Ireland 2008

Last Day in Ireland (day 39/40)

2008-08-02T16:45:00.002+01:00

July 31/August 1:

Today was a hard day to wrap my brain around...I was going to be leaving Ireland in however many hours it was still my plane left the ground at 645 in the morning.

I got up and had breakfast and packed up my stuff to get ready to check out of the hotel, and then I went and wandered around Galway for one last time. I went to Dunnes to get another bag since I accumulated so much stuff while I was away, and then I went and finished buying peoples gifts on Shop street. I took a while there, just enjoying the sites and sounds of the city that I love so much.

I had a lot of time to kill because I had to wait around to go and pick up Sarah and Katie at the train station at 515. I finished shopping and eating lunch and stuff at around 2, and then I had no idea what to do, so I just got in my car and drove out of Galway. I drove around for a little while down along the coast, and it was beautiful! It was sort of grey and cloudy and rainy, but that is Ireland for you. I drove for a while and then I turned around and stopped at this pull off that overlooked Galway bay, and had a nice little beach. I sat there in my car for a while just thinking about my trip and everything that had gone on, it was nice.

I finally made my way back into the city and picked up Sarah and Katie. They had to do some more gift buying so we walked down Shop street for a while, and then went and had one last meal at Couch Potata together. After that we went over to Taaffes to have one last pint, but it was JAM PACKED with people, mind you this was at 7pm, which at that time it is normally empty. However, it was Ladies Day at the Races, and that is the biggest day, so not only was it packed with people, it was people who were dressed up all fancy. So we decided it wouldn't be fun there so we went over to the Kings Head to have our last pint, because even if there were a ton of people there, it is a bigger space, so we actually had room to move.

After we left Galway we made the journey down to Shannon because we were staying at the airport the night before all of us left. We finally got to the hotel and I returned my car and then we went into the hotel room and we all had to repack stuff. It was pretty late by the time we did all that so we all just went to bed.

I didn't sleep really at all that night, I just laid there thinking that this was the last night I would be spending in Ireland. It was pretty depressing. Then I got up at 3am and got ready and walked over, in the pouring rain, to the airport. It would have been nice to know that the check-in counters do not open until 5am, so even if your flight leaves at 645am, and normally you have to get there really early, you don't have to be there till 5am. The airport was EMPTY! except for the few people who were on my flight as well.

I finally got checked in and got on the plane, and started my VERY LONG journey home. It was a pretty nice flight, no one sat next to me so I had 2 seats all to myself, which was INSANELY nice. I got to stretch out and lay down, so I actually slept some on the way home.

I got into LAX and as we were flying over the city I just had this overwhelming feeling of disdain for this place that I had to come back to. They say you have culture shock when you travel to different countries, but it was fine getting into Ireland, but coming back it was like "oh my god, this is awful." It is really hard to explain what I'm feeling right now because it is such a mixture of feelings.

As much as it pains me to say, I am home now, after the adventure of a lifetime. I have already started thinking about when I am going back, and it is going to be sooner rather than later.

This trip was an amazing experience, and it was life altering. I am not the same person I was before I left, and there are a lot of life changes that I will be making as a result of being on this trip. I just hope that everything works out the best.

Slán agus beannacht leat

Day 38

2008-07-30T22:56:00.006+01:00

July 30:

Today was my last full day in Galway...and that's depressing. I woke up and went and ate breakfast...toast and cereal again BLECK! Then I came back up to my room and took a shower and did a whole lot of nothing until I decided that I should head out and do something. When I took the day trip to Connemara oh so many weeks ago I had thought that we would be going through Clifden, but I was wrong. I really wanted to go through this town...so I went on my own today. I headed out at about 12 and its about 70km which took almost 2 hours...there arent many straight roads in ireland. What I really had wanted to do was drive down the Sky Road which is in Clifden...and I was really glad I did.

If you ever get a chance to come to Ireland, Sky Road is a must. It is an 11km drive up around the top of clifden...but the views from the top are amazing. There are little islands off the coast, and it was clear and beautiful today, so i was really lucky. The only scary thing about the road is that it is very narrow, and it is 2 lanes...plus since you drive on the left you are right on the edge of the cliff for a good portion of it. You get used to it. There are a few places where you can pull to the side and get out and take pictures, and the view is breath taking. It was seriously one of the most beautiful things I have ever looked at. The region you drive through, Connemara, is beautiful as well--lots of sheep on the side of the road, plus a lot of mountains and lakes. This whole region around Galway is beautiful, I can't imagine what it must be like to be able to live out in the wilds of Connemara and wake up everyday and see such beautiful surroundings as far as the eye can see.

I was pretty tired by the time I got back, considering I only slept about 4 hours last night, so I came back and watched a little TV and then took a nap. Oh how I love my naps. Then I got up and got ready and went to Taaffes for one last night out.

The place was seriously busting at the seams with people...it was maddness. Race week here is a really big deal and there are a TON of people here, but the nice thing is they are all IRISH people--not tourists. So even if they arent from Galway, they are still from Ireland. The band that I don't really care for was there, so I didn't stay that long, plus I dont really like being squeezed into a tiny corner because of all the people...so I stayed for about 2 hours and then left. As I was leaving these 2 guys stopped me and one of them was like, to his friend, "have you met the this galway girl yet? She is american, but she is a galway girl through and through." Apparently they had been watching me sing (which is a bit creepy I admit) but what a more perfect ending to the night? To be called a galway girl from a galwegian (thats what youre called if you are from galway..weird huh?).

I can't believe it is almost over. That in two days I will be home...not even two days. It hasn't fully hit me yet, and I'm glad it hasn't. I think it will be like when I left home...it didn't really hit me till a week or so into the program...and thats how it will be now. It won't hit me that it is all over until like a week after I get home.

Bed time. Slan go foill.

Day 37

2008-07-30T09:23:00.007+01:00

July 29:

So as you guys know instead of going to Dingle for the next two days I changed my plans and headed back to Galway. I left Kinsale at about 9am and didn't get up to Galway until 1pm that afternoon. It was quite a long drive, and I was really happy to FINALLY get into the town. When I saw the sign for the city I was like, "thank GOD!!! I'm finally here!!!" Being in the car for 4 hours is a longggg time.

My hotel isn't as close to the city centre as I would like it to be, but it isn't bad. I got here and got settled and then I laid down and fell asleep for three hours. It was a much needed nap. Then I got up and it was only 4...so it was too early to go to town because I wanted to stay for the music at Taaffes, plus it was raining. So I watched some TV, ordered some room service, took a shower, and did a whole lot of nothing until 830 then I took a taxi into town. I can't even begin to explain how it felt to be walking back down shop street with all the hustle and bustle of people milling about, in and out of the pubs. To feel so right in a place it is indescribable unless you have felt it yourself. You wander around in life trying to find a place that feels like home, and when you finally find it you never want to leave. Even if things are bad, even if nothing else is right, you know that you are home and thats the most important feeling in the world.

I walked into Taaffes and it was crowded, as usual. I walked up to the front and made my way to the bar and ordered my Bulmers. As soon as I did this man started talking to me, he was nice. He and his friends ended up buying me drinks all night. The same band was there that was there last Tuesday night, the one that I posted up on here singing Galway Girl. There were wonderful, and I stayed till they were done, then took a taxi home.

I talked with liz for a while when I got home, which was nice, because I haven't talked to her much since I got here. It is starting to set in that i am leaving in two days, and I thought i was going to be fine...but now that it's getting so close I'm feeling the way I thought I would. Liz was saying it is not like it is goodbye forever, but it feels that way. I know I will come back, but when? It's not exactly cheap to come over here. Ideally I would like to come back for my birthday...St Patrick's Day, and then again next summer. I feel like this whole adventure has turned my world upside down, and everything that I wanted before I left isn't there anymore. Like, I am a completely new person and I have to start this new life when i go home. It will be interesting to see how things work out once I am actually home.

The Galway Hooker beer...this isn't at Taaffes, but I haven't taken any new pictures to post.

2008-07-29T20:11:00.002+01:00

I recorded this one of the first couple days in Galway. The guy was from Dublin and we chatted with him for a bit...he was actually quite good. We saw him there during the day, and he was still there when we left the pubs, and I really liked that song, so I recorded it...and then took a picture with him. haha. I actually saw him again a couple days ago...small world.

Sorry, I know its the wrong way, just tilt your head and you wont notice! Oh, and ignore my commentary. lol

Day 36

2008-07-28T20:25:00.010+01:00

July 28:

This morning I woke up feeling pretty bummed and not too happy with the plans I had for the rest of my stay here. I felt a little better after I had PANCAKES! Yes, you heard me right, PANCAKES! Not toast. Not cereal. Not eggs, or bacon or anything else that is apart of an irish breakfast. PANCAKES! Good pancakes too. I was so excited...you have no idea. Then after I finished breakfast I came back into my room and tried to figure out what I wanted to do for the day. Well, I didn't think much about it because it was raining outside, and I still wasnt feel much up to doing anything. So I started looking up Galway hotels again, and as luck would have it...I found one, not too far from the city centre, at not too bad, well...relatively speaking, a price. I wasn't sure if I should book it or not, since it was more than I wanted to spend really...way more actually. So I called Sarah and she talked me into it, and I'm glad she did.

I'm really really glad to be going back to Galway. I could cry it makes me so happy. I know the town, I LOVE the town, and I won't feel crappy like I have the past couple days staying in these towns that I don't know, and that have nothing to do in them. It doesn't even bother me that it will probably take about 4 hours to get up to Galway from where I am at now. I did have a bit of a scare this afternoon though after I recieved an email saying when they tried to preauthorize my card it was declined...even though there was more than sufficent funds in my account. I realized what the problem was though, the amount was over my daily spending limit, but everything got sorted out. (oh and the b&b that I cancelled on last minute isn't going to charge me, hurray!!)

So after I changed all my plans and was in a much better mood I headed out to go and see Charles fort which is the big historical thing to see when you are in Kinsale. I was really glad I drove, because I thought I might be able to walk to it...but no way, it was way too far. It was pretty neat, the tour was pretty interesting, and I got to hear more about the battle between James II and William of Orange. After I finished there I went back into town and ate at one of the pubs. It was quite the interesting experience....a screaming baby, three old Irish men in their cute Irish hats, and 2 drunk french people (mind you this was at 1 in the afternoon). My food wasnt that great, but it wasnt too expensive. I meandered around the town a bit, and then who do I see as I'm walking down the street? Alix, the girl that I flew into Ireland with. It was so weird!! She is staying in Blarney right now, so she came down to Kinsale for the day. I took her over to charles fort so she didnt have to take the bus, and then back into town. It was nice to see a friendly face.

A view of Kinsale from across the Harbor, on the way to Charles Fort.

Walking into Charles Fort...yes those are colored windows. They were installed as a part of some artists creation for the Kinsale Arts week, which was last week. They were ridiculous.

