City of Islands

Venice was by far the most unique place we visited. Over 100 islands connected by over 400 bridges! We stayed across a large canal from the main islands, on Guidecca island. Our hostel was right on the water. You have to take "water taxis" to and from many places, which is remarkably similar to the metro but far more peaceful and scenic. On our first night we ate on Guidecca, watching a beautiful sunset (Catherine and I pictured right). Her seafood risotto had quite the octopus surprise, and I tried gnocci for the first time. Besides being in a room with 14 rude high school French girls, the hostel was good.
The next day we headed straight for San Marco Square, known for its pidgeons and St. Mark's Basilica. Everywhere I turned there were painters and gondolo boats. We decided to wander all day, finding shops full of glamorous masks and colorful Venetian glass. We walked through a maze of houses and buildings with weathered walls and flower-filled window boxes, crossing over uncountable small bridges with gondolos passing underneath (pictured left). It was fun to get lost! We enjoyed sitting in the warm sun (so different from Ireland!) while eating fruit and watching the busy canal. We ended our wandering at Ristorante Riva Del Vin, where we had a wonderful meal and indulged in everything from red wine to tiramisu!

Firenze

How different Florence was from Rome! It almost reminded me of going from Dublin to Cork (in a much larger sense). Our hostel overbooked, so we got lucky with a private room in a nicer "apartment." We cherished the soft beds, privacy and nice shower head! I loved wandering around the tent market, with merchants trying to bargain anything leather. I was in dire need of some other walking shoes besides boots, and of something purple, so I purchased my beloved Italian purple sneakers! We ate at a lovely outdoor ristorante the first night, where I had veal scallopini with mushrooms and rosemary potatoes. Yum! We also discovered Italian sparkling white wine. I like it much more than champagne!

Our second day was filled of sight-seeing and wandering the town. We got to the Accademia first thing when it opened so we could be the first to see David. I had no idea that the statue was so huge! The detail was amazing. Il Duomo was by far the most impressive structure, as the picture above does not give it justice. We climbed the 414 steps to the top of the dome for a great view, and vowed to never look at stairs again! Ponte Vecchio was another fun sight - the oldest bridge that wasn't destroyed by the Nazi's (built in 1345). The jewelry shops on the bridge were a tease but fun to look at all the sparkles. We then waited in a long line at Galleria degli Uffizi - known as the oldest art museum in the world, which houses "The Birth of Venus." The building itself was gorgeous inside. My neck hurt from looking at the ceiling - ornate with gold leaflets and colorful paintings - as I walked through the maze of rooms. As we wandered, we came upon lovely surprises such as a darling carousel and a lovely pottery shop that I could have spent hours in. We ended our trip with another lovely meal - vegetable pizza and Italian red wine!

The Pope and Pasta

Rome was simply breathtaking. The amount of history surrounding you is a feeling unfit for words. On our first day, we wandered through the Vatican Museum open-mouthed and wide-eyed. The maze of hallways and rooms parallels that of the Louvre. The ceilings were ornate with paintings and gold was everywhere. We then walked over to St. Peter's Basilica, but the church was closed so we relaxed in the open area and ate some authentic pizza. Once we returned, a line had formed to enter the Basilica, and we decided to wait because of how beautiful we knew the inside would be. After an hour and a half, the gates opened. We were confused as to why there was so many people, especially nuns. When we asked a priest why everyone had yellow tickets, he simply handed us three tickets from his jacket. Those who did not have tickets sat outside, those with tickets entered the basilica. When the ushers handed me the program, I read that it was Mass being held in honor of the anniversary of Pope Giovanni Paolo II's death. At 6pm the procession of priests, bishops and soldiers began, followed by Pope Benedict XVI. We were shocked. We had waited simply to see the church, and now we were at Mass being given by the Pope. As we were nearly 10 feet away from him, it was unreal how everyone around us fretted over a celebrity. After the spectacle of the grand entrance, the service was lovely. The bright lights were turned on, illuminating the baroque basilica. A full orchestra and beautiful singing voices echoed as the crowd of hundreds were silent. After two hours of such a spiritual experience, we enjoyed some wonderful lasagna at a ristorante. (Pictured: Mass at the Vatican)

