So on Saturday 28th, I did the classic substitution of guests at Dublin Airport, trading Becca for the Rents. While it was a tough trade, it worked out for everyone's running game in the end...
Fortunately all while playing host for these two weeks, Ireland had its best weather all year. Summer last about 2-3 weeks in March, and then its back to the rainy season. It was a similar game plan with the Rents to not try and see everything, but spend a good amount of time in Galway and visit the South. We rented a car, and with me driving the entire time, we were able to get a lot in...
Once again, eating out Galway was tremendous, finding lots of cool cafes and notable restaurants and pubs. Our trip down South to Kenmare had even better food establishments. We spent a night in Doolin - the epicenter for Trad music in Ireland's West - and attempted to see the Cliffs of Mohr on a foggy day. From there we headed down to the town of Kenmare, which is in between the Ring of Kerry and Ring of Beara. Dad and I had the opportunity to play Golf at the Ring of Kerry Golf Course - the best views in all of the Irish Courses - while Mom hit the Town all day. That eve we conquered the treachorous Ring of Beara, and then enjoyed the Ireland-Italy Cup qualifying soccer match.
On our way back to Dublin, we were able to catch up with Grandma Dietrich's good friend in County Tipperary, and then head to Newgrange just North of Dublin - The historical and spiritual ruins region of Ireland.
Mom and Dad had a great time in Ireland, breaking Mom's 30+ year hiatus from Ireland, and Dad's streak of wearing a Tie at least once every week since he was 3 and half...
Here are the pictures that I have, primarily from the Golf outing, otherwise Mom will have more.
Good job Fam!
MD
Hosting Part 2 - The Rents
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Hosting Part 1: Becca
After heading to Stockholm and recovering from St. Patty's week, I started playing host for the next two weeks. My first visitor was Becca on her Spring Break. Right away Becca learned from an old Irishman that Becca was neither Irish or American, but in fact she was French...
Of course when coming to Ireland for only a week, it is impossible to see everything, so we spent a good amount of time visiting in Galway and Salt Hill just up the cost, and then taking a trip down South to the Ring of Kerry. It was an awesome week, and very refreshing to see someone from back home. For the first time, I ate out a lot in Galway, and the entire time we had awesome meals and soups, and saw more of Galway than I ever had before.
The county Kerry Trip was stellar. Although it was somewhat of a nuisance without a vehicle, everything worked out very well. We got down to Killarney, in time to spend the rest of the day biking around the National Park and seeing the town. The next day we did the ring of Kerry on a Traditional Irish Coach Tour Bus... w/o a car, it is the only way. However, the tour was excellent and we were able to see a lot of beautiful Southern Ireland.
Here are the Pictures from the Week.
Cheers!
MD
Hosting Part 1
Of course when coming to Ireland for only a week, it is impossible to see everything, so we spent a good amount of time visiting in Galway and Salt Hill just up the cost, and then taking a trip down South to the Ring of Kerry. It was an awesome week, and very refreshing to see someone from back home. For the first time, I ate out a lot in Galway, and the entire time we had awesome meals and soups, and saw more of Galway than I ever had before.
The county Kerry Trip was stellar. Although it was somewhat of a nuisance without a vehicle, everything worked out very well. We got down to Killarney, in time to spend the rest of the day biking around the National Park and seeing the town. The next day we did the ring of Kerry on a Traditional Irish Coach Tour Bus... w/o a car, it is the only way. However, the tour was excellent and we were able to see a lot of beautiful Southern Ireland.
Here are the Pictures from the Week.
Cheers!
MD
Hosting Part 1
Searching for the Swedish Chef...
Two posts in one day can only mean that I'm suppose to be writing right now...
On March 11th Adam, Colin and I headed North to Stockholm - probably the farthest North we will get here in Europe. It was a comforting trip, because it was just like heading back to Wisconsin and Minnesota, the only difference being how old the buildings were, the numerous islands in the city, they have a princess, castles, huge ocean ports, a metro system, a great train system, great healthcare, snus, Swedish Krona's currency... okay well the snow and weather and welcoming atmosphere were similar.
Stockholm is a huge city with a lot more character than we expected. The old buildings and architecture alone make the city. The city is essentially several islands connected by bridges and tunnels, inland and near the East coast of Sweden. Our hostel and most of our time spent was at Old Town, a small island in the center of the City that has the old Royal Palace and town streets. We happened to stumble upon a ceremony for the Princess's birthday at the Palace Courtyard, where a Drum Corp paid tribute to the Princess and then she went around to meet the crowd. Of course we tried using our American charm to woo her, and of course the drum corp played ABBA's 'Dancing Queen' in her honor...
Duck Party at Djergarden National Park
We also spent a lot of time in a few of the National Parks that are in the city, as well as the various Modern Art Museums and the Vasa - a giant 17th Century Swedish Warship that sunk 20mins into its first voyage - the Swedes have improved their architecture and design skills since then.