That hills there, covered in trees, is where they fought the Battle of Kinsale in 1609? I believe.
More of the Fort.View from a watch tower.

After I dropped her off I was going to head back home, but I went the wrong way, but it was the way to Clonakilty, which is somewhere I wanted to go, so I decided to just head on out. It was only about 20 km. I went to the Michael Collins Heritage Site and watch a couple films and saw some memrobilia, it was a nice site, I got there only an hour before closing, so I didn't get to see everything. Then I headed back home.

One of the cars that the, uhhh I can't remember the name though, the Irishmen who were for the Home Rule treaty, they rode around in these cars. And originally they had a cloth top, but they couldn't shoot out from it, but when they took it off they were getting shot at by the IRA. So they covered the back in chicken wire, to keep out the hand grenades, and so they could shoot out from them, but then a clever IRA member started attaching hooks to the grenades so that they would get caught on the chicken wire.

Michael Collin's armored vehicle.

View from the Michael Collins centre...the picture doesn't even come close to what my eyes could see when i was standing there...it was breath taking.

It was a nice day, and I'm glad I didn't just sit around and do nothing all day. I'm in for a long day tomorrow...but this time tomorrow night I will, hopefully, be sitting in my pub drinking a pint, and all will be right in my world.

Day 35

2008-07-27T19:28:00.002+01:00

July 27:

Today, by most peoples standards, was a waste. I got up and left Cashel at about 9 or so and got to Cork at around 1030. I was going to get out and walk around, but there was no where to park, and nothing looked open because it is Sunday. So i drove around the city a bit and looked around from my car, and then I got lost a little bit. I found my way back and started back on my way to Kinsale.

I got to Kinsale at about 1130 or 12 and drove through the town and parked. It was too early to check into my b&b so I had to do something. There were a MILLION people in town. I walked down to the end of the harbor and then walked back to my car. I made some lunch in my car because i was starving...but then I decided to just drive over to my b&b. It is off the beaten path...and not that close to town. It is alright--at least my bathroom is in my room, and the TV has more than 2 channels.

I sat around and checked my email and stuff and then at 230 I turned on the Wexford V. Waterford Hurling match. It was a really good match, and Waterford won. After that match, at 4pm, was the match between Cork and Clare, the one I really wanted to watch. It was an EXCELLENT game. I wanted Cork to win, and they did...by 2 points. They were down by 8 or 10? I'm not sure..in the first half, but they made an AMAZING comeback. Since they beat Galway last week they are who I am rooting for to win the thing. The next match isnt for 2 weeks, so these 2 matches were the last 2 that I will get to watch in Ireland...very sucko.

After the match I made myself another sandwich, and thought about walking into town, and then decided against that thought. I am really just exhausted and not in the mood to be dealing with masses of people and wandering around not knowing where I am going or anything. I want to just cancel the rest of my plans and go back to galway...but it is impossible to find a place to stay because the races start tomorrow. However, since I am staying with Sarah and Katie the last night, they are going to take a train into Galway that day, and we are going to meet up there for one last pint at Taaffes, and one last goodbye to the town. That will be really nice. Then we are all going to drive back down in my car to Shannon, and stay the night in a hotel in the airport.

I'm ready to go home in the sense that I miss the comforts of American life...the food, knowing my way around...being able to get stuff after 5pm at night, tivo...all those things. Of course I don't want to leave because my heart is here...but all this moving around and having to pack things up every day really sucks, and is really annoying.

At least I know my way around the last town I'll be in...and I think I'll feel more like doing stuff, hopefully.

Day 34

2008-07-26T21:46:00.008+01:00

July 26:

Today was a pretty interesting day. I got up and checked out of my nice hotel and ventured off to go pick up my rental car. I had a lovely scare when I was picking up my car. No one cared to mention that the rental agency would have to put a deposit on my credit card of 800 EURO in addition to paying for the rental. Now, don't you think that this is a very VERY important piece of information to tell a person? 800 euro. Thats like...1200 dollars. Thank GOD I had enough on my credit card!!! I wouldn't have if they hadn't just raised my limit. But all was well and I got in the car, and sat there for a minute to reassure myself that I could do it. I actually got used to it pretty quickly, and it is way more fun to drive on the wrong side.

I had a nice, about, two hour drive down to Cashel. I was going to stop in Kildare, and I had told my taxi driver this, and he was like "no, don't stop there, just keep going! theres nothing there!!" But I stopped to make sure he wasn't wrong...and he wasn't. If you ever wanted to go to Kildare, sorry to burst your bubble, but it isn't worth it.

I got into Cashel at about 11 or so, which was too early to check into my b&b so I parked the car and walked around the town for a bit. Let me stress the "a bit" part...Cashel is a pretty small town, with not much in it. I was getting bored, and had to wait till 2pm to check in, so I decided to make my way to the Rock of Cashel.

It was pretty amazing up there. It was even more impressive looking up at it from the hill below. I was sort of bummed though because there were a million people there, and so everything was crowded. I didn't stay too long, I took pictures and left to go find some food. I ate at a nice little resturant called Oasis. Had a chicken pesto and mozzarella panini, and a bulmers :)

After lunch it was finally time to head over to my b&b, I asked the tourist office how to get there so I found it pretty easily. It is not too far from the main road, but you still need to know how to find it. It is a nice place, on a really pretty piece of land. Lots of flowers and my room is pretty nice. However, I was under the impression that my room was ensuite...but it is not. This is also some information that I think someone should have told me before hand. It's not a big deal, and I'm only here for the night...so I'm not too upset about it.

So yeah, I didn't really do anything else today...took a nap, watched some TV, and went to the store and bought some food so I don't have to keep eating out. Tomorrow I am off to County Cork for my stay in Kinsale.

Look!! It's my last name!!!

I love the Guinness signs on the sides of buildings

The Rock of Cashel. Isnt it crazy that people live with that in like, their back yard?

The view from the rock. It is also known as St. Patricks Rock. (Carraig Phadraig)

Celtic Cross

**I didn't post that many pictures because they took like 5 mins, EACH, to load...so I'll add more when I have a better internet connection.

Day 33

2008-07-25T21:57:00.016+01:00

July 25:

Today was a pretty good day. I got up around 730 and got ready and went and ate my free breakfast, and then headed out for the day. I had to be in front of this one hotel at 10:25 for my tour to Newgrange, but I left the hotel around 845 or so to go and see some stuff before I left for the day.

I walked down O'Connell street with all the people walking to work and I walked all the way up to Parnell Square to see the Garden of Remembrance. This garden was created to honor all those who have fought and died for Irish independence. It is sort of off the beaten path...at least above where all the tourists end up going, and it was way smaller than I expected. There was a big reflecting pool in the shape of a cross and a statue at the end, and some engravings on the wall...pretty flowers and some benches, but it was just somehow...lacking. You would think that a monument to those who fought for the independence and freedom of your country would be grand and I don't know...just something more than it was. I sat there for a little while and thought about all I had learned and I was really disheartened. Those people had so much passion and vigor for what they were fighting for...for Ireland and for their homeland, and only reminents of that fevor remain. Those who are too hardcore about their Irish nationality are just labeled extremists even though it was those same extremists that created Ireland as we know it today.

I still had a bunch of time to kill before my bus would arrive so I walked back down O'Connell street and looked in some shops, then went and stood in front of the hotel for half an hour. It was interesting just to watch the people walk by. I do the same thing at home, but in Dublin there are some REALLY itneresting people. So my bus arrived and I got on, and we headed to the Hill of Tara and Newgrange.

To be quite honest I was pretty dissapointed with both places, especially the Hill of Tara. It is basically a giant grass field...with a bunch of sheep in it, and a couple of higher patches. Granted the view is pretty spectacular...you can see for miles around (even though it wasnt that clear) but I don't know I just felt like I was trapsing around someones backyard.

We arrived at Newgrange and it was pretty cool. I do think the best part was our hot tour guy though. It is really amazing to think that people who lived thousands of years before us could build things that would last till modern times, especially when they had none of the building technology that we have today. It is also interesting to note that stone age people were TINY! Every tomb and thing I have been to that was made during that time, for people, is so small...much smaller than we are today.

Once I got home from the tour I had to get ready to meet Hannah and JR an hour later for dinner. It was really nice to see them, we had a really great dinner, and I forgot how much I liked them. They are really nice, and we had great conversations about being abroad and just everything in general. They even paid for my dinner. :) After dinner I headed back to my hotel, and I was going to go out again, but I am exhausted...and I have to get up early tomorrow. Tomorrow starts my travels with a CAR...it should be an experience to remember, I'm sure of it.

The new journey begins (day 32)

2008-07-24T23:19:00.015+01:00

July 24:

This morning I woke up at the butt crack of dawn to get ready and head off on the next part of my journey. Me and my roomies said our goodbyes, and it was really sad...but I'm glad its over with. Michelle and I took a taxi to the train station together and then she hopped on a bus and was headed home. I, however, got on a train at 9:15 and slept most of the way to Dublin. I finally arrived and hauled all my crap down the longggg walk way out to the taxi line up. There was no way I was going to wander around Dublin trying to find my hotel with all my REALLY HEAVY luggage.

I got to my hotel very cheaply, at 7 euro, and was surprised to see how nice it was!!! It is in the heart of the Temple Bar District but is far enough away so I don't have to be kept up till all hours of the morning by the noise in Temple bar. My room is really nice, and my bed is REALLY comfy...thank heavens because after 4 weeks of sleeping on a crappy bed my body needs nice.

I played around a bit on my computer and got settled into my room. Then I ordered ROOM SERVICE! This was very exciting to me because I have never done it before, and it was just as expensive as it would have been to go buy lunch somewhere in town, and I didn't have to WALK! I did however end up walking quite a bit. I went down to the Archaeology and History Museum but didn't stay long because it was pretty lame...but then I decided to just wander around the city. I walked in St. Stephens Green for a while, it was pretty, but sort of dirty. Then I walked by the Liffey and took some pictures on the Ha'Penny bridge. Then on my way back to the hotel I went into the actual Temple Bar district and looked around a bit. Something exciting happened while I was out and about...I got asked DIRECTIONS! I looked like I knew where I was going enough to be asked, I was so excited. And the best part is I actually knew where the place I was being asked for directions to was. Good times.

St. Stephens Green

"The Temple Bar"
View from the Ha'Penny of the LiffeyLook, it's another Quays bar!!!

St. John Gogartys

Then I rested a bit and took a shower and got ready for, RIVERDANCE! I was really excited about this, because the show has gotten so many rave reviews that I had really high expectations for it. My expectations were not only met, but succeeded, but the performance given at the show. It made me tired just watching them dance...and they weren't even breathing hard, that was the most amazing part haha. I think one of the best parts was when 2 black guys came out and were doing like, normal tap dancing, and then the Irish guys show up in old style clothes and start Irish stepping and they are both trying to show each other up, and they would like mock each others moves, and it was just really funny. It really was a good show, and if you ever get the chance you should go see it.

