24 July 2010
Im done, but not yet.
20 July 2010
Two Nights out
Class the past two days has been pretty good. We’ve been talking about trafficking, which is an area that Im interested in working it, so its been nice to shift from domestic DV to a more global discussion.
After class yesterday, I headed to town to pick up a ticket for Kimberly for the show we were going to and hit the grocery store. While I was killing some time, I did some gift shopping and got rid of some of the pounds I had left over from my trip to the North this past weekend. I had a chat with the shopkeeper for a bit. It was really amusing to hear his thoughts on Italian students (Alas, the annoying Italians saga continues) Apparently, they are known for epic shoplifting and generally being rude. As much as I hate stereotypes, I have yet to meet and Italian student to prove contrary to these views.
When I got back from my shopping trip, I had lunch and then hit the gym for a bit.
Then, it was time to get ready for what I deemed my “splurge night out.” My roommates, Kristen and I all had a really nice dinner at McSwiggens in town and then we had tickets to see Adrian Crowley who was playing as part of the Galway Arts Festival.
Dinner was awesome. It was more than I would usually spend on a dinner out, but it was well worth it and I went all out- dinner, drinks and dessert (something thats quite rare for me to do- which is going to continue to be so, because I ate way too much and was hating myself later because there was a lot of sugar in the pie I had making me feel a little sick)
After we finished dinner we headed to the Roisin Dubh for the concert. The venue was kind of cool- it was a room in the back of the bar with a stage. My main complains were that there wasn't much room to move around (issue when you are trying to get to the bathroom/get drinks) and the stools we sat on were not the most comfortable.- But we were RIGHT in from of the stage.
The “opening” act was Anna Scott. I actually really liked her- her voice was awesome. (I wanted to grab one of her cds but I didn't see where they were selling them :[ ) Then Adrian Crowley came on. I’ve never heard his music, so I didn’t really know what to expect, but it defiantly wasn't the kind of music I would expect for a bar scene. (At a few points I looked over at my roommates and they were cracking up, so I couldn't help but laugh as well- being close to the stage though, I attempted to control myself as much as possible) It started out a little too “artsy” for my taste, but then as the night went on and he added instruments, the music was a little better. (The Cello was AWESOME)
When the concert finished, Kristen and I grabbed a taxi back to the apartments and the others stopped into another bar that was playing music.
After I got back, I worked on reading for class and got ready for bed. Carlo stopped by to return my charger which he had borrowed earlier and we made plans to go to a play on campus.
After class today I hit the gym and then headed back to the apartment. I had originally planned to get some laundry done, but I ran out of time, so I just did some work and hung out. I ended up baking some Orange Cranberry bread- it didn't bake right- so it looks a little funny, but its tastes good. (And thats what matters right?)
At 530 I headed towards campus to meet up with Carlo for the play. Unfortunately they were sold out (and we found out it was 3x more than we originally thought) so we stopped at the computer lab so he could finish up some work and then we walked to town.
There was a group playing music on shop street so we stopped and listened for a bit. It was actually really good :D The band took a break when, in proper Galway form, it started raining. We kept walking and eventually stopped in a shop to grab some ice cream and get out of the rain. (I tried the honeycomb- it was super tasty.)
After we finished our ice cream, we continued our walk and eventually made our way to a Turkish place and grabbed some burgers. (Which were tasty as well) We kind of hung out and ate until a group walked in with a girl that was drunk and perpetuating certain stereotypes about American’s- specifically Californians. Mind you, it was hilarious- so that was pretty much our entertainment for the night. We talked a bit with some of the others in the group- there were two girls from Vancouver as well.
When the group left and we were finished eating, we walked back to campus (in the rain- I like the rain, so this wasn't much of an issue for me- just enjoying more Irish weather :P). I kind of bit it on the walk back and ended up with mud all over my jeans. (I know- Im so graceful) Also, my poor TOMS were completely soaked.
When we got back I spent the rest of the evening just hanging out. (After I grabbed some dry clothes)
19 July 2010
General Disclaimer and some thoughts
Ok... so, before I continue, I guess my blog needs a few disclaimers. I didn’t think it was necessary, but apparently it is. Im also including some other thoughts.
In case anyone missed the memo: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blog
- I write my opinions, thoughts, observations and experiences. I don't purport myself to be unbiased. I long ago accepted the fact that Im a bitch. I don't pretend to be something which I am not.
- I don’t and will not apologize for who I am, my thoughts, views, beliefs, ect. If you have issue with this, find someone who cares, because I don’t. I stand strong by who I am and what I believe it. There are a select few people who have EARNED the right to call me on my shit.
- There is something to be said about water and bridges. It may be beneficial to put it into practice in one’s life.