Perhaps the biggest blunder of the trip came when we took the advice of some German visitors from our hostel, to go see Stockholm's Absolut Ice Bar. Lets just say its not like the Ice hotel in Norway... 1 room, 1 bar, 1 table, 1 bench, 1 Ice chair, and 1 frooty vodka drink per customer, all for the low low price of 150 Swedish Kronas - (Roughly 15 Euro). It did however make for a hilarious experience and decent funny story in the end...
Absolut Ice Bar
After Stockholm we headed to Uppsala for a night and day to see Jose Gonzalez in concert - a tremendous folk artist who is actually from Sweden, thus the concert being primarily in Swedish... Uppsala was a great small town with a fantastic cathedral, Castle, University, and student atmosphere. Plus the train to and from was the best mode of transportation we have experienced yet!
We left on Wed came back the following Sunday, without any missed trains, buses, or flights, hence a truly successful trip North. Here are the pictures from Stockholm, Uppsala, and the Jose Gonzalez concert.
-MD
Photos from Sweden
On March 11th Adam, Colin and I headed North to Stockholm - probably the farthest North we will get here in Europe. It was a comforting trip, because it was just like heading back to Wisconsin and Minnesota, the only difference being how old the buildings were, the numerous islands in the city, they have a princess, castles, huge ocean ports, a metro system, a great train system, great healthcare, snus, Swedish Krona's currency... okay well the snow and weather and welcoming atmosphere were similar.
Stockholm is a huge city with a lot more character than we expected. The old buildings and architecture alone make the city. The city is essentially several islands connected by bridges and tunnels, inland and near the East coast of Sweden. Our hostel and most of our time spent was at Old Town, a small island in the center of the City that has the old Royal Palace and town streets. We happened to stumble upon a ceremony for the Princess's birthday at the Palace Courtyard, where a Drum Corp paid tribute to the Princess and then she went around to meet the crowd. Of course we tried using our American charm to woo her, and of course the drum corp played ABBA's 'Dancing Queen' in her honor...
Duck Party at Djergarden National Park
We also spent a lot of time in a few of the National Parks that are in the city, as well as the various Modern Art Museums and the Vasa - a giant 17th Century Swedish Warship that sunk 20mins into its first voyage - the Swedes have improved their architecture and design skills since then.
Perhaps the biggest blunder of the trip came when we took the advice of some German visitors from our hostel, to go see Stockholm's Absolut Ice Bar. Lets just say its not like the Ice hotel in Norway... 1 room, 1 bar, 1 table, 1 bench, 1 Ice chair, and 1 frooty vodka drink per customer, all for the low low price of 150 Swedish Kronas - (Roughly 15 Euro). It did however make for a hilarious experience and decent funny story in the end...
Absolut Ice Bar
After Stockholm we headed to Uppsala for a night and day to see Jose Gonzalez in concert - a tremendous folk artist who is actually from Sweden, thus the concert being primarily in Swedish... Uppsala was a great small town with a fantastic cathedral, Castle, University, and student atmosphere. Plus the train to and from was the best mode of transportation we have experienced yet!
We left on Wed came back the following Sunday, without any missed trains, buses, or flights, hence a truly successful trip North. Here are the pictures from Stockholm, Uppsala, and the Jose Gonzalez concert.
-MD
Photos from Sweden
Aran Isle Rally (back from the dead...)
Hey everyone,
All apologies for the month long hiatus - life has been very busy here with finishing up classes, soccer, travel, and two weeks of hosting family and friends. All start where I left off back in early March.
The 7th was our last trip provided by MU, heading to the Aran Islands for the day. In spite of the so-so weather, as well as numerous rally bike malfunctions, the day was great craic. Our group leader Paul is an Outdoor Adventure and Education expert, so we definitely took advantage of his skills, seeing forts, castle lighthouses, passage ways, cliff-side forts, a persistant pony, and arguably the best soup I have ever had in my life from a local Aran shop.
Toward the end of the day, we stopped by an old abandoned church, as well as a beach where we were able to spot some seals playing off in the distance. All in all, a great day and relaxing weekend in prep for the busy month of March.
Here are the pictures on Snapfish.
Cheers!
Aran Island Photos
All apologies for the month long hiatus - life has been very busy here with finishing up classes, soccer, travel, and two weeks of hosting family and friends. All start where I left off back in early March.
The 7th was our last trip provided by MU, heading to the Aran Islands for the day. In spite of the so-so weather, as well as numerous rally bike malfunctions, the day was great craic. Our group leader Paul is an Outdoor Adventure and Education expert, so we definitely took advantage of his skills, seeing forts, castle lighthouses, passage ways, cliff-side forts, a persistant pony, and arguably the best soup I have ever had in my life from a local Aran shop.
Toward the end of the day, we stopped by an old abandoned church, as well as a beach where we were able to spot some seals playing off in the distance. All in all, a great day and relaxing weekend in prep for the busy month of March.
Here are the pictures on Snapfish.
Cheers!
