I Went Back Home - Part Two

Our second day in Cork took us to the Shandon Bells and Blarney Castle; our last day the Cork Butter Museum and home.

We went to the English Market for breakfast. This place is full of fresh, local food sold out of stalls and small shops. Some of my friends from Cork met us in the market and I loved getting to catch up with them. Instead of a traditional breakfast, I indulged in an O'Flynn gourmet sausage which used to be my obsession when I was living there. We then continued to the Shandon Bells.

In Cork, visiting St. Anne's Church is a very touristy thing to do but, for whatever reason, I never made it over. And I really wish that I had. This church not only has a cool climb up through the bell tower to one of the best views of the city, but it is also a church that promotes acceptance and understanding with its members and for this reason has a large population of LGBTQ members. I was and am more than willing and excited to donate and visit a church that shows how much God loves everyone and am proud of a place that encourages this idea.

When we got there we went into the main church area and looked around. It is a fairly normal church so after wandering a bit in the area where they hold services, we went back out to pay for the bell tour. The woman in charge gave us ear protectors and up we went to the bells. On one of the first levels there is a song book and all of the pulls for the bells. We went to town playing songs and my rendition of "Happy Birthday" was particularly remarkable. We then continued up the stairs, saw the mechanism that works the clock part of the tour, and after a more claustrophobic bit of climbing we made it to the top. The views were incredible and the wind even more so! After some fun pics we went back down the tower and walked back toward city center.

We then headed to Blarney and visited a chocolate shop and the famous Woolen Mills for some souvenirs. I got coffee in the cafe and we watched the sunny weather trade for rain. 20 minutes later it was snowing. 20 minutes later it was sunny again and we headed for the castle. Although the weather and everything was a bit chillier than my last visit (as discussed here), we still had a fun time going up through the ruin, kissing the Blarney Stone (for my third time), and walking around the beautiful grounds.

That evening we got a delicious meal at COQ BULL in city center and then we went pub-hopping looking for some fun that night. We eventually found some fun and other UCD students in the Old Oak.

Our last day in Cork took us to the Cork Butter Museum where we learned about the progression of the butter business in Ireland and why butter made from Kerry cows is that much better than the rest of the world's butter. After that we got some sandwich's from the Natural Food Bakery (the best sandwiches in town) and walked to the bus stop to head back to UCD.

I am so glad that I was able to return to Cork for the weekend. It was a bit sentimental and sad that I was not living there anymore but proves that my planning and decision to split the year was the right one. I am getting a whole new set of memories in a whole new place with new people this semester. My Cork memories are perfectly preserved and I can keep that time separate and wonderful - how it should be.

Yours,

The Opinionated Lassie

I Went Back Home - Part One

After a fun, crazy, exhausting, and stressful transition into my new Dublin home, you can imagine my delight upon being invited to Cork with some friends! 

But honestly, I was nervous about how I would feel returning as most of my close friends have gone back to the US. I was now a tourist and no longer a "local." I was proving this place to people who had never seen it and hoping they would love it as much as I do. And in one weekend the joy and peace I gained in going back was overwhelming and I am grateful for our short adventure there.

We left early on Friday morning and made our way the the train station. Our bus ride started out a bit rocky as we didn't have enough change (poor planning) and the Dublin buses do not take cash. Luckily Irish hospitality saved us as a kind women exchanged her coins for our bill and we were on our way. We arrived at the station early and all got coffee, then boarded the train, and in 2.5 hours we were there. 

Just stepping off the train I felt relieved and happy that I now knew where I was. In Dublin I am directionally a mess and having the peace of mind in a familiar city was wonderful. We walked to our hostel, about 35 minutes from the station, and I showed my friends some of the main spots downtown as we passed them. Because it was before check-in time, we dropped off our things and continued to our first destination, Cork City Gaol (jail). 

