Belfast

Hi Everyone-

I finished that Belfast post-if you go on to the right hand side down to the Blog Archive and click on November you will find one labeled Belfast. Click on it and you can read it and see some photos. Since I started that post in Nov. it is logged there and isn't seen currently so if you were wondering.

No worries I will be posting things about London, Rome, Snow Patrol Concert, end of the trip and coming home. So look for that post in a few more days.

That being said I wish you all a very Happy Christmas!! Promise to post more stuff soon-and yes I'm home now safe and sound :)

London and Rome

Hi Everyone!

So I'm going to give you a combined recap of London and Rome since London was the 20th of November to the 23rd and Rome was the 28th to the 1st of December. I did way too much traveling in November I was in Ireland probably 15 days out of the 30 of that month. Yes I took advantage of my time here pretty well to discover the continent. Though there are still a good number of places I haven't gone. And others that I want to return to explore more. I can't post up any photos just yet of these since my photo library program is down. However when I get home I'll fix it and post them for you to see. I just don't feel like calling tech support right now when I'll be home in a while. I know this post is long overdue but I've been pretty busy packing and getting the internet to work and I needed a few days to recover from all the traveling.

Claire came with me to London-we were going to stay with a elderly couple-John and Peg Vint. Peg was a native of Ireland but she married John a native Londoner. So Ireland and England finally were united in peace. :) John is pretty close to being 90 and I think Peg is pretty close to being in her 80s. Though the two don't really look much older than their 60s and move around very well for their age. I was a bit worried that driving around with them would be one of those hold your breath and hope to god you don't die experiences but they can drive like normal people and age hasn't caught up with them that they pull one of those scary driving things that your grandparents do that makes you want to take away their keys. We flew into London Heathrow which is a pretty big airport all things considered. We were picked up by John and Peg and we drove around the Windsor garden grounds, and through a few little old cute villages before heading to their house in Slough. Unlike the cracker jack box houses that are slapped together and hideous as can be in the states the houses here are small but each has their own individuality. All are very nice little houses. John and Peg were very kind to us to let us stay with them-we met them on the Aran Islands back in August and they offered to take us around London and told us to come visit them for a long weekend. I couldn't believe they'd actually were serious about it considering they just met us. But they became fast friends with us and yes there is that huge age difference but I seem to get along with people older than me pretty well. One of my friends tells me it's because I'm "such an old lady". Figures you go wandering about graveyards, knit and watch black and white movies and don't go out past midnight and you're pegged as an old lady for life. Oh well. I don't mind I never was one of those super trendy in the high fashion kids who only hung out with young people. I do spend time with people my own age but I find a lot of my friends are older. I know my roommate seemed to feel a bit awkward with it, not really knowing how much to share or not or how to really deal with the fact of a age difference to warrant a very different perspective on life. But they took very good care of us and showed us all the sites and I got a full history of the city and things in it. John thought he was rambling too much but I had no problem listening and asking questions of him. He was like one of those history audio books that never ended. I really liked it. Peg did the same but she told us a lot about Ireland since she knew more on that. In turn we told them about our lives and experiences. I tried mince pie for the first time, drank more tea than I ever had in one weekend, ate more food than I probably needed to in one sitting but it was all amazing. I really liked London-there was quite a bit of it I didn't get to see that I wanted to but that was fine I have something else to take me back again. I saw Windsor Castle, most of Slough, Buckingham Palace and the changing of the guard, the Tower of London, Parliament, Big Ben (which is actually the name of Parliament but eventually was attached to the clock hence the name), went on the London underground, saw a good deal of Eaton, and went through numerous parks.

The Brits are pretty interesting on the whole, I didn't come across any telling me to go back home Yank or that they hate me for the Boston Tea Party so it appears they're pretty much over that now. Unlike some of our southern counterparts (hint hint subtle hint). They have loads of antique shops and ship out loads of it to the States for our own antique shops and still have plenty to fill up whole castles with and then some. But don't get me wrong I love antiques and it's probably a good thing I wasn't allowed any time to stop in there or I'd never have made it back to Ireland with all of the stuff I would want. If you ever wanted to know who came up with crazy uniforms I'd probably say the Brits because the boys going to school wear what you'd think looks like a tux to school. Or a conductor of an orchestra. One of the two. On the whole they're all very helpful and nice and always ask if you're on holiday if you're there. (That is if you're an American). I ran into some of the Queen's soldiers collecting donations for the troops and kids for Christmas so I donated all my spare change to them. I sort of wish they were around the airport before I left I had about 5 pounds worth in coins to dump off. Very polite and nice I felt bad for them in a way since in a week or so they had to ship out again and they'd be gone for Christmas. Funny thing though most of the English are more than ready to let Northern Ireland go.....