- Dont think that I OWE you anything, when you haven't bothered to even afford me basic common courtesies over these weeks.
- I have removed names from my blog upon request, but I will not amend my thoughts or the general content. This blog was created for my friends and family- thusly I have been very generous with descriptions of events and my views on people. I could have included a lot more and been MUCH more descriptive, but I didn't see the need to share much of the shit show that has taken place here with my family. -And just because I haven't been more inclusive of my views/experience, doesn’t mean I wont feel inclined to do so in the future.
- On that note, I really don't get a rats ass who reads my blog. Read it or don’t, like it or not, Im not writing for you anyway. BUT don't complain when you’ve been sharing the link with people without my knowledge or consent and discover I’ve made commentary about your unbecoming actions. Its called KARMA.
- If you take issue with people commenting on your actions, you may want to reconsider the profession you are pursuing. This program is not a vacation, but a professional educational experience. Lawyers are under constant watch for missteps, character flaws, ect. so tailor your conduct accordingly.
- I learned a long time ago to take responsibility for myself and my actions and to build genuine relationships. Its become apparent that this is not a universal life lesson. Feel free to build your relationships on shaky grounds. Eventually, they will fracture and fall, because nothing stays secret forever. People will find things out. And no matter how many people you point your finger at, come the end of the day, you better have a mirror, because the only person you have to blame is the one staring back at you when the shit you’ve been putting out there hits the fan.
- Finally, I don't have much sympathy for your back wounds when you’ve put the knives in the hands of the people who have discovered who you really are. Sometimes you wont get stabbed in the back if you don't give people the means to do so.
: a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer; also : the contents of such a site
— blog·ger noun
— blog·ging noun
18 July 2010
Black Taxi's in Belfast and concluding my trip to the North
This morning the 6 day tour left and us three-dayers stayed in Belfast. At 930 I went on a Black Taxi tour around Belfast. Our driver took us to both the Protestant and the Catholic side of Belfast and showed us various places where different events took place. We also stopped at the Peace Wall (which is kind of ironic because its not very peaceful at all- over a hundred people have died on either side of the wall in a relatively close proximity) The Peace Wall is something a kin the to wall in Berlin. (Visitors leave messages on the wall- our driver gave us a marker, so I left a message as well)- The major difference between the Berlin Wall and the Peace Wall is that people are afraid/don't want the wall to come down. Despite the peace agreements they want to remain separated. We also saw various murals on either side of the divide. Our guide also talk us about the history of the conflict, current issues and various other bits of information. Despite the “peace agreement” it is interesting (and sad) to hear about some of the things still taking place. Also, the fact that they are people who want to reconcile, but groups on either side are something mafia-esque which makes people fear being seen as sympathetic to the other side. (Our driver told us that currently Protestants aren’t really killing catholics and vice versa, its now Protestants killing Protestants and Catholics killing Catholics)
After our tour finished, our driver dropped us back at the hostel. I had about an hour and a half before the Paddywagon Bus would be around to pick us up. I decided to have a bit of a walk in search of a restaurant that was open. (Being Sunday and only 11am, it was going to be a bit of work) I ended up finding a place called Spuds. I had peppered chicken over chips. It looked disgusting, but was super tasty.
After lunch I headed back to the hostel to hang out for a bit and wait for my next tour.
What I thought would be a tour of the city really wasn't. our driver took us to the Titanic Quarter and we had about a half an hour to wander around and check out the place where the Titanic first sailed from. (It was built in Belfast for those of you who don't know.)
Then, our driver dropped us off by City Hall and we had an hour to wander the city. I decided to hit Victoria Square, which is a huge shopping complex that has a bog glass dome which you can take an elevator to the top and see the city. Cheap thrills, I took a ride up and checked it out despite the clouds from all the rain. The view of what I could see what quite nice.
I then just wandered a bit. There was a craft show in the mall and I ended up buying a piece of art. Its a cartoon little girl hugging a cupcake. It was only £20 and I thought it was super cute. (plus I like supporting local artists)
Continuing my wandering, I went in search of this old school candy shop, but to no avail. It wasn't where the brochure said it was... bummer.. I kind of was craving something sweet. Thus, I ran across the street to Cafe Nero and grabbed a carmel latte and a muffin. I had a bit of a chat with the barista. He was super friendly :D
I then power walked back to the meeting point to get in the van and head back to Dublin.
We actually got back to the city WAY early, but unfortunately I missed the 5pm bus by a few minutes and the next bus from the city wasn't until 645 (but still better than waiting around until 8)
I chilled in the hostel trying to figure out if there was another bus service that I could take back to Galway, but they were either booked or too expensive.