Aran Island Photos
Monday, March 2, 2009
To the Barca!
Last week on Wednesday I had the great opportunity to visit the wonderful city of Barcelona. My friends Adam, Colin, and I headed out at 330am on a bus Wednesday morning to take us to the Shannon airport to catch a flight to Girona airport, and from there take an 1 hour bus ride down to Barcelona. The city was amazing! It is humongous, but still has the small town/small population feel. We never felt overwhelmed by the people whatsoever. Our hostel was right at the city centre, and roughly 100 meters from the famous Picasso museum. We walked everywhere, seeing the harbor, the beach, the Picasso Museum, the famous market la Boucateria, and of course as many Gaudi structures as possible, like the cathedral La Sangria Familia, his numerous houses, as well as the famed Gaudi Park. Overall Barcelona was a great GREAT town with much to see, and very nice people. The Main strip of Las Ramblas was most certainly interesting during the daytim, with a plethora of street performers, vendors and great cafes and such. We did a pretty good job sampling Spanish Catelonyan Culture, having tapas - small portion meals of various exotic foods - as well as ciesta - a long break of nap and food/wine in the afternoon. We spent a lot of time at the beach, relaxing and enjoying the Mediterranean sea and gorgeous warm weather!
The only tiny little problem with the trip, was that we narrowly missed our bus back to Girona on Friday morning, due to alarm time confusion... therefore we missed our flight back to Shannon. Unfortunate and stressful to say the least, along with a 75 euro 'stupid tax' to pay for our mistake to get back to Ireland. However, that meant we got to spend the rest of the day relaxing and seeing the city of Girona, which was a great time! We spent the day relaxing and recovering from our stressful morning (and late night out...). All in all, we made it back to Galway after spending the night in Dublin airport to catch a 630 bus back home - a long journey home, but a great experience overall, making this one of the top places we have ever visited.
Here are the photos from the trip.
Enjoy!
http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=275459351/a=76959740_76959740/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish
The only tiny little problem with the trip, was that we narrowly missed our bus back to Girona on Friday morning, due to alarm time confusion... therefore we missed our flight back to Shannon. Unfortunate and stressful to say the least, along with a 75 euro 'stupid tax' to pay for our mistake to get back to Ireland. However, that meant we got to spend the rest of the day relaxing and seeing the city of Girona, which was a great time! We spent the day relaxing and recovering from our stressful morning (and late night out...). All in all, we made it back to Galway after spending the night in Dublin airport to catch a 630 bus back home - a long journey home, but a great experience overall, making this one of the top places we have ever visited.
Here are the photos from the trip.
Enjoy!
http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=275459351/a=76959740_76959740/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish
On the Other Side of the Mountain...
...was the Gladiators reggae tune I had on repeat while trekking through the various peaks of Glenveigh National Park in Northwest Ireland's County Donegal. This was the destination of my solo trip North to see the Town of Letterkenny and explore the park and its castle.
It was an interesting trip to say the least! It was a 4 hour bus drive North from Galway, but that alone was almost worth the trip. The route's half-way point was Sligo, where the sight of the Atlantic traded back and forth with huge Mountain peninsulas and islands, and surfers riding the waves in the bays. Heading North of Sligo, I passed through drumcliffe and the famous poet "Yeats Country," where the drive was similar to the Rocky Mountains (but much more grass). It was an amazing drive, and I started to get real excited for trekking through similar mountains at Glenveigh.
Unfortunately, the town of Letterkenny was somewhat of a drag - literally. The town is known for having the longest main street in all of Ireland - which it does - but there is not too much to see on it, except for a large historical cathedral and steeple that overshadows the city. I also found out, that the National Park itself, is not very close to Glenveigh - roughly 30km's away! Furthermore, to make matters even more interesting, my hostel was a ghost town! The first night it was just me and two Norwegian girls, who were not to keen on talking to me or giving me a ride to Glenveigh, and then the next night, no one was there but me... ever hear of the horror movie "HOSTEL"? yeah...
All was well though. I awoke early Friday morning, walked to the edge of town and then hitch-hiked to Glenveigh by a guy named Pat, who was heading to his friends to pick him up and go look at a boat for purchase. Glenveigh was a gorgeous park! The thousands of acres of land revolve around a famous Irish Castle and Garden overlooking a very large pristine mountain lake. The scenery was amazing! The park has the largest population of native red deer, and the theme was greatly noted in the small lavish castle. In fact, the last and longest owner of the castle was a millionaire who gained his fortunes by inventing the Gas Meter in the US! He entertained numerous celebrities and international dignitaries, including the famous writer John Knowles, who actually wrote "A Separate Peace" at the castle! After seeing the gardens and castle tour, I headed out on my own to trek through the park with no compass and a very poor park map. . . not smart, I know. Again, all was well. The park was gorgeous, and I went a long while on this road/trail that went through a large valley and glen following a river, and then crossed over the river to the side of the Mount Dooish Peak, through the Poison Glen valley, to Mount Errigal - the highest peak in the park. I navigated using the Sun setting in the West, and my goal for the day was just to head North, to reach a road and get home! It all worked out great, as I met a young Romanian, Paul, who was kind enough to drop me off in Letterkenny on his way to Dublin.