Rome: I never have been more freaked out going somewhere than Rome. Paris wasn't much of an issue because I was going to stick to the more touristy areas and the French know the value of an American dollar so they know enough French. The Romans well bless their hearts they still think they own the world in a sense. I'm sure not all Romans feel this way but most of the ones I ran into seemed to come off that way. Perhaps it's because the recession but either way I had never been around so many people that were just downright rude as the Romans. Even the ones harassing you to buy a umbrella when you told the guy just two steps behind him no was rude. And stay away from the guys dressed up as Roman gladiators if you don't want them trying to seduce you to be their next Roman princess. Or make you pay 5 euro for taking a photo with them. I can photoshop you in when I snap your photo from away into my posed photo. So I will keep my 5 euros thank you very much :) The Vatican was sort of my last stop I knew if I could walk in there and not be axed down for not being a proper practicing Christian I could go anywhere without worry. Of course I sort of forgot about the whole Pope-not-liking-Harry-Potter thing. Guess who walked up to the security thing wearing a Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince sweatshirt? Me. I almost thought if anything they'd have put that on the sign about dress codes since they already put you can't wear skirts or tshirts, have sharp blunt objects but you can carry a huge umbrella. I could've sworn NO HARRY POTTER would've fit in there somewhere. Emily noticed I was wearing it and was about ready to just up and leave me. She promised if I got kicked out she'd act like she had no idea who I was. I was definitely feeling her love....not really. I went through the security and they didn't say a thing in fact the guy running the machine was spacing out and the one watching the metal detector was smoking and talking on his cell phone. Great security. I feel bad for the nuns, priests and Pope. These guys are a joke.

I got in even with my Harry Potter sweatshirt-success! I started to think they either didn't notice or just didn't really give a flying flip. Either way I was happy I didn't have to attempt to have a discussion lost in translation in Italian since I don't know any. First off we went into the Pope's tomb-and they weren't kidding it is like a tomb. It is deep below the Vatican and holds the remains of Popes going back even before the 13th Century. All held in large marble or stone casings sealed shut for eternity. Each one appears to be larger than the next and more elaborate as to the designs and sayings on them. The more recent ones are massive and bodyguards stand by the latest Pope since they figure someone would want to get smart and try to steal the body. After going out of the Pope's tomb we ended up in this large open area where the Pope does mass and where Pope Peter is buried. He's got this massive wooden structure decorated in gold ivy and other designs looming over his tomb. I've never seen such large ceilings they had to be over 100 feet if not more. I felt like a tiny little thing there. Everything is covered in gold, marble, mosaic tiles, massive statues and paintings, phrases in Latin that I don't understand; the whole place was so lavish it was a bit overwhelming. We also went up over 600 steps I think in all it had to be about over a few thousand by the time we got back down. Though the view at the top was worth seeing even though it was quite windy. No tall sky scrapers just a lot of old rustic styled and those clay tiled roofs. The air was warm up there, certainly a lot warmer than it was back in Ireland. After getting back down again and feeling a wee bit lop sided from walking sideways down the stairs, we went into the big atrium area and took some more photos before heading on a few hour search to get to the Sistine Chapel. You'd think it would've been pretty easy to find when we found it labeled on the map. Oh no. Not the case. Even with signs that pointed to well nowhere, we still didn't find it. After asking directions we still didn't find it which makes me think the directions sucked just about as much as the map did. We came to the conclusion that it must've been housed through some other museum part and it required extra payment to see. We gave up and decided to walk around and see the Castle which appears in Angels and Demons. We saw a few super skinny super models doing a photo shoot on the bridge in massive dresses. I was thinking maybe a prom shoot but then again it wasn't anywhere near prom so maybe a really strange wedding dress. It was a pretty dress don't get me wrong but corsets are just bad news. After a few more hours of wandering and seeing the other sights of Rome like the Colosseum, Fountain de Trevi, the Pantheon and a few others the next day we got back on the plane and flew to Ireland over the Alps which was a very pretty thing to see. You want some snow capped mountains that trump all the others the Alps surely do that. After arriving back through the mists I saw the green rolling hills, spray painted bottomed sheep and knew I was back in Ireland. After that we hopped on a bus back to Galway and crashed. Success.

So that's London and Rome I know it's a bit shorter in the sense of not covering every detail but really it's a lot to cram in and make it short enough for all of you to read :)

I would like to take a moment to say I'm FREE

Hi Everyone-

Almost done with that Belfast post mind you it may decide to post itself earlier than the current date because I started it earlier so you may have to do a bit of back tracking to find it. Just go to the archive on the right hand side and it should be there once I've finished. I'll let you know when I do that.

Anyway I am officially done with NUIG. YAY!!!!!! I turned in my last paper today and now I am free to pack, clean, go visit a few friends before I leave and then as quick as a flash and a weird 7hr flight with some odd time warp I'll be home on the 21st!!! I know I know some of you are like why are you so happy to be done with school you love school, you love history, you're learning why are you soo happy to be done? Well for the simple reason that I want to be done. I've gone traveling the world and done my exploring and absorbed more than I have in any other semester, worked my bottom off in school, went to all of my classes save the last day and one day when I was finishing my term paper, and now that I've completed my work I deserve a break. Alright maybe that was not such a simple answer but you also have to remember I want to be home it's Christmas season and I miss my friends and family. Ireland isn't going anywhere so I have plenty of time to come back and visit later. I've lived here for 4 months and laid my foundation and it's time to go back to the states where I officially belong. Not that I don't fit in here pretty well though I haven't exactly mastered any great drinking skills or sheep herding skills, but that's besides the point. Now it is time to relax, relfect, finish those journal entries, get my video and photos in order and labeled before I forget where I was, work on my novel, pack and go home eat loads of cookies, go sledding and eat some steak and potatoes. And per the usual Chirstmas season drink lots of hot chocolate and egg nog.