This place was awesome and I cannot believe in my 4.5 months living in Cork I never made it there. The receptionist gives you a brochure and in a self-guided tour you make your way through the building learning about the history of the jail and about inmates who stayed there. And the building, really, is quite interestingly constructed. William Robertson was the architect of the jail and it was opened in 1824. He designed it to have maximum natural light and excellent visibility for guards on duty. The jail also used to have an underground tunnel, and you can still see the ring around which prisoners would walk for hours to get exercise. For more information: http://corkcitygaol.com/

After the jail we made our way down to Cork Public Museum situated in the cute Fitzgerald Park. Not only is this a very pretty area with a great view of the River Lee, but it is also free admission and gives good insights into Irish and Cork history. The trench exhibit which I mentioned in a previous post (click here) was still there, and they had completed a new photo exhibition on the lifestyle of the Irish Traveler community. The museum's cafe made for a nice coffee break and then we were walking once again. 

Our next stop was St. Fin Barre's Cathedral (mentioned previously in the same post as the trench), and we walked through UCC to get there. I was definitely sentimental walking through my old campus but was relieved to finally get a picture with the Aula Maxima which is the main and most stereotypically-UCC building. When we arrived at St. Fin's we got brochures and embarked on yet another self-guided tour. The greeter also invited us to light candles and so, as that is always a good thing to do in a church, we did. One cool thing about this church is the pipe organ. The pipes are at ground level and you can easily see them all. I have never seen organ pipes so closely and was amazed at the number of pipes that are purely controlled by a single organist.

For dinner we got some Italian food (and tiramisu dessert) and finished up the night with some trad music at The Old Oak pub. I also ran into a friend from last semester and had a great time catching up! We then realized how exhausted we were and headed back to the hostel. It was definitely a good first day!

More coming soon!

The Opinionated Lassie

Croke Park and Pics

After seeing the Guinness Storehouse, we took a bus to Croke Park which is the home of the Gaelic Athletic Association or GAA. This park is one of the largest stadiums in Europe and has a capacity of 82,300 people. The actual field (here they call it a 'pitch') and the seating is all beautifully maintained and we learned that the middle of the field is actually a foot higher than the outside to create the illusion of a flat surface from the nosebleed seats. Our guide was a fantastic Dubliner who truly had passion for his job and GAA sports. He told us many interesting stories about every room we saw including anecdotes regarding his favorite players and his childhood watching famous matches. GAA sports include hurling, Gaelic football, handball, rounders, and camogie (hurling for females). These are all traditional Irish sports and the players, though very talented and dedicated to their sports, are all amateurs. 

I think that is the most amazing part of the whole thing. These individuals are not paid millions to play games and get endorsement deals and fame. They are all ordinary individuals who have full-time jobs but choose to dedicate hundreds of hours every month to training and traveling out of passion and love. And these players are not able to pick and choose which club they support. They are born into their club by which county they are from and would never think of playing for another. They are not playing for themselves but for their family, friends, and neighbors back home who want to see the small town athlete succeed on the big stage. Even the counties that are not traditionally very good always have a chance to make it to the All-Ireland final and that hope brings these people and this nation together.

At first, I thought that Croke Park was just another stadium. Another place where fans gather and get drunk to hopefully see an interesting game and walk out with a win. But Croke Park is so much more than that. It symbolizes unity and passion for inherently Irish sports. It symbolizes support for one's neighbors and pride in one's birthplace. It symbolizes sportsmanship and a job well done. In many ways, Croke Park is the embodiment of the kindness and passion of the Irish people, and I am so glad that I got to visit.

Now for the pictures:

This is the Waterford Crystal chandelier that is in the bar/eating room for the players. If you look closely, you can see that the spheres are actually made up of Gaelic footballs and sliotars, the balls used for hurling.

Some of the jerseys in the locker room. The stadium has two main locker rooms which are used for all matches. These lock rooms are exactly the same as in Croke Park there is never a 'home team' or special treatment for one team or another.

Our very enthusiastic guide who definitely deserves a raise.

