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
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
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 – 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
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.
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 – 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.
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.
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.
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