So I am free though it isn't as epic as Mel Gibson in Braveheart yelling FREEDOM as loud as he can before having his intestines twisted out of him. Sorry I should've kept that a little less gruesome especially if you're eating....and I am ready to go back and be back in Beloit and the library and the archives and not feel like a weirdo walking around the house practicing my Russian-no one learns Russian in Ireland hence why I'm looked at weirdly. I would also like hot water for a shower for a change, it is the simple things in life you really learn to appreciate. And I still get called an old lady for knitting while watching a movie. Though they won't be laughing so hard when they realize it's their Christmas gift.

Well I hear the horn of Gondor blowing-no its actually the generator downstairs of the computer lab-calling me to go off and run my errands and go kick some computer geek butt for not fixing my friend's computer. It's sad when I have to fix the computer and I'm not even a certified Mac genius or Windows genius. I understand if they don't have the parts lying around or can't get fix things in an hour but really 3 weeks to even bother looking at the computer when you really just want to say I have no clue? You know the computer geek fixer is a fake when he dresses like he's out of a D&G catalogue and smells like the new manly scent from Beckham. Not that I'm really trying to say he's a bad person or anything people I'm not mean I'm just saying he can't fix a computer when he's too busy using the screen as a mirror for his perfectly gelled hair. It's Ireland there is wind and rain give up the perfect Ken doll hair it isn't going to work. Even I know that and I'm a girl.

Miss you all and I'll write again soon about Belfast, London and Rome so you'll be in for a nice big treat. Or so I hope.

Delayed

Hi Everyone

Alright well I know I'm behind on a few posts one about London, Belfast and now Rome. I'm sort of delayed or way laid as they say due to papers and just getting things in order since I arrive home in 19 days. I still have to get my suitcases back from my adoptive Irish family. Too sort of a family crisis is going on at home right now so I've been focusing my attention on what's going on since I'm the only one away and 6 hr time difference does not help for the need for instant communication. So I've been doing a lot of waiting to find out things. The long and short of it is my uncle died on thanksgiving morning due to a heart attack. The funeral is this week and I won't be heading home which after pondering it over is probably for the best because trying to drop all of my work and try and pack and go and come back or just stay gone would be too much. And I'd probably be falling asleep during the service from jet lag and the time change and that isn't very helpful for anyone. As a result I will be just spending the rest of my time here in Galway and just trying to relax, well that is after I finish papers and catch up on that 10 or so Russian homework assignments......

That being said once Wednesday rolls around my papers will all be done and turned in so I will hopefully have some extra time to catch up on some entries here as well as doing up some journal entries, visiting the lobsters in the aquarium in Salthill and going to see a cemetery in Galway. (Why a cemetery? Well if you've never seen an Irish one they're quite fascinating and very different from ones at home. For starters no one has giant shrines built to people alike some in cemeteries at home. I won't bore you with the other details at present until I'm done seeing the Galway one.)

I also want to know why I'm the only person sitting here in this study space during finals. I'm the only one! Did I miss some memo here that everyone was supposed to ditch finals or that they were all cancelled? If I recall finals=no study space. Strange......I'm starting to question my over ambitiousness of study. That or just question my insane study habits because if no one else around here gives a flying flip who says the profs really do? I tried 3 times to turn in a paper EARLY and they weren't there during office hours. I even asked them before hand if I could come those 3 times to drop it off. It just wasn't to be. The secretary even took off Friday without any warning and so my last chance to turn it in before I left was ruined. I even dragged myself out of bed-I was sick for 3 days and walked all the way to campus. I was tired, cranky and running a low fever and so in my frustration I emailed my professor explaining the situation and asked kindly if I could turn it in when I returned because apparently no one wanted me to turn it in early. He didn't care. He honestly was like sure and if you turned it in the day after I wouldn't have noticed because I don't pick them up until the day after that. You have to be kidding me. All of this posted nonsense of you must be physically there to turn it in and it must be time stamped was all for what purpose? You don't even care and wouldn't know-thanks. Just thank you for being so lax that I went 3 times to turn in a paper. I take it then the whole 'Late paper penalty' really doesn't exist. Unless it's what the last day of the term? As a prof in training I disprove. I disprove so much that I didn't use an extra staple to keep the 2 copies of my paper together and I didn't print out a third copy for myself. Take that.

If you want to know what the weather is like it is rain, rain, rain, a bit of sun, rain, windy and cold. If you're lucky it will not be horribly cold and rainy. I'm used to it now and don't mind though the roads are still flooding like the world is going to come to an end and we all need to build a giant arc and set sail down the Shannon River to safety. I'm not so sure if we'd be able to get two of every animal though....