Giant hurleys that are used for parades and such.

Outside in the actual bowl.

Cheering for Grandma Mel's county, Co. Westmeath!

Our guide again. This room is used for a variety of things, one of them being a game day mass that occurs before the All-Ireland finals.

The entrance with logos from every GAA team in the world. Interestingly there are many teams in Asia and in the United States.

Another shot of the entrance with a statue of Michael Cusack.

 Thanks for reading!

The Opinionated Lassie

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Guinness Storehouse Tour

So I believe I went to the Guinness Storehouse when I was younger and my family bused around Ireland. But I have to say, a beer-related tour is significantly different when you are of drinking age and can join in the activity.

The study abroad people told us that they would be hosting a trip to the Guinness Storehouse and Croke Park Stadium and that for 12 euro we could come. I immediately signed up figuring that it was a great way to see two of Dublin's most popular attractions and am sure glad that I did! (I will cover the journey to Croke Park in a separate blog as a combined post might run a bit long).

We boarded a bus around 9:45am on Saturday morning and by 10:00am we were off. Now this may seem early for a beer tour, yes, but I think Guinness tastes a bit like coffee anyway so the justification for it was not hard. 

The outside of the building (or rather complex of buildings) is very large and grandiose in appearance. When I entered the storehouse I was overwhelmed with its modern architecture, heavy use of glass, and its overall industrial vibe. Not to mention the tour guide quickly showed us how the building is constructed in the shape of a pint glass which really took my amazement to a whole other level.

You begin the tour downstairs by looking at the original 9,000-year lease for the brewery which was signed by Arthur Guinness in 1759. Only 256 years into the lease, clearly the company is successful. We then learned about the raw ingredients for Guinness and saw simulations of the beer-making process as we made our way up the floors.

After the tour there was a few different things we could do before our bus left. First we went to a pint-pouring demonstration where everyone learned about pouring the perfect pint of Guinness and then got to try it themselves. Mine turned out okay and then I got to keep it as my complimentary drink of the day. My group then took our pints and certificates up to the Gravity Bar where everyone just drinks their beer and enjoys the stunning 360-degree view of the city. We took some more fun pictures up there and then went to one of the restaurants for food.

I was also walking in the footsteps of a few familiar faces who have taken the tour in the past: Conan O'Brien, and my personal favorite, Pink!

The brewery has a few different places to eat and we decided on one and sat down. I ended up ordering some beef and Guinness stew which was extremely filling and delicious. Eventually I finished the stew and my pint (I am generally not a huge fan of beer, especially in the morning) and moved downstairs to the gift shop.

Due to my affinity for coffee, I have a growing mug collection. To add to this I purchased an adorable mug with the Guinness toucan and other vintage Guinness graphics. I also bought a toucan poster to hang in my room and other friends bought pint glasses and paraphernalia.

All in all it was a swell tour and we had a lot of fun. We definitely learned about Ireland's most iconic beer and the Irish culture along the way!

Fun Facts:

Guinness is really popular in Africa with Nigeria and Cameroon being in the top 5 markets for the stout. Three of Guinness' five breweries are located in Africa: one in Cameroon, one in Nigeria, and one in Ghana. However, traditional Guinness is not as popular in Africa but instead a variety called Guinness Extra Foreign Stout that has a higher alcohol content (7.5% compared to the draft's 4.0%).

In one pint of Guinness there are approximately 198 calories which, according to the Storehouse tour, is less than your average glass of orange juice!

The museum features the harp that is used as Guinness' symbol. Interestingly though, this same harp was later adopted as the official symbol of Ireland but faces in the opposite direction.

Sorry for the not-great picture but you get the idea!

How am I Already Sick?

I truly do not understand it, but it seems that every time I step foot on this island my immune system is severely compromised. I had two rounds of a horrible cold last semester and, once again, I have been cursed. This time it only took a week!

