More random things incoming....
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Unless you have a book or are messing around with your phone, it can be pretty boring riding the tram. There are a lot of apartment buildings track-side and in an effort to combat the tedium, I've been mapping out windows where I've seen a cat tree. When I go past, I see if any kitties are perched on their tree; so far, I haven't seen any. There's a couch on the balcony of an apartment near the Central Park stop (Central Park in Irish is An Phairc Lair - pronounced "an fark lar") where we once saw what looked like a golden retriever napping. I haven't seen the pupper again but it's probably been too chilly for him/her to be out on the balcony.
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A while ago, I was riding the tram, and in the seat across from me was an unattended carry-on bag. I thought, "Oh great, I come all the way to Ireland only to be blown up by a damned bomb." When we reached the Brides Glen stop, I let the tram driver know about the bag. He grinned and asked, "It's not ticking, is it?"
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We haven't been on the motorways much, but it's interesting to note that there really aren't any billboards. It's a refreshing change from most of the US highways.
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Aside from over-the-counter medications, there are no TV commercials for pharmaceuticals; it's illegal. I do kinda miss the Jardiance commercial though.
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When you think of Ireland, you think of shamrocks, Guinness, whiskey, leprechauns, and potatoes. My favorite potato of all time is the russet. It's very earthy and meaty, and I really like the flavor of it. There are no russet potatoes in Ireland, of course, and I haven't yet been able to find one that I enjoy. The irony of not liking potatoes in a land synonymous with them isn't lost on me. "Water, water everywhere/Nor any drop to drink."
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Many of our cable channels originate in the UK. I've noticed that the UK seems very committed to pre-death funeral planning; there are at least three different commercials for it. I've also noticed that UK commercials are a bit more...blunt. In an ad for an incontinence product, one woman asks another woman to join her in some activity and the second woman says, "Oh, and worry about people seeing me bulky pee pad?"
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Gelatin is called "jelly" here. This photo looks like it's a box or packet of gelatin powder, right? The kind where you add hot water to make it? Yeah, no. It's actually a pouch containing a slab of pre-made Jello. I bought one, and I'm a little afraid to try it.
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More words that are different here:
Rocket = arugula
Sorted = figured out (I got my issue sorted)
Courgette = zucchini
Chicken goujon = chicken tender
Biscuit = cookie
Cupcake case/pie case = cupcake liner/pie crust
In range = the items a store carries (their lineup/stock)
