Home!!!!

12-23

Home

I’m HOME!!!!!! What a crazy day. The plane ride was good – short because I slept so long. The car ride home was six hours! That was not so good. It’s great to be back. I missed it here so much.

Coming back there are defiantly some mixed emotions. I loved my time in Dublin completely. But being home is great. Living with Ann was fantastic. Working with Billy was the best I could ask for. School with everyone was fantastic. My hope is that we’ll all try and keep in contact but I know how unlikely that is.

Well Slante and goodnight.

Dublin

12-22

Dublin

Wow what a last day. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. Cody and I woke up, both broke not knowing what to do. He had wanted to see the Dail and Billy had said he’ have something for me so we went in. Showing Cody around was a bit strange because no one was in as it’s suspended until after the Holidays. I showed him around best we could, we got lunch there and then headed up to Billy’s office where we found 100 EURO!!!!!! OH HAPPY DAY!!!! We were livin’ rich! Saying goodbye to the Dail was really sad. I loved my time there. It was strange to be leaving.

Then we headed back to the Hostel changed and met up with Lacey. She had never been to Kilmanhum Gaol before so I headed back to the prison. It was probably the best tour that I’d gotten (third times the charm I guess). Cody loved the history of it all. It meant a lot to lacey and I to be there after learning so much about all the revolutionaries and politicians who had spent time in its walls.

Then I decided I had to do something I’d never done before in Dublin before I left. So we all headed on the DART up to Howth, a little fishing village on the outskirts of Dublin. It was great. We walked along the harbor and watched the sky turn pink over the Irish Sea. It was really, really beautiful. As usual my camera wasn’t working, but Cody got some great shots. Billy Timmins bought us a half dozen oysters from the bay. OOOOOOHHH MY GAWD! SO GOOD.

We headed back down to Dublin and tried to go to the storehouse. It was closed, which was a blessing in disguise. We stumbled across the carol service at Christ Church Cathedral. When the Corries. Mom and Grace were here we heard the choir warming up. They were fantastic. The best. They sang a song in Gaelic, which took my breath away. One thing that was strange was that none of the carols had the same tune as they do in the states which was bizarre and a bit embarrassing. We actually didn’t have tickets but a priest snuck us some which was awesome.

After the carol service we met up with Lacey one last time at Gogherty’s for music. The band played my favorite traditional songs and then some. They actually were the first band that I heard at Gogherty’s which was great. As we were leaving they played Galway Girl and it made my night.

Galway - Dublin

12-21

Galway – Dublin

Today we headed out from Galway and made our way to Dublin. Our hostel is ok – cheap but try’s to get you for every penny. Went to Dublin Castle – for the 5th time. Cody thought it was really cool. Then to Christ Church but it was closed. We met my friend Lacey for diner, we ate at a grocery store lunch counter (very classy). The night took a downturn when the place didn’t accept American express and I was out of money. Thankfully Cody was able to help me out. We went to O’Dunnaghoes for one last night of music but, alas it was not to be. The place was so crowded that we ended up just going back to the hostel. Good night over all, great day once again

Rome - Galway

12-20

Rome – Galway

Today was a crazy day of travel. We flew from Rome to Dublin (a flight packed with priests). There was a cat chilling at our gate which was really funny, especially when priests started coming over to take it’s picture. The flight seemed to take forever. I had finished my book and my IPOD was dead – bad news for a Ryan Air flight. Then we took a bus to Galway.

Galway was packed. Five day’s till Christmas on a Friday and its was out of control. Carolers filled the streets with music, shoppers bustled trough the streets. It was great. Cody loved it. We walked down to the bay to look out over the Ocean. That was awesome. Then we more or less just walked around watching the town go from shoppers delight to club central – a bizarre and rather abrupt shift. We spent the night in the search for music, failing because everyplace was so packed. We had a great time none the less.

Rome

12-19

Rome


Day two in Rome was epic. We destroyed the city. We started off with breakfast – bread and cheese – at the Vatican. Then up to Saint Angelo’s then to Piazza Novana for some fountains and a cool market, then to the massive Pantheon – a massive pre-Christian building that is today a church. Then to the Trevi fountain a massive Bernini fountain that is said to ensure a return trip to the city if you throw a coin in behind your back. Then over to the Tomb of the Unknown solider, the Roman Forum, the Arch of Constantine and the Coliseum. The forum and the Coliseum were amazing. To see these things that have been there for hundreds of years before Christ was crazy. The Coliseum was breathtaking. Then to the Piazza della Republica for more fountains and an amazing church (Santa Maria Degli Angeli). Then over to the Spanish Steps for sunset. Finally to Piazza del Popolo for more churches and fountains.

We stayed in that night – not wanting to get beaten up – and watched movies with some guys in our hostel. Good night over all. Amazing day. I’d always wanted to go to Rome but never thought I’d get the chance. My blog clearly doesn’t do it justice . But wow. Completely amazing.

Rome

12-18

Rome

Wow what a day. Woke up early and headed out before I was supposed to meet Cody at the bus station. Our hostel was right by the Vatican – yeah how cool – but a bit out of the way. It’s nice to come back to though.

I got up early headed out – something that seems to be a trend. I walked down the road and ran into St. Peters square. It was amazing. To stand in this place that I’d seen so many times in movies and on TV seemed fake. I really felt like there must be a screen up and that it wasn’t really there. Then I walked down the Tiber seeing St. Angelo’s Castle – the fotress of the Pope. It originally was a mausoleum but then the Vatican turned it into a fortress should the Vatican ever come under attack. Pretty cool. Then I made my way up to Piazza del Popolo. It’s an awesome square with two massive matching churches on one end and an amazing fountain in the middle.

Then it was time to meet Cody. I missed him, ran out of credit on my phone, and when I got credit my phone died. Ugh. No worries though I headed back to the Vatican and went into St. Peters. Beautiful. Really just amazing. It’s massive and doesn’t disappoint in the slightest. Then I made my way up the Copola which is a massive staircase that leads up to the top of the Dome of St. Peters basilica. Not only do you get to see inside the dome but the outside as well. Seeing the sun set over the city of Rome was breathtaking. I really just couldn’t have asked for more… but I got it.

The staircase leaves you inside the basilica itself. When I got down I realized that there was mass going on. I decided “hey how many times am I going to get this chance?” When I was going in I saw Cody! What luck. We celebrated mass together and then went back to the Hostel.

We got ourselves some food – pasta – and headed out. It was a good night until I got beat up by some crazy, very drunk, Italian. He started yelling at his friend and pointing at me. Cody and I threw up our arms and said “hey don’t point at me like that” and he launched himself at me. I – in a very manly gesture – curled up in a ball. His friend pulled him off of me and I ran away. Clearly my future in boxing is not very good.

Barcelona - Rome

12-17

Barcelona – Rome

Today I got up early and walked up the Ramblas one more time. Today was gorgeous to bad I had to spend it all on Ryan Air. The flight was good, short. When I got off the plane I tried to withdraw some money, that didn’t work. Little scary for a bit. Mom was able to get some to me by the time that I got to the hostel though. The hostel is great. Everyone here is really nice. The girl running the place use to be in finance on Wall st. but decided she should get out (good timing). There’s an American named Armondo who just got done hitch-hiking across America for a year and a half, and a party crazed Austrian named Greg, quite the crew. I got in really late again so I stayed in ad hug out at the hostel.

Barcelona

12-16

Barcelona

Great day, the city is absolutely gorgeous. It rained off and on all day, which stank but ehhh what are you going to do? Traveling by myself if kinda strange. Not sure how I feel about it. It’s nice cause I get to places really quick, but not so much fun cause I don’t have anyone to joke around with.

Woke up early and headed out – after my free breakfast. First I went to the Roman Wall. It’s pretty much just an old wall, but that it’s been there since Roman times is pretty amazing. Today is the local hang out for pigeons as far as I could tell.

Then I made my way to the City Basilica. I’m sure it’s beautiful from the outside but they had it all blocked off for restoration. The inside though is a very cool courtyard with many little chapels each with a very cool statue with candles that can be lit on the outside. All of the statues are behind bars, which I must admit is a little disconcerting but I guess you do what you have to. The center of the courtyard is filled with giant palm trees. Right now they have a nativity scene with live chickens, geese and ducks. It’s really cool. There are actually nativities all over the city which is nice.

Then I made my way up the Ramblas which is a giant boulevard with an open air market in the middle famous for its flower and bird stands. It was really really cool. Outside one of the bird sands I saw a pigeon eating another birds food through the bars, this just didn’t seem fair.

Right off the Ramblas is an open air food market. It was massive. Everything you could possibly want, meat, fruit, vegetables, seafood, everything. It was really cool just to walk around. I thought it might have been a cool Idea to get lunch there but it was still really early so I didn’t do that.

Then I walked up the Ramblas till I bit the Catalonia Square. Barcelonans don’t actually consider themselves Spanish, but rather a separate nationality called Catalonian’s. I had no idea. Pretty cool though. They have a big square celebrating their history.

After this I headed up the road and took pictures of a bunch of buildings by an architect named Gaudi. He was famous at the turn of the century and has a series of just some beautiful buildings. They’re all very curvy and modern. Hard to describe but look at my facebook for pictures. My two favorite Gaudi’s were Parke Guell and Sagrada la Familia.

Park Guell is a park designed by Gaudi originally meant to be a rich housing estate. It’s filled with almost fairy tale architecture – including two gingerbread houses and a mosaic lizard.

Sagrada la Familia is Gaudii’s “masterpiece. It’s a massive cathedral with 12 towers – one for each apostle. It also has two styles – the front is very modern the back is very … well I’m not so sure but maybe gothic? In any case the back side is filled with tiny little sculptures of bible stories that are put into the sides of the building.