Overall it was a great trip, and very peaceful. Here is the link to view pictures, and see for yourself how beautiful the National Parks are in Ireland! The album also includes some photos from a castle across the river from where I train in Dangan, and from the Reggae Dub concert I went to that weekend.
I apologize for my lack of posts - expect more on Soccer matches and our trip to Barcelona!
Cheers!
http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=275418290/a=76959740_76959740/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish
It was an interesting trip to say the least! It was a 4 hour bus drive North from Galway, but that alone was almost worth the trip. The route's half-way point was Sligo, where the sight of the Atlantic traded back and forth with huge Mountain peninsulas and islands, and surfers riding the waves in the bays. Heading North of Sligo, I passed through drumcliffe and the famous poet "Yeats Country," where the drive was similar to the Rocky Mountains (but much more grass). It was an amazing drive, and I started to get real excited for trekking through similar mountains at Glenveigh.
Unfortunately, the town of Letterkenny was somewhat of a drag - literally. The town is known for having the longest main street in all of Ireland - which it does - but there is not too much to see on it, except for a large historical cathedral and steeple that overshadows the city. I also found out, that the National Park itself, is not very close to Glenveigh - roughly 30km's away! Furthermore, to make matters even more interesting, my hostel was a ghost town! The first night it was just me and two Norwegian girls, who were not to keen on talking to me or giving me a ride to Glenveigh, and then the next night, no one was there but me... ever hear of the horror movie "HOSTEL"? yeah...
All was well though. I awoke early Friday morning, walked to the edge of town and then hitch-hiked to Glenveigh by a guy named Pat, who was heading to his friends to pick him up and go look at a boat for purchase. Glenveigh was a gorgeous park! The thousands of acres of land revolve around a famous Irish Castle and Garden overlooking a very large pristine mountain lake. The scenery was amazing! The park has the largest population of native red deer, and the theme was greatly noted in the small lavish castle. In fact, the last and longest owner of the castle was a millionaire who gained his fortunes by inventing the Gas Meter in the US! He entertained numerous celebrities and international dignitaries, including the famous writer John Knowles, who actually wrote "A Separate Peace" at the castle! After seeing the gardens and castle tour, I headed out on my own to trek through the park with no compass and a very poor park map. . . not smart, I know. Again, all was well. The park was gorgeous, and I went a long while on this road/trail that went through a large valley and glen following a river, and then crossed over the river to the side of the Mount Dooish Peak, through the Poison Glen valley, to Mount Errigal - the highest peak in the park. I navigated using the Sun setting in the West, and my goal for the day was just to head North, to reach a road and get home! It all worked out great, as I met a young Romanian, Paul, who was kind enough to drop me off in Letterkenny on his way to Dublin.
Overall it was a great trip, and very peaceful. Here is the link to view pictures, and see for yourself how beautiful the National Parks are in Ireland! The album also includes some photos from a castle across the river from where I train in Dangan, and from the Reggae Dub concert I went to that weekend.
I apologize for my lack of posts - expect more on Soccer matches and our trip to Barcelona!
Cheers!
http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=275418290/a=76959740_76959740/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Still Alive...
Hey all,
I apologize for the lack of blog posts - I have been busy writing, typing, and more writing the 9 essays that I would like to complete before April. So far I have roughly the bulk of 4 completed, but now come the longer essays of 3,000 words...
Anyways,
I have been doing very well these past two weeks. I have not really traveled anywhere, as I've been working on my essays mostly, but I have been keeping busy. I've been trying to keep up with paddling in the NUIG Kayak club, but it has been hard going to sessions due to classes. My primary focus as of late has been playing for the NUIG Soccer team. I had my first game with the team 2 weeks ago, as a kind of tryout game for me. All in all, I made the team, and I played well in spite of our 2-0 loss. Both goals were point blank inside the "6" as I was covering the near side post close to the goaline. I had some big saves, although I was struggling to find my "range." There were times where I should have called for and attacked the ball, but othertimes where I did so, but really shouldn't have. The reason for this being is because there is minimal training of Goaltenders here - essentially, i train as a field player, and then when given the opportunity to play in net on a short-side game, I take it. This in a sense is a rough way to train for a goalie, because the field is shrunken, but you're still defending a regulation size net - challenging, but not game scenario. All in all, I've been having a lot of fun and most of my teammates are extremely friendly and supportive.
