wasn’t really dressed for the day, didn’t really know how to drive in Ireland, and didn’t know if there was anything to do at all in the town. Luckily I had my backpack and some money, and off I went to see what there was to see in Ballingcollig. I walked for about three hours, which was a bit too much for me, then found a shop to get some food, then walked a bit more, trying to figure out how to get to the hills north of the town. I gave up walking around noon, hungry, sweaty and tired. I found a lovely little bookstore and picked up three books for 20 euro: Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book, Zoe Heller’s Notes On A Scandal, and Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. I found a nice park and started reading.

And that’s how I ended up reading The Graveyard Book and listening to music in a small Irish town on a Monday afternoon in April. I was originally disappointed that we weren’t actually in Cork, because I thought there would be more to do in the city proper, but starting off a trip with a good long walk and a great book was probably a lot better.

After Alan got off, we came back to the hotel, had dinner, and went to bed after blogging about the weekend. I finished the Graveyard Book before falling asleep and have a long list of people I will recommend read it. All in all a pretty good start. I was frustrated that I didn’t do more, but did some research to find out what there was to do in the town for today.

Today’s plan was this:

1. Go for an hour or two’s walk
2. Try to get into the castle
3. Find out what else there was to do in town
4. Practice using Alan’s new camera
5. Give left-handed driving a try
6. If all else fails, start reading book number two

All in all, I did pretty well. I figured out last night where the castle was, and knew it was on private property and may not be accessible. I walked down to near where it was, and was able to see the tower above some of the nearby houses. However, the road ran out of sidewalk, and I’m still freaked out about the narrowness of the roads, and decided to turn around when I ran out of sidewalk and would have to go down the scary hill with a crazy curve and no visiblity. I came across a pretty Catholic church, and tried my hand at picture taking around the grounds. After that, I found a library (cause that’s how I roll) and asked them if they knew how to get into the castle. They didn’t know, but said that probably down the scary hill would be the best place to start. I opted not to do so.

After that, it was car trip number one. I started out slow, trying out my skills on the back streets of town, where there were fewer things to hit, and fewer other cars to annoy with my snail’s pace and constantly inching to the right. After a few circles of the back streets, I tried my hand at roundabouts, which are totally crazy and I’m not sure I understand how to use. I ended up at the town park near the pretty bridge, and stopped. Took some pictures there, and then went back to the VMware office to park and get some food. After eating lunch, I headed out again, going through town five or six times, eventually going over the pretty bridge and down a terrifying country road, with a car on my tail, obviously unimpressed that I was only doing the speed limit. After about an hour’s worth of driving, I went back to the VMware office again, and read book #2 for a couple of hours. Alan was an hour later getting out of the office than he said he’d be, and then we came back to the hotel and had dinner.

I’m working on plans for tomorrow’s adventure and will soon fall asleep. Alan’s already snoring, and it’s getting a bit late. Here’s my pictures from today:

The pictures of the bridge and the birch walk aren’t great and don’t really do it justice, but hopefully it gives you an idea of the scenery.