Shopping in Dublin

The thing that I feared most of this trip is what I have found to be most enjoyable: shopping. Not just any kind of shopping... more importantly, grocery shopping. My first trip to Tesco, the common grocery store here, was absolutely horrible. I was so overwhelmed with all of the food products and flavors of foods (prawn-flavored chips are very popular here, and the mere name of the food will prevent me from ever trying these things).

Allow me to elaborate on some other food products. Thin crisp-like cookies that you may find in the states (a tea cookie, wafer, or even something similar to a Girl Scout Cookie 'Thin Mint') are called "Digestives" here. Now, I don't know about you, but the simple connotation of the word 'digestive' makes me think of an old person who has nothing to do but complain about his or her bowel movements (or lack thereof), and the only solution is 'digestives'. One word comes to mind: disgusting. Above is a photo of a really nice Tesco in a mall near Dundrum (where Adam and his roommates live).

Traditionally, grocery stores are very small, older, and found just right downtown....just like if perhaps one of the small, old buildings in downtown Valpo where a grocery you passed everyday, and they are PACKED everyday between 4 pm and 7 pm. Europeans grocery shop nearly every day it seems, and they only buy a few items each day. Since we (my roommates and I) walk to and from school everyday, we pass three grocery stores each day which makes small near-daily trips to the grocery stores ideal. However, our local shops are not nearly as fantastic as the Tesco in Dundrum. That store is similar to an amazing Super Target. The prices are not half bad either.

This is a photo of the really NICE looking Tesco in Dundrum. I only wish I could be so lucky to have this particular store near us. We did locate an Aldi near us which we love, and the 'Besties' (Adam, Derrick, Brian, and Joe) seem to love even more. Elizabeth and I did locate a very clean and well presented grocery store right down the street from us called Dunns Store. It reminds me of a Marsh in Carmel, IN. However, the prices are very high...unfortunatly...I am a poor college student. It will be a good store for the ever infrequent 'special occasion'.

Aside from grocery shopping, we dabbled into a bit of city shopping. The mall in Dundrum is amazing. It is MASSIVE! Below is a picture of a store we instantly found to love called 'Penny's'. I have heard of Penny's from a lot of my Irish friends at Purdue, and experiencing the ambiance of the store reminded me of feelings I used to get at age eight upon entering the toy store at Lighthouse mall; you see things that you have never seen before, and everything is super cheap! My roommate Jeanine got a coat for 21 euro, and let me tell you that this is not just your run-of-the-mill gonna fall apart in one washing kind of coat. Their products are truly good products, and at such low cost, we were all wondering how a company of this nature could afford to stay in business. There is no equivalent in the states.


Shown right: The ever-so-amazing "Penny's".












The Sushi-chef at a food spot similar to 'Gloria Jean's' or 'Dip 'n Dots' that you would find in a typical mall. Those brightly colored bowls move steadily on a conveyor belt. A customer would sit at the "bar", watch to see what dish is in each bowl, and choose as many bowls as he or she wishes. It was pretty cool.







This is the outside of the mall. When walking out one of the back doors, you come across a whole island of restaurants.











The roommies. You cannot really see from the photo, but behind us is a something called Mill Pond. A Dundrum magazine calls this area (part of the al fresco dining experience from the photo above) 'atmospheric dining'. The article says, "We have entertainment covered too, thanks to the magnificent musical fountains, inspired by the water features of the Bellagio in Las Vegas."

The girls and I are eager to check this place out in the evening. After all, the article says, "What are you waiting for? Come outside!" We thought that was pretty inviting. I'll let you know how it goes:)

Football aka soccer, is very very popular here...as is rugby from what we have heard. Our professors were telling us that we may have seen a 'hockey mom' or a 'soccer mom', but we've never seen a 'rugby mom'. I guess it is common where moms are asked to leave the games because they get WAY too involved.

This is a photo of the gigantic big-screen TV in the mall to which I assume the men watch when the women drag them along to go shopping. The younger men here, however, seem to love shopping nearly as much as the women.

This is a photo of the escalators in the mall. They seem very futuristic to me....if you can notice, there are no steps....just gliders.











Our big shopping day was great because we felt like we had left the "old country" and stepped more into a suburb of the city. Dublin is fantastic and very historical, but, sometimes, all you want is something clean and new...something out of the 21st century.

On our way back from the mall, we stopped by Adam's apartment to have dinner: spaghetti and meatballs. It was nice to have a meal with the boys, and it is almost like we have formed our own little American family out here. Of course, the opportunity to hang out with the locals is amazing, but something or someone close to home is all you need to feel....well, ....'home'.


This is a photo of the futuristic apartment buildings as seen from the guys' balcony.












Here is another photo of the buildings across the street. They look so clean and new. :)

More adventures to come.....