I got a little lost coming home, but I eventually found the right path again...sort of scary walking around the not so main streets of dublin at night by yourself...but all was fine in the end, and here I am, and now it is off to bed...it has been a very long first day of the journey.

(Btw, I got yelled at for taking these pictures...or well, for trying to take a picture when the stupid usher guy didn't want me to. But see, they said at the beginning that you couldn't take FLASH photos...and I wasn't!!! So I don't think I did anything wrong.)

Galway Girl Video

2008-07-24T14:46:00.001+01:00

So I took this video the night before the last night...they were a really good band. The song was actually written by an American who came to Galway and fell in love with a Galway girl...Steve Earl I think his name was?

Enjoy.

Day 31--last day in Galway

2008-07-24T13:46:00.011+01:00

July 23:

It is hard to write this blog because it is about such a depressing subject--the last day in Galway, the city that stole my heart.

All the roomies slept in because the only thing that we had to do with school today was go in at noon and fill out an evaluation form. I thought this was a really good session with the lead guy who runs the program because they gave us the chance to give verbal input on what we liked, and what we would change, etc.

After we finished up with the evals, a group of us girls headed into town to eat at Couch Potata one last time. This place really was a good idea by who ever started it...good food for not too expensive of a price. I started to feel pretty down during lunch so I didn't say much because I didn't want to start the waterworks at lunch time...

When we finished with lunch we went and looked at the Cathedral because Sarah hadn't been inside yet, then we headed into town for some last minute gift buying. We ended up wandering around town from about 2 till almost 4...it was a long day. I got the hurling sweatshirt that I had been waiting to get...and was really excited about that. Then it was time to head home to rest up for going out that night and to finish up packing.

Grace and Teagan came over while all of me and my roomies were getting ready, and they came bearing pre-party gifts. We sat outside my window (I should have taken a picture, but it's like a half balcony...you have to climb out the window and im not sure we were supposed to, but it was fun nevertheless) and talked and took some pictures before we headed out to dinner at McSwiggins. We decided that we would forgo our bugets and price limitations for one last hurrah the night before we left. We had a REALLY good meal, and I'm sure that it was so good because none of us had had an actual meal since we left home. We had a few drinks, did a shot, ate some good food...and got some good pictures. It's probably one of the things I will remember most about the trip...how the group of friends that I made at that dinner just got along so well and felt like we had been friends since we were kids.

So now that our tummys were full it was time for one last pub crawl. Well, not so much a crawl because we only went to Taaffes..but you know what I mean. It was about 10 or so when we got there, so the music was already starting, and it was the band that I am not really all that fond of. We all had another drink, but the night didn't last too long. After our drink, Sarah, Teagan and Michelle said they were going home...so it was time for the first goodbye. It wouldn't have been bad if it was just Sarah and Michelle leaving, but I wouldn't get to see Teagan again before we left...so it was a real goodbye. I started crying, so Michelle started crying, and it was just a big mess.

So they left and I semi-regained my composure and then it all fell apart when the band started playing Galway Girl. This was our song, and I fell apart when they started playing. I was sitting in front of the band and so I'm sitting there crying and they all were looking at me like, "what is wrong with her?" I had had my fun so I decided to leave Kelsey, Grace and Katie and go home because I really wanted to spend my last night with sarah and michelle and they weren't there so...I got my taaffes shirt and went home.

When I got home Sarah and Michelle were out on our porch talking to our next door neighbors so I went and joined them and it was fun standing out there talking to them. They are fun guys. Then they left to go out and we went back inside as, "party poopers" as they said. We all stayed up till 1 or so just talking and hanging out, and it was a really nice end to the night.

It was really hard to say goodbye, and I'm tearing up now at the memory of it...as I'm sure will be the case for a while to come now...but I'll get to see Sarah and Katie again the night before I leave, so that will be nice. Like I have said before, I never expected to make friends when I came here, I almost wish I hadn't because it made it all the more harder to leave. I know that we will all meet up again, and maybe we may even meet back up in Ireland, but it's just really hard to make such good friends and have to leave them a month after you meet. It was really one of the best experiences I have ever, and probably will ever, have in my life...

The Pavoratti at couch potata, only 7 euro for that...so cheap

Eyre Square at lunch time...

Funny sign on the bench

Me and the roomies sitting on the balcony

Kelsey, me and Grace

Doing shots, green ones..hehe

Yes, that would be a bill that says almost 200 euro.

Me and sarah drinking our Bulmers outside of Taaffes

Day 29 and 30

2008-07-23T08:07:00.012+01:00

July 21:

Today was our last day of classes, so I got up early and made the trek up to school, for class, one last time. It was history, my favorite class...and I was really bummed that it would be our last one. It was a good class, we talked about the the 1916 rising, the revolution that followed and the civil war that followed the treaty that was signed. After class Michelle, Katie and I walked home and me and Michelle stopped and got a pizza so we would actually have something to eat for lunch. Once we got home we both took naps and then got up and had some lunch and watched some TV.

The rest of the day didn't amount to a whole lot, we sat around the house some more...I had a meltdown, and then Michelle and I ordered food for dinner. Eddie Rockets. We got a little booklet of a delivery service and its a very good thing, and it only cost an extra 3.50 euro. Not a bad deal when you are sick and have no desire to walk anywhere to get food. We had burgers and chocolate milkshakes and watched Friends and the Simpsons, because those are the two shows, well, along with Seinfield, that are on ALL THE TIME!

A little while later I met up with Sarah and her dad at his hotel to have a drink and just chat. He is an awesome guy. We talked about Ireland, and a bunch of stuff, it was nice. I like talking to older people, they are interesting, and have a lot of good stories. So it was a nice night, then me and sarah took a taxi back home for a night in.

My roomie, Michelle, showing me what she would do if someone tried to break into our house...

See, she fits!!! And those spaces are really tiny, let me tell you.

July 22:

Today was a really fun, and memorable day. Since it is nearing the end, that means laundry and all that stuff has to get done, so Sarah and I got up a little early, to beat the rush, and did our laundry. After that was all done Sarah headed to school for assessment and Katie and I went into town to do someone shopping. I got a bunch of stuff crossed off my list...although not as much as i would have liked to. I got two out of three of my pub shirts and a galway flag, and a few other things. I have so much stuff its unbelieveable, and I still havent gotten everything. I'm not sure how everything is going to get home, but it will all get there, somehow.

After we got back from town I tried to get all my stuff together so I could start packing, but then it was time to leave for the farewell reception, so i didn't get very far. Everyone was excited for this because of the prospect of free food..but much to our dismay there was none to be found when we arrived. We did however enjoy our two, or in my case three, free drink vouchers. The group of us girls were all pretty toasted by the time we left (oh, about 7pm at night!) But it was a good night at the college pub. We left our mark, we got a picture with our history professor who all us girls have a crush on, and we got to see people before everyone leaves.

Since there was no food at the reception we walked into town to eat McDonalds. I don't know why we went there, but it was fun. We were all laughing and messing around and just having a good time.

After we ate we headed to Taaffes but it was still early so we just sat around and talked for a couple hours, and its moments like these that I really enjoy. The band showed up and we talked to them because we were right in front of the stage, and they were cute, little, old irish men and they were so funny. They played all the songs we wanted and it was a fantastic night. A lot of the girls from my program showed up, so there was a bunch of us there, but it was nice to just go, and sit down, and hear good music again before I leave. I got a great recording of Galway Girl on video and it made me cry when I watched it this morning when I uploaded it. I'll have to post the video when I get home, because it really captures the greatness of the Irish pub. Everyone singing along, and dancing, and having a good time...it's something that is uniquely Irish, and something I am going to miss very much.

Me, Sarah, and Teagan at the College bar.

Our history professor, Laurence Marley...you wouldn't understand completely until you heard him speak...

Me talking to Laurence and telling him how much I enjoyed his class.

Michelle, Sarah and Teagan being the amazingly, crazy girls that they are.

Michelle and I at McDonalds....lol

Taaffes...my pub!!!

Kung Fu Panda, lol

One of the band players, playing the Bodhran

Macnas Parade (part 2 day 28)

2008-07-21T20:09:00.020+01:00

July 20 (night time):

So one of the big things that I was looking forward to when I got to Galway was the Macnas Parade that is apart of the Galway arts festival. It is this big parade that goes through most of the city, and it has a different theme each year. I believe this year it was Apocolypto? I'm not quite sure. Let me tell you though, it was one of the most awesome parades I have ever watched. Usually in the states our parades are super boring, and I never watch them...but this one was totally different! It was like someone took some drugs and went to sleep and their mind created the things that were moving down the street.

The parade was supposed to start at 10, and I'm sure it did, but it had such a big route that it didn't get to where we were standing until a little after 11. It was FREEZING COLD! and all I could think was I was at Disneyland at Christmas time waiting for the parade...then I realized, no, its summer. It was fun though standing around with all my new friends just talking and having fun. There were these kids across from us that had put a piece of candy in the middle of the street and waited for a car to run over it and then would cheer...it was quite entertaining.

Then after we got home me and my room mates were all sitting in my room talking and then we hear this noise outside my window and were like "what is that noise?" and then we see FIREWORKS in the window of the houses across the street and we were like running around the house trying to see where we could see them from...it was fun.

Enjoy the pictures.

GAA Hurling and Gaelic Football

2008-07-20T19:34:00.002+01:00

Since I have been over here, there isn't much to watch on TV, but there is an all sports channel and they broadcast the hurling and gaelic football matches.

Let me tell you this, you have not seen a real sport until you have watched either of these.

Hurling seriously is the best game ever. A team consists of 15 players, and they each have a hurley (the stick they play with). No helmets have to be worn if you are over the age of 18. So basically you have the 30 players on the field and they pretty much just run around trying to score goals...there is a standard field arrangement, but I haven't learned about that. The ball is called a sliothar and has a cork center and is about as big as a baseball, but the stitching makes an edge on it so that it is easier to carry on the hurley. The game consists of 2 halves, each lasting for 35 minutes. Hurling is the fastest played field game in the entire world. From what I can tell there are many things that could be considered a foul, even though the players trip, hit, and pull down their opponents. It is so crazy too because even when they are knocked down or hit they just pop right back up and keep going!!! There are two ways to score a point. If you get it through the net (like a soccer goal, only a little lower) then that gets you a "goal" which is worth 3 points. If you get the ball through the goal posts, above the net, that gives you a point.

Then we have gaelic football, which is quite similar, only they play with a ball similar to a soccer ball. However, they are allowed to carry, kick, or throw the ball. The scoring system is the same as in hurling, and it seems to be a bit more violent...they seem to see how much they can get away with without getting called on it. And it is so crazy because they will be a 1/4 of the way down the field away from their goal, and they kick it and it goes in!!! It's insane! but really fun to watch.