After Sagrada la Familia I made my way to Monteju….. not sure how to spell it. Translated though it means “the Jew hill. It’s this massive park were the Barcelona Jewish Ghetto was before they knocked it down to make way for the Olympics. It’s a massive and beautiful hill that’s today just one giant park. It looks out over the Mediterranean on one side and the city on the other.

That night I stayed in my hostel with some kids from Canada, the states, Brazil, and Australia (they’re everywhere). Good night, and wonderful day.

Ireland - Barcelona

12-15

Ireland - Barcelona

So today I landed in Barcelona. I got in late so I couldn’t do much. My hostel is really cool. Very modern. What’s really nice is that each bed has three walls and then a curtain so it seems like you have your own little private room. Not like most hostels where you’re just there in the open. Free breakfast so that’s good. The bus out here was 20 euro!!!! I hate that. Also they charge extra for a blanket… things I wont be paying for.

Belfast

12-14

Belfast

Went up to Belfast with Seth today. Great day. This being said we spent four hours on a bus for a one hour tour but ehh, what are you going to do, pass up a free nights stay? I didn’t think so.

Belfast was great. We got a black cab tour. This was more or less a cabbie driving us around to a lot of the Murals in Belfast. We went the Shankhill road (protestant area) and down the Falls road (Catholic area). What I hadn’t realized was that they were so close together. Literally the two roads are 1 block from each other. The peace wall from that was erected under Tony Blair is still up dividing the two communities. On Sunday’s (today) the walls are closed and there is only one-way in and out of either communities. We had a protestant tour guide but he was very even handed. His brother was in the PSNI and had been killed in an IRA attack, but he was still very cool about the whole thing. It was really amazing.

The murals were very powerful. Many talked about historical events, or groups. Others were commentary on the way the world is today – one very anit-bush one reading “America’s greatest failure.” What was interesting was that the protestant murals seemed much more militaristic than the Catholic ones. They would show armed UDA and UVFers while the Catholic ones were almost all geared towards peace or History.

The whole thing was just really, really, bizarre. It wasn’t quite as creepy as Derry, but it still was very strange. To think that such a small, closed community could have such divisions is really just beyond me.

One interesting thing that the tour guide brought up was the difference between people who lived through the troubles and those who watched from the outside. He said it’s really easy for people who didn’t live it to talk up the rhetoric and not move on, but when you’re there day in and day out knowing that you might not come home from getting your groceries it’s easy to move on, it’s the only option.

I also got to meet Chris’s mom tonight. She was a bizarre little lady. Didn’t seem very happy, but nice I guess. She was put off by my Belfast Tour and couldn’t understand that a Protestant talked about both murals. She had left in 1972 and I think really felt like it was still 72 in the North.

Made it back to Chris’ watched some South park with his roommates and went to bed. Ready to go to Barcelona!

Sliver Bridge

12-13

Silver Bridge

Wow what a bizarre day. Today I left Ann’s house for the last time. It was really sad. She’s been a great host mom. I really couldn’t have asked for more. Little crazy yes, but then again who isn’t and aren’t things better when they’re a little off kilter? I remember pulling up to her house the first day and just being in complete amazement and full of joy that I was there. I don’t think I was ever let down.

I left that morning and headed out to Silver Bridge. Took Ulster Bus to Newry and then transferred to a Local bus to Silverbridge. I missed the 12:00 bus so I had to wait till 1 to get the bus. Took about half an hour or 45 min to get there. It’s amazing. It’s a little tiny town with a grocery store/gas station, a pub, a coffee shop and a Chinese restaurant (yeah not really sure what’s up with that one).

I got off the bus and walked around a bit trying to find the cemetery that Dad had told me about. I wasn’t able to, but really wasn’t to concerned. The whole time I was just thinking about how many times my ancestors walked up and down these same roads, on that same place. It was amazing. I stopped in the pub for a pint and to ask directions. I walked in and felt exactly like the ever-present outsider in Irish lit. Everyone Kinda looked at me with this strange little look that said “who on earth is he?” I was sitting at the pub when an old guy at the end of the bar said “cold night” and I said “yeah, yeah it is” and he said “…Are you a Yank?” And our relationship took off from there. I asked him for directions to the two cemeteries and he gave them too me along with a little bit of history.

The cemetery that the Irvin’s are buried in (he said he thought that they would be in a certain one that I can’t remember the name of) is in the churchyard of the oldest serving church in Ireland. We’re also buried in the same burial ground as the O’Neil clan, the old Kings of Ireland.

As it turns out it was to far to walk because the sunset was setting so I wasn’t able to make it out there which made me sad. But I figure I’ll be back soon, and I’ll have adventures in Silverbridge.

His wife walked in and I asked if they knew the Toals. They said yeah that Michael and Margaret lived up the way and their son lived just down the road. They walked me up to the house but they weren’t home. They had built a new house and – I figured that they had knocked down the old family house. Fortunately I was wrong, but I didn’t find out until after dark so I missed out on the house as well.

The family didn’t want me just hanging out for the bus so they took me into their house and we had some tea. I love the Irish. Their names were the Kennedy’s and they were great people. They were really interested in my studies at school and what I thought of “the republic” and “the free state” – I’m thinking they had republican leanings.

The pub actually had been blown up by the IRA after they rushed in and gunned down a 14 year old boy, a man who had just been engaged, a man celebrating the birth of his first daughter as well as his friend. To think that that kind of violence could take place in a town that doesn’t even have a church and to me seemed so peaceful and perfect shocks and horrifies me. With 3,600 dead in the troubles and 1.5 million in NI everyone has a story, each just as heart breaking as the next.

I caught the bus home and stayed the night at my friend Chris’. We made spaghetti which was fantastic. There’s just something about bread, meat, cheese and pasta that makes everything perfect.

Fast Times at the IPA

Well it seems as if the curtain is about to close on my time here in Dublin. It's been great. Leaving all of my new friends behind will be sad, but I have to say that so far I have no regrets about my time spent here.

Last night a few of us went out to for some traditional Irish music, figuring that we'll remember the fun we had more than the time we spent studying for what is going to be a killer finals day tomorrow. It was wonderful. We went to a little seedy pub where these two guys played guitar and a banjo while singing some great Irish songs. Two kids with us - Molly and Chris - knew every word to every song, it was great.

Coming home will be great too. I can't wait to get back just in time for Christmas. Missing everyone tonnes.

My adventures in Europe will be great too. Barcelona, Rome and then back to the Emerald Isle for one more go of it!

Merry Christmas... or should I say Happy Christmas as they do over here.

The Night I Met the Future Prime Minister and Made a Fool of My Self

As some of you may know, I have a bit of a reputation for leaving my things places. I even have a facebook group about it. Tonight I lived up to my fame.

I went to a party meeting for Fine Gael who is currently in opposition but will more than likely come to power next election. On my way in I met the party leader Enda Kenny who I've been wanting to meet since I got here. He heard I was from Chicago (I figured I'd go for the familiar). He asked if I'd heard of a Richard Daley, I laughed and said yeah, and then he was like "well I hear you have a new boy... some one some one.... uhhh can't remember his name.....

I said B Something.. Ba ba Barack Obama thats it! And we laughed and headed inside behind him.

The meeting is packed full of constituants. We sit in the corner away from the door. We end up having to leave early to catch the bus. We walk out cause a huge comotion. Get outside and realize I forgot my coat....

I have to go back in, walk past everyone, cause a huge comotion, and walk back out cause a huge comotion right infront of Enda both times....

The second time HE ROLLED HIS EYES AT ME!

I have to say, I've done myself proud, now eve the leader of Fine Gael knows that I leave my stuff EVERYWHERE!

The Family Man

Hello Everyone! Happy Thanksgiving!... if a bit belated. 

Mom, Grace, Dan, and Mackenzie have come and gone, and it was great. Here's a brief rundown of the past week of awesomeness. 

Friday - Laurel flew in Friday night and we had a great time. Her flight got in at about 7 and we went off to go meet my friends at their apartment. A few of the kids from the program wanted to go to a pub by school that night so we met up with them and went out. It was great. Laurel had the chance to meet some of the kids in the program which was great fun. Turns out they have free BBQ on Tursday's at 6...guess where I'll be! We came back that night and Ann was still awake. She made great fun of me, and even Laurel a bit. Laurel loved her, and Ann like her a lot.

Saturday - We had to be out the door by 7 am to pick the fam up from airport. We got there just in time. It was wonderful to see everyone. Grace looked ridiculous as usual. Big baggy sweat pants, some crazy t-shirt and giant sunglasses - she was inside. Not to mention her hat that had ear covers and little tassels with balls on the end hanging off of the ear covers. 

We had a great day. Got them settled in and then headed off to explore. We went to Dublin Castle which they loved. I've been there four times now so I could have given the tour my self, but it was still fun. Everyone loved it. Mom also took decorating tips... 

After the Castle we went to Christ Church Cathedral. Mom loved it. They had the organ playing when we first walked in and when we were on our way out we got to hear the choir warm  up for the service an hour later. They were starving and exhausted though so we headed out before the service. 

That night we went to a really neat pub close by for diner. Great burgers. Dan told the story of how he and Dad went out to Karioke some nights while they were here. I had to laugh, like father like son. 

Sunday - We went to bed early and woke up late. Then we drove to Galway. Laurel and I had planned to take a bus back that night, but we didn't get there till 4 and our Bus left at 7:30 so we decided it was ridiculous and took the train the next morning. Everyone loved Galway. We went out for an amazing dinner. I got Irish stew, Laurel got Shepherds pie (which I think was bigger than she was), Mom and Mackenzie got the Chowder and Grace and Dan got the Chiken. Fantastic. We had an amazing waitress who forced grace to share her French Fries. The best was the Bailies Irish Cream Cheese Cake though.... heavenly. 