At about quarter to 6 I decided to walk towards where the bus stop was and try to find something to eat. When I got there, to my relief, there was a bus, so I was able to leave another hour earlier :D Not only that, it was the express bus back to Galway, so it was 30 minutes faster than the usual bus.
When I got on board I asked if I could use the ticket that I had booked for the later bus or if Id have to buy another one. (I didn't really mind buying another because the later one I had booked using an online special for only a euro so no real loss there) The driver asked if it would make me happy if I could use my ticket to which I replied yeah. He then said, well if it’ll make you happy, you can use the ticket you already have. SCORE!
On the bus I worked on reading for class. When I was putting my laptop away at one point I noticed the corner is bent. When the tour guide was loading my backpack on the bus he must have smashed my bag somehow, damaging my laptop. (It would have had to be pretty hard too, because I have a hard shell on my laptop which is supposed to protect it from damage) So, needless to say, Im pretty pissed, because its not something covered by my warranty so Im going to have to pay to have it fixed when Im back in the states. >.<>
When I got back into Galway, I hit a Centra, which is a sort of convenience store but bigger (not quite the size of a grocery store though) and grabbed some soup and a bagel for dinner. I then grabbed a cab back to the apartment because my legs are super sore from all the epic walking I did yesterday. It was actually cool, because I ended up talking with the driver about my trip, my stay in Galway, ect.
Back at the apartment, I had dinner, unpacked my stuff, talked a bit with my flatmates, had a normal hot shower (anyone who has ever stayed in a hostel knows what I mean by this) and worked on reading for class.
17 July 2010
Irish Coffee, loads of Irish Weather, bridge crossing and a jog along the Causeway
This morning I packed up my stuff and waited downstairs in the hostel for a bit for the tour to start. I surfed the net, posted yesterdays blog and finished uploading the pictures that I had taken.
At about 830 we all piled onto the bus and were off (with the exception of having to run back to the B&B and hostel for forgotten things, but after That we were off) Our first stop this morning was a quick photo stop to take a picture of Dunluce Castle. Apparently its the most photographed castle in Ireland. It was windy and rainy so I just jumped off the bus for a few quick shots and then I was back in my seat.
Next we headed towards Carrick-A-Rede and Larrybane. On the way there Eric pointed out “Irelands Mt. Rushmore” There is one spot in the side of the cliffs that looks like a face- it was actually pretty cool. From there we stopped for pictures to try to kill some time before heading to the rope-bridge. (Eric was waiting for some of the rain to blow over a bit so we wouldn't be walking out to the bridge in the rain)
The rain finally stopped and we headed to the parking lot by the bridge. I bought a ticket to cross the bridge and then started my 1km walk out to it. (You don't have to buy a ticket to walk out to it, but you have to have one to cross the bridge onto the little island. Its a bit steep at £5, but I got one for the hell of it, Im here so I might as well cross the damn bridge) The walk out to the bridge is very scenic along the cliffs. However, I kind of though it might be a flat walk, but I was sorely mistaken. It ended up being quite the hike with inclines and rock steps both up and down. It also started raining again when I reached the bridge.
I gave the guy my ticket and began to cross. Despite the height (and the hype) the bridge isn't too bad. Its super safe and the view is actually pretty cool. I did have a bit of a jolt because I was only using one hand to hold on so I could take some pictures as I crossed, but when I reached the middle the wind started blowing a bit and the bridge swayed a little more than I had anticipated. Its a short bridge though, so I made it to the other side without issue.
Once on the other side, I made my way over a rocky path and kind of checked out the view from the little island. It was amazing. Had I had the time I could have taken a seat and just enjoyed the atmosphere for a bit. When I looked down into the water there was a dolphin or shark with its baby swimming around. The water was crystal clear. Despite the rain, it was quite enjoyable.
I then started making my way back to the bus. When I was crossing the bridge in the other direction I met two girls from Norway when I asked them to take a picture of me. We chatted on the walk back, which was kind of cool.
After we all loaded back onto the bus, Eric took us to a little gift shop to kill some more time. I was hoping it’d be a little more original than it was but I was pretty disappointed with the generic tourist stuff.
After that we headed to a pub in town for lunch. I FINALLY had an Irish Coffee. Though I must say, it would have been a lot more enjoyable if the coffee they had used wasn't so bad. It was super strong and super bitter in a bad way. Ill have to have a redo when I get back to Galway. I had chicken strips for lunch which were quite tasty.
I sat with Denise, Melinda and another Aussie (who I keep talking to but for the life of me I cant remember her name). During lunch we talked about a bunch of different things. It was a good time.
