Fourth of July?

As a citizen of Canada, we obviously don't celebrate the American Independence Day -- though our own Independence day is just three days earlier. But because most of us live near the border, we're pretty much aware of it as we can pick up US TV just like the Irish can see Uk Channels.

Besides, even if we did want to celebrate it, people are still sleeping off the hangover, right? No, just kidding, nobody drinks too much on Canada Day. It's a family holiday.

This year, on the other hand, I'm going to break with tradition and celebrate the US holidays because A) the nice people in Dublin don't mark Canada day and B) they've decided to celebrate the American holiday with cheap American beer and food and, for some reason, free traditional Irish music in Temple Bar.

I don't know a lot about American beer, but as it's being sold in the Porterhouse, one of the biggest, best pubs in Dublin, and it's going to be cheap, I am prepared to do some research.

Considering how many Americans claim Irish ancestry, I guess it's not really that odd for the Dubliners to celebrate the US national day -- and it's also an excuse for a party, right?

Speaking of Americans, now that summer is here, there seem to be more and more of them in Dublin. I'm getting to meet quite a lot in my meet-n-greet job at Dublin Tourism. Several of them have complimented me on my "cute Irish accent"!! Ha, ha! I am turning into an Irish woman, slowly but surely. Yesterday, I met a bunch of college students who had just come over from Indiana. They had no Irish connections at all, but are all really, seriously into music and felt that Dublin was the place to come to, to hear what's happening on the music scene. They were so earnest and excited about it all, I almost got carried away on their wave of enthusiasm. They invited me to meet up with them tonight so, if I'm not too tired after my shift at the restaurant, I might just do that. Plus, one of them was very cute. A bit too much of a jock for my usual taste, but then I never thought I'd be living in Ireland, or working in a restaurant, so I'm prepared to be open-minded!!