That night we went out for music. The musician loved us cause we sang along with this other group of Americans that Dan made friends with. He sang Laurel Galway Girl and she swooned. On our way back we couldn't all fit in a cab so Mom, Grace and Dan took a cab while Laurel Mackenzie and I walked back to the B&B. We stopped by Supermacs for fun. Terrible as usual, but I figured they had to have it.  

Monday - Laurel and I caught at 5:20 train which was awful. Let me tell you tooooo early. She got a flight back to London. I went back to Ann's, changed and met everyone at School to go to the American Ambassador's house. No one gets tours of this place, but because the Ambasador's Private secretary did the program in 2002 she got us in. 

It was fantastic. The house was the house of the Viceroy in the old days - or the Kings man in Ireland. It's right across the street from the Presidents house which use to be the PM's man in Ireland's house. Very Very Very cool. Be-utiful. I forgot my camera though!!!! HOW LAME! It's ok becase i'm going to steal everyone else's. The grounds were amazing and the inside was decadent. JFK, Nixon, Regan, Clinton and many other presidents had all stayed there. Evan and I joked - perhaps a little to loudly - that the only reason Clinton came three times was because the isolation of the house  gave him a chance to walk around in naked outside, something I'm sure the Rose garden isn't too well suited for. 

The family woke up and drove to the Cliffs of Moher, which I hear was an experience to say the least. Then they got into Killarney at about 8:30 that night 

Tuesday - I took an early train to Killarney, met up with everyone and headed out. We drove around Killarney National park and it was amazing. Mountains, valleys, lakes and sheep (which almost fell on the Car one time!) Then we did the Ring of Kerry. I was excited because I had heard so much about it. The whole day's drive was breathtaking. That night we canceled our reservations in Cork - Mom got an Irish ear full - and made the longest drive to Kilkenny ever! We got in late, had dinner and then found some traditional Irish Music. They had never seen Irish bag pipes before and they thought it was awesome. The difference is that scottish bag pipes you have to blow into. The Irish don't have the time for that though so they pump air in with their elbows. 

Wednesday - We drove back to Dublin and went to the Dail. We had to stop at the house so I could change. We got a personal tour of the Dail from one of the Ushers. Dan loved it. He said he thought it was his favorite part. Billy was really busy though because it was the last day that a committee he's on was meeting. We ate lunch there, had tea in the visitors pub, which I must say is s-wank. velvet couches all around with leather stools. Grace wasn't sure if she was aloud to sit down! 

That night I took them into the sub-burbs to listen to some traditional Irish music. I've talked about it a few times. It's down in a basement of a Hotel and they do sessions where people from the community come in and jam. A little old man flirted with mom and tried to impress her by playing the Accordion, a difficult task if ever there was one. 

Thursday - We woke up early and met everyone from the program at school to go to the Hotel. We took a two hour coach bus ride north to the Slieve Russel Hotel. The Irish call it the "Ba-Jaseus Hotel." Because when you turn the corner and see it thats exactly what you say. They don't lie, it was incredible. Its on huge grounds, I didn't get to walk around outside as it was getting dark but a few others did and their pictures are great. This place was crazy. Lounges with fire places everywhere. The rooms were huge. The hotel was massive. The food was out of this world. 

Diner was amazing. I had Lobster, Duck, and Apple Crumble all while the live pianist played away. Not your traditional food I know, but wow was it good. This being said Grandad's noodles would have been a drastic improvement! We sat with Michael the Director of the Program and had great conversation. He once again amazed me telling us that he's been to the states about 20 times and goes on Music vacations, and from time to time hob nobs with Van Morrison in Dublin. 

Friday - I woke up at 8 after going to bed at about 5am to go for a swim, sauna, and steam room...as one does. I forgot my baiting suit so I snuck in wearing plaid boxers, stole a swim cap too. Had a massive breakfast and went back to Dublin. We went to the Guinness store house where we ran into the family we met in Galway (The husband didn't remember Dan which was hilarious) and into  a family from Charleston how bizarre! We got out of there late and got some diner down town. We ended up going to bed kinda early because they had to be out of the hotel by 7am. 

Saturday - The end of a fantastic week. Driving to the Airport was an adventure. Dan did a great job, it was just me as the navigator who failed. I really must commend him on an excellent stint with the whole driving thing. I think we only ended up in the wrong lane one time and that was on his first round about, so not bad at all. They got there just in great time. 

I headed home and crashed until about four and have done nothing sense. I've attempted to finish my final, Final Paper but as I'm blogging I think we all know how well that has gone. 

I've started watching House online. Well I started at midnight last night stayed up till 3 and laid in bed till 4 doing the same all day. I am a bum. 

Ok back to paper writing, sorry for the length, but this week required it! 

If the Third Times the Charm I Missed It

I  have to say that what I love best about working in the Dail is the number of awesome things that I get to go to that I have no business being at. Walking around the Dail in general is one big thing, the election night bonanza and then this past week going to a book event where the former Tiosheach spoke. 

Bertie Ahern the past Tioseach spoke at a book launch at the EU headquarters in Dublin this past week. I and a few students were one of maybe 75 people there. They had cheese and fruit and wine going around and just up in front of the lobby was the man him self. We all stood around while he and three other guys gave quick little 10 minute speeches on  Irish reunification. It was amazing. I love hob nobbing with rich elites. 

This past week has been pretty boring except for that. Mom and the gang get here tomorrow!!! Laurel fly's in at 6:30 tonight. I'm about to head off and pick her up. It's going to be a great weekend!

Volcanic Edinburgh

Here I am again, reporting on another weekend excursion.

This Friday Laurel, here roommate Kelly and I went to Edinburgh Scotland. It was quite simply amazing. Most assuredly one of my favorite weekends.  

I got in early Friday morning not knowing what I was going to do as Laurel and Kelly's Train didn't get in until midnight. I got to the hostel at 8:45am. Had breakfast for 2 pounds - all you can eat! And then farted around on the computer until about 10:30. A company offers free tours - though you have to tip because thats how the tour guides make their money - of the city.  While I was waiting for the tour to start someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and realized it was another RA Jason! How crazy!!!!!!!!!! I was so floored I couldn't place him for a really long time in my head. 

That just blew my mind. He's studying in Madrid and seems to be just having the time of his life. He's gone to a different country almost every weekend.  

The tour was amazing. We had a great guide who took us all over the place. A three hour tour...I was a little worried as I am rather Gilligin-ish. The city is home to an amazing castle on a cliff face in the middle of the city. Google Eddinburgh Castle right now, it's crazy. Also the birthplace of Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde. And a bunch of crazy things. 

The city is ancient. All mid-evil buildings and winding roads. Really hilly too which was a pain, but made it all the more worth it when you got some place. 

The reason Laurel wanted to go there was because it is also the birth place of not just King James VI and I of the King James Bible, not just of Adam Smith of the Wealth of nations father of capitalism, not just David Hume all around Philosophical master, but most importantly J.K ROWLING AND HOME TO HARRY POTTER!!!!!!!

That's right lady's and gents I saw the castle where today there is a school that J.K. Rowling looked at in the coffee shops of Edinburgh as she wrote about the Sorcerers stone. Not only did I see the castle, I sat in the Cafe where she wrote all of her books! A place called the Elephant House. Laurel was, to say the least, unconscious with joy. 

When Jason and I were at lunch he mentioned that he was going to Death Cab for Cutie concert that night. They are one of my favorite bands. I mean seriously what were the chances. So he and this kid from Vancouver named Lewis and I went to the concert. Lewis and I scalped tickets. I got mine for 20 - only 3 Pounds above price and his for 10!!!!! He ran into the family of the opening band and they more or less gave it to him, lucky guy. 

The concert was amazing. Laurel showed up and they ARE her favorite band. She was pretty jealous, but serves her right for not getting in till midnight! Just joking...kinda he he he 

The next morning we woke up early and went to the big park for  hike. We climbed to the top of a Volcano called King Arthur's seat. You could see the ocean and the whole city from there. It was also really really windy. Simply amazing we didn't get blown off. Laurel will post pictures soon. I forgot my camera in Dublin being the idiot I am, so no pictures from me. 

Then we went to Edinburgh Castle which was really cool on the outside, but really cheesy on the inside. What was really cool though is that it is home to the oldest Crown Jewel's in the world dating from the 1500's. They were hidden for about 100 years when cromwell took over. And have gone through some pretty amazing things. 

They also have the scottish king's Stone of Destiny - what a name. No one knows how old it is, but every King of Scotland has been crowned on it since before memory. Legend says that where ever the stone lays the Scotts shall rule. It was stolen by one of the English Kings in the 12oo's but in a few hundred years King James the VI of Scotland or I of England as he is better known took the crown of England and the Scottish line has ruled england ever since. It remained under the thrown in West minster Abbey just to stick it to the Scots until 1940 when some crazy nationalist scottish students broke in with  a crowbar and stole, broke, they buried the stone of Destiny. They dug it up about 10 years latter and the stone went from basement to basement for years before they finally left it at the place where the Scottish had declared their independence under William Wallace. It came back in 1996 thanks to Tony Blair 

Then we went to the Elephant House, then for baked potatoes and HAGIS!!! If you have a weak stomach - Granddad - don't read this next bit. 

Hagis is minced up sheep's liver, heart, kidneys, and intestine that is mixed with herbs and spices, as well as oats and corn , then boiled in a sheep's stomach for three hours. Probably the grossest sounding thing ever, but surprisingly really really good. 

We went to bed at about 12 and I woke up early to have breakfast with Laurel and fly back. 

Over all an amazing weekend. 

A weekend with Roxie

Hey All - 

So this pas weekend has been exhausting! Ann had to go to limerick this weekend so she kicked us out. LAME!!!!! 

