The next big city...

So Dublin...it's good...I like it. It's a big city basically. It's funny being here in contrast to Cork and Galway (all the other little cities I've been through in Ireland) because while it still seems all Irishy and all that, it's uber International at the same time. So it goes when you have a city in the neighborhood of 1 million...that'll happen in any country.

Yesterday I went to Trinity College, which reminded me a lot of UVa
actually. They have the same ridiculousness about living on the lawn
basically...but it's not the lawn, it's this ugly old brick
building...and they have to walk down a bunch of stairs out in the cold
and back into the bathroom, sorta like they do on the lawn. So it goes.

So for another crazy story in Lauren's Great European Adventure...I was walking up to see the Book of Kells (in the College) and I look over, and who do I see but an old friend from UVa. Totally random! I tell you this world is a crazy place. So today we went to lunch at this tasty little Italian place called Trastevere Ristorante...anyhoo, a bowl of mushroom soup, a caesar salad, and a glass of wine later I'm about to head off to the Guinness Storehouse to learn about all that loveliness, and then after, who can say...there's an endless sea of possibilities!

Gaillimh slash Galway

June 23

Ireland was my dream...and I'm lovin it! I've just had a brilliant time in Cork, and I know Galway's gonna be just great. Today I didn't do much but wander around a little bit. Along the beach a bit and then back into the city to wander up and down the streets, saw the Spanish Arch and the cathedral, and that was basically it. Tomorrow I'll be going to the Cliffs ofMoher and the Burren and then Monday I'll be at Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands...will definitely update on how that goes!

June 24

I joined Desmond on the Cliffs of Moher and Burren tour today by way of the Galway Tour Company, and it was great. Desmond is this crazy old man whose been eating too many oysters (as he reminded us throughout the day, they're an aphrodisiac)...it makes him a little too saucy, but he's great anyways! always jokin. You can see the trajectory on their website ( www.galwaytourcompany.com ).

June 25

Today I went to Inish Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands, which was absolutely amazing! They say that it used to be connected with the Burren and that's why it has limestone all over the place just like that...and then they also say it was connected on the other side with Connemara...anyhoo, whatever that means, it was really pretty. My tour guide was Martin, a native of the island. That man was some pretty deep stuff! The primary income of the islands now is tourism, but before it used to be all fishing, and he still goes out, even all the way up to Norway and does some of that crazy intense fishing...think Perfect Storm style. Inish Mor is just covered with those awesome Irish stone walls, Martin said 3000 miles of it.

Next time I come back, if I come back, which i would love too...someone needs to keep me away from those sweater shops! they're completely dangerous for me because those things are just so cozy and wonderful.

I tried some awesome Aran Chowder at a restaurant right down by the port...shoulda had the fish and chips, but I was just so chilled to the bone from all that wind and stuff I just had to get the soup.

Also I got to go up to that big fort they have which was off the chain...it's up on top of this cliff, that's just straight down...and then wind is coming up over your back, drivin straight into the Atlantic, and it's a freakin powerful wind...but it's just beautiful...powerful you could say, because it feels like you're standing on the edge of the earth looking out to where everything just ends.

Last day on the westside of Ireland = very good. Tomorrow, Dublin...and if one more person tells me how horrible it is...I just might not go!

Stout

First may I say, I love stout. (But only in moderation Ma!) And therefore I love Ireland.

Wednesday
Planes, trains and automobiles...follow me here: bus from Paris to Paris Beauvais Airport (where I accidentally smuggled more more liquid than allowed on planes these days! oops! at least I didn't get caught), plane from Beauvais to Dublin, bus from Dublin Airport to Heuston Train Station, train from there to Cork, and there we are...Cork was the first real stop on the Irish leg of Lauren's Great European Adventure.

Straight away at Kinlay House Cork Hostel I met this awesome girl who I got to travel around with for the rest of my days in Cork. To start, since there was only the afternoon left we wandered
around Cork city and stopped into a great pub (that said it would have music although lacked it...that was the only downside) called the Old Oak...after sampling a number of Irish drinks I had my first BabyGuiness...Kahlua with a little Bailey's on top in a shot glass and it looks exactly like it's big brother, but cuter.

Thursday
To Blarney to kiss the Blarney Stone and get the gift of the gab so that I may never lack words again...not that it was a problem before...but just to be sure. The castle was amazing, almost 600 years old. After waiting in the line for about an hour they get you up there and rush you so fast that you can't have anyone take a snap of you and you're force to buy the 10€ one they take of you. BOO! otherwise quite cool.

The rest of the grounds are wonderful really. They have this awesome section called Rock Close where they have a Druid's Circle, the Fairy Glade, Witches Kitchen and more...totally exciting and beautiful. That was definitely a wonderful way to spend the morning.

After that we went to the Blarney Woolen Mill which was actually anticlimactic and unfortunate because it actually wasn't a mill at all, just a large shopping center. Anyhoo I got some awesome wool yarn to knit some scarves later on, that should be good...and to make up for not actually being a woolen mill they had this awesome old guy working on a loom that was pretty cool.