The next day was full of sightseeing, from the Colosseum to the Spanish Steps. It was amazing to stand in the massive Colosseum, imagining that the Roman Emperor once had 10,000 Gladiators and 11,000 wild animals to fight as spectacle. Our overall favorite was the ancient town of Palatino and the Roman Forum. Such beautiful flowers and remains of columns and buildings. After climbing up the steps to the Campidoglio, the view of Ancient Rome was remarkable. I then enjoyed my first gelatto, pistachio flavored, as we wandered through the rest of the city. Exhausted at the end of the day, Aileen and I went to a small ristorante close to our hostel, which was busy with only Italians. Needless to say, the pasta was homemade and tasted how pasta is supposed to be enjoyed. I would pay $30 back home for what I got for 8 Euro in Italy! (Pictured: Me in the Roman Forum)

5 Cities in 2 Weeks

I have only been gone for two weeks and I feel like it was a month! Yet I could have spent a week in each city we visited: Rome, Florence, Venice, Nice and Barcelona. The trip also made me long to visit so many other cities. So here's a brief review of the trip: Aileen, Catherine and I booked our flights into Rome and out of Barcelona through Aer Lingus for very cheap. We then booked hostels in each city we wanted to visit. The one part that I was hesitant about was not booking the transportation (trains) between cities. Fortunately it worked out very well. For the young, on-budget traveler it was ideal. We did not mind being on trains for long periods (regional trains versus Eurostar are much cheaper) and we could buy tickets the day of and be fine. If we would have booked the 4 train rides through Rail Europe online beforehand, we would have paid 100 or 200 more Euro. No one was pick-pocketed and nothing was taken from our hostel rooms. No one got sick from food or water, and no one ran out of money. The typical travel fears did not come true. But I must admit that when we were waiting in line at the Barcelona airport to check in for our flight to Cork, it was wonderful to see all of the friendly Irish faces. And almost each person was sun burnt, like me and my Irish skin! So even though the wonderful trip is over, being back in Eire makes it all okay. (Posts to come for each city. This picture is of me in the ancient ruins of Palatine Hill in Rome. Such a beautiful place! And I love the purple tree :))

A Week of Celebrations

After having two visitors come over a two-week period, I could not stay glum for long after they left because it was time for St. Paddy's Day in Ireland! The best way I can explain the day is to compare it to Thanksgiving. Everyone sleeps in, enjoys time with friends and family and perhaps watches a parade. I suppose a big difference is many people go out to pubs and enjoy a few drinks throughout the day. Traditionally, Irish families eat bacon and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day, like we would eat turkey. I went to the Cork Parade with some friends, and there were lots of families with children out there enjoying the sunny day. Many young Irish people (like our friend Matt pictured here with Catherine and me) do go all out and paint themselves or dye their hair. There are also tons of tourists wearing Irish paraphernalia. Overall it was a great time, but you can't have too much fun because work and school starts all over the next day (which was Wednesday). Thursday night we threw a "surprise" 21st birthday party for my flat mate and fellow Wolfpacker Catherine. Even though the legal drinking age is 18 in Ireland, 21st birthdays are a huge occasion in the Irish culture. It was great craic! On Saturday, after studying in the library all afternoon, I went to a local pub with some friends to watch Ireland compete in the finals of the 6 Nations Rugby Tournament (England, Wales, Scotland, Italy, France and Ireland). Over the past few months Ireland has been undefeated and came up against the defending champions, Wales. It was the most exciting sporting event I have ever watched! It was amazing to watch a game where NO ONE could be rooting for the opposing team. Ireland won 17-15 and received their medals from Prince William. It was the first time in 61 years that Ireland has won this tournament, so it was a night for celebration.

Belgian Waffle

Shannon, my sorority sister and roommate from last year, came to visit over her spring break, and we flew over to Brussels for the weekend! After getting lost in Dublin and waking up at 3am for our flight, we finally made it. Our very first experience in Brussels was indulging in a Belgian waffle from a street vendor. Adorned with chocolate and strawberries, I could not have been more excited at 10am. Yet the combination of a styrofoam plate and plastic fork did not work well for me, and as my waffle flew in the air, I clutched it to my chest. Thus I walked around town for the rest of the day with chocolate all over my coat, but I still salvaged the delicious breakfast.