In stores Christmas music is playing and signs are up saying Merry Christmas-no the Irish are not all PC and put things like Happy Holidays like us silly PC obsessed Americans. Don't get me wrong I'm all for being well mannered and not severely insulting people but a lot of people celebrate Christmas even if they aren't the same religion or even if it isn't for celebrating the birth of Christ. And let's be honest the majority of people in Ireland are Catholic or Methodist or Christian of some sort so they'd lean more towards Christmas anyway. I'm all for it actually because it means I don't have to stop mid sentence and be like oh yea Happy Holidays not Happy/Merry Christmas. Everyone is bustling about getting wrapping paper and gifts and I just wish I could be home making cookies and decorating the tree and watching little Christmas films. And dancing around the house to Christmas music. Yes I have one of those Christmas theme songs to dance to thanks to Harry Connick Jr called Happy Elf. I even have it as a ringtone on my phone. Though thankfully I don't get phone calls on that phone while I'm here so no one has to suffer watching my dancing. Or rather I don't have to suffer being looked at like an idiot. So says my sister and I'm sure my Mum secretly thinks the same but she at least is kind enough to just laugh at me and say I'm a goof. No I will not video tape said dance and show you I would like to retain some of my dignity at the end of the day. At least my singing is good enough not to be an embarrassment. That being said I keep walking around singing Christmas songs while washing dishes in the kitchen since it's the closest thing I have to Christmas at the moment.

I don't have snow or decorations because they're banned. Yes you read that right BANNED. Who bans decorations? Corrib Village. And during house inspection if they find it they will destroy it. I was very tempted to put up a note saying someone's being a bit Scrooge like this year aren't they.....but I can't be that mean to the little housekeeping lady. It's not her fault it's management. I know they don't like me very much anyway so there isn't any point in sending any more emails to them they don't care to listen to me. Yes I'm diplomatic about things when I email them but they just like to do the CYA with things. (CYA is a term my Dad told me a long time ago meaning cover your a$$). It's something I do myself by backing up my computer each day, but in the case of Corrib Village it's finding any loophole and jumping through it denying anything and blaming it on everyone but themselves. It's so bad that when I walk in to reception I get this look when my name is said to pick up some mail-'oh that's HER'. Of course it's the diplomatic yet won't stand for your rubbish lies American that you roll your eyes at and not my Irish roommate who has been in your office at least 8 times this semester to talk to you. Right. I see how it goes. But I kill them with kindness and it confuses them to the point as you walk out the door someone asks 'is that really HER? I mean it can't be she's just sweet as pie and doesn't have that diplomatic politic thing going on'. I'm sort of offended they think I can't be diplomatic and a very nice person and a student all at the same time. Sort of sad in a way. They must think I'm only 2 dimensional. Which is sad because I can do a lot of things and even after offering to help them with fixing the internet they still think I'm that way. Oh well they're loss to get free internet fixing labor.

On that note it's going to be a while before I get anything else posted. I'm slowly counting down the days until I am home-not because I hate Ireland I don't hate it I hate Corrib Village there is a difference. I just want to be home for the holidays, away from mold (I have waged war against it all semester and failed to destroy it), I'd like to have dry clothes for a change and I want to be around my family and friends again. I would also like snow and cookies. And I want my puppy back because it's starting to hurt walking past all the dogs and puppies on the river walk and not secretly wish mine was there. Though I'm sure if it was left to the puppies they'd follow me home since one of them always loves to say hi to me and have me throw the ball for them when I go to campus in the morning. They're all very sweet and friendly. I would also like to have my car back-I do love taking bus rides because I can read or sleep for a few hours but with the holidays they're getting to be very delayed with flooding and I want some cargo room to bring stuff with. ] I've passed about 20 spots I'd like to see but without a car that isn't going to happen. Sure I could walk but it's not light enough for me to walk there and back. I keep passing places in the bus scoping out a place I'd like a house. Yes I think a bit far ahead but that's how I do things whether or not it works out is another story entirely so I don't usually get my hopes up too far :) But I'd like a house here though teaching here would be very difficult let alone getting a teaching job here. I'd have to find some other job to do if I moved here. (I know my sister is about ready to throw something at me when she reads that especially if I don't take her with.) We shall see but for now I want to go back home to the place where all men are created equal and I can decorate my room for Christmas and not have it banned.

Until later....

Belfast

Hi Everyone

I am back from London but I also need to tell you about my Belfast trip from the weekend before which was the 13-15. If you ever come to Ireland I would suggest visiting Belfast even if it's just for a day or so. Have I lost my mind in telling you to go to Belfast? No certainly not. I'm sure you all have heard or perhaps not I'm not sure how well news from here travels, but things in Belfast are calm but occasionally some group decides to revolt again. The two sides are more or less Protestants and Catholics as well as various political parties involved but I will not go into details of the parties because some of the lines with each are a bit fuzzy and I'd be confusing you all as well as myself. Belfast if nothing else will be a wake up call to the rest of the world as to the problems Ireland has faced over the centuries with England/UK , itself and the rest of the world.

The divide is still there and you not only see if you sense it. You can feel the tension between people on the streets in certain areas. Some don't even wander to the 'other side' so to speak due to the tensions. Yes I've been told the war is over, but I don't get the sense it really is. Surely on a battlefront level it is, minus the few random bombings that some groups decide to do, but otherwise it isn't like everyone has 'kissed and made up' and forgotten everything. It's one of those things that I feel will never be forgotten and it can be a blessing or a curse. I'd say it's both because there will be those who will not forget and never get past that tension and divide so that leaves it as a curse because everyone is at a standstill. It is a blessing that they do not forget it because it will be a reminder of something that was not so stable and how far they've come. I don't mean to be the negative one at this instance but I feel that full peace and cooperation and harmonious living (or at least as harmonious as you can get) will not happen in my lifetime in Belfast. It's a process that it going to take generations to reeducate views and morals and ethics on. And those large brick walls with massive metal gates and barbed wire that make it seem like a ghetto must come down. However, before the physical walls come down the mental and the thinking process of people in Belfast needs to change. Then again I almost wonder if the walls would remain as a reminder or if for nothing else a tourism attraction alike most of Ireland's dark history. The mentality of the UK/England as well as the rest of Ireland has to change as well to be accepting of Belfast as well as the rest of Northern Ireland back into the Republic of Ireland and away from England/UK. In that case I feel a massive political overhaul will be needed and political mindsets opened and not kept closed. The recession also needs to end as well for Northern Ireland to even stand a chance at becoming economically independent of England/UK. They are given over 7 billion pounds by England/UK to support themselves.