After our time for lunch finished we then headed towards Giant’s Causeway. The Causeway is one of two world heritage sites in Ireland (the other being the Cliffs of Moher). We were only given an hour and a half to walk around, so I had a pretty quick hike to see the entire trail. I went past the rocks of the causeway itself and saw other things along the path. Much like the path to the rope bridge, it wasn't a flat hike whatsoever. I can officially say that one need not get a gym membership, all they have to do is tour Ireland. My calves were killing me from hiking up and down steep hills and then 162 really steep rock steps.
Although Carlo told me that the Causeway was anti climatic, I found the entire site beautiful. I could have done with fewer tourists, but I enjoyed the views and the hike despite being pressed for time and having to exert more energy than a usual leisurely walk. I really wished I had a lot more time to really enjoy the site and maybe have a set on the rocks and soak up the atmosphere.
Following my quick jog around the coast line path at Giant Causeway, I got back on the bus and we headed for Belfast. On the way Eric gave us a bit more history of the troubles and the City of Belfast. When we arrived, we checked into out hostel. THe 6 dayers then went on to do their black taxi tour and I was free fro the rest of the evening. Ill be taking my tour in the morning. After I checked my email, ect, I decided to explore the city for a bit. I went for a walk for a few hours. On the way I saw City Hall (Which is amazing), I went over to the river, and walked by the court house. Belfast is a beautiful city- the architecture of some of the buildings is amazing. I really enjoyed just having a wander around. (I wish I had more time to just roam the streets. Hopefully during my two tours tomorrow Ill see a lot more) I then swung by the Crown Bar which apparently is a tourist destination. It was pretty full so I decided not to have dinner there. I then walked back towards the hostel and stopped in at the Globe Bar which Eric said had cheap food. Unfortunately, they stop serving food at 6, so I had a pint of Harp (which is made in Belfast) and went on my way. I stopped into a takeaway place and got a kebab to take back to the hostel with me. The kebab wasn't that great, (pretty bad actually) but after a pint it was much needed sustenance.
Im spending the rest of the evening just chilling out in the hostel. Im currently attempting to upload my pics with the connection downstairs. Later Ill probably have a shower and work on my reading for monday’s class.
16 July 2010
Day 1 in the Paddywagon
Today I started my tour to Northern Ireland (Im traveling with Paddywagon Tours) I woke up early to wait for my tour to begin. There were a bunch of people packed into reception. Apparently there was a bunch of tours leaving today from Dublin. I sat on the couch and waited patiently as the other impatient people kept bothering the poor guy at the desk.
My tour was supposed to leave at 8, but our guide was caught in traffic and came late. Then he had to get some logistics figured out to make sure everyone was in the proper place and we had everyone that we were supposed to. (There are three tours that were together for the first part of the journey, a 6 day all ireland, my 3 day northern, and a two day) (And for the record, epic clusterfuck...just sayin’)
After everything was sorted and we found everyone that was supposed to, the tour was on its way. Our guide gave us a bit of a tour around Dublin before heading out. It was kind of cool because he took us to Phoenix park, which I’ve never seen. (OMG Reindeer!) So I saw the house of the President and the American Ambassador. He also gave us some bits of history and culture which were quite nice.
Our guide, Eric, is hilarious. His sense of humor may offend some, but its quite Irish (Copious use of the “f” word). I think he’s friggen brilliant really. He’s originally from Dublin and told us a bit about accents as well. Eric provided us commentary randomly throughout our trip.
Today our tour was headed for Derry (or Londonderry).
During our rest stop, I grabbed a bite to eat at BK (breaking my rule of not eating at American fast food stops, but I didn't have a choice- well I could have not eaten) I wasn’t sure what time wed be having lunch, so I ate when I had the chance. During our stop, I started chatting with a woman named Miranda from Holland and another woman named Denise from Australia.
On our way we stopped for a quick photo at a castle and at a monastic site to check out the grave yard and a round tower. (Round towers were used by monks to keep their valuables) In the grave yard were some massive Celtic crosses (I think the guide said some of the largest in existence- one weighs several tons)
During our stop at the monastic site, Eric had everyone in the van/bus introduced themselves. There are about 30 people on the trip together today. Shit ton of Aussies, some Germans, French, Spaniards, ect from the continent. Im pretty much the only American, with the exception of a Chinese couple from Florida (transplants)
Then we headed to Drogheda for lunch. We were given an hour to wander and find food. Drogheda is home to the Catholic Cathedral which has Oliver Plunkett’s head (per usual, interesting story, but I’ve been drinking and Im lazy, so you can google it) After I saw the head, which is less gruesome than it sounds, I wandered down the street in search of a place to eat.
I ended up finding a cafe called The Copper Kettle. I wasn't super hungry because I had eaten at the rest stop, but I had a bowl of vegetable soup with brown bread and a cup of tea. I got a huge bowl of soup for pretty cheap and it was super tasty, so I was stoked.
