Kilkenny, that day when you want something to happen but it really doesn't

Today I feel as if my outsides are my insides and they're really greasy. On the plus side it's pretty. That is all.

Blarney

This is a picture from the outside of my hostile.

Yesterday I went to Blarney and took lots of pictures. Blarney village is absolutely gorgeous. The sun was setting as I was waiting to catch the bus back. The sky turned this absolutely magical orange, i don't have a picture of it, but it was beautiful.

Anyway, when I first arrived I walked around the grounds a bit before actually going up to the castle. Here are a couple of pictures.



And here's some of the castle itself.


And here's some of the Rock Close.





And here's some of my really muddy feet after a little misadventure. On the bright side, my shoes are almost dry, on the not- so bright side, my pants aren't.

And this is me in a really small tunnel!

The Cliffs Of Moher

Okey, so maybe I'll just post pictures.

Galway, Day Trip Part 1

That's me with a beer (which I actually finished!). Anyway day before Yesterday I went to the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher on a bus tour. Before we got to the main attractions, though we visited a castle that had been rebuilt form an even older one who's ruins were not fifty meters away. After that we stopped at this picturesque tourist trap called the Burren House, both places were right on the water.



After that we drove through the burren and stopped at this old earthen fort. It was very cool. When it was occupied the berms were much higher and the mote deeper. Earthen forts were used as hiding places, the inhabitants would place a wooden plank under the mud and water of the mote so only they knew the location. This made it almost impossible for people who weren't wanted to enter. The fort we went to had yet to be excavated. We also stopped to look at the high crosses. there were also a whole lot of cover stones of Bishops' tombs. It wasn't my favorite part, mostly because I'm not that fond of graveyards, and it's really hard to to walk on top of dead people in old ones.

When we were in the Burren we stopped at a wedge tomb. There were about 33 people buried under the top stone ranging from children to older adults. Some of the remains were cremated while the majority had their bones picked clean by wild animals and later interned in the mass grave.

On the way to the tomb. We drove by the home where a priceless gold collar was discovered by a 16 year old boy in the 1930's.

I'm going to post on the Cliffs of Moher, with lots more pictures in another post because I can't get anymore to load.

Galway, The Day I Started to Do Stuff

This is the view out my door-- let me reiterate: I have a third floor balcony in my hostile dorm!
I also have a bathroom, again, in my hostile dorm!


Now to the really important stuff. I woke up pretty late today, about 11:30 and got ready for the day, making a reservation for a tour of the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher for tomarrow. After I got all that squared away, I went to find food. I did. It was alright and pretty average for pub food, of which I've been eating a great deal. After Lunch I walked down to the Quays. It was magical. The river water moved swiftly at an almost violent pace. It seemed as if the fresh water could not wait to meet the sea for the first time, the sound of it's eagerness almost drowning out the nearby traffic. the sky was overcast and the wind blew ferociously. I wondered down the near side of the river enjoying the furtive cry of the seagulls and the fresh coastal wind on my face.

Once I'd seem my fill of that side I moved across the bridge, stopping to admire the view from the other side. Slowly as I was battle the winds, I made my way to the end of the pier. On my journey I encountered nearly tame swans and the happiest gulls I have every seen. The water in the bay was that deep indescribably grey, crshing against unseen rocks. Small boats sat in shallow alcoves, hulls touching the ground beneath them. at yet more seabirds fed off the rocking bottom. Actual palm trees danced to the rhythm of the wind as I took all this in with eager eyes.

Dublin, The Texty Bit

Alright, Dublin here comes the writing part!

When I first got to the city it was sunny and midmorning, while in my mind it was dark and approximately three a.m. I managed to get the hostile without any fuss and my taxi driver gave me her number, just in case I got in trouble or needed help. I put my luggage in storage before checking in and went to explore the city a bit.

Now, I'm going to be perfectly honest, I was a little disapointed at first, a bit melancholy, if you will. I'd just come from New York City and even knowing that Dublin was big, I wasn't expecting the such a profound similarity between the two cities. Now my first reaction may have something to do with the lack of sleep, jet leg and isolation I was feeling at the time, but I managed to sleep about 18 hours that first day.

Day Two, also known as Thursday, I woke up still feeling unhappy and forced myself to do some exploring. I managed to go to the Hugh Lane Gallery, which is mostly modern Irish art. I thought it was very, very cool. I also think I wondered around Dame street and the Connally bridge, maybe. At the end I found myself in an overpriced hotel bar eating an okey club sandwich.

Day Three, Friday, I took myself on a walking tour of the Temple Bar area. That is a part of Dublin I absolutely adore. Lots of street performers and tiny streets, funky shops and awsome pubs.

Day Four, Saturday, was laundry day, so I didn't make it out untill half past two, so I just looked at shoes for four hours. It was fun. I also ate at Queys Restaurant.

Day Five, Sunday, was also I slow beginning, due to a rather silly miscommunication. I ended up at the Guinness storehouse with a couple of friends, and later we went to the Mezz, which is a really cool pub slash music venue in Temple Bar. Then I slept off the beer and wine.

Day Six, Monday, was a bank holiday, but I still managed to go to the Book of Kells in fantastic Trinity College and take the Dublin Castle tour, then I did Grafton again and ate some food. It was at Trinity I found my new favourite poem.

I and Pangur Bán my cat
'Tis a like task we are at:
Hunting mice is his delight,
Hunting words I sit all night.
Better far than praise of men
'Tis to sit with book and pen;
Pangur bears me no ill will
He too plies his simple skill.

Oftentimes a mouse will stray
In the hero Pangur's way;
Oftentimes my keen thought set
Takes a meaning in its net.

'Gainst the wall he sets his eye
Full and fierce and sharp and sly;
'Gainst the wall of knowledge I
All my little wisdom try.

Practice every day has made
Pangur perfect in his trade;
I get wisdom day and night
Turning darkness into light.

It was written by an unknown Irish monk in the 8th century C.E. and this version was translated by Robin Flower; this is the earliest of Irsh poetry to have survived.

Tuesday I went to the National museum at was both disturbed and impressed by the collection there. The bog people being the most confusing in that they were both extremely disturbing and quite interesting.

Today I am it Galway after a six hour bus journey (it doesn't usually take that long, it just did today).

P.S. How's my Delilah kitty?

Dublin, Part 1, A

Hi, Mom, since your the only person reading this!

Unfortunately I do not yet have a picture out my hostile window. I do, however have some great many pictures of the Garden of Rememberence, built to honor the lives lost in the war for Irish Independence.



A picture of Connally Street.


Some of O'Connell Bridge.



Dublin Castle.




And Christchurch Cathedral.




Not to mention some really cool ones from the Guinness Brewery.