Both of these games are "real men sports" and I hope I can find them online to watch when I return home. If you ever get the chance to watch a hurling match, please do so, you'll be glad you did!

Day 25, 26, 27, and half of 28

2008-07-20T17:02:00.010+01:00

July 17:

Today didn't really amount to much of anything. I was still pretty tired and didn't want to go to class, so I ended up just staying home and sleeping for most of the day. I got up and made some lunch, but that was about it. My roomies had to stay in that night and finish their papers, but we talked for a little while, and it was a good, relaxing day.

July 18:

Today was a pretty fun day. We had class for a good portion of the day, and then again at 4-5pm so we spent most of the afternoon in class. After we finished class, we were going to go out that night but it was sort of rainy outside, so we went into town and got crepes. This amazing crepe place just opened (if you remember I think I posted a picture of a bright green building, well it opened up in there) and they are really cheap and really good!! I got a crepe with grilled chicken, cheese, and garlic and it was only 6 euro. Then we got dessert crepes, and mine had chocolate, marshmallows, m&m's and ice cream in it...and it was only 4 euro. They are always super busy, but the only bad thing is it is a tiny place so it is hard to find a place to sit.

So after we ate dinner, we went to the off license (liquor store) and got some drinks, and headed home for a night in. It was actually a really good night. We watched the Sex and the City movie, and it was alright, but then after that we were just hanging out with the music on, and outside on our balcony. Our neighbors were outside as well, and at one point all of us were inside, but our doors were open and they just hopped over the wall that divides our porches and came right on in. They are cool guys, we had talked to them and they are funny guys.

But yeah, then it was off to bed...

July 19:

Today was a semi-crappy day. I slept in till about 10:30 and then got up and dressed and walked into town by myself. I had yet to make a trip into town by myself since I arrived, so it was nice to not have to worry about what everyone else wants to do. I just walked along shop street and looked in all the shops, it was really nice. I got a "teach yourself Irish" program and an original claddagh ring...so it was nice. I was supposed to go to Salthill with a friend of mine, but when I got home it was about 2pm and I was really tired, so I took a nap, and I'm glad I did because i woke up with a horrible sore throat.

So yesterday after I got home it was pretty much a sit around the house night...especially since me and my room mate are both sick, actually most of my group that I hang out with here is sick with the same thing. It was really bad last night, it was SO painful just to swallow my own spit.

July 20:

Today was a really beautiful day. I was still feeling sick and achey but my room mate and I decided to get up and around and go out to Salthill since I didn't get to go the day before. I wasn't sure it was going to be a good day, but it was, and I felt a lot better half way through the day. Salthill is pretty much a touristy beach town down the road a bit from Galway, it was sort of a let down though. It had pretty views of the bay, but it wasn't anything to get too excited about. We wandered around a bit, and ate at a really good Chinese place (surprising, I know) and then went down to the beach and took some pictures.

After we got back we walked around the town a bit, ran into Teagan and Grace, and then just looked in the shops before we walked back home. It was a pretty good day, and it was really beautiful outside all day long, days like that are rare in Ireland, even in summer.

Day 23 part 2 and Day 24

2008-07-17T17:01:00.003+01:00

Day 23 (july 15)

Well, as I had expressed in my last blog, this day was by far the best day ever, and it continued with that theme into the rest of the night. After we had left school, and I had met Tommy Tiernan, we came home and sat around for a little while, until we were all ready to go out. We went and ate at McDonaghs and then headed out to Monroe's to see the Irish dancing. At this pub they have traditional Irish dancing on Tuesday nights. The locals come in and doing jigs and reels and bring in the tourists and teach them a step or two. My roommate Sarah and I got pulled out into the mix of things, and had no idea what we were doing...but it was fun. We stayed and watched for a little while, it was neat to actually see people who knew what they were doing, dance, but then we headed to the Rosin Dubh, which turned out to be a real bummer. One of our friends had wanted a Bulmers pint glass, so we took one from Monroe's (people do this all the time...so I don't want to hear anything, lol) but at the Rosin Dubh they are retarded and check bags, and ID's...so she got her glass stolen from the security guards and they almost didn't let her in. It was all for nothing too, because the place was empty and we just left after we went to the bathroom.

So after that we stopped in at Tig Colli for a while, had a pint and then left to go to Taaffes's--we always end up there, and it is the best pub, in my opinion. None of us wanted to buy another pint so I told Michelle to go and find a group of guys that we could stand next to in hopes of getting a free drink. It really is a simple thing to do, you just stand their long enough talking with your girl friends and eventually the guys join in on the conversation. So we found boys and they did indeed start talking to me and Sarah. Sarah was talking to two of the guys, but me and the other guy were having our own conversation. We were talking about a bunch of stuff, it was a lot of fun. He is actually a teacher here, and teaches the grade I want to teach. We ended up staying out longer than expected, and went to the nightclub and danced...it was a ton of fun--but a long night.

Day 24 (july 16)

Today was a long boring day. I got up and went to class at 9, and was DEAD all day long because of our late night. We came home at about 330, I actually saw Tommy Tiernan again, lol, but he was outside, and it would be a little creepy to go up to him again. But it was so cute, his kid showed up and he smiled and put his arm around him...what a good dad. Then we came home and all my room mates and I took naps, and then we had to get up and get ready because we were going to see a play that night. We got all dressed up and it was fun, even though the play was probably one of the WEIRDEST things I have ever watched in my life. First of all the theatre was TINY and very intimate. I'm not even really sure what it was about after seeing it, I remember reading the summary and thinking it sounded good but I had no idea what was going on during a majority of the play. There were three sisters and one fish man, and they kept repeating things, and it was seriously really weird. The acting was really good though, so it wasn't horrible to watch.

After the play was over I went with my room mate and her friend into Taaffes to listen to some music because I didn't want to go home and sit around. I walked home at 1045 or so and our neighbors were outside, so me and my room mates went out and talked to them. It was quite an interesting conversation, we talked about America and what they thought of it, and it was a good time. Then I came upstairs and went to bed.

Sorry, no pictures to post. I doubt there will be any more pictures posted up until our program ends and I am traveling around. I might post some pictures that I have yet to post, we'll see!

Day 22 and half of 23

2008-07-15T17:05:00.004+01:00

July 14th

Today was a pretty good day, I slept in and recouped from the weekend and then went to class at 2. We had a seminar on the famine, and I was really looking forward to it, but it wasn't that great. I always love going to history class though :) Then after class they were showing The Wind that Shakes the Barley, so I went and watched that. If you haven't seen it I recommend that you do, it's a great movie even if you don't know anything about the Irish Revolution. I must warn you that it is pretty depressing though. Then after that I went home and took a shower and ate some dinner and got ready to go out with one of my room mates and her friend that is here visiting. We got a late start to the night, but it was a pretty good night. We went to Taaffes and listend to the music, the band is pretty good on Monday nights. It was an interesting night full of strange old men.You get used to the weird old men once you have been in the pub a few times. I was standing in front by the band, and this guy comes out of no where and pulls me in front of everyone and dances with me. It was fun, he ended up buying me a pint later, so it was well worth it. lol. We called it a night at about 11:30 and took a cab home because it started to rain.

Sorry, I have no pictures up to post for yesterday, theres nothing new to take pictures of!

July 15:

Today was the most AWESOME DAY EVER! I slept in for a bit, because we didn't have any classes today, and then I went downstairs and layed on the couch and watched tv for a little while. It was a really pretty day so me and one of my roomies decided to head into town to start our suvinoer shopping and have some lunch. So we walked into town and did our shopping and ventured over to the ONLY mexican resturant in the city, La Salsa. Let me tell you, eating mexican food in ireland is quite the experience. First of all my roomie asked for chips and salsa and the lady had no idea what she was asking for. I can understand, ok, over here chips are fries, but then she said that in the states we get it for free when we eat at a mexican place and the look the lady gave my roomie was great!! I got a burritto and it was...alright, and it was served with fries...lol. My room mate got taquitos...and they were pretty much a fried burritto cut into pieces. It was something we had to do though...haha.

Then we went to school because our history teacher was giving a seminar on Northern Ireland. It was REALLY interesting, especially since he was born and raised in Belfast. He has a lot of personal stories about growing up there and what it was like, so that makes it extra interesting.

But the next thing that happened was the best thing EVER!

Ok, so we are walking out of the room we had the seminar in, into the main concourse of the building...just wandering along, and we get to about the middle and I look to my right and I see this man standing there and he looks awfully familiar. So I did a double take and I realize that it is TOMMY TIERNAN! And so I didn't know what to do, but I finally stopped my room mates and stammered out "you're tommy tiernan!!!" and he was like "yes...I am" and I told him that I had gone to see his show in Vicar street and that he was really funny and I really enjoy his comedy, and got him to take a picture with me. It was seriously the most surreal experience ever! I mean, it is one thing to meet someone backstage at a show, but he was at my SCHOOL!!! Just standing there in the hallway!! Apparently his son is going to summer camp there, and he was waiting to pick him up. So yes, I MET TOMMY TIERNAN!!!! I was excited beyond belief lol. But that seriously made my day. :)

Tonight me and my room mates are going to one of the pubs that has irish dancing, so that should be a ton of fun as well.

Me and the Funny man himself...TOMMY TIERNAN!!! Can you believe it? because I sure can't!!

Dingle--Days 19, 20, and 21

2008-07-13T21:25:00.020+01:00

Friday (july 11) half of the Irish studies group took a trip down to Dingle for the weekend. We left at about 11.30 on Friday morning and made a pit stop at Bunratty castle for lunch, and to tour the castle. It was really crazy being back there again, I remember being there so vividly from my last trip. That was the day there was a really pretty rainbow in the sky, and it was one of the last nights we were in Ireland. We mostly looked in the little shops before we went into the castle, I actually ended up spending quite a bit of money while at Bunratty. I bought some stuff from the pottery shop, but they had a bigger, more touristy shop, at the end and I bought a couple things. They had these handmade dolls that were super cute, and they all had names. They were 60 euro so I was like, "well, if I can find my name, I'll buy it." So there were about 15 dolls and I looked through everyone and just as I was about to give up, the last doll I looked at had my name, so I bought it. They are dressed up in traditional Irish clothes which are all handmade, and she even has red hair.

The top of Bunratty Castle

The view from the top of Bunratty

So after we left the castle we still had a couple hours till we arrived in Dingle. The bus ride was nice, I read some, and listened to my mp3 player. The scenery was amazing. We finally got there, and our accomodation was pretty nice, it was sort of a cross between a hostel and a bed and breakfast. Katie, Sarah and I shared a room and were right next door to Teegan, Michelle, and Rachel...our little group of friends. We didn't get to dingle till about 6:30 so we didn't have time to do a whole lot. We ended up just having some fish and chips in a pub, walking around the town and getting this REALLY good ice cream at a place called Murphys. Then we headed back and went to sleep.