My plan for the upcoming weeks is to set things into high gear with the culmination of writing, travel, and playing soccer. This week I've been hitting the library early in the morning, and not coming back until 8 after kayaking and training (soccer practice). This weekend I'll be taking a solo trip to Letterkenny in Northwest Ireland. It's roughly a 4 and half hour bus ride straight North, and lies in between two mountain ranges - one of which being a National Park with huge gardens and a Castle. I'm very much looking forward to spending some time on my own in brand new places. I'm also looking forward to a great concert saturday night in Galway, "Rootical Sound Systems" - Ireland's premier REGGAE group! haha. Apparently 'Jah' vacations in Ireland... And then my 2nd soccer game on Sunday. I big weekend, and I'll be sure to share it with y'all.
Keep an eye out for more posts to come, as the games and travel begin to grow!
Cheers!
I apologize for the lack of blog posts - I have been busy writing, typing, and more writing the 9 essays that I would like to complete before April. So far I have roughly the bulk of 4 completed, but now come the longer essays of 3,000 words...
Anyways,
I have been doing very well these past two weeks. I have not really traveled anywhere, as I've been working on my essays mostly, but I have been keeping busy. I've been trying to keep up with paddling in the NUIG Kayak club, but it has been hard going to sessions due to classes. My primary focus as of late has been playing for the NUIG Soccer team. I had my first game with the team 2 weeks ago, as a kind of tryout game for me. All in all, I made the team, and I played well in spite of our 2-0 loss. Both goals were point blank inside the "6" as I was covering the near side post close to the goaline. I had some big saves, although I was struggling to find my "range." There were times where I should have called for and attacked the ball, but othertimes where I did so, but really shouldn't have. The reason for this being is because there is minimal training of Goaltenders here - essentially, i train as a field player, and then when given the opportunity to play in net on a short-side game, I take it. This in a sense is a rough way to train for a goalie, because the field is shrunken, but you're still defending a regulation size net - challenging, but not game scenario. All in all, I've been having a lot of fun and most of my teammates are extremely friendly and supportive.
My plan for the upcoming weeks is to set things into high gear with the culmination of writing, travel, and playing soccer. This week I've been hitting the library early in the morning, and not coming back until 8 after kayaking and training (soccer practice). This weekend I'll be taking a solo trip to Letterkenny in Northwest Ireland. It's roughly a 4 and half hour bus ride straight North, and lies in between two mountain ranges - one of which being a National Park with huge gardens and a Castle. I'm very much looking forward to spending some time on my own in brand new places. I'm also looking forward to a great concert saturday night in Galway, "Rootical Sound Systems" - Ireland's premier REGGAE group! haha. Apparently 'Jah' vacations in Ireland... And then my 2nd soccer game on Sunday. I big weekend, and I'll be sure to share it with y'all.
Keep an eye out for more posts to come, as the games and travel begin to grow!
Cheers!
Monday, February 2, 2009
My oh my those Cliffs are high!
This past weekend I had the opportunity to go on a free trip to the Burren and Cliffs of Mohr in County Clare with all of the other MU students. It was an amazing trip, bringing many unanticipated activities, turning out to be one of the greatest experiences of my life.
We headed to the Burren in County Clare, which is a drastic change of landscape that is very rockey with a lot of limestone among other cave formations. We went to see a particular cave that was the largest in all of the Burren, and was formed by an underwater river! Most of the cave was carved up limestone, so there were still some streams and big waterfalls in the cave due to drainage and runoff from the rains. We also were able to do some impromptu hiking on our own up a ridge above the cave.
From there we went to the Cliffs of Mohr - one of the most beautiful and dangerous things I have ever experienced. Just two weeks ago a tourist tragically was blown over the edge by a huge gust of wind. Luckily, we had a great weather all day and the sun was shining bright! After trekking around the edge of the cliffs with all the other tourists, we decided to make a change of plans and not head back with all of the other students. Instead 3 other friends and I decided to take a particular trail and hike back down from the cliffs to the small town of Doolin - allegedly the epicenter of Traditional Irish Music in Western Ireland. Once again, this particular hike was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and truly, truly the most dangerous. I apologize to all who will get mad at me for taking this hike, but if you look at the pictures - you can see why it was worth it!
A great day on the cliffs, and a great night in the small town of Doolin, equals the most amazing experience in Ireland to date, and perhaps one of the best of my life!
Cheers!
http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=275212389/a=76959740_76959740/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink
WARNING: These Pictures are not for the faint of heart. I know this because I was barely able to take/look at them, and I'm not usuall afraid of heights!
Enjoy!
We headed to the Burren in County Clare, which is a drastic change of landscape that is very rockey with a lot of limestone among other cave formations. We went to see a particular cave that was the largest in all of the Burren, and was formed by an underwater river! Most of the cave was carved up limestone, so there were still some streams and big waterfalls in the cave due to drainage and runoff from the rains. We also were able to do some impromptu hiking on our own up a ridge above the cave.
