Blogs from County Cork, Ireland, Europe - page 21

I love this Country!!! 3 3 3 The UCC campus is very beautiful and the scenery is similar to that of the Harry Potter movie set. Student involvement is incredible: it seems like there is always some event or cause happening on campus. There are also two campus bars; which often have live music. Starbucks coffee is also brewed on campus, very convenient. On Thursday, Students were handing out flyers with information about a protest that is being organized in order to combat tuition raises. The new tuition cost would be 3,000 (total) Euro per year for academics. The guy who gave me the flyer could not believe how much my tuition is in the US ...... per semester. It seems no matter how I try to fit in and be discreet, the Irish love ... read more

Tuesday, October 12: Rise and Shine!! We wanted to get to Kilkenny Castle this morning so we were up early and hiked up the street to be the first two visitors of the day. We did a self-guided tour of this beautiful site with helpful information from the docents. What a lineage-it was a castle, then a manor, and now has been restored lovingly to its 19th Century splendor. It is a work in progress but well worth the time to visit. The rose gardens and fountain, and the view to the river below were beautiful on this clear, bright October morning. We collected our car from the Car Park and stopped back at the inn to pack and check out. We stopped briefly on the way to the Car Park for a scone and cookie, ... read more

Wednesday (18/8/2010) Relatively refreshed after a full Irish breakfast we set off for a look around Cork. Our first stop Blarney Castle. About 20 minute drive from Cork through luscious green countryside. We walked through the beautiful gardens to the famous castle and climbed to the top to kiss the famous Blarney stone. Carly puckered up whilst Jez stuck to the photography. After checking out the wishing steps, witches kitchen and beautiful gardens. We made our way back to Cork, finally finding a car park (just about back at our B&B) we made out way to the farmers market picking up a delicious antipasto lunch and finding a conveniently located park just across the road to enjoy it in the sun. We wandered through the streets past the street preachers, checked out the price of hurling ... read more

Travelled from Cardiff after seeing Cardiff castle and the millenium stadium and then on to a quaint walled seaside village of Tenby - full of British tourists. Then crossed the Irish Sea on the vehicular ferry, "Isle of Inishmore". A good crossing that took four hours. Played cards on passenger deck, to pass the time, before returning to the bus. Arrived late to Tramore.... read more

I can tell you firsthand that the hospital system here in Cork is lovely. I wish that I wasn't already so familiar with it, but unfortunately I spent my first night in Mercy hospital. I left the next morning only to return 24 hours later. Clearly I've had nothing but good luck since landing in Shannon. I'm not really complaining though, it's really not that bad. The doctors, nurses and staff are all really nice and I currently have a private room so there isn't much to be upset about. I would prefer to be out exploring the city, but I still have 4 more months left. I decided to start this blog for two reasons. One, my friend encouraged me that it would be worthwhile for friends and family to get an update of my ... read more