The view from our hostel

The place where we got ice cream

A little carnival in Dingle

I thought this sign was cool, and its my great grandparents surname :)

The next morning (July 12) we had to be up at like, 6.30 so that we could get up and around for breakfast at 7.30...it was REALLY early. After breakfast, it was off for a jam packed day full of site seeing at historical places. We saw a replica of a bee-hive hut, an unmortered stone church (gallarus oratory), another church ruin inside a graveyard, and a really pretty beach where they filmed part of Ryans Daughter. It was a long day, I think they try to fit too much into one day, and a lot of the stuff could have been cut out. Oh yeah, we went to the Blasket Island center as well, we had very little time here, and I wish that we could have spent more time. Although it was a long day, it was fun as well.

The beehive hut

View looking down on the beach

Gallarus Oratory

Statue in the graveyard

View from the graveyard

After the last site we were only about 15 minutes away from Dingle, so we got back home at about "half four" as the Irish would say it. (4:30) So the group decided to go get some dinner, then head back, get ready and go out to this pub that our school helper, John, suggested. Teegan and I ate at this little place that was cheap, but everyone else went to an Indian resturant...and apparently got horrible service. After dinner we went to look in more of the shops and then we headed back to the hostel. We went out at about 9pm but most of the group didn't want to stay out that late...so Rachel and I stayed after everyone else left.

Let me tell you...that night was a night that I will remember for the rest of my life. It was probably one of the most exciting nights of my life; it started off a bit strange, but it turned out to be great in the end. One of my missions was completed :)

So yeah, I'm pretty excited to go back to Dingle. I thought that it was going to suck to have to go with the school even though I was going on my own, but it will actually have benefited me. I know the layout of the town--the good pubs and where things are and such. I also got to see where I am staying, which is nice, so I won't get lost. Dingle was also a place that I would love to spend a lot of time in. It was very picturesque and quaint. It is also a great place to hear trad. All it all, it was a fantastic weekend.

Part of Dingle Harbor

The Dingle Penisula

Our bus driver, Igor. He was great.

Goat.

Day 18

2008-07-10T23:34:00.003+01:00

July 10

Today was a good day. We didn't have class until 11:30, so we FINALLY had a day to sleep in. It was SO NICE!!! Usually we have class at 9am...which is REALLY early when you have to walk 30 minutes to get to school. So we had history at 11:30, and it was another good class--as usual. Then me, Sarah, Michelle, Katie, and Kelsey went into town and ate lunch at Couch Potata, it is seriously one of the best places to eat around here. I get the Pavoratii which is a baked potato covered in meat sauce and cheeseeeeeeeeee, and it is cheap too!

Then after lunch Kelsey went back to school, Katie and I went to one of the touristy shops and Michelle and Sarah went to this other place. We finally all ended back at home, and had some time to kill before we had to walk back to school to leave on our field trip. This was our last archeology field trip and we went to Cahercammaun, and Corcomroe Abbey.

The first stop was cool because once we got to the top (a long walk up a hill, that our professor said was an easy, lined path to walk...uh huh, never believe them!), you could see the whole valley. Cahercammaun is a stone fort, similar to the one on the Aran Islands, only on a smaller scale. Our teacher talked about it, but to be quite honest all I remember him saying was that Brian Boru was around, and it was built on the edge of the cliff because his forces were pushing the people who lived there forward. Oh yes, and at this top my room mate Sarah peed behind a bush....great times!

Then it was on to Corcomroe Abbey...this site was awesome. The Abbey is pretty well preserved, and was really neat to go into. You could gaze up at the clouds from inside and it was really pretty. There was a current graveyard outside in the courtyard, but there were older graves inside the abbey. This was an especially nice site because we got to park and it was right there! :) Then on our way out a bunch of people showed up, and apparently they still have mass there. How crazy would that be to have mass in a ruin?

Then we got dropped off at home, and ate our leftovers from lunch and watched Billy Madison and then went up to bed...it was a long day.

So tomorrow is my Dingle weekend...so I won't have another post up till Sunday night. Have a good weekend everyone!

History Class

2008-07-10T10:06:00.004+01:00

Since I haven't been doing much, and haven't had much to blog about I thought I would write a blog about all the fascinating stuff I have been learning in my history class.

Going into the class I have a small background in Irish history--what I have read myself, but what I have been learning is fantastic. My history teacher is really amazing. He is from Belfast, in Northern Ireland so we get such a different perspective, and he has actually lived it. Every so often he will interject with stories from his own past about what it was like living in North Ireland during the troubles, and I think this is what makes him so interesting.

Two lectures ago we were talking about the battle between William of Orange (protestant) and James II (catholic) and James' attempt to retake the British throne. This battle is known today as the Battle of the Boyne. The battle took place on July 1, 1691 in Drogheda, which is on the east coast of Ireland. Ultimately James lost and did not regain his spot on the throne. If you know anything about Irish history, well not even history, you will know that the Orange Order is a protestant group up in Norther Ireland, and is so named after William III.

To commemorate this protestant victory they have what is called "eleventh night" in Northern Ireland. On July 11 they build giant bonfires and on the top they place either a effigy of the pope, or the Irish tricolor flag. The symbolism behind the flag is the green represents the Nationalists (mainly catholic but nationalists believe in a united Ireland), orange is to represent the protestants and white is the represent the peace that should be between them. Now at midnight on July 11 they burn these bonfires to honor the victory of William of Orange in the Battle of the Boyne.

This shows you the kind of passion that the people of Ireland have, on both sides. That some, 300 years ago a battle happened, and they are STILL incensed with the memory. Our professor showed us a paper that is printed in the North and it had a picture of a shop named "The Union Jack" and it had a Irish tricolor flag flying outside. The reason behind it is protestant stores in the north sell the flags so that people can burn them in eleventh night.

Even though the peace process is working in the North, the past is still very much alive. I can't wait to make a trip up there, and actually be able to see history in the making.

picture taking from: BBC news

Day 16 and 17

2008-07-09T23:35:00.004+01:00

I know I haven't been posting as regular as I started out doing...but thats because I haven't really had much to write about. My room mates and I have spent the past couple nights at home because we are all exhausted, and we are preparing for Dingle this weekend. Our field trip to the Dingle peninsula is this weekend and we got our schedule for it, and it is jam packed with stuff throughout the day and it just wouldn't be enjoyable to have to do all that stuff without proper sleep. However, this not going out is causing some drama...it's crazy.

But yeah, yesterday 2 of my room mates had assessment after classes, but me and our other roomie didn't because we are just auditing the classes. So we came home and had some lunch and didn't do anything for the rest of the night. I thought we were going to go dancing, but we all had a miscommunication.

Then today we had two morning classes and then went to the store to pick up some more food, and sat around again. We made dinner though, which was nice. Well, me and two of my other room mates. We made chicken parmesan, and it was pretty good. Then we walked to our little convenience store in the pouring rain to get some ice cream for desert...it was awesome. But it has been nice to just stay in and rest up the past couple nights--I've been pretty exhausted, but I'm feeling a lot better now.

I might have more to write about tomorrow because we have our second archeology field trip and we are going to 2 pretty cool places...it should be better than the last one. Oh, and our archeology professor had a lecture today on how the Celts were never in Ireland and none of the history of the Irish being a "Celtic" people is true...and it was just like...whooaaa there buddy, excuse me? I have yet to do more research about it, but I plan on it, because that is crazy!

Oh, and me, Michelle, and Sarah have decided we all have a thing for our history professor. haha. I'll try and get a picture of him so you know what we are talking about :)

Day 15

2008-07-08T07:44:00.002+01:00

Nothing exciting happened today worth blogging about. I went to class at 10am, came home, made lunch...watched tv, then took a nap.

Then I got dressed and me and Katie went out. It was lame. Then that was it.

Day 13 and 14

2008-07-07T15:22:00.013+01:00

Day 13 (July 5)

Today was the first Saturday that I actually got to spend in Galway, and it was really nice. My roomies and I took advantage of the fact that we got a day to SLEEP IN and got up around 10am. Every Saturday they have a market, sort of like the street fair, in from of St. Nicholas Church down in the city centre. All of us had been wanting to go, so at 11 we walked down there and it was really nice. There were a bunch of hand crafted goods, and lots of fresh, home grown produce, and everything was really cheap. There were also a TON of people there. I got myself this wooden necklace that is handmade and it is super pretty.

So after the market we went and at lunch at this place called Couch Potato--prefect place for it huh? They serve potatos with a bunch of stuff on them, and it was really good. Mine was a little bland, my one of my room mates got one with ground beef, marinara sauce, and this massive gob of CHEESE...and it looked so incrediably good. We will have to go back sometime. After that our group split up and me, Katie, and Sarah made our way to the Galway museum, which was LAME! Seriously...it was pretty boring. So after that we just wandered around the shops for a while since we had yet to make it to town before they all closed, since that is 5pm...then we headed to this great bakery and got some chocolate cake and hot chocolate. After that it was time to get ready to go home and get ready to go pubbing!

We went to a couple different places, all the regular spots. It was an alright night. However, we will not be going out on a Saturday night again because it seems that every resident of galway was out and about. Seriously, there were a MILLION people EVERYWHERE! And see here, the pubs just overflow onto the streets, just so long as you pour your booze into a plastic cup before you go outside. It's insane...really. No free drinks I'm sorry to report though :( I did get danced with however. Near the end of the night me and katie left the group to go back to Taffes and then we went to look for the everyone else and there was this big group of guys, and as im walking past them one of them comes out of nowhere and grabs my hand and starts twirling me around. It was crazy! He was singing and everything. It was completely random. He was a pretty good dancer though, but then he finished his song, kissed me on the hand and walked away. And then all his buddies started laughing and it was quite an experience. Soon after we headed home...we had to wake up early for the Aran Islands the next morning.

This, along with a bunch of other "youngs" stuff was in the galway museum.

The outside of Taaffes, our fave place :)

From left to right: Tegan, Katie, Me, and Sarah...that other girl was one of our other roomates friends friend.

The band that was playing that night...they were okay.

Day 14 (july 6)

Today was our field trip to the Aran Islands. We had to be up bright and early and be up at the school (which is a 30 minute walk away) by 845am. The plan was to get there, get bikes, and bike to Dun Aonghusa, this awesome fort on the side of a cliff. Ok, first of all, I haven't been on a bike since I was in junior high...and second of all, no one mentioned how FAR we had to bike. It was a 6 or 9 kilometer ride...I say 6 or 9 because one map said 6 the other 9. At 6 kilometers its about 4 miles, making our total ride 8 miles! EIGHT MILES! And let me tell you, it wasn't FLAT ground, oh no, there were hills. BIG hills, and LOTS of them. It was a serious work out for my legs, let me tell you. Oh and then, when we had ridden our 4 miles we had to hike up the MOUNTAIN for about a mile, striaght uphill, and with rocks for stairs. It was a really tiring day...but once we got to the top it was...almost...completely worth it. haha. The fort was amazing, and you can go right to the EDGE of the cliff--a mere 250 feet above the water. It was freaking AWESOME! I layed down on the edge and looked down and was like WHOA! The view of the island from the fort was amazing too. Inis Mor is the big island out of the 3 Aran islands, and it is only 2 miles wide, so when you are standing at the top you can see the entire island...it's amazing.
But that was it for the day, we made our way home and ate some dinner and just chilled out and watched some TV, and now it is time for bed.