It was ok though because I just stayed at one of  my friends apartments that was right across from school. 

The big news was that Roxie came to visit, and I guess still is visiting. She leaves wednesday afternoon. 

She had an early flight in on friday so I got up at 5 am to get to the Airport in time. She's doing great. She brought me notes from Wendy who is the advisor for IOU and our friend ellen. A brownie from my favorite sandwich shop which has the best brownies in the world, Uncle Sammy's, a T-Shirt from University Ministries. Pretty much the best bunch of gifts ever. 

We made our way down town dropped our bags off at my friends place, I showed her school and then we went exploring. We went to Dublin castle which she really liked and then over to Christ Church Cathedral but it was about to close. Then that night we met up with our friend Julia and went spontaneously to a concert. 

The concert was this group I use to love called "Flogging Molly." They were big in about 8th grade to Freshman Year. They play irish music, but add rock. There's just something about a punk rock band with Irish accents, a banjo and an accordion that you just have to love. It was great. Julia was planning on going alone which was crazy. She said her mom told her to go, which I thought was strange. Turns out her moms friend from the Dog Park said they were a good band. Thank god we went because she would have been on the ground floor by her little self all dressed up in the midst of an angry mob. As it turned out we sat in the balcony and enjoyed the madness of the 1st floor from a safe distance. 

The next day we woke up at 5am again to go on a bus tour of Derry and the Giants Causeway. It was a great tour. We took a bus up to Belfast, then met our bus. It took us up through the mountains to a castle and then to this really cool out cropping that looked like a mini cliffs of Moher. 

Then we went to the Causeway. Its a giant cliff with a lot of really cool rock formations. Legend has it that it was built by a mystical warrior who could grow to the size of a giant  who had heard about a lovely lady in  Scotland so he built a rock path to scotland. I should point out that Scotland is only about 7 miles away and you can see it quite clearly which is very strange. There's rocks that look like pipe organs, one that looks like a boot, a chimney, and some really just beautiful things. 

Then we went to Derry. Derry was one of the main sights of the troubles, and is still to day bitterly divided. It was really strange to see the different neighborhoods whose curbs are still painted to mark protestant and catholic neighborhoods. There are murals on a lot of buildings that tell the story of the troubles. It's also home to the Bloody Sunday massacre and we saw the memorial. We took a walking tour from a young kid who had bright red hair and was most clearly republican. They way he talked about the troubles was extremely moving. 

We were all so exhausted when we got back at about 7 that we forced ourselves to stay awake until about 10. 

We slept for about 12 hours and hit Dublin again. Roxie and I went to the guinness storehouse and then where off to Kilmahnium Gaol for a tour. She loved both of them

When we got back to the city center we walked into a giant Christmas celebration. They had a huge road blocked off with lots of people on stilts and music playing. They lit the tree downtown and had a big to do. Downtown looks gorgeous. Personally I think it's a bit early, but I guess when you don't have Thanksgiving to block it up, Christmas can start right after halloween. 

We went up to Ann's for a quick bite to eat and so Roxie could see my digs. Ann invited her up for diner tonight. So we're doing that. Tomorrow we're going to my friend Julia's for diner and then out for some traditional Irish music. I can't wait. 

Election Night Part Deux

Well now that I've had a chance to write my cheesy little bit on the election I'll fill you all in on what I've been doing recently.

Tuesday night I got an invitation to go to a party hosted by the American Amabssador at the guinness store house. It was c-razy. They had hotdogs and doughnuts and lots of red white and blue. Pretty much the most legit thing I'd ever been to. Just about every Irish mover and shaker was there. Probably most of the Dail and their staffs, lots of rich people, air force generals and what not. They had CNN up on a giant screen and the place went nuts every time Obama won a state.

They were loosers in one regard though, they kicked us out before they called the election. This being said they kicked us out at about 5 so I guess I can't be to angry. I went to my friends dorm at trintity to watch the rest, but her computer wouldn't stream CNN so I missed Obama's speech.

That was ok though because when I got home after school the next day I watched it and - I'll admit it - I cried a little when he started talking about the 106 year old woman. What a life.

They kept on showing pictures of Chicago and I was so home sick. Since then facebook has exploded with pictures my friends took at the rally. I think all of DePaul was in grant park. 250,00 people showed up within grant park alone (not to mention the 1 million who wathced from out side). It's hard to imagine going to something where the attendance is about twice the size of Bloomington-Normal alone! I'm in the Dail right now but clearly not much is going on because I'm blogging.

My friend Roxie will be here on friday I can't wait. Then on the 22nd Mom, Grace, Dan and Mackenzine!

Should be great fun

That's it for now

Election Night

Wow. What can even be said? I think last night we all witnessed one of the greatest steps forward that this country has taken in  generations. I told my friends last night that my dad who isn't 60 remembers a segregated Washington D.C. and today - as Colin Powel put it - we elected an American President who just happened to be black.

 The new first family walked onto stage last night and the world saw two smiling children who will live their lives in a world where truly anything is possible for anyone.

 In such a short amount of time we have come so far. And while there most certainty there is work to be done, we from now on look back at this moment and remember that there is always hope in this world. That what ever injustices we may see as humans, as societies, as a people we can look back at this moment -  like so many others and know in our hearts - that we do not have to accept the world as is, but rather can look to the future and to a world that ought to be. 

Regardless of how you voted, take a moment to celebrate, to think about how far we have come as a nation. 

Today  we elected an American to the highest office in the land... and he just happened to be black. What a thing to say. 

Election Day... Two Years + Two Candidates = Too Much Stress

Hey All, 

So here it is, Election Day 2008. We've been looking forward to this for four years. That's crazy. Just so we're all aware I was living with NGH IIII when the race set off. Grace was a Freshman in High School, and Green Gables Cheese Burgers were.... well not much has changed with them, still delicious! 

I spent the day in the Dail. I voted last week absentee. Speaking of Which......

 GET OUT THERE AND VOTE IF YOU HAVEN'T! I don't care who for, just get out there and let the world know that you care, and that your voice is worth being heard. 

OK PA is over.  

In any case I spent the day in the Dail working for Billy. I wrote two questions for him to ask in the Dail tomorrow, one which I hated, one which I loved. The first one was to Bash Obama's Tax policy because Ireland gets hosed pretty hard. The other one was to ask why on earth Europe has done nothing about the crisis in the Congo right now. In case you don't know recently rebels last week took a major city in the Congo. 55,000 people are displaced because of it - adding to the 900,000 refugees in the country after decades of war. The city was the main center of aid for the country. 17,000 UN - all of which are from Asia - troops are in the Congo right now, instead of doing something they left the city to the Rebels. Once again Tutsi's are attacking Hutu's backed by the Rwandan Government, and Once again Europe and the US are sitting on their hands. 

I'll leave it to you to decide which question I enjoyed writing more. 

The big news though is that I wrangled  a Ticket from my TD to a private party tonight. That's right folks yours truly has an invite to a private election night party hosted by the US Ambassador at the Guinness Factory. Yep that's right partying with Dublin hot shots  in a glass room stories above Dublin... God I love this country. 

Remember get out and vote! No excuse not to, except maybe voting for Ralph Nader then you can stay  home! Just kidding....kinda 

Haloween and Papers

Ahhhh Ireland the birth place of all hallow's eve. 

Haloween was great. A bunch of us got together down in Dublin for a night out on the town. I was Quail Man! Some of you might remember the TV Show Doug. Quail Man was Doug's immaginary super hero a.k.a most awesome super hero ever! Think of me in a green sweater vest with a giant red Q on it , a white t-shirt, Khakis with underwear on the outside, a belt on my head and a red towel for a cape. Pretty much I looked crazy. Non of the Irish understood, but all the Americans would yell out my name ecstatically as I walked by. Pretty much the best costume ever. 

The Dail was pretty boring this week. They were closed on Tuesday and Thursday I didn't really do anything. 

I attempted to write a paper yesterday. That didn't happen. I almost have it done now though. Hopefully i'll get it done tonight. I have two more after that that I need to get done this week. 

Other than that all is good in the world. I'm thinking about changing my flight to save some money. We shall see. 

Dingle or Oysters and Horses? Could life be any better

I wanted to have written this last night, but after the novel I typed out my brain was just about kaput. 

When I came back from Paris I flew straight from the Dublin aiport to Co. Kerry. This, with only a back pack for luggage, you can imagine was quite hilarious. My lay over was about five hours, which was fine because I did some reading. The flight took about 25 min - considering my bus ride back was 10 hrs, this was impressive. I talked to this sweet lady the whole time who was from Kerry and spent thanksgiving in Grand Rappids Michigan. Laurel was supposed to have caught a bus to Killarney where we were staying the night, but as it turns out her bus never came.  This was great because when I got off the plane she was there to greet me! 

We caught a cab to our hostel and, being the cool kids we are, went to bed at like 11 - hey it had been a long day of travel! 

The next morning it was raining something awful. We had planed to bike the ring of Dingle - like the ring of Kerry but smaller. We ended up walking around Killarney which was great. We grabbed burgers in a pub - the first actual burger i'd had since landing - which was so good I almost died. It actually turns out it was the sister to a pub right on campus on clarke st. How funny! 

Afterwards we got the bus to Dingle and checked in to our Bed and Breakfast. It was a really cute little place right in the middle of town. We walked around got dinner and laid in bed watching late night Irish TV because of the rain. 

The next day was full of adventure. We got up early for breakfast, left to go shop. This was lame as everything was closed until noon. All was not lost thought because at 1 we were to be at Longs Riding for HORSE BACK RIDING!