Economically England/UK relies on them for trading purposes though since WW2 Belfast as a industrial city has gone down to nothing. Belfast used to be the biggest shipbuilding factory in the world and now the massive yellow cranes stand there rusting as a reminder of the days when Belfast could make it's living off shipbuilding. Same goes for all of the linen factories in Belfast the last closed up in 1960 after Korea and China jumped on the market with mass production for cheaper. Belfast could no longer compete and slowly but surely by 1960 all was shut down. Jobs were cut and lost and just when things were attempting to pick up again the recession hit. The only thing Harlan and Wolfe shipyards are building now is a replica of the Titanic for their Titanic exhibit in 2012 as a 100 year anniversary/museum opening tribute. And it annoys me to know that everything or just about everything we own/buy these days is made in China or Korea. I can still find numerous crafts and sweaters and such that are handmade here but that's because there is still a market for it. However, with everything else there isn't and even the homemade things here are expensive. Not everyone can afford it so they buy the stuff made in China. You almost don't want to because you know it's only burying these closed up factories closed. Though you wonder what choice do I have? It's to the point you can't go without buying something made there. Whatever happened to toasters that lasted for decades? Or ships that were so well built that even after WW2 and sitting in a shipyard that ship is still good enough to run? No one makes things like that anymore. I almost feel as if the days of putting time, effort and care into the things we need and use on a daily basis is gone. Robots or child labor whip things out in a faster rate than we can ever imagine. Yes it is industry and commerce but at the end of the day why make millions of something that isn't going to last? Our landfills will be overflowing and we'll only kill ourselves faster. But no one bothers to think of such things it has to be now now and right now. Instant access. So I commend those few that still despite the lack of a massive profit they're making in Ireland or the States or wherever for at least staying true to making things that last and are genuine and not laced with arsenic. This is why I will probably never go to China or Korea I'd probably get so frustrated and get myself in trouble for saying this is rubbish. But I'll get off my soap box on all that for now.

All that aside Belfast is still an interesting city. It is bigger than Dublin but still has that Irish feel to it despite the divides. And the countryside in the North is just as beautiful if not more since there are more hills and mountains there. Instead of lots of rock walls like in the south, Belfast uses more hedges for the dividing lines of property in the countryside. There are the infamous Black Cabs that drive around and most offer tours of the different sides so you get a really good picture of the divide in Belfast. I didn't go on one but after going on the bus tour I had a pretty good idea of that as well as walking around.

The one day was spent going on a Paddywagon tour up to the Giant's Causeway and the Carrick-a-reide rope bridge. It was a overcast and rainy day and in the matter of an hour I saw 10 rainbows along the coast. If it wasn't so foggy out on the sea I could've seen Scotland. It rained while I was there and was very windy on the rope bridge. I'm not really a fan of bridges over water; small ones you have to walk over I'm alright with but the bigger the body of water and the higher up the bridge and if you have to drive over it I just don't do so well with. It makes me uneasy but that usually doesn't keep me from going across them. I just make myself go which is a good thing but this bridge on the way back I almost wished I didn't go across. It was probably a bit too windy for us to be on it because if you didn't grip both sides of the rope you might as well let yourself blow off into the sea. You never realize how powerful wind is until it has the ability to knock you flat on your bottom. I did look down at the teal sea crashing up against the rock below me it was a pretty sight to see. It's a small rope bridge that was originally built by fishermen to get to this large rock right along the coast where the salmon fishing was best. Not sure if I'd ever want to stand on that bridge and go fishing unless it was a calm day. It was a fun experience though I've always liked rope bridges. Even if they make me uneasy. I met a few ponies on the coastline there on the walk to the bridge. They were pretty wet but they were very happy being there. We piled back onto the bus and headed to the Giant's causeway while listening to our tour guide tell us about Belfast, his acting career, and listened to him sing some Irish songs. The Giant's Causeway was originally made from a lava river bed that dried up hence the octagon shaped rocks that make up the thing. Ireland is working on making it the 7th Wonder of the World or was it the 8th I forget now but one of the Wonders of the World. It was nice to see the sea again and climb around on the rocks-Emily came with me on this trip she kept thinking I was part mountain goat or something because she didn't get why I could climb them so well. I used to climb trees in my back yard so climbing rocks wasn't much different. It was fun and after walking back up the hill frozen, we ate in the cafe jumped back on the bus and headed to Londonderry for an hour or so. I wandered around saw a cool old cemetery, walked around the upper stone wall full of old cannons-no they didn't work anymore and probably for a good reason most were aimed at the segregated sides of the city would not have gone well if they worked. After that we got back on the bus for Belfast.