My favorite parts of our visits were enjoying aspects of the culture: Sitting outside at a cafe to enjoy a blonde beer (Duvel was our favorite), eating chocolate strawberries while walking, and having restaurant maitre d's try to persuade us to eat at their establishment. At the chocolate museum we watched the "chocolate master" as he mixed and molded chocolate to make Belgian treats. As we walked throughout the city, we visited three cathedrals and admired their grandeur and architectural differences. The buildings of La Grande Place, the center of the old city, reminded me of Paris. I also had the chance to practice some of my French, mostly with some young men from the Ivory Coast and Gabon that we met at a popular bar called Delirium. However, with so many wonderful smells of chocolate and pastries, along with having to pay 2.50 euro for water at a restaurant, I decided that I would go bankrupt in this city.

Many First Experiences...

Last Friday (February 20) Anna, Catherine's and my flat mate, invited us to go home with her to Kilmacthomas. After an hour and fifteen minutes of scenic driving, we were at Anna's lovely home. We were in awe as we sat in her living room with the view of green farmland and the ocean in the distance on one side and then the view of the mountains on the other side. After getting our bearings, Mrs. Hearn prepared a wonderful "dinner" (lunch) of stew and spuds. Mr. Hearn got a good laugh at Catherine and I trying to peel them with a knife. After a cup of tea, we all put on our Wellies and headed outside. We got to walk the greyhounds (extremely well behaved) and watched them practice racing. I asked how long it took to train them, and Anna said it's all natural. Definitely a first! The one that Catherine walked had a race that night and won! We "met" the dozens of beef cattle and then drove down to another part of the farm. This farm is where they raise dairy cattle and grow barley. After having a cup of coffee with Aunt Mary, who lives in the family homeplace, we helped load some barley into the milking parlor. Then I watched in amazement as the cows were guided into the parlor, 16 at a time, and were milked by a very sophisticated machine. Most definitely a first. Then I watched as Anna filled up her family's milk bucket with the pure product. After feeding the calves, we headed back in time to meet Anna's twin Joy, have "tea" (dinner), and go to Dungarven to see a movie.

Saturday morning we headed down to the beach with Anna, Joy and their younger sister Emily (home from working in Dublin). The rocks on the beach were beautiful. We then went to another aunt's house to pick up a tart, and we stayed for tea and a chat. After dinner, we went up into the mountains for a walk to the waterfall (Emily, Anna, Catherine and me pictured above). Overall, the days were scenic and the time with Anna's family was filled with delightful conversation, hospitality, food and tea! That evening we all headed to the nearest city, Dungarven, for a night on the town. We met up with our other flat mate, Hannah, who is from a small town near Dungarven (all four flat mates pictured below!). Sunday we went to 11:30 mass, followed by an exquisite Sunday dinner, and we were off to Cork again. No wonder Anna goes home on the weekends...

Edinburgh and Beyond

To avoid sitting around alone on Valentine's Day, Catherine, Aileen and I decided to make our first out of country trip to Scotland last weekend. We took a bus early Thursday morning to Dublin Airport (5 hours!) and flew into Edinburgh via cheap Ryan Air. Immediately upon arriving we were impressed by the architecture of old Edinburgh. We stayed in High Street Hostel, which was the first true hostel experience for us all. Our all-female room had eight beds (pictured below), allowing us to meet some incredible women from all over the world. They were of all different ages, 20s to 50s, and backgrounds, from an au pair on 'holiday' to a mother and daughter traveling Europe. We also got great travel advice - like our Argentinian room mate suggesting a convent to stay in while in Rome instead of the expensive, dirty hostels. The hostel experience itself was remarkable - plus I ran into someone I grew up with in Midlothian! Will was in Dublin for six months is now living in that hostel in Edinburgh! What a small world...