IT WAS FANTASTIC! we got there and our guide was this little Scotish girl with red hair and a nose ring. She apparently had come with her sister 7 years ago for vacation and still hasn't gone home. Not going to lie, I think she may have had the right idea. She has an apartment on the farm, takes people out riding, breeds, trains, and gives lessons. All the while surrounded by rolling hills and the ocean. 

Laurel was given a little yellow pony named Honey. I got the manliest Irish Cobh in the world KING! He was a big guy. He was more like a gentle giant though so he was great. She took us up in the hills for some trotting and then some cantering. It was so great. In the hills you could see the rain coming from miles away in sheets. It was really strange. We only got rained on once, but avoided like five showers because we could see where they were. 

We then rode down to the beach. Let me tell you if you haven't had the chance to ride a horse on the beach, get to it now. It was amazing. We got on to the sand and they just wanted to go, so we let them. They raced for a bit which was fun and then we walked back. It was high tide so we weren't able to go that far, but it was still amazing. 

Laurel hadn't seen the ocean before. I'm gonna have to say that seeing the ocean via horse back in Ireland isn't to bad. 

Afterwards we saw the puppies that the dog there had just had. They were adorable. If anyone wants some sheep dogs, I know where to get some!

When we got back to Dingle we hit up a place with a sign out side reading "Weekend Motto - Forget the Recession have a Session!" So we went in, I mean how can you argue with a place that has a free traditional irish music  session going on that also has Oysters on the half shell? I don't think you can. They were amazing. Really salty and made up with Tabasco and Worsticher sauce so they tasted completely different from New Orleans oysters. 

After diner we went out for more music. The music scene in Dingle is supreme. 

The next morning we had breakfast and headed out. My bus ride was 10 hours! SOOOO LONG. I think the highlight was when I was siting in the deserted bus station and a man came and sat in the seat right next to me. I felt like he was reading my book, but I thought I was just being paranoid. This was until he leaned over to read the next page that he couldn't see. HE DID THIS FOR 6 PAGES BEFORE I CLOSED MY BOOK! I also met up with Ann's niece Parissa who lives with us. I went through Limerick where she lives and it just so happened that we caught the same bus back. It made the ride a lot more enjoyable. 

When we got back I was met by a bouncing little dog named truffles. Truffles is a cavalier King Charels. Truffles has taken to me. She runs around not stop, is adorable and wants to play till she drops. Last night she ran up pushed around the blankets in my bed and fell asleep in the crook of my arm for about an hour. Tonight we played fetch after wards she ran down stairs got her harness and forced me to put it on. So I did expecting she'd want to go out side, nope she just wanted to sleep. Currently she's passed out on my legs...and snoring. This dog may not be able to go back to its owner. 

Yesterday the Dail wasn't in session. No one told the interns so we all showed up for work only to find an empty building. I had texted my TD when I woke up because I had gotten word that they might not be in. He didn't call me back so I went in. When I got there no Billy. He called a bit later saying he'd be in in about 10-15 min. An hour later he called back saying he'd missinterpreted me (what? How is that possible with "I'll be in the Dail in about 10-15 min?") So a friend and I grabbed some frozen Pizzas and watched english game shows at his flat. He told me to come in to work after school today, so I did, but he had forgotten and sent me back!

In school we had a double history lecture which meant that we had history for the first bit and then watched this amazing movie called "The Wind that Shakes The Barley." Maybe the saddest movie of all times. It's about the the Irish Civil war and the War for Independence. I HIGHLY recommend it. Seriously, leave your house now and get the movie, also tissues because you  might cry - not going to lie I almost did, but I made it through. 

Ok well I'm out for now. 6 days till the election! We talked them into letting us come in late on election day, so that should be fun. We just need a place to watch it now. 

-Will

An American in Paris

BONJOUR MON AMI!!!!! AHHH PARIS EST TRES TRES BEAU!!!! 

OK so enough with the crappy french that the french make fun of me for. I AM BACK, and while not in black, I'm still feeling accomplished. Not only did I pack for 7 days in my 6th grade back pack but I also went on two of the greatest vacations of my life in the same amount of time. I'm going to break them down into two posts because other wise it would be way to long. So here we go. 

PARIS! 

Oh my god, Paris was fantastic. The school flew us over for free on Air France and put us up in this swank hotel just north of the city center. The first night the director of our program took us down town to show us how to get there. There's a giant square right at the heart of the city that will take your breath away - it did mine literally - the Eiffel tower dominates the skyline, and as you pan over you see the Arch de Triumph down the Champs Elise, the Obelisk that marks were Louis XVI was beheaded that the French stole from Egypt, the Louvre, and the Sinne. It's gorgeous. The whole city is built out of white stone so it's gorgeous. 

That night a group of us went to Eiffel tower for a picnic. They light it up Blue at night which is amazing but then every once in a while it flashes little lights so it looks like the whole thing is being showered in stars. It's great. 

The next day it was raining so we went to the Louvre but it was closed. So we went to the Muse d'Orsey which has he biggest collection of Impressionist paintings in the world. I liked it even more than the Louvre.  

On our way there at an intersection there was a man who looked like a little frenchman cut out of a comic strip. He was all in matching brown, with a turtle neck, and matching brown beret. He was looking around nervously and for some reason - I was wearing a North Face and Jeans while all of the french are about 30 lbs lighter than me and would scoff at such poor fashion - looked at me and said "OOO -  AEY  - LE - MUS-AY - Da - Or-Say." Clearly he was american. I said 'I'm sorry I don't know man," then he turned around and said "I shouldn't even open my mouth around here." I felt bad for the guy he was trying so hard, but pretty hilarious. 

The museum was perfect. Starry night was on loan, but Monet's water Lilly's, gardens, bridges, hay stacks, Van Gough's self portrait and room, and tons of other stuff that I loved. It is in an old train station so they have the huge lobby filled with sculptures. 

After that we walked through the Luxembourg Gardens - giant gardens with a palace attached, and then into this beautiful church. 

Then we made our way to the Catacombs. In the 19th century the french government decided to move all the city cemetery bodies into underground caverns  because they feared that the bodies were causing disease. Being french though they didn't just put the bodies down there. They arranged them in what amounts to art. Stacks upon stacks of bones that make designs. Really creepy. 

It was raining so bad that my shoes were absolutely destroyed. To avoid getting trench foot I finally broke down and got new shoes. I changed them at a bus stop and got some pretty dirty looks from old french ladies. There noses where higher than the Eiffel Tower 

Then I met up with Cody and Chelsea! That was so fun. Cody took me to his school, and then we met one of his friends and Chelsea at Chelsea's school. Then the three of us went out for dinner in the Latin Quarter - the old part of the city that the Romans lived in (also where Notre Dame is). It was so great seeing them. Two of my favorite people, in Paris, over a mussel, steak, and chocolate moose (10 Euro what a deal!) diner. I couldn't have asked for a better day. But I got one the next. 

We went to the Louvre the next morning - after of course the free all you can eat breakfast in the hotel. It is massive. Grant - a kid in the program - and I rocked it out though. We covered about twice as much ground as every one else in the same time. It was amazing. The mona lisa was cool but little with too many people. My favorites were the Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory. The amount of art there that just touched you to the core was unbelievable. I had never understood what was amazing about these two statues before, but seeing them in real life is indescribable. 

Walking through the louvre was like walking through a history text book. Every painting of a famous person, every famous painting period it seemed was within its walls. A lot of them were really funny - the statue of the boy wrestling the goose in the middle of a room of very ornate roman statues - and others were just breath taking - the painting of a girl in the woods that I swear glowed. The size of some was over powering too. Paintings as big as the side of a house, and statues three stories tall. It blew my mind. 

After the Louvre we made our way up to Notre Dame. We ran into a public funeral for the head nun there. It was crazy. The French President, Nicolas Sarcozy, and his wife were there and we saw them walk by as well as the old president Jeac Chirac. People were everywhere. We watched the ceremony for a bit and moved on. The Cathedral is beautiful. There are little carvings all over it that you don't pick up in pictures. As impressive as the whole structure is i felt like the amount of detail that went into it was fantastic. The bells were ringing non stop and I thought that Quasi Modo must be getting a work out. 

We went to the Pompidou center after wards. It is a modern art museum that looks more like a hamster cage than anything. It has plastic tubes that people walk through on the outside of this bizarre little building. There are famous fountains outside as well. Google it, it's worth a look. 

Then up to Sacre Cour for sun set. Sacre Cour is an all white church on top of the highest hill in pairs. Its the highest point in the city. We walked up through the African part of the city to get there. It was strange not only because everyone there was African, not African American like in the states - I know this is a strange thing to say, but there is a definite difference just as there is between Irish Americans and the Irish - But also because it was the first predominantly black neighborhood that I'd been to that wasn't poverty stricken. I think we forget sometimes how insane it is that poverty in our nation is still determined by the color of your neighbors, and accept it as just the status quo. It was refreshing to see a society work like it should (not that the french don't have their own racial issues, but in my fairy tale land all is well in Paris. 

When we finally got there I thought my feet were going to fall off. We walked so much in paris - probably about 10 miles each day, that by the end of each day my legs were just done. The view was breath taking. You could see the whole city from there with the sun setting behind it. I don't think I've ever watched a more beautiful sunset - though Long Boat Key may take the cake. The sun setting behind the Eiffel tower with the Arch de Triump, the Louvre, Notre Dame, and everything else in the area was just fantastic. I don't think that a person could take much more. 

We walked back to our hotel past the Moulin Rouge - HILLARIOUS! And then collapsed. 

