And a jolly old bloke he is!

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Wowzers, it has been awhile since I've updated ya'll on my adventures! I found my checkcard once I made it to Cologne where I had the time of my life. My host David was highly busy with making artists famous (he owns his own record producing company), but still found time to show me around the town. I had some troubles adjusting to their public transportation, but it all worked out in the end. I met up with some Canadians i met in Berlin and tried some jellied pigs head at one of the 5 breweries we hit up my last night in town (he invited me to stay an extra day). My stay in Koln was rather relaxing as i had David's flat to myself the entire time. I convinced him to purchase a WeFest ticket for next summer, so he's coming to visit next August!

I spent only about 5 hours in Heidelberg to visit the Rockwell Collins facilities there. Not much to see I guess. But this cute old man, Franz, helped me figure out how to purchase a bus ticket and where i needed to go to get to Rockwell. I ended up taking a bus to Baden-Baden where this handsome young gentleman picked me up in his Dad's Mercedes Benz. Talk about riding in style! They were merry men and wined and dined me beyond imaginable. His dad gave me some Grappa (40% alcohol & stings a bit at first) which made for a nice night cap. I got to watch some hang gliders take off atop a mountain, went shopping, and hit up the Fredrichsbad Spa (you MUST Google this). This spa is set in the ruins of an old Roman spa where the wounded soldiers were sent to recooperate long ago. The facilities are all originial and you slip from stage to stage in the nude! I thought I was too much of a prude for anything like this, but 2 ladies (Marilyn & Marilyn from AZ and CA) experienced it for the first time with me. It was a little nerving at first, and even more so when it came time for the "mixed" baths! But apparently it's Baden-Baden's biggest attraction as people come from all over the world for just this one spa...

Then I headed off to Dublin, Ireland which has a couple too many million people for my taste and seemed rather cold (both people and weather wise). I stayed in a hostel the first night in a room with 17 other people (i was only one of 2 girls in the room!) but it was the cheapest i could find at about 11 Euro since I flew in late anyways. The next morning I checked out at 11 am and trekked out to find my next hostel (a little more private this time as i was in a 4-bed girls dorm with our private toilet & shower). I was the only occupant of the room until about 2 am and my australian roomies were sisters. I wish I wouldn't have spent much time in Dublin, but i did find a cute rememberance park dedicated to those risking their lives for Ireland. This place was SO expensive!

Now, I'm in Cork, Ireland which is the town of my choice. With only 150,000 inhabitants, the town is "quaint" and full of irish flavor. I was instructed to go to the Shelbourne bar where my host works, but when I arrived there, he was out to supper with some managers. So i dropped my bags off (had a comment from a bar occupant if it was going to be a rowdy enough night where I needed to bring my overnight bags) and headed across the street to a greesey diner which had the BEST cheeseburger and "chips" (aka french fries) I've ever had (although nothing beats the vanilla french toast i had in Dublin). Some guy greeted me when i walked in so i assumed he worked there (however well-dressed in jeans and a button-up). He turned to me after I was looking at the menu and asked me what i wanted, so I ordered a cheeseburger and he and his friends burst out in laughter. Turns out he was just a young bloke regular pranking the American. I didin't catch his name but i hope we will have another encounter soon. He got a couple slaps from me, but I think he's over it. I had nice convo with the cook. His daughter is travelling in the states and got into Will Smith's private VIP party in Las Vegas, so he's waiting to hear more details on that adventure. Who knows, maybe I'll run into Colin Farrell when I'm in Ireland??!

So, I headed back to the Shelbourne Bar and met up with my Canadian host, Brad Murray. He served me my first pint of Guiness and I tried my first taste of a cider (delicious indeed!). The bar was packed because it was the old manager's last day and the new manager's birthday. What a riot! They all seem to know me on a first name basis already. I can tell this will be a pleasant stay just as long as everyone keeps buying me drinks (a beer is 5 Euro a piece here!). I'll try to keep you posted at how well the rest of my stay goes. I'm planning on a couple day trips maybe to Galway or Limerick and the nearby Blarney Castle (where you're supposed to kiss the Blarney stone to get the gift of irish gab). London is also in the near future later this week...

Cheers!

Ashley

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Comments

[Desirae]

you be speaking da tongue of de irish!
so pretty sure you are already picking up on their jargon! so cute. so humorous. i decided to write you a quick note on here since my fb hates me right now. it won't let me chat OR post to your wall. it's out to get me i think....but shhhh....don't say anything. your adventures sound so exciting that my exciting news doesn't seem so great anymore. we'll talk soon...if you're up before i go to bed i will check to see if i can chat later. ni night!