After I finished my lunch and paid, I had a bit of time left to explore. As I was walking back down the street to head back in the direction I had come, I noticed a brick structure in the other direction. I had time, so I decided to go check it out. I couldn't really tell what exactly it was but my tour guide later told me it was probably part of the old city wall. (At one point, most of the cities were surrounded by walls, most have all been either partially or entirely destroyed. The only full one left standing is in Derry)
After we finished our stop in Drogheda we continued our trek to Derry. While in the bus/van I took a bit of a nap. (No matter when I travel, I seem to always be sleepy when I do) Our drive was straight through to Derry. (we didn't make anymore stops) It took a few hours to get there and on the way, we had an anticlimactic boarder crossing. There are no sort of formal crossings or anything. Much like crossing the state line in the US, you just keep driving and you’re there. There’s free movement across the boarder so you don’t need a passport or anything.
When we finally arrived in Derry (or Londonderry) we were dropped at the tourist office to check it out, run across the street for coffee, ect for about an hour before our walking tour guide would arrive.
I went into the tourist office and had a look around. I asked about where to find the closest ATM because NI is on the pound, so I needed to get some cash for the weekend.
Miranda and I walked across the street to the mall to hit the ATM and grab some coffee. We chatted a bit more while we were there. We then headed back to buy a few things from the tourist office and wait for our tour guide.
Our tour around Derry was really interesting. Unfortunately we didn't go to the statute that I kind of wanted to see and it was difficult to stop and take pictures of some things, but I really enjoyed our tour guide. He’s actually from the catholic part of Derry. At the end of the tour he told us about growing up in the occupied city and various situations with the british soldiers. It was kind of shocking the things that happened during the occupation. (Also, it was really interesting that his view was that it was misclassified as a catholic/protestant conflict and it was more of a loyalist/nationalist conflict having nothing really to do with religion, it was blow out of proportion by politicians and the news media as young people don't really even go to church or consider themselves religious)
I did get to see and take some pictures of the murals in “free” Derry that I wanted to see, so I was happy about that.
After the tour we walked to our hostel and got situated. There was a cookout at 730 so before then I ran to Tesco to grab something to drink while I hung out. (PS Derry is super cheap- partially as a consequence of the troubles, which is sad, but I wasn't complaining about paying 3 pound for a four pack of strongbow)
When I got back, I checked my email for a bit and then headed out back to hang out with the group. Unfortunately, the only option to eat for the cookout was burgers. Usually, this wouldn't be a problem- I would just eat the salad (which was the only side option besides chips) but I had planned on going to the pub, so I wasn't about to drink on a practically empty stomach, so, after 5 years of not eating beef- I had a cheeseburger- which Im sure Ill be sick as hell tomorrow, but whatever.
It was a lot of fun just hanging out with the group and talking. Unfortunately, we were outside and the Irish weather decided to grace us with its presence. There was a tarp over the grilling and garden area, but the shed roof started to leak after a while and the tarp, well, does what tarps do after its been raining for a while.
Feeling kind of tired, and mindful of the early morning, I decided to skip out on the trip to the pub to listen to music. (the music wasn't starting until 11) Plus, I wasn't really in the mood to be walking in the rain, especially because I already have blisters on the back of my feet from my new shoes.
I headed upstairs to my room, grabbed a shower and surfed the net a bit before bed. My room wasn't the most spacious place for 6 people, but it worked.
15 July 2010
Certified Irish Whiskey Taster
Today when I woke up, I packed my clothes in my bag before heading off to class.
This was out last day with Justice McGregor as our professor. Her lecture today was actually pretty interesting. She talked about various approaches to combating the issue of domestic violence.
While on break, I actually started chatting with the woman who is going to be our prof for the remainder of the session while I was in line grabbing a latte. She wrote a few of the articles we are reading for class next week so I asked if her specality was international women’s issues. Turns out, her focus is on women asylum seekers specifically. (Friggen perfect!) I told her that I was interesting in working with international women’s issues, specifically asylum seekers fleeing gender based violence. Apparently she overheard some of the questions that I asked the guest speaker the other day, so we talked about that a bit. (I guess they were good questions) She told me that she would be willing to meet with me next week to discuss different orgs. I might be able to work for, ect. Im super excited. :D
After class I walked to town, grabbed a sandwich and then headed towards the bus station. I popped into the tourist center to get a map of dublin and ask about Galway city tours, because I want to take one before I leave. Then I hit the station and got on my 3 1/4 hour bus ride to Dublin. On the way I had a bit of a nap, finished reading one of my articles for class next week and watched some of the scenery out the window.
