Wait, where's the path?

Do you remember that entry in which I stated that the Irish people will never ever take over the world? Well, they also will never ever win the prize for best crisis managment.

Maybe you've heard about the flooding that's going on in Great Britain and Ireland as well. Well, flooding is kind of an understatement. Biblical revenge of God or "Woah, it's never been that bad before" (courtesy of my dormmate) or "worst flooding to hit the country in several decades" (Irish Times) seems more fitting. Cork City is flooded, its university closed for a week, Co. Galway seems to become the next best thing in diving and I want a canoe and a rubber duck like right now.

Thing is, it's going to get worse. More rain. More water. More flooding.

Here some examples of my oh-so-thrilling time in Luimneach right now.

I predict this bridge to be gone by next monday, if nothing short of a miracle happens. The water has already risen to the underside of the bridge since this picture was taken.


That was taken on the weekend. By now the water has reached the grassland on the left side and flooded everything.

That picture was taken in the beginning of September. Everything is shiny and new and do you see how much space is between the levee and the river (there was a pathway, for God's sake)?

That pictures was taken a few minutes ago (no pathway anymore).

Today, I finally saw a car loaded with sandbags. But I have no idea where they brought these. Not to our levees, that's for sure. Instead, they shut down the water supply of Thomond Village. Yep. A whole student town withtout any water till at least tomorrow morning. I'm thankful that I showered today morning.

Also, what are they thinking???? Is that their emergency plan?? Leave the students without water till they leave the village on their own so they don't need to call it an evacuation? Our village is threatened by water from all sides! We have the Shannon in front, next to the street on the right, behind the parking lot and on the leftwe have the sidearm of the Shannon.

And who in his right mind builds a village next to the Shannon and doesn't think of the likely floodings??? I get that this is the worst flooding in like years, but surely somebody thought something like this: "Hmmhh, Shannon, next to the village ... woah ... don't you think we should make the levees higher or build the village, like, a few hundred meters away?" ... oh, I know it, he was met by the typical Irish attitude "Relax and enjoy the view of the river! Everything will work out!"

I love Ireland, I love the Irish people, I really do ... they just drive me crazy sometimes.

Ich will ne Arche! Mit Pinguinen! Und Einhörnern!

Solche Sätze hört man doch gerne, nicht?

"Highest water level on record."

"Even worse than 1999."

"Will rise even more."

"More rain will fall during the night."

"Especially at risk is also Plassey, where the University of Limerick is located."

Ich fühl mich langsam einer bedrohten Spezies zugehörig. Zumal der Kreisel, der über die Brücke zu mir führt inzwischen unter Wasser steht. Ich weiß nicht, wie das Wasser da hingekommen ist, aber es scheint zu steigen. Jedenfalls war er mehr unter Wasser als ich zurück zu mir gelaufen bin. Die Fußgängerbrücke neben der Universitätsbrücke ist jetzt auch gesperrt.