There were a bunch of these horse and buggies around the island taking people up to the fort.

This was where we stopped and ate lunch.

The view from almost the top of the fort.

The view that you can see while hanging over the side of the 250 foot cliff...IT WAS FREAKING AMAZING!!!

This was the big hill I got to climb up after riding 4 miles up and down hills on a bike...

View of the fort

Supermacs in GAELIC! How cool is that?! Supermacs is the Irish version of Mc Donalds...but much better tasting.

One of the beaches on Inis Mor.

Day 10, 11, and 12

2008-07-04T12:58:00.024+01:00

OK, so here are the blogs for the last couple days...sorry it has taken me so long to get them up, between the inet not working and how tired I have been, I just haven't felt like it. But here they are, so ENJOY!

Day 10 (July 1)
Today was a really long day, or yesterday I should say. Since we had gone out the night before it was pretty hard to get up and around for our 10am class. Stupid archeology, IT'S SO BORING! So we go to class, and its a really pretty day out, but it looks like it might rain. Okay, but get this, during class these girls are sitting behind us and they start talking when class starts, and they get progressively louder and louder--they weren't even TRYING to whisper. Everyone is turning around and I can't believe that our professor didn't say anything. So finally I turned around and was like "can you stop talking please" and the girl looked so shocked and then gave me this dirty look...then proceeded to keep talking. Some of the girls here need to be smacked upside the head.

Then after class we walked home and got some lunch and rested up a bit and headed back to school for our history class at 2pm. I LOVE this class, and I could sit and listen to him talk for hours, it is all SO fascinating. Then after that class ended at 330 it was time to head over to old campus to get on the bus for our archeology field trip.

Our class got to go out to the Burren and see a couple sites a long the way. It took a little over an hour to get out there, and it was so beautiful. However, with my luck I ended up sitting right next to the girl I had told to shut up in class earlier that morning, isn't that wonderful? It was cool. We went out to Polnabrone and saw that megalithic tomb, then we went out and saw a couple others. One of them was far out in this field and we had to trek through the burren landscape, which is over grown and filled with holes, btw, but it was fun. We took some pictures, and luckily it didn't rain on us.

We didn't get back till a little after nine and so we went home and made some dinner and just chilled out for the rest of the night. We were going to go to this one pub who has dancing (traditional type dancing) but we were all tired, and it was sorta late to head out. All my room mates and i stayed up till like 1am talking though. That was fun, one of my room mates told this story about her dad and how he got a fake leg and screwed it on to a tree and then called the tree people because he had a "problematic limb" and wanted it cut down. It was seriously one of the funniest things I've ever heard.

All in all yesterday was another good day. I love Ireland.

Polnabrone Dolemn

The most beautiful IRISH rainbow ever!!! it was amazing

A court tomb that my archeology professor excavated...we had to trek through the wild irishness to get to it!

More of the rainbow...

Me in the burial tomb...hahha, its a wedge tomb

There is my professor talking about the site...he is from cali, can you tell?

Day 11: (July 2)
So, since I haven't blogged in a couple days my memory is sort of confused. On the 2nd we got up and went to archeology at 9am and we were at school till 2pm, because we had Gaelic class. Ok, this teacher is just insane...she zips through everything and expects us to catch on like we have taken a course before. We went through like three pages of material and she hasn't taught us the different pronunciations or any of the grammar that goes along with the Irish language. It really sucks because we are just going to learn these few phrases and thats it, not have a base for the language established. I bought a book that has a CD so hopefully that will help supplement the course. I can now count to 10 in gaelic though. It is quite exciting.

After we got back from school we were in desperate need of food, so we got our backpacks and bags and took a trip down to the grocery store. See, here, you have to bring your own bags to carry stuff home in, unless you want to pay like 40 cents for a plastic bag there. So we got our food and went home and then we headed off to meet our other room mate down at the bay. We were having clothes and pillow issues so we were late, so by the time we got down to the bay our roomie was no where to be found, so we went out to the lighthouse...and unknown to us, you cant go out to the lighthouse...so we walked a long way for nothing. So we decided to go and get some dinner before we headed out to the pubs. We ate at a place called Fat Tonys, it was an Italian restaurant, it was really good. We split a pizza, some ceasar salad, and bread and it was only 28 euro.

That night at the pub was alright, we sat around for a while till the music started, but the band wasn't really that great. They played a couple good songs but that was it. We started talking to these people from out of all the places...California, and we ended up hanging out with them the rest of the night. We also had our first Irish "club" experience. After the pub closed at midnight we went to this place called Bar 903, there was a live band and stuff, but no one was dancing. It was fun, but it was jam packed full of people. We stayed for about 2 hours and then headed home.

The lighthouse we couldnt go to...

See...no access

Me and another girl in the program, Kelsey, at Taffees. She is one of the nicest persons ever.

The band. We decided that it was a mother, father, son combo. hahaha

Day 12 (July 3)
Today we had no classes scheduled so we booked a day tour out to Connemara and Kylemore Abbey. Connemara is just the most beautiful place ever...full of mountains and rivers and waterfalls, and little Irish houses dotting the mountainside. It is the place that everyone thinks of when they think of Ireland. We stopped a few random towns to take pictures and stuff, but the main stop was Kylemore Abbey--it was amazing. All the views from the grounds of the surrounding mountains were crazy. The abbey is now a boarding school run by the Benedictian nuns, and all I could think of was how lucky they were to be able to wake up to that view every morning. I was really tired, so after the abbey I pretty much closed my eyes and rested all the way back home. Our nice bus driver even let us off at our school so we wouldn't have to walk back to it from the city centre.

That night our school had a "4th of july" bbq for us...it was really strange. It was in the college bar and we got 2 free drinks, and had hamburgers and stuff. The cooks were calling the chicken "Seagull" and I'm pretty sure a lot of people believed them. I sort of felt like I was being mocked all night, they were played only American music, like old stuff, and the whole seagull thing. I don't know, it was strange...but it was free food and free booze! haha.

After we left there my room mate Katie and I went home and got ready to go out to the pub again. The band that we had seen the first night at Taffees was going to be back that night so we went and listened to them, they are really good. We headed back at about 1130 and took a taxi because i couldn't walk anymore!

Connemara

More prettiness

Me and my roomies sitting by the pretty waterfall...

...our driver said it was "guinness water"

SHEEEEEPPPPPP!!!!!

Kylemore Abbey

Me in front of the beautiful view

Mountains... lol

The church at Kylemore

Inside the church

More of the inside church

This is the BEST PICTURE EVER! if i do say so myself...

On the way back to galway...

Today (July 4th)
Happy Independence day my fellow Americans. Today I had class at 9 and then we went to the library to check our email since our inet STILL ISN'T WORKING! Apparently the providers server is down or something? It comes and it goes, but all I know is it better be working on july 17th when i have to register for my classes. We got home from school and had some lunch and just chilled..one of my room mates went to the cliffs of moher and me and the other two are taking naps then going to head out and eat some dinner in a few hours. It is definitely time for a slow night because i am EXHAUSTED! It is to the point where i have to WORK to keep my eyes open in class...and if i don't get some rest im going to feel crappy and not want to do anything. I especially need to rest because one of my room mates friends is coming tomorrow and we are all going to go out..so its going to be a long night, then we have to get up early to leave for the Aran Islands on Sunday morning...

So yeah...It's going to be a long weekend, but I'm still loving every minute of it.

Sorry guys

2008-07-03T17:22:00.001+01:00

Hey, sorry for the lack of updates of the past couple days...our internet at the apartments has been down. It is hopefully going to be fixed today, so as soon as it is I will have a new blog up and ready for you to enjoy :)

Stay tuned.

Just some more pictures of me

2008-07-01T13:17:00.010+01:00

Day....10? I dont even know anymore...

2008-07-01T01:42:00.005+01:00

Tonight was the BEST night EVER!!! We went to classes during the day, and our irish language class started which was CRAAAAZY!!! She spoke SO fast, and it was hard to hear what she was sayhing...but we got a couple words down. Then me and my room mates came home and ate some lunch and watched the weirdo Irish telly...we watched big brother and judge judy ahhahahhaa. Then we decided it was time for a night out, like a real night out.

So we got all prettied up, and headed out for the town. We went and got some fish and chips at McDonoughs which was AMAZING! Really it was SO good, i mean it was 10 euro for fish and chips and a pint of soda...but it was worth it. It was difinitly somewhere i would like to go back to. Then it started to rain so we had to get into somewhere dry so we haded into the Kings Head to get some Kopherberg, but I didn't especially like it, and they didnt have it there actually. I had some Ritz which is pretty good. So we stayed there for about an hour then headed out to Tig Coilli.

So as soon as I walk in the door there, some old man stops me and is like "you have the most beautiful hair I have ever seen in the world." and im like oh thank you and keep walking on. lol. Then later this other old guy comes up to us and is saying stuff we cant even understand and he asked us where we are from and we told him, and then like half an hour later the same guy comes up to us and is like "oh where are you from" lol it was pretty funny. So then we decide to leave there and we headed for Taffes which is the main pub for trad. (tradtional irish music.)

So i get in there and I order a drink and as soon as i do these 2 guys start talking to me, and i start talking to them. To be quite honest I dont really remember what they said to me at first. They asked me if I was american and i was like how did you know? And I was like is it because i dont know which coins are which? Because I was trying to see if i had the right amount of coins to pay for my pint. lol.

So we end up talking to them the entire night, Aidan and Dessy. lol. It was great "craic" Really it was the best night ever, they bought me a couple pints and we were dancing and laughing and really it was great. There were a couple times when they got a little dirty but it was all in good fun. lol. But yes, I got a little more intoxicated than I would have thought, but I had such a good time. There were so many people out and on a MONDAY! It was amazing. ahhahhaha. I FREAKING LOVE IRELAND! SERIOUSLY im never leaving. mhm. i hope you enjoyed the last time you saw me, because it was your last. HAHAHHAHAHHAHAHA.

Here are some pictures of the night, oh and btw, isnt Aidan a cutie?

Me and Aidan...apparently he almost licked my face, so say my room mates ahhaha.

Me and my roomies!!!