From there we went to the Cliffs of Mohr - one of the most beautiful and dangerous things I have ever experienced. Just two weeks ago a tourist tragically was blown over the edge by a huge gust of wind. Luckily, we had a great weather all day and the sun was shining bright! After trekking around the edge of the cliffs with all the other tourists, we decided to make a change of plans and not head back with all of the other students. Instead 3 other friends and I decided to take a particular trail and hike back down from the cliffs to the small town of Doolin - allegedly the epicenter of Traditional Irish Music in Western Ireland. Once again, this particular hike was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and truly, truly the most dangerous. I apologize to all who will get mad at me for taking this hike, but if you look at the pictures - you can see why it was worth it!
A great day on the cliffs, and a great night in the small town of Doolin, equals the most amazing experience in Ireland to date, and perhaps one of the best of my life!
Cheers!
http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=275212389/a=76959740_76959740/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink
WARNING: These Pictures are not for the faint of heart. I know this because I was barely able to take/look at them, and I'm not usuall afraid of heights!
Enjoy!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Oh Goodness . . . My Guinness!
Perhaps my favorite part of the Guinness tour was the section of advertising that displayed the old Guinness Cartoons and Commercials. They are absolutely hilarious! I loved every one of the cartoons, featuring Gilroy, the famous Toucan, Seal, Kangaroo, Ostrich, all of them! Here is the link to the official advertising section of classic commericials on the Guinness Website.
Remember, "Guinness, is Good For You! Cha Cha cha!"
Enjoy!
http://www2.guinness.com/en-IE/Pages/AdsGallery.aspx?adtype=TVAds&adsclass=classic&cntry=world
Remember, "Guinness, is Good For You! Cha Cha cha!"
Enjoy!
http://www2.guinness.com/en-IE/Pages/AdsGallery.aspx?adtype=TVAds&adsclass=classic&cntry=world
Dublin Town, Dublin Town, Everybody's walkin' up and down, the river to the East and the River to the West, everybody's walkin' round Dublin Town...
Hey Homies,
Early Friday morn, my housemates and I snagged a bus at 6am and headed to Dublin for the weekend. Overall, it was a great trip, and although Ireland did not feel like an Irish town in comparison to Galway, it was cool to be in a very multi-ethnic and major international city. We started out by finding our hostel which was in a great location and was very inexpensive. It also included free internet, free breakfast, and fantastic security precautions as well a relaxed environment. From there we went to the classic Dublin sights, such as the Guinness tour and Temple Bar/Chop Street. All were very impressive. That night after resting up a bit, a few of us met 2-German-Man-Students, and 3-French-Wo-Man-Students at the Hostel. We hung out for a while at the hostel before going out to the pubs on the town. It was a great night, a lot of fun, and besides the snobby/crazy/non english speaking French ladies, are new friends were a great time.
The next day we checked out of the Hostel at 10am - a few of us split up and went about the day. My group of 4 went to check out the bay and the GAA stadium/museum - Croke Park: The 4th largest stadium in all of Europe, and most likely the largest Amateur Stadium in the world! It was amazing to see and learn all about hurling, Gaelic football, and the timeless classic of handball! Great tours all around. After that we walked for a long ways to check out Dublin Castle (not very impressive) and then the National Museum of Ireland at these old Army Barracks and Jail. A great, great part of Irish culture that apparently not many Irish know about since it took us a good two hours to get there with all of the bad directions we received... After that, we capped off the weekend with the Old Jameson Distillery Tour, where I had the opportunity to be an honorary whiskey taste tester. Lets just say I really needed a large, fresh Doner Kebab afterwards, made with 100% Irish lamb of course!
I'm not worthy...
Certificate of having the Perfect Pour by yours truly!
This bird is smashing grapes for wine...
GAA - Gaelic Athletic Association
Croke Park
The famous Irish Football Jersey of my ancestors from County Kerry
Entering the stadium while the crowd goes wild!
Courtyard to the Barracks - Location of the National Museum of Ireland
Every group of Irish immigrants to America needs a Boxer!
(I'm not the only Irish decendent who wears a speedo...)
A sample of nicknames for all of the surnames that worked in making crates and packing whiskey. I think it will catch on...
Testing the fastest growing whiskey in the world . . . among others.
Early Friday morn, my housemates and I snagged a bus at 6am and headed to Dublin for the weekend. Overall, it was a great trip, and although Ireland did not feel like an Irish town in comparison to Galway, it was cool to be in a very multi-ethnic and major international city. We started out by finding our hostel which was in a great location and was very inexpensive. It also included free internet, free breakfast, and fantastic security precautions as well a relaxed environment. From there we went to the classic Dublin sights, such as the Guinness tour and Temple Bar/Chop Street. All were very impressive. That night after resting up a bit, a few of us met 2-German-Man-Students, and 3-French-Wo-Man-Students at the Hostel. We hung out for a while at the hostel before going out to the pubs on the town. It was a great night, a lot of fun, and besides the snobby/crazy/non english speaking French ladies, are new friends were a great time.