I'm sure you're wondering if I managed to make a total fool of myself at some point on one of these trips-I assure you I have on more than one occasion. For instance when our waitress asked us what we wanted to drink with our dinner I asked her if they had a Bud or Harp(Irish beer made by Guinness) and she's like Bud? What's Bud? Alas the Irish do not know the short hand of Budweiser. So I went with the Harp knowing I shouldn't attempt to explain that to her. No one says awesome thank you either around here so I got a weird look for it. I'm sure Emily wanted to kill me with her fork under the table. We weren't really dressed up for the restaraunt either but it was downstairs of our hotel which wasn't 5 star by any means more like 2 max so I didn't get the whole fancy restaraunt thing. Nothing says American like jeans and a sweatshirt with Mickey Mouse on it. Then when asked if I wanted dessert I said 'I'm game' and she stood there confused while Emily did one of those palm slaps to her head. Instead of feeling like an idiot I just laughed and told her yes. After that we went back to the room and crashed until the next day and the 7 hr bus ride back to Dublin where our bus broke down-that was the 3rd time a bus had broken down with me on it I really have something going for me on that one. We barely made our connection in Dublin for Galway-you learn to run and jump stairs pretty well in a heavy bag quickly if you want to make a bus. And after sitting in traffic from the soccer match-sorry football match, we finally made it back to Galway and ordered pizza. The pizza man couldn't find my apartment number so I had to go outside and find him.

So that my dears is the end of my Belfast trip. Here's some photo links for your enjoyment-If I look frozen in any photos there is a reason for it. Because I was frozen.

http://gallery.me.com/turtle017/100112

http://gallery.me.com/turtle017/100119

http://gallery.me.com/turtle017/100129

http://gallery.me.com/turtle017/100133

I'm all over it now....

Hi Everyone,

Well in celebration of Jamie Cullum's new cd The Pursuit I am writing my own little entry with the title I'm all over it now after one of his new songs. So this will be a list of things I'm over with now or at least have gone through that I'm either really glad I experienced or I'm just really glad it's over.

For those of you who have no flipping clue who Jamie Cullum is-he's not Irish so if you're thinking he's new to my knowledge you're wrong. Jamie Cullum came from the UK to the states back in 2005/2006 with his CD/album Twentysomething. He's a jazz performer and if I do say so myself a really talented one. His songs are amazing to hear and he's even more amazing live. And it takes talent to sound better than your CD. You want a prime example of someone who can't sound better than the recording? Britney Spears.

I went into town today it was pouring rain like the floods and I'm over it. I like rain but I don't like flooding but I'm over it. I can deal with it I plan on getting wet in some way shape or form and look like a wet dog when I get into a store. I never really cared if I didn't look like a perfect little doll walking in the door and I certainly do not fret over it now.

I wear multi colored knitted sweaters, hats and mittens and none of them really match the other and I'm over it. I'm in Ireland and if the girls can dress like it's 1980 with sequins, bright neon colors that never went together and wear leggings instead of pants I can wear a variety of colored wool. Do like the Irish sheep do because they had point with the wool coats-you stay warm and dry on the inside and wet on the outer. So in tribute to the spray painted bottom sheep that gave up their wool coats for me to wear I will wear my knitted things that don't really match with pride. Not that it really mattered how ridiculous I looked before I sooner go for comfort and convention over look. Something some of the Irish lasses here have yet to really understand.

Bad internet I'm not really over you. I'm all over you being anywhere near what I want and I'm all over you surprising me with being slow, dead, dying, and refusing to open webpages. Though I will be all over you once I'm home.

Drunken riots in Corrib-I'm all over it now and I hope it doesn't happen again while I'm here. Though rumor has it I have one last one to expect before I leave....but I'm ready for you with my stock of supplies to lock myself in and instead of leaving the fire extinguisher for you to steal I'll be using it as a defense. I'm sure you weren't expecting that.

Mould/Mold oh I'm all over it now like it's nobody's business. I have been at a standstill with fighting against it and I have now won I have conquered it and now plan on keeping it that way. And I haven't gotten sick from it either so I won't miss you when I'm gone.

Irish Rainbows-I'm all over it now I always have a camera to snap a photo of one and send it home. When I was off in Belfast by the Giant's Causeway and Carrick a-rede rope bridge I saw 9 rainbows in the matter of an hour and a half. I also saw my first continuous half circle rainbow instead of the usual line. They're all their own special thing and I love finding them on the river walk.

Euro currency-I'm all over it now I know how much I'm getting back and in what form and I know what all the coins look like and their worth so I'm not standing at the checkout turning over every single one trying to find that last 10 cent coin.

Painting-I'm all over it now I've painted with real paint two photos one which I'll never see again but one I'm bringing back to hang up on the wall. I can draw and I can paint and I plan on doing so when I get back home.

Carpet bags-I'm all over it now, I used to think Mary Poppins was the only one cool enough to have one and find one and now I have and I love that bag.

Irish pop music-I'm all over it now and I never care to hear it again because it's the worst of the 90s music and the worst of the 90s was really bad. I'm glad to be rid of it in return for some traditional music at Carnes pub and Michael Buble and Jamie Cullum.

