The Let's Go! guide says of Garnish House: "Prepare to be pampered". The rooms are a bit more expensive than most places, however I was able to get a little shoebox of a room for a price not much higher than the average B&B. That might not seem like such a great deal until you discover that the perks of this place are marvelous: free laundry, free Internet access, a choice of delicious breakfasts (great french toast), plenty of heating and hot water.
After yesterday's trial, I was sore all over. I decided to take it easy, do a bit of reading, then some walking around the city. Cork has few tourist attractions, but it is a charming, comfortable town to rest in.
One of the alleys downtown.
Cork city streets.
Cork has many arcades and hidden markets. The "English Market" is particularly interesting and colorful.
I have to admit, however, that Cork is a stressful city to drive in. Almost all of the streets are narrow and one-way, and the layout is highly non-rectalinear.
Does anyone remember that Star Trek episode where Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Checkov had to fight it out at the O.K. Corral? Spock realized that it was all an illusion, and used a mind-meld to convince the other crew members that the bullets would not harm them, and would pass harmlessly through their body. In other words, if they didn't believe in the illsusion, it couldn't hurt them.
Well, this is exactly the attitude that most pedestrians in this part
of the world have towards speeding cars. It's not like Oakland, with it's
militant pedestrians who know that the law is on their side. It's more
like people are simply oblivious to the hurtling masses of metal around
them. Jaywalking and crossing against the lights are the norm, and nobody
ever seems to get a ticket for it.