When I arrived in Dublin, I headed towards the LAUS Red line and took the train west to hit the Harley Davidson shop. For those of you who dont know- every foreign city I visit that has a harley shop that I can reasonably get to, I hit to get a shirt and various other things for my Dad. After a 20 or so minute ride in the packed train car, I finally arrived at my stop. Luckily, I had been looking out the window and spotted one of the landmarks listed on the directions to the shop, or I would have walked in the other direction. About a ten minute walk in the rain and epic wind, I finally found the shop. I popped in and grabbed the things on my list.
I started walking back to the train, and realized half way that I had forgotten to ask for a VAT reciept. For a few steps I debated if I wanted to go back or not (I was trying to hurry back into town so I could catch a Jameson tour before they closed) I decided that I should head back and get the receipt. A short while later, I was on my way.
I jumped on a train, which was thankfully empty and I was able to have a seat. I made my way back to the city and had a short walk from the train stop to the Old Jameson Distillery just in time to catch the last tour at 530. I had a few minutes in the gift shop and I had a serious debate with myself about buying a bottle of one of their special whiskies. I was good, and didn't, but I did pick up a gift pack to split for my brothers.
The tour was pretty cool. We learned the story of John Jameson and how the whiskey is made as well as some other bits of history. When the tour started, the guide asked for volunteers for a tasting. I volunteered because nobody was really jumping at the chance. I got a cardboard tube and was told to hang onto it. At the end of the tour everyone got a free glass of Jameson and all the volunteers were sat don at a table with a bunch of place settings. The tasting was- we tried Jameson, Johnny Walker and Jack Daniels to see the difference between the different types of whiskey. It was actually kind of cool. When we finished we got a certificate making us certified tasters. (This is what the cardboard tube was for- to roll up the certificate and put it in it)
When I finished at the Jameson Distillery I headed for my hostel so I could check in and ditch my epically packed backpack along with the other two bags I had accumulated. Checking in was a bit of an interesting situation. After I had gotten my key, I went to the room I had been assigned and all of the beds were taken, looked like the had been slept in or had stuff on them. I went back to reception and explained the dilemma and the desk guy was a little annoyed (not with me, but the other people in the room) and assigned me a new room. It ended up working out for me, because the new room actually looks nicer and has more space. Plus its not completely booked, so fewer people will be in and out throughout the night.
After I dropped off my bags, I headed out in search of lotion for my tattoo, a towel because one wasn't included with my room (and I wasn't going to pay to rent one, if Im going to need one all weekend, its cheaper to buy one and ditch it sunday) and dinner. As I walked towards center city I found a 2 euro store and bought a towel there. Then I just started wandering a bit. As I was looking for a boots, I saw a clarks store with a huge sale sign in the window- up to 70% off. I’ve been really good to this point about not purchasing shoes, but I gave in a bought a pair of sporty flats. (I LOVE european shoes, they are super cute and super comfy) I partially justified it with the fact that my TOMS have nearly met their end, and with my new tattoo I cant wear my strappy sandals. (I only brought 3 pairs of shoes here and I’m not a fan of wearing my tennis shoes) I was really good in that I saw some really cute business shoes super cheap as well, but I resisted buying them. - It wouldn't have been a good idea anyway seeing as I have a three day tour ahead of me and I don't need the extra baggage.
I left Clarks and went in search of Boots. I happened to remember where one was from my last trip to Dublin, so I located it and got the lotion that I needed. Because I bought shoes, I decided I would have a cheap dinner. I was going to hit a pub and have a decent meal and a drink, but I hit Supermacs in the interest of eating cheaply. (Supermacs is a fast food chain) I ended up getting a really good chicken sub from a separate counter inside the same building, it was fairly large and came with a drink for only €4. Score. It was pretty tasty too. I ate on the second floor on one of the windo stools and watched the people outside walking by as I ate. When I finished I headed back to my hostel to call it a night. There wasnt much I wanted to do in Dublin, plus I wanted to rest up because I have a big weekend ahead of me.
When I got back, I locked myself out of my room when I was headed to take a shower. The guy at reception was really cool about it and gave me a new key and once I got in I returned the old one.
Im not just chilling out in my room. I rearranged all of my bags to downsize for the trip, so now Im set and everything is compact. I got the pass code for the internet but I cant seem to get it to work, so I cant upload or post anything this evening. I do have my assignment page already open so I may do some reading before conking out.
14 July 2010
Getting some Irish Ink
I ended up in bed pretty late last night (erm....rather... this morning). I stayed up to join in on the Amnesty Meeting (which unfortunately, die to tech errors, I ultimate was unable to take part in). While I was waiting, Carlo called and we had a good talk about law school and our plans for this weekend. (Im going to Northern Ireland and he’s going to Scotland- so I gave him some suggestions of things to see while he’s there) After my failed google chat meeting, I hung out with my roommates and we talked a bit about a conflict thats currently taking place with some other students in the program.... I wont go into detail, but its friggen creepy.After a while, I decided I really needed to get to bed because I really didn't sleep Monday night.
