Blogs from Ireland, Europe - page 449

You know when something's coming to a close....you can feel the anticlimactic buzz in the air....yep, it's starting to creep up on me....the thought of leaving an island of which I've become so utterly amazed by. I thought I'd nickname Cork 'the city in the park' - that's what it's like here...you go anywhere and you're surrounded by overgrown bushes, trees, flowers, etc....it's just so fresh and alive....when they say it's green, it is seriously GREEN. No wonder they are associated with that color.....you go just beyond the houses on any outskirt of any town/village/city and it's like you've walked into a park....even the roads remind me of a bike path cutting through a park. Also, I'm a bit afraid of coming back to the US...I'm afraid I may be too "friendly" (sounds crazy right)...but everyone ... read more

At 9:30 this morning, I was getting cereal. This is usually an easy thing for me. But usually I don't have to weave my way in and out of the Korean students who are running around shouting and chopping vegetables for curry, or help the German women with the gas stove so they can make porridge, or avoid the Arkansas guy checking on his pizza. I also don't normally sit at a table where two Italians are in the process of repairing a bike. I love this place. It took me a while to think of it, but what it really reminds me of is the Muppet house in Muppets From Space. It's absolutely crazy, but I've met a ton of people here. The kitchen is a really social place - and it's always sort of ... read more

Just arrived here in dublin after a 5 hour drive from donegal... really a great drive. I had to say goodbye to my friends from colorado because they are leaving tonight... they were great and I had so much fun hanging out with them. Arriving in dublin reminds me of boston, really hot and really muggy. anyway the last 2 nights in donegal were awesome. We would go to a pub and listen to traditional music all night. everyone in the city loved us. Was definitely sad to leave them. The west coast of ireland is so much better then the east coast. I had forgotten that there are cities like dublin here. Well today in dublin sucked!!! I looked all ober for a hostel and being unable to find one I had to check into ... read more

hello guys... the last few days I spent in galway were pretty fun. I met a couple of teachers from colorado who talked me into driving with them up the coast, actually it didn't take much talking, they are going into dublin on the same day i am so why not have a free ride. so i guess that its not really a change of plans if you didn't have any plans in the first place. In the meantime I saw the cliffs of moher again and snapped a few pictures. Last night ended up in westport which is the capital of surfing in ireland. hung out in a really cool bar with traditional irish music and drank the black stuff. Did a little bit of driving of the rental (Hyundi accent) and only almost got ... read more

Greetings all: So, here I am, ready to go to bed soon, very tired. What a crazy busy 6 days so far! By the way, in case you are wondering, yes, Michael is at the pub. And no, we are not caught up in the G8 crap happening in Edinburgh, although we did almost miss our ferry to Northern Ireland because of it. The city centre where Michael and I were staying was nearly completely blocked off (also where the Celtic Connections tour picked us up). Every street our tour bus drove down was closed off. We made it just in time (literally!) to the ferry. I found Northern Ireland most interesting, probably because all my life I have heard of the unrest and violence that has happened there. It is interesting how as soon as ... read more