Beer-I'm all over it now, I used to think it was the nastiest tasting thing on earth but you never know what true beer is like until you go to Ireland. I have tried many since I've been here tap and in a can and I can honestly say whatever rubbish all of you college kids buy back at home that is 'the best beer ever' can only be the best beer ever if you have consumed enough to knock you flat out. And I'm sorry that's not worth it. One really nice beer for the night is so much better than 20 nasty ones.

Irish hospitality-I don't think I'll ever get over Irish hospitality every time I leave Ireland for a trip and come back I'm greeted back with open arms. I have come and in the matter of a week been adopted as another child into a family, I've been offered to come stay for a weekend and see the sights in London, I've had my ring fixed even when it was considered a bit useless to bother because it meant that much to me, I've been told a hundred times over I should be Canadian but it's better I'm American because the Irish love you like a blood brother until the day you die and I've felt at home here and every time I leave and come back I feel like I'm home.

I'm all over the school work, I'm all over the classes, I'm all over the horrible library, I'm all over it now and even though I miss home in a few ways I'll never get over my Ireland experience because I've set down my root and I'm coming back. You can bet your little pony in the back yard that I'm coming back because I found the spot where I want a house and you can't talk me out of it.

But don't worry I am coming home for Christmas and finishing school like a good student. Because I want a white christmas and christmas cookies and be able to watch my ridiculous Christmas movies and dance to my Christmas music. Because I want to spend time with my family and friends because at least they understand my crazy Americanness though I have made a steady effort to fit in and I've done a pretty good job of it. Because I want to go back home and sit down with the Juice and say damn that was one hell of an adventure. (Pardon my cursing but I feel that is the best way to put it. And I don't want to hear that none of you have ever said those words......you all were 20 somethings or will be at one point. There's no way of getting around that and yes I'm talking to you Dad if you don't believe me go watch the home movie of you putting up wallpaper in my room back in '89.)

Oh and for the record I skipped my first class yesterday. Not for sickness or some appointment because I felt I needed 3 hours to finish a paper that's due in a month so I can go exploring on the weekend. So for those of you who are shocked and angry I will tell you this: the class was past the period of talking about the paper I'm not taking a final test so being there would be for the betterment of my learning which I would have done if I did not feel the need to go stake out a spot in the library that can't house half the student population during finals. And that paper is done. Think what you will for I'm off to London this weekend. I'll tell you about Belfast when I return from merry London.

And for those of you celebrating Thanksgiving have a fantastic Thanksgiving. The Irish think we're a bunch of idiots for celebrating such a holiday when Christmas is around the corner. Then again they think we're idiots for celebrating St. Patrick's day when the Irish annals have about 3 different dates for his death and 3 for his birth and the man wasn't even Irish. It's alright it means I can listen to Christmas music that much earlier :)

Paris

Hi Everyone

Ooh I'm sure you've been waiting on the edge of your seats for my Paris entry and wondering why the heck I haven't posted it yet. Well in all fairness now (geez I'm starting to sound like my Irish roommates) I've been finishing up with papers and working on my Russian homework and spending some quality time with my Irish roommates. That and the internet as usual is blah for the lack of a better word. Though on the weekends I can get more things done since the 'peak times' don't really have anyone on it other than the international students. And it makes it great for calling home since I can go uninterrupted at least for about 4-5 min instead of every 20 seconds.

Paris was a very tiring trip but it was well worth it. I was very excited to go even though I know no more French than do you speak english or hi how are you and this is great. And what French I did know from 8th grade has long since been expunged from my brain attic. I think I found myself on more than on occasion asking people things in Russian without really realizing it. Of course they stood there looking at me like I had lost my marbles until I realized what I was doing. Then I proceeded to ask directions via miming by pointing to things on a map if they didn't really know French. However a good number of people know enough English in France to give you a hand from time to time. Someone once told me it had something to do with the fact that America is a world power. I just figured since we sort of were war buddies back in the Revolution some still knew French via that. Though that's the historian in me. I'm not much for analyzing politics unless it's from more of a historical impact perspective. I just hate all the cattiness of it all these days. So I think I can be a bit proud that on a whim if I needed my Russian convo skills to ask for things I could survive in Russia. Yes I underestimated my capability of that, but cut me some slack Russian is my second language I do better at writing and reading than I do speaking I like having time to gather my thoughts. Though it was quite funny when I asked one man where the metro station was in Russian since Metro sounds the same he got what I was saying so he pointed to the sign for me. I felt like the robot from a Russian cartoon I watched asking people where the metro was.

I had not really been on a metro before Paris. Sure I went on the Metra into Chicago but only about twice and never just on my own it was usually with teachers or family so I never had to try and figure the thing out myself. Out in Hampshire IL there isn't any metro you have to go to a town about 30 min away to get a metro stop to take you into Chicago. So I've always had to drive myself everywhere. I did find the Paris metro to be very useful, my roommate and I used it quite frequently to get from the bus station to the heart of Paris and out into the country for Euro Disney. Yes I went to Disneyland Paris so sue me for indulging the child in me. I know it's a large cash cow but I grew up with Disney and it holds a special place in my heart and deserves to come out every so often. I had been to the Disney World in Florida before but this time I got to choose where I wanted to go and what to do. It was very exciting and I got to be Indiana Jones for the day, ride the tea cups, listen to Halloween music and see plays in French and English about the Disney villains and I got to meet the French Mary Poppins and Bert!