Thursday night the hostel hosted a pub crawl which was full of meeting new people and taking in the Scottish drinking culture! Friday we explored the city, starting with a three hour, free walking tour. College students give this wonderfully animated, historical tour for tips only, and we all know that the drive for money will make someone put on his best show! Saturday morning we took a bus tour up through the Highlands and to Loch Ness. The mountains were snowy and picturesque while our van driver told wonderful Scottish stories. Our final destination was Loch (lake) Ness, and we learned all of the statistics about why it is probable that some creature is indeed living at the bottom of this Grand Canyon-sized lake. (We are pictured here on a boat on Loch Ness.) Sunday we took a smaller tour through the Kingdom of Fife and to the town of St. Andrews, also known as the homeplace to golf. When we boarded the 15-passenger Mercedes van at 9:00am, our van driver said, "I've got breakfast!" as he tossed us each an airplane bottle of "The Famous Grouse" Scotch-Whisky. These tours allowed us to see the coast and mountains of Scotland in a very short timespan. And our Scottish guides provided endless entertainment and facts on history and culture. This included an overwhelming dislike for England. Their history with England is similar to that of Ireland yet with a different reality. As one van driver said, "Sean Connery said he'll come back to the Highlands once Scotland is free." [We passed through the area where Ian Fleming, author of James Bond, used to live - which is now owned by the original Bond, Sean Connery.] After a fun filled weekend, we departed Scotland early Monday morning and arrived back in Cork around 3:30, just in time for my 5:00 class!

Cultural Correspondent

Today I had my first session as a Cultural Correspondent! This program is new within the Center for International Understanding in North Carolina. The goal is to educate K-8 students about different cultures around the world. I am paired with a first grade class in Jacksonville. During our first session, the students presented information about North Carolina and its geography, Jacksonville, and their school. I presented them with information about Ireland's geography and weather, what I am studying, and other interesting facts. This is done through Elluminate, a program where we communicate through web cam and microphone. The program allows you to upload PowerPoint presentations to the "blackboard" where you can point to different pictures/words while you talk. Our next lesson is on March 17, so I told the students that they better be wearing green!

On a side note, I'd like to mention how loved I feel to have so much communication with everyone from back home! I have received cards, packages, e-mails, and blog comments that make my days! Thank you for all of the support! Coming soon: an entry on my trip to Scotland ...

Fun in Dublin!

Aileen, Andrea and I (pictured below) left on the train early Friday morning for Dublin! Although the trains are very expensive here, the quick and comfortable ride was worth it. We checked into our hostel, Abraham House, where we were greeted by the wonderful Seamus. He noticed that I was left handed while filling out an information card, and he said, "You know, only the most attractive and brilliant lads are left handed." He told us how he was slapped on the wrist with a ruler and told he was a spawn of the devil by nuns in school for being left handed. Seamus was very kind, chatty and helpful - as I have found most Irish to be - and when we said thank you he replied "only the best for us left-handeders." We did much sightseeing in two full days, but the highlights were St. Stephen's Green, Christ Church Cathedral and the Guinness Storehouse. St. Stephen's Green is a lovely park in the middle of the city with beautiful flowers, water and birds. Christ Church Cathedral (pictured above) dates back to the 11th century, with a fascinating crypt and treasury along with the largest peel of bells in the world. The Guinness Storehouse is an extensive museum of the history of Guinness and how it is made. The top floor is called the Gravity Bar, where you can drink a pint of Guinness (with a shamrock in the foam) while having a 360 degree view of Dublin through the glass windows. While Dublin is indeed filled with tourists and international residents, the city has a ton of history and beautiful sights to see.

Snow!

In case anyone has not seen it on the news, much of western Europe was hit by a lot of snow yesterday. But don't worry about me here! The western part of County Cork is the only part of Ireland that was not hugely affected by the snow. On the news I saw that in most other places kids were out of school and businesses were closed. They react to snow here much like we do in North Carolina! Luckily I don't drive here, so it wouldn't affect me much anyway. I walked to class while it was snowing last night and it was beautiful! And the temperature should go up by the end of the week...hopefully in time for a trip to Dublin.

St. Patrick's Hill

This afternoon we climbed to the top of St. Patrick's Street -what a trek! Reminds me a bit of Montmarte in Paris. But the view from the top was amazing. We could see the whole city and the green beyond! This picture was taken by Andrea (my camera is out of commission) as she peeked over a stone wall. It was a lovely, sunny day!