Now for a ridiculous side story. After getting back into Cork we were walking around Shandon where our hostel is and I bumped into this guy from my program from Spain...crazy huh? What are the chances...life is crazy is all. All of us headed out to this awesome pub called the Corner House and threw back a few. Red Beamish is my muse.

Interruption: back to the hostel to fix dinner. What'd Lauren Fix?
I call it..."Show me how you do that trick, the one that makes me scream...just like heaven"
Ingredients:
* 1 chicken breast
* A few strips of bacon
* 1 packet cream of chicken soup
* Swirl pasta
* Water
* Irish cheddar cheese
Instructions:
Put the water and packet of soup on to bring up to a boil...meanwhile heat a little oil in a pan and add the chicken and bacon to cook. Make sure the pasta is cooked through and add it and it's sauce into the pan with yummy bacon bits and chicken to deglaze the pan...add cheese to melt and serve. Ooo ooo just like heaven.

Back to the Corner House Pub and the Pub next door for some evening stouts and local music.

Friday
We were thinking on going to Kinsale, but in the end this is what happened.
* Cork Butter Museum
* 1st Ever Shandon Street Festival: awesome little street party, they had musical performances like a little choir playing the recorder, a young band covering songs from the Kaiser Chiefs, The Troggs,
and Seven Nation Army to name a few, in addition I was trying some
awesome hot chocolate and potato fries from local street vendors. YUM!
* Cork City Gaol ...a creepy men and women's prison that was apparently horrible during its day. that was one hell of a jail.
* Meat: the most insane play ...well maybe... I've ever seen.
Read the blurb if you will...
"A comedy. Sort of...

Are you tender, fragile perhaps? Then be warned...

The tale that follows contains scenes of murder, betrayal, adultery,
bisexuality, castration, fellatio, prostitution, pornography, male,
female and vegetable sodomy and at least six varieties of drug abuse...

...not forgetting psychological torture, epic battle of sexual wits, nudity,
poverty, gambling, corruption, embezzlement, bribery, political
scandal, cannibalism, bigamy, necrophilia, organized crime and group
sex."

...crazy play, didn't I tell you?

And that was that.

Je ne regrette rien!

I had a perfectly wonderful time in PARIS! Je ne regrette rien! Lay it all out over 3 days, and you have one tired puppy (puppy = me).

Day 1
Check into my hostel, The 3 Ducks. Go straight to Versailles...all I have to say is that Loius was clearly insane to dream up the Chateau,
and bless those people who actually had to build the thing! That is one
big palace, with a huge garden, and I wish I could afford to live
there. Although I must say it is rather large, and I bet there would
be a lot of creepy creaking at night, and there's probably a lot of
bad vibes considering all the craziness that went down with Marie
(being executed by way of guillotine) floating around there...so maybe
I'll pass, find myself a sugar daddy, and have him build me a new Versailles!

After
getting back into the city I marched up the Eiffel tower...now, to
those of you haven't been in Paris during recent times...let me just
tell you, that all over the city...immediately coming out of the train
station, you start to notice a strange presence that's just all
over...what is it!? MEN IN MILITARY GET UP CARRYING AROUND REALLY
SERIOUS AUTOMATIC WEAPONRY! what the heck!? If I actually knew what
the guns they had were, I'd probably be a lot more scared, because they
were really intense! Anyways...passing through the 5 men with scary big
guns...I walked up the tower, and it was lovely...windy, but lovely. I
had the most delightful scoop of Ben and Jerry's that I've ever had at
the top, oh Cookie Dough, you make it all worth it!

Hopped off
the tower, and went towards that big tomb thing memorial to watch the
sparkle lights on the tower come on, got a crepe and went on to the Arc de Triomphe
...sorry if I misspelled that. That traffic circle is intense...and
Napoleon was crazy (trend with the ruling class in France), that's what I learned from that visit. I'd say that
was a successful enough day, I didn't even freakin get back to my hostel till past 1 am...and I didn't even have the energy to go out, TIRED! Paris is TOO big!

Day 2
The Louvre. OH. MY. GOODNESS! Why is the Louvre so big!? Why!? Now that I'm well versed in everyone's
history, I feel complete. 3 floors, 3 wings. HOT DOG! Not much to say,
except that there are way too many french paintings in that place...I
know french do a good job with all the art and everything...but
jeez...there was a lot, AND sculpture...after getting asked out by
employees in front of Mona (got the kiss on the hand too! oh
french...that was the one I had a coffee with later) and in the Dutch
painting wing (they obviously don't have the "no fraternizing with
visitors" policy) I went over to the Picasso Museum...interesting as
usual.


Day 3
Last day. Feeling good, feeling strong. Orsay is tops on the list. It was good...after awesome Van Gogh,
a lot of Manet, Monet, Renoir, a cool Art Deco wing, awesome
restaurant, etc...I was done with that and went over to wander through Montmarte...the Basilica, the Cemetery (got a picture with Dumas), parks, and the Moulin Rouge completed that visit and it was a good one.



Conclusion.
In Paris, I walked more than I can say, and had myself a blasty blast.