I really didn't want to get out of bed when my alarm went off.... but I forced myself to.
We had presentations in class, so it wasn't all that exciting.
After class, I headed home and had lunch and just hung out for a while. My roommates and I went out to eat after Kimberly finished her class because Colleen had to take her laptop in to be worked on. We ended up eating at McSwiggens, which we’ve heard from various townspeople that its a really good place to get food. (Because I had already eaten lunch, I was a fat kid and had a coffee and desert.) Let me just say, Banoffi Pie is AMAZING.
After we finished eating, we headed towards Dunnes because the others needed to do some shopping. I ended up cutting out to head to my tattoo appointment. I was there a bit early because I was dodging the rain outside. Unfortunately, I didn't take my umbrella out of my school bag when I left the apartment this afternoon, and in proper irish fashion, it started raining. (And there was thunder- for the first time since Ive been here)
I hung out in reception for a bit and chatted with some of the tattooers and flipped through some of the magazines on the table while I waited for Joe. A little after 230, her set his room up and we went to it. Surprisingly, I thought it was going to hurt a lot worse that it actually did. It wasn't bad at all, so I was pretty chill while Joe did his thing. We chatted a bit about school, some of my other tattoos, my adventures around Ireland. After almost two hours, we were finally done. Im super stoked with it- it looks really cool. Rather than me describing it- see the pic above.
I then headed back to the apartment via the shuttle- perfect timing- I hit it just in time. This was really good because the sandals I decided to wear to my appointment were kind of rubbing on my tattoo, so I really didn't want to walk a few miles with my shoes rubbing my fresh tat.
As soon as I got back, I headed to do my laundry. I cant really put it off because Im leaving for Dublin straight after class and I need clothes to wear this weekend. While at the laundry, much to my dismay, I had to sit with a group of really annoying youngsters. -Youngster being fairly relative.(They may have been in college, but they were pretty high school) I sat amused as they got directions on how to wash clothes.... I never cease to be amazed by the people who have reached this point in their life and don't know how to do laundry... WTF?
After I finished my laundry and headed back to the apartment, I put my clothes away and made dinner.
Ill be spending the evening just vegging out and packing for my trip.
Im headed to Dublin tomorrow after class and Ill be touring Northern Ireland this weekend.
13 July 2010
Finishing my paper and making plans for ink
Yesterday I woke up bright and early to finish preparing my presentation and writing my memo for class. I was kind of a shit show and I didn't feel well, but I got it done.
After class I passed out for a few hours- still wasn't feeling all that great.
Then I began the epic-ness that is involved in my writing papers. I had my term paper for ethics due at 6pm today so at some point, I had to actually start writing the thing. I had a lot of research and notes from the past few weeks of my preparation for it, I just had to get down to business.
As anyone who knows me already can guess... most of my evening involved a significant amount of procrastination and ADD. I didn't finish the paper as I had hoped last night, but I made a dent in it.
I spent part of the evening hanging out with Colleen in the common room. I worked on my paper a bit while I watched tv. For the most part it was background noise, but I did watch an episode of Jessica Simpson’s show, The Price of Beauty. I’m going to start watching it when I get back to the states because it was really good. The concept for the show is fantastic.
In class this morning we had a guest speaker talking about domestic violence and other women's issues in Ireland. It was by far my favorite class yet. It was really interesting and I stayed after class to talk to her about various issues I am interested in.
After class I had some lunch and went back to the grind of working on my paper. Its what I spent most of my day on.
I finally finished and submitted it shortly after 5. I then decided, having been locked in my room the past two days working on this paper, I was going to head into town and talk to the tattoo guy because I never heard back from him.
I hit the six pm shuttle to town and hit the Inkfingers shop off of Shop Street. When I got there I talked to Joe. It turns out he forgot about me, which is why he never called, but we made plans to do up the design and Im going to get my new tattoo tomorrow. Im really excited. :D (And while your sitting there thinking to yourself “this girl needs to lay off the ink” let me just say that my collection of body art is a much better investment than my peers who spend their money on copious amounts of booze, drugs and cigarettes. Call me in 30 years with pictures of their lungs and livers and Ill wager that my tats are a much better sight to look at- so step off Im a piece of art!)
After I finished making plans with Joe, I walked back to Corrib Village in the drizzle. It was good to get a bit of fresh air.
My roommates are out pub-hopping to celebrate officially being done with their papers, so Im chilling in the flat with my music cranked, my pjs on and surfing the net.
