Ireland Trip Journal (Blog)
Thursday, October 07, 2004
Hey, it's Thursday morning! I got back last night with all of my luggage and on time... can't really ask for more than that! I'll be getting the website updated soon.
Monday, October 04, 2004
It's Moday, 4-Oct about 20:30 and, well, I went North up the N9 toward Dublin instead of going to Wexford. I got a nice place to stay tonight just outside of, umm, well I can't remember the name of the town I'm in, but it's a bit north of Kilkinney, where the golf tournament was. I obtained a box and packing tape today and got it all full of stuff already. I'm going to meander around town here in the morning and then I'll head up north of Dublin somewhere close to the airport and get ready to spend a day in transit to get home. Since this will probably be my last post before I leave, I'll see you jokers at work on Thursday! The pictures will be soon to follow, because I've been indexing them as I went along. So hopefully this weekend (or maybe even sooner), I'll get the site updated. My phone card ran out and I didn't want to buy another one, so Mom & Dad, I hope you guys have a good trip!
Well, I went North up the N9 toward Dublin instead of going to Wexford. I got a nice place to stay tonight just outside of, umm, well I can't remember the name of the town I'm in, but it's a bit north of Kilkinney, where the golf tournament was. I obtained a box and packing tape today and got it all full of stuff already. I'm going to meander around town here in the morning and then I'll head up north of Dublin somewhere close to the airport and get ready to spend a day in transit to get home. Since this will probably be my last post before I leave, I'll see you jokers at work on Thursday! The pictures will be soon to follow, because I've been indexing them as I went along. So hopefully this weekend (or maybe even sooner), I'll get the site updated. My phone card ran out and I didn't want to buy another one, so Mom & Dad, I hope you guys have a good trip!
Sunday, October 03, 2004
I'm in Waterford town, you have to say town here because the county is also named Waterford, so you have to make the distinction. I toured the Waterford Crystal factory today and spent an hour afterwards looking around their showroom. The pieces here are considerably less expensive than the ones I've seen at home, but they're still expensive. I bought some stuff and they're doing a promotion of free shipping after you spend over some limit, so they're shipping it for me! The only down side is that it will take 6 weeks :( At least I won't have to deal with it through customs and all of that. It's a little after 7pm here and it has rained torrentially all day. Oh, I had a bright idea... I'm allowed 2 checked bags, and I only brought one over, so I'll stop by a grocery store tomorrow and see if I can get an empty cardboard box and just check it and not have to bother with shipping stuff! Silly me, why didn't I think of that earlier? Tomorrow I'll hang out in the city and then I'll head west a bit along the coast and start up toward the Dublin airport. I've made up my mind that I'm not going back to the city of Dublin, so I'll stay somewhere north of the city near the airport the night before I fly out, so I won't have to drive far, or through town. Last night I stayed in Dungarvin in a hostel and walked downtown and listened to music 'till about 2am and barely made the checkout time of 10am! The rooms were nice, and I had one to myself, but the showers were really crappy, only one of them even worked. And to make it worse, I left my shampoo at the last B&B I stayed in. oops, I meant to get more today before everything closed, oh well... maybe tomorrow.
Saturday, October 02, 2004
It's about 2:30 in the afternoon here in Cobh (that's pronounced Cove), which is the last port of call of both the Titanic and the Lusitania. Anyway, I saw Cork yesterday, stayed the night in Carrigtwohill, and now I'm headed off towards Waterford. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to make it all the way there, so I'll visit the crystal factory tomorrow or the next day and then probably spend an extra day in Dublin. That way I can ship back a bunch of stuff that is not going to fit in my bag! Cork is as crazy a city as Dublin is. The traffic is awful and all the shops close about 4:30. Most of this country is on a time schedule of 9 to 4 or 5. If you can't fit it in that time frame, you're just out of luck! Time is winding down and it's the weekend, so I'm gonna find a town with live music tonight.
Friday, October 01, 2004
Ok, now I'm in Cork. This morning I drove the Ring of Kerry and had sunshine for probably 40% of it, so I was able to get some pretty good photos. Then I drove to Blarney and toured the Castle. Did I what? Kiss what stone? Where? Anyway, Cork is a pretty large city, 2nd to Dublin I think. I'm going to try to find a hostel here and stay tonight and tomorrow, otherwise I'll head out of the city somewhere and be back tomorrow I guess. The B&B I stayed at last night was like a page out of the early '70's. All of the wood trim was very dark, and the bed's headboard was padded in the center with a radio inset in it. It was pretty funny, but the place had an incredible view. I got there about 40minutes before it got dark and just sat by the window and watched. I wish I had taken some pictures, but I didn't think about it. I was just sipping my tea, studying my map and enjoying the view.Yesterday I drove the Dingle pinensula and got there via Connor Pass. I asked some of the locals if I should take it on the way there or on the way back and they just laughed and said it always rains in Ireland, so I took it on the way there and all the way up to the top, the weather was great and the sun was shining, so I got a lot of pictures and video. It rained all the way down the other side, but who cares! The lady at the B&B last night said I was very lucky. She said she has been over the pass several times and it has never been clear. Well, I'm off to find a bite to eat, surely there will be some place with good seafood around.