The next day we made it to Versaille. The gardens are massive. literally they go to the horizon in some directions. As we walked in classical music came on and the gardens fountains all blazed into life. We had a tour of the building which almost hurt the eyes because it was so ornate. paintings on every wall, gold everywhere, huge in every way. They had an art exhibit going on at the time which was very strange. Jeff Koontz an American. He sculpts strange things like lobster pool toys out of tin that look like plastic, Michael Jackson and his monkey Bubbles, Baloon Animals, hoover vacuums... all the better things. No one else liked it but I thought that it was hilarious. Odd fact Louis the XIV - the sun king who built the palace - only bathed 12 times in his life because the royalty were convinced that water would kill you. As a result he drank only wine (originally it was champaign but it gave him stomach problems) and ate huge amounts of food still living to be 73 in the 17th century. Impressive considering that'd be 130 years to today. It seems that if Bathing is the secret to life, Grace is well on her way to immortality (sorry Grace couldn't help it). 

When we got back we took a river cruise. It was fantastic. Everyone told us to go on one but I said no cause I didn't want to spend the money. I was so wrong. I don't know what it is about seeing the city from the river, but wow what an experience. 

When we got done I went up to the top of the Eiffel tower by my self because everyone else had already gone. Walked up 680 steps to the third floor and took an elevator the the top. Wow. To see the sun set from the top of the Eiffel tower on my last night in Pairs. I did pretty well. The best part was undoubtedly the Taiwanese  tourist I made friends with because they asked me to take their picture twice. They wanted a picture with me and I gave them my E-Mail so I should be getting a picture of me and four Thai tourist on top of the Eiffel tower soon. I CAN"T WAIT!

I realized on my way down that I didn't have a map home. I got lost for two hours. That was bad. I made it though and flew out to Dingle the next day.  

I Fell in Love With a Galway Girl

Ok so I didn't fall in love, but I was in Galway, and that is a G-REAT song. 

Friday morning me and four friends got up early and down to the bus station and caught the 7:30 bus to Galway. Galway is this crazy little mid-evil town on the west coast. Also a college town and tourist trap which is  a rathe bizarre combination. It also happens to be right next to the Aran Islands and the Cliffs of Moher. 

We went to the Aran Islands on Friday. They're this collection of three Islands that are tiny little fishing villages. We went to the biggest one called Innish Moher. What's really cool is that they have an accent that is completely separate than that of the people on the mainland. The whole island is covered in tiny little pastures that are divided by stone walls. The walls are hundreds of years old. The ground was so covered with rocks that the only option for farming was to build thousands of little walls. What was really cool though is a druid aged fort on the top of a hill. Its anchient but what was coolest was that it was right on a cliff side. They were stone cliffs that just dropped off into the ocean. SCARY! Needless to say we all got on our bellies and lumbered over the edge to take a peak. 

That night we were walking around and found a place with a mechanical bull.  I got a free ride on it, and it destroyed me. We went to what amounts to the Irish McDonalds that night really late and it was packed. They had security guards, which I thought was strange until during the course of our late night  snack, they threw out three people! Classy I know. 

The next day we went to the cliffs of Moher. They are Gorgeous! Couldn't hang over the edge though because they slant downwards unlike the ones on Inish Moher. Whats really funny is they have a wall up over most of the edges, but they have this one area where the wall stops where you're not supposed to go but everyone does. They have rangers, but they do nothing.... not really sure what the point is but ehh. 

The Dail is in a state of rebellion. The budget came out and one of the provisions took away free medical cards that gave people free healthcare for people over 70. There's debate about how much this will actually affect people because it only applies to very rich 70 year olds. This being said when people dropped private insurance they signed a deal saying they couldn't buy private insurance for at least 10 years. It's created a situation where people are stuck without health care for no reason. The government is trying to decide what to do, while the opposition is  in a state of war. I went to watch the debates the other morning and at one point the leader of the labor party pointed and laughed at the minister of health when the mics were off. The Vice President (Taniste) when yelled at about an EU minister said back "well you'll never be one paddy so why stop shouting  and sit down." The leader of the opposition was nearly thrown out by the speaker of the house. C-RAZY! I can't wait to be back next week to see what's going on.

Tomorrow I leave for Paris, then for Dingle. I CAN'T WAIT. 

Laurel's in Paris right now and will be leaving tonight. She texted me yesterday to say "I'm on top of the Eiffel Tower." to Which I replied "Oh yeah well I'm on top of the Cliffs of Moher." Needless to say we're having amazing times. 

Budget Day

So today was Budget Day in the Dail. Accordingly I finished up my TD's taxes! Hopefully now I can move on to actual work. I guess the deal is that his secretary who usually does them for him is sick. He has a local girl filling in but he doesn't want her to see what he's worth and what not. This being said I have no idea what I copied and transfered into excel so I guess he made the right choice. 

Had our first midterms yesterday. They went well I think. I've got two more tomorrow. They may not go so well. We'll see though. 

As for the Irish Budget, pretty much everything is getting more expensive for the Irish because the government's out of money. 

That's about all for now 

Long Time, No Blog, or, 7 slow news days

Well It's been seven days since my last post. I know I've been bad yet again. However, not much really happened this week to speak of. 

School was good, but nothing new. We have mid-terms tomorrow and wednesday - That could be news. 

The Dail was boring. I copied my Td's Taxes for two days and ran some errands. A far cry from the excitement of last week. This week will be the budget meetings though. That should be fun

Thursday night we all went out for Karaoke. This was dangerous. Needless to say I was coaxed into singing. Toxic by Brittany Spears... cause I'm a class act. 

Friday I met up with my friend Katie Brockage and her two roommates in Black Rock (between here and Dublin). She's from DePaul but will be at Trinity all year. JEALOUS!!!!! She's got a flat down town and sounds like she's having a great time. 

Saturday studied all day (much like Friday) and met up with two guys from the program down town. We tried to go to Octoberfest (the Australian had no Idea what a bratwurst was), but failed. They had the whole thing on a giant floating island, just off of the river. Needless to say not very many people could get on. We went to go hear some music at what is now one of my favorite places I've been to. There's just something about an Irishman with a guitar harmonica, singing sweet home Chicago that is quite simply brilliant. 

Today I went to a place called Powers Court. It's a huge estate/gardens from around the 17th century I think. The movie Count of Monte Cristo was filmed there. When you walk in there is this beutifull terraced expanse that has a pathway down the middle with two winged horses at the bottom, a lake and a fountain. Then there's Japanese gardens to one side, a english garden to the other, and pathways for miles. It was amazing. We had lunch there - I brought mine thank god ( a box of apple juice was 1.85!). Came back and studied all night. 

Starting Tursday it's going to be crazy. I might go to Milan, or the west, or the North of Dublin from Friday to Sunday. Monday-Thursday I'm in Paris. Friday-Monday I'm in Dingle/Killarney. Then on Friday I'm off to Belfast and Derry! CRAZY!!!!!!!!

So not much this week, but coming up is chaos. 

I'll update more even if nothings going on this week. 

-Will

Lazy Sunday

Sunday I recovered from my adventures - SLEPT 10 HOURS!!!! I didn't leave the house all day, I read a-lot, and drank perhaps a record amount of tea. All in all a great day. 

Saturday was amazing. Three students from my program and I went on a bus tour of the Wicklow Mountains. 

Stop 1: Tourist Informaton - We got picked up downtown and were met with a singing tour guide! This guy rivaled dad in his ability to have  song for everything. He had us singing along - which perhaps didn't go so well - he'd sing by himself, tell jokes, and had some good information as well. 

Stop 2: Lough Tay (Lock Tay) - Lough tay is a giant lake nestled between about four mountains. Its a giant black lake owned by the Guinness Family. Needless to say they brought in over 750 tons of white sand from the south of france and dumped it on the top end of the lake, now they have a giant pint of guinness in their back yard. 

Stop 3: Reconciliation center - We stopped at an old British Army Barracks for lunch. It - since being the barracks - has been turned into a reble base, and today is a center for reconciliation. They have programs over the summer for kids from the north to play together (protestants and catholics) Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert have met there, Nelson Mandella has spoken there as well. It is a very cool place 

Stop 4: Glendalough - Glendalough is an old monastic site where two lakes are. It's filled with ruins, a cemetery, and a giant tower. They think that St. Joseph is burried there. Very Very cool place. 

Stop 5: Meeting of the waters. This is where two rivers meet up to form the Avoca river. Thomas Moore wrote his famous poem "meeting of the waters" here. 

Stop 6: Avoca - a little town in the middle of the mountains where we stopped for food. Apparently some Irish TV show was filmed here (bally chris angel maybe?). We got lunch and then headed back.

When we got back we got dinner at home and then went out for Karaoke in a town nearby. Karaoke is apparently only on thursday nights though. The DJ played some pretty great classic rock, Brittany Spears, and ABBA though, so needless to say dancing ensued. 

Great Weekend over all - Ok time for school!

Learning to See Things in Black and White

Today we went to Kilkenny. It's a great little town that's filled with history. Strong bow - first norman to come to Ireland, and more or less was the one who started the whole English occupation of the island - set up a for there in the 12th century. The castle that is there now is beautiful. It's been around for the last 800 years! William and Mary stayed there after the Battle of The Boyne in the 15th century when Protestant side of the English crown gained control of the island.  

Then we walked down and got some lunch - all day FULL Irish Breakfast! Full is the key word there. That's right ladies and gents I ate black and white pudding. They weren't all that bad, but I must say I won't be having it again. 

Then we went to the top of this 11th century tower that we had to climb ladders to the top of. Went to go hear some Irish music at a place that one of the girls we were with had been to before. It was too early for Music but one of the guys who worked there was in the band she saw last time. So that was cool. 

Tomorrow we're going on a bus tour of Powers Court, Glendalough and a few other places. I'll write more about those tomorrow. Also there's the possibility of Karaoke! 

Thats it for now, good night

OH HAPPY DAY!!!!!

Well today, it can be said, was a complete 180 from yesterday... almost. 