"The Best 12 Euro I've Ever Spent"

Last night Andrea, Stina, Tanja and I went over to some Irish college students' house (Andrea met them through the Ultimate Frisbee club). They invited us to go see a concert of a group called East 17. They described them as the "original boy band" before America had the Backstreet Boys. After watching a few of their music videos on the Internet, I knew that seeing this early 1990s group perform would be hilarious. The group members now must be in their thirties or forties, and it was funny how they still wore '90s clothes. I felt like I was 13 again seeing 'NSync with Aunt Laurie and Carrie! All of the Irish young people in the crowd were so excited to see this group from their childhood. And the best part was that it was held in a large pub (where I actually had a wonderful lunch last week). We drank Beamish and chatted for a few hours before the show. And I finally learned that the distinct smell of Cork City (that I thought was from bread baking in restaurants!) is actually from the Beamish factory. All of the "lads" told me I had to go on a tour of the Beamish brewery before it closes because it is so close to Cork's heart. As they all complained about the recession (as is the constant topic over here) our friend said "This is the best 12 euro I've ever spent!"

Kinsale

Today we had quite an exciting day trip! Five of us ventured to Kinsale, which is a 30-minute bus ride from Cork. It's on the southern tip of the Island and is also known for its history. We luckily timed our trip before it rained! As we walked around the quaint, colorful town, we saw a miniature train parked on the road (which we thought was for children). It turned out to be a trolley to take tourists up to Charles Fort!





The ride up the hill was breathtaking. We could see the entire town and a beautiful green coastline along the blue waters of the River Bandon. Tours of the fort are only held during tourist season, but an employee gave us a brief overview of the landmark's significance. In short, Charles Fort has been used from the 1601 defeat of the Spaniards to providing barracks during World War I. After walking around for an hour, we found shelter from the wind in Dino's Fish and Chips, and we can't wait to visit again when it's a bit warmer!

Slainte! (Cheers!)

Dia dhuit, (Hello)

One of the classes I am taking is Introduction to Modern Irish, where I will learn to speak some Irish (a form of Gaelic). The first class was quite intimidating, but I suppose it is always scary to learn a new language. I'm used to the Romantic languages, and this is a Celtic language. Before coming here, I didn't realize that Irish is the official language of Ireland. All government documents are written in Irish and all signs must have the Irish and English names. All children are taught Irish in school (and must pass a proficiency test to advance to university). The history of the language is remarkable, but I won't be boring with all of that. But as my professor put it today, "A country without a language is a country with a soul." By venturing to learn this language, I hope to be immersed into the Irish culture and feel some of that Irish pride.

Slan! (Goodbye)

Blarney

There is one word to describe our brief trip to Blarney: drenched. We picked the worst day and the worst part of the day to go. It rained the entire time, which was OK once when retreated to a pub with a fire. This picture is of Aileen and me in the dog kennel at the bottom of Blarney Castle. I was proud that I made it to the top of the castle and relieved that the wind didn't blow us all away! It was hailing once we got to the top. I did not kiss the Blarney Stone, and a man I met from Blarney at a pub last night said "Thank you! I don't understand why Americans do that." If I understood the significance, I would have, but being in the castle was special enough for me. Today my Irish roommate told us that on TV the news casters were telling people not to travel. Although it was a messy day, I will never forget it!

Irish Beer

This advertisement is definitely the best one in Cork, so I thought I would share. I have had my pint of Guinness, but I have greatly enjoyed trying the other Irish beers. I never knew how many were so similar to Guinness, such as Murphy's. The beer Beamish is brewed here in Cork (very close to where I live) and is being bought by Miller. It is probably my favorite dark Irish beer, and it's the cheapest since it's local. I haven't enjoyed the Irish cider, Bulmer's, as much as I thought I would. My Irish roommates made fun of me for drinking dark beers. They say it's a "man's" drink. Most women drink wine, cider or liquor. I however am taking advantage of the good Irish ale! Cheers!

Rain

I'm finally experiencing the rain! The locals say it usually rains and then goes away so to always carry an umbrella. But today is one of those times that it rains all day. It doesn't pour down (as it often does in VA and NC) but the wind is brutal. Most locals use umbrellas, but I found it annoying with the wind. Luckily I have an awesome North Face rain jacket that does not allow a drop through. The locals also do not wear rain boots - I suppose it's not fashionable. They wear variations of leather boots and shoes. Now I am warm in my apartment with my pants drying on a rack over my heater...