Cliffs of Moher/The Burren--Day 8

2008-06-29T22:09:00.013+01:00

Today Alix and I went on a day tour of the Burren and of the Cliffs of Moher, it was a pretty long day. We left at about 930 and got back to Galway around 530pm, and after spending two days in Dublin before hand, I am completely wiped out.

We headed out of Galway and into Kinvara to Dunguaire Castle and stopped to take some pictures then headed out to the Burren. The burren is this beautiful landscape that is covered in limestone. It used to be completely submerged in water--like all of Ireland was at some point in the past. It is filled with an amazing variety of flora and fauna and it has beautiful coastlines and picturesque towns along the way. We stopped a couple places to take pictures, and then ended up in Doolin where we ate lunch at a pub named Fitzpatricks. I have to admit, I had a pint of Bulmers at noon, and I felt a bit like a lush.

After our lunch we headed out to the Cliffs of Moher. We were so incredibly lucky because the visibility was amazing. There were hardly any clouds in the sky, and the sun was shining...very unusual in the lovely land of Ireland. This was actually my second trip out to the cliffs, but the previous time they were covered in fog so I didn't actually get to see them. I'll post pictures, but to be completely honest there is just no way they do the amazing-ness of them justice. You just stand there over looking these massive cliffs and the 650 foot drop, and it is just breath taking. It is probably one of the most beautiful sights in the world.

After we left the cliffs we headed back out into the Burren and made a quick picture stop at Poulnabrone Dolmen (an ancient megalithic tomb) then it was on to Aliwee Cave. The cave wasn't all that impressive. I mean it was neat to go down into, but it really wasn't worth the 8 euro that it cost me to see it. We were there for about an hour, then it was time to head back to Galway.

It was a good day, we saw a lot, and I took oh...260 photos total. The landscapes and scenery were so beautiful that I couldn't resist snapping a picture every 10 minutes or so. I love being here and I never want to leave. Ever. I'm so lucky that I am able to be here for so long, and I am enjoying every minute of it.

Dunguaire Castle

I love Irish street signs

The coast of Clare

A typical Burren landscape

More of the Burren
The Cliffs of Moher

The other end of the Cliffs

The rolling green hills of Ireland :)
Polunaborn Dolmen, that top stone weighs 5 tons.

The picture I wanted to post last night

2008-06-29T08:34:00.003+01:00

After standing on the ground that the 1916 risers were executed on, and then looking up at the flag...the flag that they were fighting for, it was really emotional. Ireland exists as it is today because of what those men started--they gave up their lives so that the Irish people could rule their own country. When the rising occurred most of the Irish people despised the risers. They thought that they were taking to drastic measures when they were not needed. Dublin was almost destroyed after the several days of fighting that took place after Easter Monday. The leaders of the rebellion surrendered only so that no more people would have to die. As they were brought through the streets people were spitting and throwing rocks at them. However, after they were executed the attitude of the people changed. The executions ignited a fire in the people and was the one of the catalysts that brought about the changes that were about to take place. Charles Parnell was so badly injured from the fighting when he was brought to be executed that he had to be strapped to a chair...the whole thing is just horrendous.

So being able to go to the place that holds so much Irish history was really important to me, and it was definitely a memorable experience.

Dublin--Day 6 & 7

2008-06-28T21:10:00.017+01:00

This weekend was a blast!!! I walked down to the train station in Galway on Friday after my class (withOUT getting lost, btw) and took off, by myself, for dublin. It takes about two and a half hours to get there from Galway, and it was a beautiful trip. The train went through the heart of Ireland, which is mostly countryside so it was nice to be away from the city for a little while.

I arrived in Dublin and the hussle and bussle starts as soon as you step off the train. I went and got on the bus that would take me to Trinity College, where I was staying, and proceeded to freak out. I was in a foreign city, ALONE!, not knowing my way around, and it was SCARY! I was sitting on the bus thinking, OH MY GOD, WHAT AM I DOING?!!?? I got off the bus just a short walk from the college and made my way to my room. I sat in there for a while trying to decide how to get to where I was supposed to be that night, and then headed out. Once I started walking around I felt a little better, I actually found my way to Vicar street (comedy club, etc.) without getting lost! I was quite impressed. On the way I stopped and ate at subway, and I asked for spianch on my sandwich and the guy was like "what do I look like? popeye!!" Then I walked past Christ Church Cathedral, and a couple other pretty churches.

I was quite early for the show, but the doors opened soon after I arrived and I went and sat down in the bar. The show was AMAZING!!! Tommy Tiernan is seriously the funniest man alive! I laughed the entire way through the show. He was a bit more crude/vulgar in his live act that what I had seen on youtube, but everything was funny. I am really glad that I went and saw him...it will have definitly been one of the highlights of the whole trip. So after the show I walked back to Trinity (and at 11pm there were still a MILLION people out and about, so I felt pretty safe) and went to bed. It had been a long day.

So the next morning I go and eat breakfast and then head out to the city to try and find an inet cafe. My phone, somehow, got turned off and to turn it back on you have to enter a code, and well, I hadn't written the code down, and the only place it was located was in my email. So I FINALLY found a place, and got my phone working...then headed back to Trinity to meet Alix so we could start our day.

We headed out into the city and went into Christ Church and Dublinia (an exhibit on medieval dublin, quite LAME actually...ended right in a gift shop, very touristy). We also saw a little bit of dublin castle, then made the like TEN MILLION MILE walk to Kilmainham (kill-main-um) Gaol (jail)...but it was WELL worth it. The place was amazing. I have read so much about the Easter Rising and the men and women who started the fight for Irish independance that it was REALLY meaningful to me. We stood out in the stone breaking yard where the Easter Risers were executed and it was...I'm not even sure. I just stood there thinking that I was standing on the same ground that those men where killed on...and it was just insane. There is now an irish flag in that place and a memorial with the names of the men who died there. It was a feeling I'll never forget.

So after we left the jail we headed out to the train station...we wandered around for about, oh almost an hour before I finally went into a pub and asked them to call us a cab. They said they couldn't but the barman came outside with us, where there were two other old men, and helped us hail a cab. They were all so cute...so helpful, making sure we got in okay and we were well on our way, that we were "golden" as a lot of people out here have been saying. We finally made it to the station and got some food, Supermacs, and then took a taxi home once we arrived back in Galway.

It was a great weekend. I'm glad to be back in Galway though. I'm not really a big fan of Dublin, it is really not a place that when you go you think "I'm in Ireland," at least I don't. It's pretty dirty, and it really is just another big city like, New York or L.A. It is nice to go to for a couple days, but I wouldn't want to spend any more than that there.

Enjoy the pictures. Oh and I'm still working on getting those videos hosted.

On the way to Dublin...

Trinity College, where I stayed

Christ Church Cathedral

Inside Christ Church

Some Graffiti on a wall in Dublin

Vicar Street Theatre

The Funny man himself, Tommy Tiernan.

One of the funniest parts of the show

Dublin Castle

Kilmainham Gaol
Where the prisoners of the 1916 Rising were executed.

So there was one more picture that I wanted to post to go along with the last picture on here...but the internet here is SO GAY! that it is going to have to wait till another time.

Day 5

2008-06-27T08:13:00.010+01:00

Sorry for the lack of update last night...by the time I got home and all my pictures uploaded I was beat and had to go to bed.

Yesterday was by far the best day yet. It didn't start out too great...walking to school and getting soaked and having to sit in a classroom for an hour and a half while you are wet and freezing was not at all enjoyable. My Irish history class is friggen amazing, I love the teacher, and I can't wait for our next class, I'm going to learn a LOT. On the other hand, my archeology class is semi-boring, at least so far. I decided to just audit each class because that way I can sit and enjoy and learn, but not have to go through the hassle of taking a test or writing a paper for either class. The credits, if I got them, would be pointless, so taking the tests would be pointless as well. Then by doing so I have more free time to go explore and enjoy myself without having to worry about passing a class!!

So after class we went to Aldi to get some stuff for the house, then we came home and sat around doing pretty much nothing. We made pasta for dinner and watched some Irish soap opera, and that was fun, but then it started to clear up outside and I wanted to go out and do something because I feel guilty when I'm sitting here doing nothing. So later on our other roomie comes down and says she is going to town with another girl, so me and my roomates decide to go with them. It was nice, I found out we had been taking the long way to town, so now I know it is much closer. We got some ice cream at Supermacs, and then three of the girls left and me and my room mate Katie went and found a pub with some traditional Irish music.

Last night was seriously what I came for. The music, the people, the atmosphere, it was all perfect. It was exactly what you think of when you think of ireland. There were three old men playing the music and they were funny and lively, and the pub was jam packed full of people who were singing along with every song--I even knew a few of them to sing along to :) It was just so perfect, and it is what I had been wanting to do since I got here. I took some videos of the music, but I'm not sure how to get them out to you people...I might try and post them on youtube, because they are too big to post on here, I think. There are pictures I can post though.

We left when they finished at 11:30 and Shop street was still FULL of life, it was great!! People wandering around, troubadours playing music along the road---wonderful. There was this one guy that we had passed a couple times while we were out and about so when we left the pub I was tipsy enough to try and take a picture of him, but he saw me and was like "I charge by the picture you know!" He was just being funny but I went over and started talking to him and he ended up playing one of my FAVORITE songs for us, and I got it on video...it was great, I'll have to post that one as well.

After my wonderful night last night I have one class this morning, and then it is off to Dublin for two days!!! I am SO excited to be able to go and see TOMMY TIERNAN live!!!! It is going to be amazing. So there wont be a post until I get back on Saturday...but I'm sure ill come back with tons of pictures!

The two main singers of the night

The name of the pub, Taffes, and Gaillimh is how you write Galway in Gaelic.

A picture of how packed the pub was
The singer and the cute little old man who played the accordian!
Look at me, I took a picture with a stranger!!! He was the singer I mentioned in the post above. He actually had a really good voice.

Day 4--Long day

2008-06-25T23:17:00.011+01:00

Today was our first real "school" day...we had intro lectures where we could go and listen to what the course would be about so we could make our final decision on which two classes we wanted to take. I actually switched from Irish society to take archeology because it seemed more interesting, plus we get to go on two extra field trips to the Burren, which is awesome. We were at school from 930 till about 5pm. After we were finally done we walked back home to drop off our books and eat some dinner.

There was a reception in the College Bar, but I didn't really want to go to it because it was a BEAUTIFUL RAIN FREE day outside and I wanted to walk to Galway bay. So my room mates decided to come with me instead of going to the reception and it was simply amazing. We walked to town and looked around a bit, and made the pretty longgg walk out to the bay. It was beautiful. I'm going to go back down there eventually because when we got down there the causeway to the lighthouse was closed, so I want to go back and look at that. The wind was blowing INCREDIABLY hard...it was crazy, I'm sure a small child could have taken flight. It was awesome.

After we finished taking pictures and such we walked back up to town and went and sat in a pub, The Kings Head (which has a very interesting story behind it) that was jam packed with people watching the Germany Turkey football game. It was nice.