The morning was, as mornings tend to be, awful. It was frigid out side, the bus didn't come for over an hour and we ended up being 20 min late to class. 

HOWEVER! We got new information on the Paris trip! Turns out they had the dates wrong! We get back on the 24th, just in time for me to catch the last flight to Kerry, take a taxi to killarney, spend the day in Kilarny, go riding in Dingle, stay another day on the west coast of Ireland, and come back home!

That's right ladies and gents you heard it! Laurel and I do get to go to Dingle and ride horses on the beach and in the mountains, stay in a bed and breakfast, and have a merry time overall! 

Spent some time in the Dail today. My TD was in and out, did some work for him, not much really, and came home. I do have all of my trips planned now, though I must say, not all paid for yet. 

Here they are 

This weekend - Kilkenny and Glendalough 

10-12 Mid terms 

17-27 - Paris and Dingle (Mid term Break) 

31-3 Belfast 

7-10 ROXI'S and CODY!!!!!

14-17 Edinburgh 

21-24 Corrie/Irvin trip

27-1 Corri/Irvin and a Thanksgiving getaway in a castle in the country side 

Dec 5 Finals 

And that's it for school. Then I have two weeks to do who knows what - dangerous I know! Turns out school gets done a week early, and the next week Dad might come over, we'll see. 

Possible trips in two weeks include 

Paris, Spain, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Silverbridge (MUST DO!), and other parts of Ireland I didn't get to see. 

I'm at a point where I feel I've been here forever and not at all at the same time. December seems so far away but when I plan it all out like that I feel it slipping away! But I guess everyone has to come back at some point. 

That's all for now 

School and Parliament

Monday was a pretty crappy day all together. Not that anything serious just kind of a lousy day. 

The first two buses drove by, I was late for school, did the wrong reading, found out that they changed the dates of the Paris trip so not only will Laurel and I not be in Paris at the same time, but we can't go to Dingle now... LA-AAAME!!! Oh and I was ironing my white shirt and someone must have burt something on it because when I steamed the shirt black soot shot all over it. 

This I must say has been the only bad day, and bad though it was, I think the fact that I've had a amazing 26 day run is pretty impressive. 

Today was good.  My bus broke down on the way to the Dail, but there was another bus behind it and I got to work on time. Work today was really interesting. I researched what the Irish delegation had to say at the UN General Assembly and made up critics and responses to what they had to say. That was pretty cool. Then I looked up what the Minister of Foreign Affairs - what my guy would be if his party was in power - discussed at a recent EU meeting and thought of questions for my TD to ask him in the Dail. 

The Prime Minister was in the Dail today answering questions about a huge thing that the Financial Regulator guaranteeing all deposits in Irish Banks. The opposition dug into the poor guy. He didn't do much in the way of answering questions, but its not as if the guys asking them did a very good job. 

Got home for an excellent chicken dinner! Ann had to leave so she said I could make my own cup of tea and asked if that was ok. I said no, I've become to a certain level of spoilage. We both laughed. 

Ok TV TIME! 

London Calling

What a weekend! 

Woke up early early early - 3:40 to be exact - friday morning to catch the 5:00 bus to Dublin Airport to get there by 6 for my 8:00 a.m. flight to london. three hours in travel for an hour flight... I just don't understand mass transit anymore. 

Laurel was still at work when I got there, so I decided to walk around. She had given me a list of places I could go for free. So I headed off to Buckingham Palace from the train station that took me from the airport to the city. It was beautiful. The best part was I got there right for the changing of the guards. I got a place right in front of the big gates. A brass band played some classical songs and then played a 007 medley! Then the red coats formed a marching band square and marched out one side of the rotunda followed by a drum and flute corps that went around the other side. Then the guards marched out and new guards marched in. It was quite the scene. 

Then I walked down the mall past St. Jame's park, which is this huge park by the palace. Ended up at Parliament/Big Ben, The London Eye (giant ferris wheel), and Westminster Abbey. It was beautiful. Couldn't have had a better day out. Then I went to Laurel's Flat. I got off the Tube stop ok, but got horribly lost. She lives in south Kingsington, which is probably the wealthiest part of the city. It's the area next to Hyde Park. She wasn't home yet so I hung out with her roommates who are amazing. When she did get home we stayed for a bit and then she showed me around. We went to the Victoria and Albert Museum (free and open till about 12:00am) and saw Harrods which is this crazy Dept. Store where you can buy everything... literally everything, for example and elephant if you so desire. The next day we slept in. Went to Camdon Lock Market which is a big hippie/punk market. SoHo, Liecster SQ (times square of London) The book store capital of London (no idea what the name is) China Town and then back to the parliament, the Buckingham, and the abbey because my Camera wasn't working the day before. 

The big news though is that we went to Kings Cross Station and visited PLATFORM 9 3/4!!!!!!!! (Harry Potter Reference for those non nerds out there) They have it labeled as well as a luggage cart that is half going into the wall... needless to say a must do photo opp. 

That night we were exhausted and I had to be up early for my flight back so we made a pizza and stayed it. Also ate Aero Chocolate - best chocolate in the world. It's full of holes in the middle which makes it look like a wafter, do not be fooled it creamy and melts in your mouth. 

Today Ann wasn't home until late, and she locked a door we don't have a key for so we came back late. I went to Phoenix Park - the giant park in Dublin, with two friends and then wen out for one of their birthdays.

Got back home and there was a girl in the house! Who KNEW! Apparently Ann's nieces (two of them in nursing school) stay here during the school year. She didn't feel the need to tell us though. Needless to say I was a bit surprised  when I walked in, and the young girl I though through the window was Amy was not. There names are Parissa and Laurie. They both seem really sweet. Parissa is a first year nursing student, and Parissa is starting her third year. I told Ann I'm going to have to hang sports memorabilia all over my room to assert my man hood in, what has now become, a hen house. 

Great weekend overall. Time for a long awaited, what will be much to short of a rest. Night 

My First Day

Hey All

Just got done with my first day in the office. My TD is great. We didn't talk much cause he was on the Dail floor all afternoon, but he seems like a great guy. 

He doesn't have a secretary or an assistant like a lot of the other TD's so he's busy all of the time. Litterally has two phones going and talking to me all at once. I made country profiles all day, filed some things and read, highlighted and then filed news paper stories that might be relevant. 

He tried to have me look up a speech that he gave but neither one of us knew how to look it up using the search thing the Dail has so I failed there. 

Pretty calm day over all. He said he's going to have some kind of project for me next week, we shall see. 

I'm going to London tomorrow morning! I'm SOOOO EXCITED! Seeing Laurel will be great. Her flat mates sound great fun. I'm excited to see where she works too, hopefully I can get there. 

More later 

-Will

P.S. I rocked out my three piece 10 dollar suit today! Dressed to kill

Exploring Alone is Great... Until You Get Lost

Today was my last tuesday off before my internship so I planned to go to Killmanum Goal, Phoenix Park, Dublin Zoo, Arbor Hill, and if time the National Gallery.... This did not happen. 

I woke up late. Then I got off my bus walked three miles to the Gaol (from now on Jail) and promptly got lost for another hour and a half, walking about another three miles in circles. I asked for directions like 8 times but not once did they get me the three blocks away that I needed to get (I swear on my life that the map I had was wrong! If I had any drive I'd write to Lonely Planet).  

I eventually gave up and decided to walk to Phoenix Park. On my way to what should my wondering eyes should appear? But a 18th century prison! Just what I was looking for. 

Killmanum (Sp?) Gaol (Pronounced Jail) was built sometime in the mid 18th century. It was then rehabbed in the mid 19th century. It housed just about every rebel in modern  Irish history from 1798-1926. Crazy stuff. If you've seen the original Italian job or Michael Collins you've seen the jail. It's amazing. The tour pretty much was the best history lecture I've had yet!  Getting to see the place where so many people I've learned about spent so much time - not to mention the 9000 held there during the famine ( this in a space that was meant to house 200) - was incredible. It really gave life to history. 

The creepiest part of the whole tour was after going through the inside of the prison they brought us out into the yard. They had it subdivided into three sections. The first was for women and children, the next the mens exercise yard, and then the stone breakers yard. 

What really freaked me out was that the second I walked into the stone breakers yard I felt like my soul was going to die. I mean the jail itself isn't uplifting but this was crazy. Then I found out it was where the leaders of the Easter 1916 rising were executed. They were all executed by firing squad. They had two little black crosses in the yard opposite of each other. They marked were they all had been shot. 

 

The Easter Rising was bound to fail, in fact it was meant to. It was a blood revolution meant to spark the revolutionary spirit in the people. It didn't really work though. They had managed to destroy most of Dublin and there were a lot of civilian causalities. It would had failed for it not been for these executions. 

The british, instead of killing them all at once, decided to make an example of them. They killed one or two a day for about a week ending in James Connolly. James had been shot during the battle and was bleeding bad. He was going to die from blood loss, but the British wanted them to die on their own terms. Problem was that English law demanded that a prisoner couldn't be executed unless they were in perfect health - kinda vindictive if you ask me. So they attempted to nurse him back to health but by the end of the week it was clear that James was going to die. So in the middle of the night they brought him to the stone breakers yard on a stretcher because he was too weak to walk. They tied him to a chair because he was too weak to sit up by himself and twelve british soldiers fired, breaking every humanitarian rule of the day. 

The public was out raged. Had the long drawn out executions not been enough, this caused an out rage that lead four years latter to all out war ending in independence eight years six years latter. 

I walked about a mile and a half to their grave (they were all thrown in an unmarked mass grave afterwards). The Irish Government now has a big thing. It's called Arbor hill. They have a big raised paved surface with flowers running up the sides with a green patch in the middle where they are buried. On one side of the grave are their names in Gaelic the other in Irish. Then there's a giant wall behind them with the text of the proclamation they read that day declaring independence in Gaelic and in English. 