Besides that I also went to the Notre Dame-I figured what the 3rd time is the charm I can go through the doors of a sacred place before someone decides to shoot me down with fire and brimstone and all that jazz because I don't really go to church. Occasionally yes but I'm more of a spiritual person and do things in my own lax Methodist way. That and I was sort of waiting to get shot down since I'm not baptized. Do I really believe this? No but it's sort of a funny thing you think about as you walk through the door waiting to see if anyone figures it out. Makes it even more amusing when you walk past a monk or a bishop or priest and they don't know the difference. Now if I was around a generation or so earlier I would've been considered some hysteric woman who needed saving. So I survived just like Catholicism did after the Cromwell invasion in Ireland. Anywho, the Notre Dame is massive inside and out and if you ever thought that most Cathedrals were hideous or just boring this one isn't. If there isn't any neat marble statue staring at you or wood carvings from the early days of Christianity there is always the hand made mosaic stain glass windows. In a separate room off to the side is where all of the fancy gold relics are kept. I can't imagine how long someone had to work on such intricate designs of goblets or crosses or containers for the communion. And then there is also the stunning needlework of bishop robes no longer being used. The Church then definitely was up on their looks. I have realized that at this point in time I really should have learned Latin because it would have helped a great deal in understanding the mass that was going on. And read any of the signs posted around though I had deduced that they were telling me to be quiet since mass was going on. Old iron chandeliers hung from the ceiling but these didn't hold candles they were run by electricity. I'm sure the people sitting under it appreciated the fact that hot wax wasn't dripping on them burning them to the point they felt like yelling out for all to hear and echo within the chamber walls. The stone carvings above the front door were very lifelike and I wondered how someone managed to do all of that. I would need one of those calibrated machines with auto cad to get that type of precision if I ever had to carve that. It was interesting to hear some soft music playing in the background-it's sort of that music you'd hear if you were wanting more of an imposing religion effect to it. It's hard to describe but hopefully you'll get the point.

I also spent about 4-5 hours in the Louvre in one wing and I didn't even get through all of it. The museum there is so massive I think someone said if you spent 1-2 min at each thing it would take you over 4 years to get through the whole thing. I don't doubt it since in 4-5 hours I barely covered half of one wing and there was about 4-5 wings. The Roman sculptures were really interesting to see though most people were walking right up and man handling the poor things. If you even get within so many inches or feet of a object like that in say Chicago museums an alarm goes off. In Paris-no one really gives a rip, the security guards are usually sitting in chairs texting each other of who is the most touristy looking person in the room. Or how bored out of their minds they are at staring at the same statue for a few hours. I saw paintings that were bigger than my living room at home, I saw paintings by the masters and ones that are older than I really felt like counting and all sorts of silver from different time periods. I also saw a wing dedicated to the Egyptians and some Greek things but they were re doing the Greek wing so I had to stuff my face between some bars to see inside.

We then went wandering the streets into the Latin Quarter and explored some shops and past vendors on the street, ate really good fresh pizza and went wandering some more until we ended back at the hotel and rested a bit until dinner at a cafe next door. The next day we went to Disney and on Sunday before we left we went to the Arch and the Eiffel Tower-but couldn't go up the lines were too long. After wandering around in a green park we then headed to the bus station got on the bus to the airport and landed in Shannon in time for the last bus to Galway.

Did I learn any French? Not really. I can say hello really well and thank you and ask how someone is in a good French accent but otherwise forget it because I ended up getting a massive pat down in airport security with an airport with 4 gates in Paris since security was talking too fast for me to understand or attempt to hear what he was saying. Then he dropped my Garda Immigration card into the scanner machine and I thought I lost it and freaked because that was my ticket back into Ireland without it I was going to get deported or have to spend over 300 euro for a new one. One of the security women came over and gave it to me I thanked her and she apologized for it getting dropped into the side of the machine. Note to self don't ever go somewhere without knowing more than hello in the language or if they speak English. Good lord I felt like a stupid touristy American. Probably didn't help I was carrying around a pet golfball. Did I care much? Not really I just was thinking to myself at least I realize how much of a crazy American I look like and stood there laughing out loud at myself while trying to sound out the name of a stop on the metro map.

I was glad when I got back to Shannon if only because as much of an American I am they still accept me as one of their own. In Paris I was one of the subjects of the security's lunch break. Overall I enjoyed it though I wouldn't really care to live in Paris-I can't walk in high heels and a mini skirt and a fur coat and pull off looking really amazing. I'm not that into fashion though it is a puzzling thing how someone thinks one thing is going to be the best outfit ever. Sure I try to not look like it's clash day but I really don't see how anyone can afford a 300 euro skirt. On the other hand the city was very pretty and it was nice to wander around see the sights eat the food and drink the wine though it's very dry for my taste. I think it's one of those acquired tastes like vegetables some you'd never touch as a kid but as an adult they're really good.

So that's my Paris trip and below are some photo links-some of the uploads were one or two photos so there is a few links since that's all the internet could handle. Sorry. Soon I will post up something on my next adventure. For now I'm going to bed.

http://gallery.me.com/turtle017/100055

http://gallery.me.com/turtle017/100072

http://gallery.me.com/turtle017/100062

http://gallery.me.com/turtle017/100078

http://gallery.me.com/turtle017/100076

http://gallery.me.com/turtle017/100135