It was already 930pm when we left the pub, and we took the bus back home and went to Dunnes before we went in for the night. Dunnes is the local grocery store/clothing/housing/everything store. It is sort of like a super walmart only with much better quality clothing, and European food.

I took a TON of pictures today...so I'll try and post a bunch...

Galway Bay

The town that surrounds Galway Bay

The Lighthouse at Galway Bay
Looking back at the city from the Bay

The Claddagh Museum, and gift shop. I didn't go in, just took the picture.

Street musicians on Shop street....there are always people playing or singing something.

Now you can't say there is no proof that I was in Ireland..me in Eyre Square.

Flags with the names of the 12 Tribes of Galway.

Me and 2 of my room mates on the bus back home.

Day 3

2008-06-24T13:15:00.007+01:00

Today didn't amount to anything much more than a bunch of rain. We walked down to the school for registration only to be told that we didn't need to be there...gee thanks for that little bit of information, that would have been helpful BEFORE we walked there in the pouring rain. My roommate and her friend had to stay but Alix and I headed back to the cafe we had been at yesterday for some hot chocolate and a scone. It ended up taking us like almost an hour to find our way from the school over to Shop street...we have taken such round-about ways with other people that it is almost impossible to find the same way back. My feet are hurting a lot more than they did yesterday, and I'm not exactly happy with getting soaking wet every time I leave the house. It is also REALLY COLD, a lot colder than I expected. Hopefully we will have some better weather the next couple days...I might venture out again today because the rain seems to have died down a bit, but I'm not sure I want to risk it again.

This picture is of the original part of the college campus, now know as the Quadrangle Building

More of the old campus

Statue created in likeness of the Galway Hooker Sails, in Eyre Square

This is the actual Eyre Square otherwise known as Kennedy park, and was named that after President Kennedy visited.

Hot Chocolate and a scone...some of the best hot coco that you could ever have.

Day 2 continued

2008-06-23T23:09:00.006+01:00

So, since there is nothing else to do once you are in for the night, I thought I would write another blog about the second part of my day today.

The whole CEA group went to dinner tonight at a local resturant called K.C. Blakleys. It was a small little resturant on Shop street, and it was definitly an interesting experience. We were served a starter, a main course, and dessert. There were about 3 starters to choose from, and about 5 dinner choices, no choice for dessert. For my starter I was served a dish that consisted of about 5 or 6 balls of a mixture of watermelon, cantalope, and honeydew...and you know what was on the side? Ham. It looked more like raw bacon actually...I should have taken a picture of it. It was quite strange. Then for my main course I got the K.C. Blakleys boxty burger. It was basically a burger with a boxty underneath it....a boxty is similar to a potato pancake but it is mashed potatoes with a bit of onion and chives. Then they brought a bowl of potatoes to go on the side of everyones main dish. The food was actually quite tasty, even if it was a bit strange. For dessert we had this pudding type thing with strawberry's on top...it was weird too, but tasty. All in all it was a nice time, and it was free, compliments of CEA.

Then after dinner a group of us headed out to a pub to hear some music. The music didn't start for an hour or so, but it was cool just sitting around and chatting with everyone. The whole group seems pretty cool, except for the girls who want to go out and drink every night, they are nice, but I wouldn't want to spend too much time with them. Then we got to walk home in the rain...my clothes are pretty soaked, even though I had my rain jacket on. All in all it was a pretty nice end to the second day.

Below are some pictures I took on the way to dinner and at random times while we were walking to the pub and such.

This is part of the harbor, I took it from the taxi on the way to the restaurant.

I took this pictures because I thought it was a neat bit of art...even if it is graffiti
I thought this store had a funny name so I took a picture of it...it is a "green" store...hence the name.
This is what happens when old Ireland and new Ireland mix...lol you want to know the even weirder thing? This picture was taken at about...10pm. Crazy huh?

Day 2

2008-06-23T15:17:00.009+01:00

DAY TWO!!!! After getting a semi-good night sleep last night our CEA group was up and ready to explore at 930 this morning. Our director took us to our school and we had an informal orientation, then took a little tour of the campus. They showed us where our classes were, and a few other important buildings. I'm not sure that I'll be able to find where our classes are again, but hopefully someone has a better memory that I do who can help me on my way.

After that our director took us for a tour of the city, and showed us some of the main attractions. Some of the stuff that we saw, that there arent any pictures of below were: Nora Barnacles house (she was James Joyces wife), the Lynch window (where one of men from the 12 tribes of Galway had to hang is son for making eyes at some other tribesmens girlfriend...thus coining the term "lynch"), Saint Nicholas' Church (not to be confused with St. Nicholas' Cathedral, otherwise known as Galway Cathedral), and thats pretty much it, or all that I remember anyway. It was a long day...walking around from 9:30 till 3:30 or so, but now I know the lay of the land and will be able to, hopefully, find my way around.

Tonight we are going to dinner at a local place, and then maybe a couple of us are going to go pubbing after. We shall see. Enjoy the pictures!

This is the ceiling inside of St. Nicholas' Cathedral...it was really amazing.

This was the best picture that I could get that got the whole cathedral in one shot. The whole place was breathtaking and amazing, but it is apparently only several decades old. There was a bunch of stain glass windows and they were really beautiful with the sunlight coming through.

This is part of the river Corrib, and that man in there is fishing for salmon, there were a few men down there fishing when we were there, but apparently the time to see them is at 5am.

This is a little canal and that bridge in the distance is the Salmon Weir Bridge.

This is Shop street in the city centre, it is the main pedestrian shopping lane, but cars can go down it as well. There are a bunch of cool shops and places to eat, there are also a lot of street performers just standing there singing or playing a guitar.

This is the Spanish Arch (and a man taking a nap!) our director was giving us a brief story about it, and I have read about it, but for the life of me I cannot remember its story or the history behind it.

And finally, this is the part of Galway that is referred to as, The Claddagh, made famous by the claddagh ring, of course. In its hay day there were white washed houses with thatched roofs, and the women would stand along the pier there (nimo's pier) and sell what their husbands had caught that day.

I finally made it...

2008-06-22T19:22:00.006+01:00

As of right now, 7.30pm, Ireland time, I have been awake for almost 30 hours straight. No sleep, and a TON of walking.

The plane ride wasn't too bad...it went by a lot faster than I expected it to, and I got to watch Penelope which was a movie I have been wanting to see for a long time. So that was the 10 hour flight from LAX to Dublin...then comes the fun part.

About to land in Dublin.

Our plane from LAX was late arriving in dublin so that made us equally as late for our connecting flight to Shannon. We got in at about 11am, and our plane was due to take off at 1130am. We had to walk down this hall that never seemed to end to go through customs, then walk back down an even LONGER hallway to where our departure gate was. Thankfully the plane had yet to take off, and we sat on the ground for another 45 minutes or so. The flight from Dublin to Shannon was the shortest flight I have ever been on. I kid you not when I say that we took off, then we started making our descent.

After we got off the plane Alix (another girl in my program who was on the same flight as I was) and I got our luggage and went out to meet the guy who was to direct us to the bus up from Shannon to Galway....he was NOT what I expected. He had long hair, red patent leather shoes, an indiana jones hat, and he was just one of strangest people I have ever met. He was talking to us on the way up to Galway about all this random stuff, and half the time I had no idea what he was saying because he spoke so softly I could barely hear him. However, we FINALLY got to Galway and we were met by Monica, the director out here, and she was really nice.

The place we are staying looks nice on the outside, however, its not really that nice on the inside. Some things don't work, the shower is TINY! And thank god I had previous experience with the box shower else I would have never figured out how to get the thing on. As you can see below there is a box in the shower, but to get the water to come out you have to pull on a cord that is next to the right side wall, like you would to turn on a light. It really is the strangest thing. My room is tiny, but I'm not complaining because I don't have to share. It's just interesting to see what is different in the things that are standard in the United States.

My bedroom

The Shower Box

After I took a shower and unpacked I headed to the local Dunnes Store to get some food for the next couple days...let me tell you, this, by far, was the weirdest experience I have had in a grocery store. I felt like a moron standing there looking at pasta sauce trying to decide which one I might like best...they all have different names, and there is NOTHING here that even closely resembles what we have in the States. I couldn't find a cereal aisle, there was, however, an aisle completely devoted to YOGURT. The cookies and sweet stuff was mixed in with beauty products, and they had a really limited selection of fruit, all of which was really expensive. They have a much smaller selection of stuff that we do in the states. I also noticed that a small bag of doritos cost 3 euro...which is about 5.50 USD, and it wasn't even the big bag!

So after my jaunt to the store I decided I would go and walk around, and try and find the city centre...well I didn't find it, and decided I was much too tired to be walking around aimlessly, and in what seemed a not so great area. So I went home and flipped around the telly, and here I am now.

IT IS HERE AT LAST!!!

2008-06-21T15:21:00.006+01:00

The day has FINALLY arrived where I shall get on a plane and be headed to IRELAND! I still don't really feel as if it is happening...but at the same time I'm totally freaking out. It is weird to be extremely excited yet extremely nervous about one event. I'm scared that I'm going to forget something, especially for the part of the trip where I'll be alone, or that where I'm stay will have lost the record of me registering for those dates...and just a myriad of other crazy thoughts.

Everything is packed, and in a few hours I will be leaving for the airport. I get to fly out of the international terminal at LAX, which is exciting! I'll get to meet one of the other girls who is going there as well. It is a very strange feeling to know that in about 9 hours I'll be taking off to, probably, the biggest and best adventure I'll have in my life...it's going to change my life...I can feel it!

Single Digits

2008-06-11T06:50:00.003+01:00

Tomorrow marks the start of the single digit countdown for the days left before I leave for Ireland. I really thought this day would never come back when the count was still at, oh say...200+ days. I will be on that plane and on my way before I know it.

All my plans are set, itineraries made, directions printed, and I have even started packing. I feel as if I am just going through the motions...making plans for a trip that is never going to happen. It hasn't started to feel real, even though it is only several days away. I just hope it will feel real when I arrive.

So now, there are just a few loose ends that need to be tied up but other than that I just get to sit back and relax and watch the number of days till I leave slowly, but surely, dwindle down to zero. Oh what a happy day that will be... :)

Two weeks left...

2008-06-06T22:19:00.002+01:00

I have 2 more weeks left till I leave on my 6 week adventure in Ireland. I feel as if I have been waiting years for time to FINALLY get around till June 21, 2008--even though it has only been since September, 2007.

In 2 weeks I will be on a plane headed for my beloved country. I will be keeping track of my adventures in this blog, and will be posting pictures of the places I go and such. If you would like to keep track of my journey this will be the place to look. I'll be sending out the occasional email and postcard, but to save myself the time of retelling the same story 10 million times, and the cost of sending a postcard abroad...the most up-to-date information will be posted here.

Slainte!