Walked back home afterwards - another 2 miles to the bus. thought I might die when I got back home. I hadn't eaten so I was starving and my legs were killing me. Ann made me a great dinner though - lasagna, fries, and triffle for desert. 

I meet my TD tomorrow!!!! Can't wait 

Night

TD Assignment!

FINALLY!!!! I GOT MY TD!!!!

His name is Billy Timmins. He's the Fine Gael rep from county Wicklow. The director of the program is very good friends with him and says he's one of the nicest people that there ever has been. I've researched him a little and he seems like a nice guy. 

He served in the millitary around Ireland and then also in Lebanon and Cyprus. His dad was a TD and when he abandoned his seat, Billy - one month away from getting an Army Pension - gave up his army job to run for his dad's place. He was the spokesman for defense, housing, agriculture, food and humanitarian aid in the past. Currently he's the Fine Gael spokesman for Foreign affairs. He seems like a pretty nice guy and that we'd agree on most things. 

Fine Gael traditionally is socially liberal and economically conservative, but since they've been out of power for so long they've become more economically liberal. Him especially it seems like. 

What is really cool about him is that yesterday I read in the paper that he is trying to get Ireland to work towards the Millenium Development goals. I've done a lot of writing on them, pretty much they're to work to alleviate poverty in the poorest areas of the world. Not so much focusing on the poor, but on the desperately poor, those who survive on less than a dollar a day and make up around 1/5th of the world population.  I think my work in Kenya and with IOU will be a huge help here. Last night I sent an e-mail to the program director saying that I read this article and I thought it would be a good TD placement for me, and today he said he agreed, and that in fact he had all ready paired him with me. Hopefully I'll be able to work a lot for him!

That's about all for today 

Tyronne!!!!!

Well it may be possible that I've watched more sporting events in this country in the last two weeks than I have in months in the states. Today was the All Ireland Gaelic Football final. Tyrone from the north vs. Kerry from the Republic. What a game! 

We all met up at about 1:30 on Grafton St - the Michigan Ave of Dublin - and saw the most amazing street performers ever. These two guys named the English Gents. They wore suits and did crazy acrobatics like one handed handstands on a guys head and ridiculous stuff like that. Look them up on youtube. 

Then we headed out to watch the game at a pub nearby. It was awesome we went to this little whole in the wall filled with fans from each team. It was out of the way so everyone there was Irish. The game was tied up the whole time until the last 3 minutes when Tyrone pulled ahead by three points. Incredible.

Came home and had Salisbury steak mashed potatoes green beans carrots and apple tart (I don't know what I'm going to do when I go home). 

Other than that I took the best nap ever! I'm going to London on Friday to see Laurel. That should be wonderful. Hopefully I'll be able to see her place of work. Just to brag for a moment, she has already produced original material for the website. Two pieces that she has written have - because of so many views - popped up on the MSN UK home page! Most staffers don't get that kind of success, it is literally unheard of for interns. Just saying. 

Ok time for bed, I've got to be learnin' tomorrow

Groddy Weekend

WOW. 

OK so yeah it's been a few day's since my last post - seems to be a recurring theme. So MUCH HAS HAPPENED SINCE THURSDAY!!!! I Can't believe it's only saturday. 

So Thursday morning I woke up took a shower and got ready for my first day at parliament - or as they call it here the lienster house. 

I got there early so I took a walk in St. Steven's Green which is one of the big parks here. It is giant and gorgeous. Dublin has the nicest parks of any city I've been to. They really are the highlight of the city 

We don't have our TD's yet, but we got a tour from this really amazing little old man who knew everything that you could ever hope to know. For example the house was built in 1750 I think, maybe 60's. But its architect also designed the White House. This being said he more or less changed the name on the blue prints and sent them to Washington and won the contest, so I'll be working in the West Wing..... 

Security is extreemly lax. I got my ID card which gets me access to pretty much everywhere except for the TD only pub as well as the floor of the Dail. The police officers in Ireland don't cary guns. Its amazing, but I hadn't realized how many fire arms I see in the corse of a normal day. I understand crime is a bit different in the states, but I think it adds to the general sense of uneasiness and police stateness (not a word)  that helps to encourage crime. Enough of my ramblings though. 

When we got done with our tour I was told that I and four other students had an interview with a TD. His name is Leo something. He wasn't there but he's a member of the party Fine Gael. They are financially conservative and liberal in their social views...kinda. I say kinda because parties here are not the same as back home. The "party line" doesn't exist in the same way so politicians are much more diverse in their beliefs within a party. He wasn't there so his assistant and secretary interviewed us. The last intern they had more or less wrote a report that made big news last year about streamlining government. It sounds like if I get the gig I'll be doing a load of work! This could be the first time I'm excited to be overloaded with work. The TD is one of two members of the Dail who support John McCain. They said that he's obsessed with American Politics and loves to debate with his interns, so should be great - if stressful. I think I interviewed well, I've been listening to the Irish news every morning and watching it at night so I was the only one who had any idea what was going on in the country - but the others had a lot of experience and quite honestly would be better picks. I'm not to concerned though. I'm hoping to get some crazy left wing kook job independent that I can write speeches for. 

After the interview we went for lunch at the place in the Lienster House. It was great and cheap. Then we went and explored Christ Church. It was beautiful. Its been around since the 12th century. Strong Bow - the first englishman on the island - is buried there. There's a wall from the 1100's still intact. Then they have the catacombs filled with tombs and more artifacts. They have the gold plates that William III of Orange received when he got to Dublin after beating King James at the battle of the Boyne in 16 something. There's a cat and a rat that ran into one of the organ tubes and were found a century later mummified!  

We meant to go to Dublin castle, but thought we'd grab a bite to eat at a pub on the way. We ended up staying for too long and missed the tour. It was a local place were no Americans - and for that mater Australians - go to, so the locals loved us. This one guy kept on come us and telling us jokes. None of us could understand a word though, which was hilarious, if not uncomfortable. He told one about fred flinstone in Ireland for about 15 min and I got five words out of it. 

We went to one of the kids apartments to hang out afterwards, missed the last bus so we stayed. 

The next morning I was a mess. In the same clothes I had been in the day before, without a shower I went out - Keep in mind the undershirt I was wearing for my suit that had been put in my bag and was now being used as a T-Shirt had previously been worn -! We went to school for free breakfast, ended up staying four hours (I'm sure the tea ladies hate us). Then we went out and my nose started to bleed adding to my general good looks at the time (the blood stained t-shirt was a nice touch).  We went to Dublin Castle and had the greatest tour guide ever. She was hilarious and full of facts that my first tour guide didn't give. For example Bram Stoker was an accountant at Dublin Castle, and it was while slaving away on taxes he go the idea for, and began writing, Dracula. 

We went back to the apartment and  then went out to the Lienster Vs. Connegut  rugby match. It was great fun. We had amazing seats and the game was played amazingly well. The crowed was so into it. The best part though is that the guy from the pub who told us the jokes - his name it turns out is "Big Tony" - WAS TAKING OUT TICKETS IN OUR SEATS!!!! Then to top it off I went to the bathroom and the guy who was guarding the field at the Camogie final was guarding the bathroom! I said 

"Hey were you at the camogie final last week?" 

he said "yeah" 

I said "remember those two crazy Americans who sat in the rain two rows back?" 

Then he lost it and we laughed for about five min. I have a great picture of him to go along with the one that I took of him jokingly at the camogie final. 

We left the game and I was starving. Then I did possibly the grossest thing I've ever done. I ran up to a the condiment stand took a hand full of fresh onions, put a bit of ketchup and mustard on them and ate it. Surprisingly not that bad, but none of my friends wanted to speak to me after. Got back home at about 11 and Ann made horrible fun of me for being gone for two days and coming back with a blood, onion, ketchup and mustard stained shirt. 

This morning at 6:30 I woke up and went out to Co. Mead. Me and five others went to New Grange, Knoth, Hill of Tara, and Trim Castle 

We went to Knoth first after driving through the countryside for half an hour. It is so beutifull here. If anyone is interested in a summer cottage there are some for sale, I'd be more than willing to be your grounds keeper. Just, you know, throwing it out there. 

Knoth and New Grange are stone age era burial chambers. They predate the pyramids at Giza by about 1,000 years. 6,000 B.C. to be precise. In case you were wondering....THATS REALLY OLD!!!!

Got to go inside both of them, which was amazing. Knoth was much bigger and we got to go on top. The view was fantastic. It has two chambers on the inside, one aligned with the winter solstice sunrise, and the other for sun set. It's the only one in the world with two chambers. Pretty much rocked my world 

New Grange is by far more famous. It is giant with huge white rock sides. They take you inside and turn off all the lights, and despite having no door it is complete darkness because of the way it was built. It was built about 11 thousand years ago but it hasn't shifted a bit on the inside. In 11000 years it has never once leaked! They turn off all the lights at one point and then recreate what it is like during the winter solstice. To think that people engineered this so long ago and it is still functioning just as it did as when they build it is mind boggling. 

After that we went to the Hill of Tara. It is where the old High Kings of Ireland - so pre Henry II -  were crowned. It now doubles as a sheep pasture, so it's covered in sheep poo.... not sure how to feel about that. It was really cool though. It's all raised earth like in south america. 

Then we were off to Trim Castle. It's the biggest and oldest castle in Ireland. Also happens to be where brave heart was filmed. It was really really cool. We got to climb all over the inside of the castle which was great. 

Ok bed time. The All Ireland Gaelic Rugby game is tomorrow. Tyrone vs. Kerry. Kerry wins all the time, and Tyrone hasn't been in for years. Tyrone is now my team!

Well more later