Spent a day in Dublin yesterday, mostly getting lost and asking a slew of strangers in a variety of ways: "Emmm, where the feck am I?". Courtney and I reconnected over pho and chats of adulting adventures, and then I decompressed at the cinema solo, literally, to watch a kids film that was quite frightening and full of monsters. Parents be warned: I would NOT recommend sending your child to watch Miss Peregrine's School for Peculiar Children in a dark theater, all alone, in an unfamiliar city, in 3D 😳). After surviving the eyeball-eating creepy-clawed killers, I snuggled for a bit with a sweet pup named Layla, and then we humans headed to a well-lit, white-walled pub with fancy-food, wooden clip-board menus, and a wide selection of craft beer. Nick snapped a photo of the evening, though the Lagunitas and Sierra Nevada posters behind us mightn't suggest that we were truly 5,000 miles from San Francisco, where we last saw each other. 😂 Wow! Dublin was a much different, and drearier, place the last time I visited. Seems nine years has had quite an effect on this busy, bustling, techie boomtown. Considering the uncertain effects of the Brexit, and the dark depths of economic depression Ireland is struggling to recover from, I'm both excited and nervous for these changes. I suppose, since this is the world we now live in, it's a good thing that Ireland is gaining a foothold in a strong international market. And, I also worry about the rich, rugged, (and yes, romanticized) roots of Irish culture being swept away in the swell. Is there a way for growth to be sustainable? For history and tradition to be preserved? I sure hope there is. Of course, Ireland is far from the first place to ponder this process. And, because of that, I truly hope they are thoughtful about it. Anyway, many thanks to @followcleader and @nick_leader (and Layla) for your hospitality and insight into this aspect of Ireland! Glad we were able to connect. #dublinday #chchchchanges (at Dublin, Ireland)
