HMS Bounty

Cork, Ireland

I recently attended a Bloomsday celebration.  It was organized by Moray of Mutantspace.ie and it was lovely!  We listened to readings of passages from Ulysses, were entertained by traditional Irish songs that had been featured in the book, and enjoyed a Joycean meal of red wine, gorgonzola, and bread.  (In previous years they'd gone all out and served kidney, as well, but it isn't so popular these days.)  A fine time was had by all!

While listening to some of the lovely tunes, I noticed a fellow who looked an awful lot like a sailor walk past.  No, not a military-type sailor (trust me, I know what those look like — I've even seen one in the mirror!), but the pub-by-the-water, knit-cap-wearing, anchor-tattoo-on-the-bicep type.  And indeed, we were in a pub on the water, near one of the world's largest natural harbors, no less!

Apparently, I was right.  I came out of the pub to find a very large ship.  And guess what?  It was The Bounty!

I'm not making this up.  Srsly.

Technically, its name is Bounty II, as it is a modern reconstruction of the original.  It's the ship commissioned by MGM for the 1962 film, Mutiny on the Bounty, starring Marlon Brando and Trevor Howard.  It also served double duty as the ship in the 1989 version of Treasure Island with Charlton Heston.  So cool — a film set that comes to YOU!

Fittingly, it is not free to go aboard a ship with such a name.  The cost is €10 for an adult visitor.  I am fairly confident that they won't make you walk the plank or run you through with a sword, however.  It would be really bad for business.

…I wonder if she'll back for International Talk Like A Pirate Day?

What randomly excellent things have you seen lately?