The next day we checked out of the Hostel at 10am - a few of us split up and went about the day. My group of 4 went to check out the bay and the GAA stadium/museum - Croke Park: The 4th largest stadium in all of Europe, and most likely the largest Amateur Stadium in the world! It was amazing to see and learn all about hurling, Gaelic football, and the timeless classic of handball! Great tours all around. After that we walked for a long ways to check out Dublin Castle (not very impressive) and then the National Museum of Ireland at these old Army Barracks and Jail. A great, great part of Irish culture that apparently not many Irish know about since it took us a good two hours to get there with all of the bad directions we received... After that, we capped off the weekend with the Old Jameson Distillery Tour, where I had the opportunity to be an honorary whiskey taste tester. Lets just say I really needed a large, fresh Doner Kebab afterwards, made with 100% Irish lamb of course!
I'm not worthy...
Certificate of having the Perfect Pour by yours truly!This bird is smashing grapes for wine...
GAA - Gaelic Athletic AssociationCroke Park
The famous Irish Football Jersey of my ancestors from County KerryEntering the stadium while the crowd goes wild!
Courtyard to the Barracks - Location of the National Museum of Ireland
Every group of Irish immigrants to America needs a Boxer!(I'm not the only Irish decendent who wears a speedo...)
A sample of nicknames for all of the surnames that worked in making crates and packing whiskey. I think it will catch on...
Testing the fastest growing whiskey in the world . . . among others.Sunday, January 25, 2009
He Shoots . . . Oh what a save!
Hey all,
this past week I headed out to go try and train with the NUIG Football club. They train on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 530pm at the Dangan Sports Complex, which I found out to be a 45 min walk from my house! After showing up late on Tuesday because I couldn't find the field, I found one of the coaches who told me to suit up and jump in the drill - field drills that is... Unsure of what to make of everything, and very nervous, I suited up in my cleats, only to look up and realize that everyone was wearing turf shoes on the field - an astro turf field! @#$%! Haha, so hence forth I suited up in my Nike Free's, which are not accustomed to soccer on a turf field. Let's just say I barely got through the drills, and then the rest of the night we played shortside games, where I was able to hold my own, but did not impress anyone. Overall the first training was very awkward, and I was very nervous; I also did not make many new friends either...
After considering, reconsidering, and extreme dilberation over the next two days, I decided to stick with the training - it's only 2 days a week for a couple of hours and I've been dreaming of playing soccer internationally, let alone playing again in general! So after harnessing my nerves and confidence with the determination to play, and a new pair of cheap turf shoes, I made it back to training on time, and with confidence. Thursday was a whole new session. I met some Irish players, I played well in the field drills, and I finally got to play some 'keep - it never left me! No warm ups, and straight into a half side game, I managed to do very well and was able to actually show some strong skills. I had a blast! It was a great session, and I can't wait to get back on the field to play more and meet more people. I was asked to play in one of the games this weekend, but I had plans for Dublin with my housemates. More to come!
this past week I headed out to go try and train with the NUIG Football club. They train on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 530pm at the Dangan Sports Complex, which I found out to be a 45 min walk from my house! After showing up late on Tuesday because I couldn't find the field, I found one of the coaches who told me to suit up and jump in the drill - field drills that is... Unsure of what to make of everything, and very nervous, I suited up in my cleats, only to look up and realize that everyone was wearing turf shoes on the field - an astro turf field! @#$%! Haha, so hence forth I suited up in my Nike Free's, which are not accustomed to soccer on a turf field. Let's just say I barely got through the drills, and then the rest of the night we played shortside games, where I was able to hold my own, but did not impress anyone. Overall the first training was very awkward, and I was very nervous; I also did not make many new friends either...
After considering, reconsidering, and extreme dilberation over the next two days, I decided to stick with the training - it's only 2 days a week for a couple of hours and I've been dreaming of playing soccer internationally, let alone playing again in general! So after harnessing my nerves and confidence with the determination to play, and a new pair of cheap turf shoes, I made it back to training on time, and with confidence. Thursday was a whole new session. I met some Irish players, I played well in the field drills, and I finally got to play some 'keep - it never left me! No warm ups, and straight into a half side game, I managed to do very well and was able to actually show some strong skills. I had a blast! It was a great session, and I can't wait to get back on the field to play more and meet more people. I was asked to play in one of the games this weekend, but I had plans for Dublin with my housemates. More to come!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
I have an Inny too!
Today I went with the Kayak club to the Inny river about 2 hours Northeast of Galway. Thats right, the KAYAK team. Apparently in Ireland, England, and the whole of the UK is crazy about kayaking. The club shed had close to 40 or 50 boats, both private and club owned. They are well funded, and have a great amount of support, which is awesome, and quite frankly unbelievable to someone from the Midwest. Whenever asked about canoeing, there was always the same lack of response or lack of knowledge - it's just not as big here. There are only a handful of canoes in the entire country, and the club has two trippers from which they only refer to as - "canadians." Luckily one of the guys I emailed is very interested in canoeing and supports have a c-1 be made out of an old shell.