I started getting a bad cough on Saturday night and figured as soon as I woke up on Sunday I would feel all better! However after a horrendous night's sleep I woke up to aches everywhere and chills every 15 minutes. I ended up sleeping until 2pm yesterday and could barely move I was in so much pain. I decided that I had to leave my room for at least a little bit so went to a movie night hosted by the international office. I felt so miserable throughout the film and tried my best not to cough and distract the others. I then went to bed around 10:30pm in hopes that today would be better. And although I did sleep relatively well, as soon I got out of bed the chills, hot flashes, fatigue, coughing, and aching continued once again. After doing some things around campus, I am sitting in my bed (the only place where I am sort of comfortable) and am thinking I need to stay in for the night.

Not to mention the worst part. Today is a huge party night for UCD students as everyone is back in town and back at school. The is the night to go out with friends and have a great time kicking off the semester. But as an adult, I have to make adult decisions. And I feel that going out in my current condition would push off healing for far too long. 

Anyways, sorry for the not too exciting update... I just hate getting sick! But thank goodness I brought strong American medicine with me to hopefully get me feeling better soon!

Until next time,

The Opinionated Lassie

Without Further Ado...

I have now been back in Ireland for 3 days and am completely exhausted. My arrival in Dublin was a very complicated, hectic, and exhausting one which I was not overly-excited to blog about. However, things have begun to look up as my room is (pretty much) settled and I am learning my way around. Now if the weather would let up a bit, that would be perfect!

Here's a recap:

I began my travels to Dublin on Sunday, January 11th, in Kansas City. It was cold outside but not too bad and after checking my luggage and getting some coffee I boarded my flight and all was well. This trip would total two flights and after my first was complete I settled in for a 5-hour layover before my next. When I boarded the plane the flight attendants quickly rushed everyone on without regard for the lack of overhead storage. This resulted in about 30 people standing in the aisle with rolling carryons and another twenty minutes rectifying the situation. The flight was fairly turbulent but not nearly as turbulent as the flight attendant's attitudes which were not as sunny and positive as I am accustomed to.

We landed in Dublin an hour earlier than scheduled (how does that even happen?) and the officer that handled my immigration proceedings said I had the wrong documentation. I told him that I had already successfully and legally studied in the country but he insisted that I was wrong as I tried to just keep smiling (because what else are you supposed to do?). Eventually the man took my picture (and I may be on a list now or something) but begrudgingly let me through. 

After I settled back down I collected my things at baggage claim, casually talked to other students waiting for the bus, and we all proceeded to UCD. When we arrived I followed the others to the check-in area. Everyone quickly went through check-in receiving their keys and such until it was my turn. I was told that there was a problem with my account and that I needed to go sit in the corner and wait for a while. I was issued a red student card (all other students have green ones) and I proceeded to my accommodation. 

Then I got locked out of my accommodation. With my suitcase. And my duffels. And without any sleep. Or patience. A nice guy let me into my building where I found my door, plopped down my belongings, and shed a tear or two. After gathering my passport and my composure I then returned to the housing office and got the card situation sorted and handled. I made it back to my room, luckily the key worked, and began unpacking my things. 

The rest of this day was (fairly, sort of) uneventful and I went with some new acquaintances into the city for dinner and a drink at the famous Temple Bar. 

The next morning (1/13/15) I began all of the international office activities. One of these included a trip to IKEA and after 45 minutes of pleasant shopping I, of course, got lost. About an hour later I eventually found the group and ate some Swedish meatballs. That evening we went to a club and after accidentally staying there until 3:30am we made our way back.

Yesterday (1/14/15) I went on a shopping tour and had more orientation events. I then decided to take the night off and go to bed at a decent hour.

After further introductions and orientations this morning, here I am.

I apologize for the lack of blogging over winter break and earlier this week but I am officially back! Thanks for those of you reading my blog at home and around the world, I am excited to share my adventures with you this semester!

Please check out my YouTube channel and my Facebook page for more information and feel free to comment below!

Yours,

The Opinionated Lassie