Having some craic

One of Carrie's friends warned me about this word craic - it is slang for fun. Cat and I got a good taste of that word on our cab ride into Cork last Sunday. I think he said "it's good craic" or "to have some craic..." in every sentence. Cat took some pictures last night so I thought I'd share them! We had some American and Danish students over to our apartment and then went out to An Brog for some pints. The first picture is at the bar/pub (from left to right) Aileen from the University of Scranton, Cat, me, Tanja and Stina from Copenhagen, and Tiffany from Iowa State. The second picture is of Cat and me in our living room/kitchen.

Why have bread?

Without butter? Many of us live by this and I found our mecca in Cork today. On a "heritage tour" of Cork given by students today, we stumbled upon the Cork Butter Museum in the Shandon area. During the 19th century, Cork was the center of international trade of butter. We did not go in the museum today, but I'm sure I will at some point. The brand Kerrygold came from this city and is the main butter product of Ireland. This was something I did not know about Cork or Ireland!

St. Peters and Pauls Church was one of my favorite churches today because it was full of light and had beautiful architecture (built in the mid- nineteenth century). Most of the structures in Cork are no older than 200 years old because of destruction during wars.

Market and traveler's checks

Yesterday Cat and I ventured to the "English Market" which is a sort of farmer's market in the city. Once you walk through the gates, it's as if you are in a small town. Butchers, fruit, fresh bread, vegetables, wine, fresh sweets, you name it. Everything was much cheaper than the grocery store, and it's on the way home from campus. Our favorite find so far! (Speaking of grocery shopping, bags are not provided as grocery stores so bring your own! Luckily I had a net one with me- a wonderful Christmas gift!- but they charge you up to 2 euro to use a plastic bag.)

Today I went to the bank to ask about my Euro traveler's checks. Apparently no one accepts them here like we accept American traveler's checks in the States. I cashed some of them since I haven't been able to use them, and it had a EUR4 fee. I asked why there wasn't a fee when I deposited my American traveler's checks, and the teller said that they like those because of the exchange rate (currently 1.395 to the euro). So if you get traveler's checks, only get American ones because there is no charge to cash them.

My first nun

I met my first nun today! As Cat and I were wondering about town, she asked if we needed directions. She was wearing a normal scarf, hat and coat, but then she said she was a sister of Bon Secours (a convent in town). She gave us a bunch of history lessons about Cork and we talked for a good 15 minutes. She encouraged us to hike up St. Patricks hill (which is at the very end of the street that we live parallel to) because it had the best view of the city. Although it's so steep that the Tour de France cyclists couldn't get up it... When it isn't 20 degrees we shall attempt it! She pointed us to the Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral, which is a famous landmark in Cork (pictured). Townspeople living in the hills petitioned against builders who almost blocked the view of the cathedral, so there are some interesting shaped condos on the blocks surrounding it.

First class

I had my first class tonight! "Introduction to Irish History for Visiting Students." The lectures are from 6-8pm every Tuesday. We alternate professors after two lectures, so we will get a taste of 5 different Irish historians and professors. Tonight we started with the "Great Famine" which was an eye opener to say the least! I also got my cell phone and opened my bank account at the Bank of Ireland today. Much to do as an "immigrant!" The town is just lovely - especially at night. I feel like I'm in New York City at times. Except that there are certain times when the streets are dead and others when they are packed. We found the "Everything 2 Euro" store today which was great! An Irish dollar store! Tonight I hung out with my roommates and we compared Irish and American traditions. They said it's funny to hear our "Southern" traditions because they only see American TV shows and movies that take place in the north or in California. They thought all Americans are loud and city folk. They loooove Grey's Anatomy here! We finally have our "tele" (not teev as I said before) but we only have 4 channels. Many American shows come on, but there are Irish news and soap operas. Hopefully I will upload some pictures tomorrow!

I'm Here!

The trip went as planned, but I unfortunately did not sleep on the plane so it was a long day. I have been awake from 7:30am on Saturday until 5:30pm Sunday (US time). We had a driver take us directly to our apartment building in Cork from Shannon Airport (a good 2 hour trip) instead of taking the epic bus ride. It's a lot more money, but boy was it worth it! Cat (another student from NC State) is one of my roommates, along with two Irish students - Anna and Hannah. They have been very friendly and we've had some great conversations so far - everything from "Desperate Housewives" TV show to President-elect Obama. Their last roommate left with the "teev" so they are looking forward to borrowing one soon from Hannah's boyfriend. We have already seen some American students about town, and we are anxious for orientation tomorrow morning.