Rambling Rovers

Following our normal travel pattern, we went out this morning to explore, then came back to the hotel to chill for a bit before heading back to town with a more definitive goal. We took the 16a from the hotel to downtown, picked up a 5 day bus pass (20 euro for unlimited bus rides? Heck yeah!). Our first stop was Chapters bookstore on Parnell street. I was shocked because even at 11 am very little was open. I picked up Urban Shaman, which was signed by the author, a new Torchwood novel, and a couple of moleskins so I could take notes on addresses and directions without carrying the big heavy notebook I'd brought. I also stopped at a Boots to pick up toiletries, since I have terrible luck finding things that I'm not allergic to in Italy. At least here, I can read the ingredients and find things that I would normally use at home. Boring, but it made me extremely happy.

Have I mentioned how many bookstores there are in Dublin? We passed at least seven just today, and are forcibly limiting ourselves to entering only one a day. Otherwise, we might not have money for things like food once we get back to Florence.

I picked up a few other little things too: a present for my mom, a bracelet, some Cadbury eggs (they take their creme eggs very seriously here!) and a wallet because the one I had, the big one, is just not so good for vacation.

back at the hotel, we chilled out for a bit, looked up movie times. I caught up on my blogs. Left a comment on C.E. Murphy's blog about buying the book and being in Dublin. Took a tap to try to quell a headache. And when I woke up--a email was in my inbox. From C.E. Murphy. At some point on Friday, we're going to meet and she's going to put a dedication into the book to go with the signature.

I'm still in shock, even now, hours later, after going to a movie (Leap Year, at the Savoy Cinema, which is officially the most awesome theater I've ever been in).

I'm going to go curl up with a book and eat a Cadbury egg, and hope the dream isn't gone when I wake up.