Thursday, September 30, 2004
Ok, I saw Limerick yesterday and tried to drive to Dingle, but it was raining and getting dark and the people here drive too fast, so I stopped for the night. Now I'm off to see thet Dingle peninsula and then drive the Ring of Kerry today. I might finish all of that then get to Killarney and the Blarney stone tomorrow. I'm a little ahead of where I planned to be, so maybe I'll stay an extra day in Killarney or something, we'll see.
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Ok, it's been a few days since I've been near reasonably priced internet access, so this will be a longer update. After leaving Dublin, I drove North to Drougheda and spent 2 nights there. While there I saw Newgrange, a passage grave dated to 3000BC, the site of the Battle of the Boyne, the tallest high cross in Ireland, Monasterboice, and then went to see an abbey ruin. I then went to the hill of Slane, where St. Patrick lit a fire on easter in direct disobediance of the local pagan ruler, and started the conversion of the nation to Christianity. The hill was absolutely beautiful and I spent almot two hours just looking and taking pictures, I can't wait to get them posted after I get home! At breakfast the morning I was leaving I met 4 pepole from LA, and they told me where I should stay if I went to Sligo. So I drove across the country to the Northwest coast town of Donegal and saw the town and did a little shopping and stayed there for the night. The next day I drove west and saw some of the most beautiful seacliffs. I was told that they are the tallest in Europe, but that could have just been talk. I stayed in Yeat's Lodge, near Sligo, that night, oh yeah, last night. I saw the grave of WB Yeats and went to a lake with a waterfall. As far as I go, I'm completely over the time difference thing now, and hungry as a horse. The food here has a different flavor than at home. The ham is usually better, and for breakfast they cook sausage and bacon, but the bacon here is what we call country ham at home. The guy at the B&B told me where there would be live music tonight, just up the street from where I'm staying, so I'm going to that tonight, but he said that it doesn't start until about 10pm, and it's only about 7pm now, so I'll walk around and see some more of the city before then. Tomorrow is the city tourist thing, and then off to the cliffs of Moher. I'm beginning to be able to understand more of the local dialect stuff and having a great time. The people are really friendly, but the weather here is constantly changing. Right now it's raining, but in 15 minutes it may be clear and require sunglasses. They say that it's the spinoff from the hurricanes, but I don't know. Hope all is well wherever you are... work (hehe).
Oh, did I mention that, in my opinion, this is the land of the beautiful women? It seems that they almost all have big curly hair, and more than half of them are redheads!
Thursday, September 23, 2004
OK, this should be a long post because I have plenty of time and lots to tell. I must start off by announcing MY BAG ARRIVED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON!!!!!!!!!! This makes me very happy indeed. Anyway, yesterday I saw all kinds of touristy stuff, like: O'Connell St and the GPO (general post office), then up the street to the "Garden of Remembrance" which has a statue that would be akin to our minutemen statue. I then toured the customs house, then toured Christchurch Cathedral, the saw the Book of Kells at Trinity college, just before I saw that I found a phone and called dad... the 6 hour time difference makes it a bit difficult to phone people. After that I visited St. Patrick's Cathedral and the crypt associated with it. Then went back to the hostel and hung out for a while. Oh, on the way back I stopped and ate fish and chips! Considerably different than in the states, and I think better.Now, I don't want to explain to all of you out there about the significance of all of these sites, so if you're interest is sparked, then google it or something.
Last night I met several people, one Austrialian (Ben), one Englishman, a Canadian(Scott) and three Americans (Zack and a couple). Anyway after exchanging stories and such it seems like Scott is going to go with me on the road trip around the island, he's staying until three days before christmas, so he doesn't really have a time table either. Today Scott and I went and toured Dublin Castle and saw St. Stephens Green, and another small garden/park near it, then went to the National Museum, which was very cool. It was two floors with 4 different exhibits, and best of all it was FREE! I stopped at a bookstore on the way back and bought an atlas and a bed & breakfast listing book. I'm still not quite over the time difference, well I'm over it except for my appetite, I ate a hamburger for lunch today, and it was all I could do to finish it... that's pretty sad. Anyway I think i'm headed to the grocery for some cheap food since everything here is rediculously expensive! Oh, I put off renting the car until tomorrow since there was still some stuff I wanted to do in the city today. Tomorrow I hope to mail my postcards and get out of the city, so I'm off to find some grub and plan some driving for tomorrow :) Hope you jokers are enjoying work, hehe.
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
OK, I have a full day planned, and the beginning was great. Breakfast is provided and the showers are hot (and plenty of room to clean the alternate set of clothes). I'm going to be walking and seeing a lot today!!! I bought a phone card, so hopefully I'll get a chance to call home (well, work anyway).
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Ok, now I have finally made it to my destination of Dublin. The flight was horrendous. I missed every connection I was suppose to make and then my bag didn't make it. There is hope that it will arrive tomorrow, but until then I'm operating off of two sets of clothes. The accomodations seem nice and the people friendly, and the internet access costs, so I may not be making too many updates.Oh, and all of you at NES, STOP ASKING LANDON ABOUT THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED ON MY WEBSITE (also read: my personal business). Just take what's there at face value :)
Now I'm off to find some food... I'll let you know how it is.
Thursday, September 16, 2004
Hello everybody, I have the stuff organized, so I can do a journal while I'm out and about. Check back on Tuesday evening or so and hopefully I'll have an update going!