Anyway, today was great! Very cold though, and very basic stuff since there were a lot of beginners. But the river was fun, and I started to get more comfortable in a whitewater kayak. It was a big creeking boat, and hopefully I can find a good playboat that will fit me well. Everyone in the club was extremely nice, and a lot of fun. Overall, a great trip - I fit in nicely, I'm by no means out of my league, and there is some interest in the so called "canadian" way of paddling.
Anyway, today was great! Very cold though, and very basic stuff since there were a lot of beginners. But the river was fun, and I started to get more comfortable in a whitewater kayak. It was a big creeking boat, and hopefully I can find a good playboat that will fit me well. Everyone in the club was extremely nice, and a lot of fun. Overall, a great trip - I fit in nicely, I'm by no means out of my league, and there is some interest in the so called "canadian" way of paddling.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Trek to Connemara
Today as a house we woke up early and took a bus two hours North to the little town of Letterfrack and hike the Connemara National Park. Everything started out fine as we headed up the Mountain for free, but then the rains came; and then the wind; and then the hail; and even more wind...
Connemara National Park
A few goats to help navigate
And then Ireland got P-I-S-T...
Connemara National Park
A few goats to help navigate
And then Ireland got P-I-S-T...
Since half of us were in jeans, the ice to the face kept on comin', and the one sense of rational thinking we had told us this might have been dangerous... So after heading back down the ridge, stopping for a couple of pints in the pub, and warm up the extremeties, a few of us headed West to find the Ocean.
Shannon the Pub Dog
Bay to the Atlantic
Here we go again...
Time to head back to the pub
Shannon the Pub Dog
Bay to the Atlantic
Here we go again...
Time to head back to the pubA great first trip!
Cheers!
PS
Anyone know how to properly post images so they don't drag on and on?
Cheers!
PS
Anyone know how to properly post images so they don't drag on and on?
Friday, January 16, 2009
Down by the bay...
Here are some pics from the house and home of EuroMike
Our house located on a rooftop overlooking the bay.
Dirty Kitchen
My Room
View from my balcony
Tanker coming into port...
... and then parallel parking!
Our house's pride and joy, the Celtic Explorerhttp://www.marine.ie/home/services/researchvessels/explorer/
You're From Where?
Hey all!
Sorry for the lack of response, and details for that matter. Internet was slim for awhile, but now we have a wireless router, a good internet cafe down the street, and good wireless up at campus. I'm a first time blogger, so I'm getting used to that as well, but more to come more frequently!
I am doing well here! I made it fine on the plane and bus. Planes were a little scary with a lot of turbulance, but everything went well. The in-flight movies were City of Ember (kind of weird but good) and Wall-e! bus ride was good because there were not many people and it was very luxurious, so i got some much needed sleep. I ran into a guy I met at the info meetings at MU, named Adam, at the Dublin airport. I think he was on my flight too? Anyway, we buddied up then so it was nice to have a sidekick the last leg of the trip.
Found the Nailand house somewhat okay. It was a nice walk from the bus stop. I am living in a house behind the Nialand house apartments with 6 other guys. It is an old, rustic, concrete vintage two story house on a secondary level, with 8 beds, and it looks over the harbor and bay . . . easily the best living situation I could ask for! So beautiful to see, very cool feeling, and there is room for guests! My street is a very busy street, but not far from any of the other walking streets. Its about a 15-20min walk to campus, but you walk by rivers and canals, and its just a way cool trip. My roomies are very good guys, two of which I know, all from MU except for one from St. Joe's, but we all get along well.
I'll work hard to keep in touch and keep you posted with what I am up to, and will be sure to update the Blog.
Cheers!
Sorry for the lack of response, and details for that matter. Internet was slim for awhile, but now we have a wireless router, a good internet cafe down the street, and good wireless up at campus. I'm a first time blogger, so I'm getting used to that as well, but more to come more frequently!
I am doing well here! I made it fine on the plane and bus. Planes were a little scary with a lot of turbulance, but everything went well. The in-flight movies were City of Ember (kind of weird but good) and Wall-e! bus ride was good because there were not many people and it was very luxurious, so i got some much needed sleep. I ran into a guy I met at the info meetings at MU, named Adam, at the Dublin airport. I think he was on my flight too? Anyway, we buddied up then so it was nice to have a sidekick the last leg of the trip.
Found the Nailand house somewhat okay. It was a nice walk from the bus stop. I am living in a house behind the Nialand house apartments with 6 other guys. It is an old, rustic, concrete vintage two story house on a secondary level, with 8 beds, and it looks over the harbor and bay . . . easily the best living situation I could ask for! So beautiful to see, very cool feeling, and there is room for guests! My street is a very busy street, but not far from any of the other walking streets. Its about a 15-20min walk to campus, but you walk by rivers and canals, and its just a way cool trip. My roomies are very good guys, two of which I know, all from MU except for one from St. Joe's, but we all get along well.
I'll work hard to keep in touch and keep you posted with what I am up to, and will be sure to update the Blog.
Cheers!
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