I have a conference call for Amnesty at 1am my time, so I might have myself a nap before then.
11 July 2010
Link to my photos
Then I spent an hour or so walking around a field, taking pictures of rocks....
This morning I woke up, packed my things and headed out of my hostel to catch an early bus to Sligo so I could spend part of the day exploring there. I took the same route back into town that I took last night, the path along the water, rather then walking along side the road. At 730 am, Im sure the few cars that passed me thought I was a bit mad.
I popped into a convenience store and bought a muffin and a coffee to eat while I waited for my bus in the square by the Obelisk in the center of town. Officially, the worst muffin I’ve eaten to date.
After a bit of a wait, the bus arrived. The driver let me on and had me “watch the bus” while he ran inside a sore and grabbed a coffee for himself. I was the only person on the entire bus. On the ride we chatted a bit about the country and his family. He told me about his trip to the states last year and pointed out different things as we drive. The ride was quite enjoyable and it was a lot of fun talking with the driver on the ride.
When I arrived in Sligo I headed for the tourist office to make sure that Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery was open because I didn't want to pay to take a taxi out only to find it closed on Sunday, plus it wasn't quite ten yet, so I wanted to kill some time.
When I arrived at the tourist office, I had a few minutes before they were open, but I unfortunately was kept waiting a bit longer because the worker with the keys to the shop didn't arrive until quarter after. After I got inside, I took a look at a few things, grabbed a brochure for a self guided tour of the city and inquired about Carrowmore. Because there is no bus that runs on Sunday, I had the girl at the counter call a taxi for me because I wanted to save time and spare myself the hike out. Mind you, it cost me quite a bit to take the taxi round trip, but Carrowmore was something I wanted to see. (Im making up for it by forgoing all the nights out at the pub)
At Carrowmore, I paid the euro student entrance fee and left my bag at the desk. I took a look around at the information in the small center and then began wandering the field. Yes, I spent over an hour, wandering around a field, taking pictures of rocks. One portion is used for “agricultural purposes” so I had to mind the cow pies as I made my way around.
The rocks around Carrowmore are actually ancient burial sites that date back 6000 years. Its pretty interesting. I suggest googling it. (because Im too lazy to give ya the run down)
While at Carrowmore a couple noticed my WSU t-shirt and asked if I was from the states. We stopped and chatted for a bit. They are from Arizona and have a son who is a lawyer in Phoenix. I told them that I was in Ireland studying for the summer and just traveling for the weekend.
When I finished at Carromore, I collected my bag and rang a taxi to take me back to town. Apparently the service I was using is super small because it took over half an hour for my car to arrive. (She said all the cars had been out on runs) I had the taxi drop my at the Franciscan Friary. Being Sunday, there was a service going, so I couldn't actually go inside. I then walked to the Court house (which actually is pretty cool looking) and then to the ruins of the Abbey. I didn't pay to go inside because I could see the Abbey through the fence and I really couldn't justify spending two euro on what I’ve done for free at various other ruins.
I then continued to wander around a bit. I saw a few buildings that were detailed in the self guided tour that I grabbed a booklet for. I also saw the W.B. Yeats statute. It was actually a kind of cool statute. It had words all around it from Im assuming one of his pieces of work. (He’s actually buried about a 10 minute ride outside the city according to some info I picked up at the tourist center in Donegal yesterday, but I didn't have the time nor was there a bus running for me to go today)
I then decided to start making my way to the bus station. I was a bit tired of carrying around my bag and there wasn't much left of the city to see, Id pretty much covered everything that I was going to cover today. As I made my way back, I looked for an open take away restaurant. For blocks I couldn't find anything that was open on a subway. At one point I had passed a subway, but I didn't go in on the principle that Id rather eat something local. However, to no avail, I couldn't find anything, so I gave up and grabbed a sandwich and a coffee from a local convenience store. It would suffice until I could get back to Galway for dinner.
I then headed to the bus station to wait for the number 64 to bring me back to Galway. The bus was late. Then we waited in the rain for it to switch drivers. I was a bit perturbed, but whatever. Once on the bus, I turned on my Ipod and attempted to nap. This really didn't work well. After an hour I decided to start writing my blog post, but then I started to feel a little sick, so I put my computer away. I really began to regret that convenience store sandwich. Ick. I turned on the air conditioning and just hoped Id make it home.
When the bus finally arrived in Galway I did some quick grocery shopping and then grabbed the shuttle back to Corrib Village. I felt a lot better after I made myself some dinner and got settled. It was a very tiring weekend.
I plan to spend the rest of the evening working on my presentation for class tomorrow and time permitting, make a dent in my paper for Tuesday.