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