(no subject)
So, work on friday, came and went, no real situations. My coworkers let me "Leave early" (6ish), which is going to make it awwwwkward leaving on this COMING friday, when i'm going to leave at like, 4-4:30. so, i'll burn that bridge when the time comes.
I feel like i should note that my coworkers seem really awesome and understanding.
I'm trying to re-upload my ireland photos (again) >.<, since the first one crapped out.
anyway, i leave work at 6ish (Flight @ 10), and head back towards my apt. I gather all my things, get ready to go, and head out the door. i get to the subway station, get on, and ride two stops.
Then i realize i don't have my passport. You'll kind of forget exactly how MASSIVE london is, until, that is, you have to run back and get your passport. So another 10 minute ride, and 5 minute run, and i'm back at the hotel. Fortunately, i've got enough time to run back, slip onto the train, cut some guy in line at the burger king at paddington station (Yes, i know, an american eating burger king in london, how exotic, but i was running behind, and needed a quick bite. So i make it all the way out to the airport, no delays, no problems.
Then comes my arrival in Cork. It had recently rained (Which i was soon to learn that that is the PERPETUAL state of ireland, also the reason it looks so pretty), and i was able to get my bus to drop me about 500 feet (really, 500 feet, not my gross exaggeration of distance), from the doorstep of my hostel. since this was quite literally just a place to rest my head before jumping on the train to killarney, i didn't make much note of it, though it does seem that hostels are always run by foreigners (Except Killarney's!!! i'll get to that in a minute). I slept in a large room with at least two people making out all night, and lots of people who snoooore.
Which kind of made me feel a little good when my alarm went off at 7 in the morning, potentially waking ALL of them up. Unfortunately, to turn off the alarm, i had to pop out the batteries, during which, i lost one. :(
The train to killarney was wonderful, giving me a fantastic preview of what kind of scenery was to come.
So my train pulls in, and it's a little overcast, no rain yet, and i walk straight out, and into a shopping mall, which kind of threw me for a loop. Here's a tiiiiiiiiny 15,000 person town, and here's this huge outlet mall. The top floor was full of all these artisans who were peddling all kinds of wares, one of which i paid particular attention to, was this man who was trying to sell his wooden carvings. He'd obviously been doing it for yeaaaaaaaaars, and gave me hope that i might be able to pull something off someday. I found my hostel (The railway Hostel) Pretty much directly across the street from the mall, the operators being wonderful kindly irish people, it's all decorated out with halloween images and cobwebs and other things. Pretty much the single most awesome place to spend a night.
I moseyed on down to this sandwich store down near the center of town, and they gave me a filled roll (Which included ham, eggs, sausage, and butter), and then walked over to rent a bike. The guy renting them seemed cool enough, and even gave me a handy map to help show my way around the area (Though it much later turned into MUSH). And set off! At first i just rolled down N72, like the guy who rented me the bikes had told me, and came upon a little bike trail. I explored this area in the neighborhood of the "Lake Hotel", which had these incredible crumbling ruins right next to their property. And took my first photos. It was about this time that the rains began. The lakes for the rest of the day, were like the ocean. In terms of waves, overall sound, and wind strength. It was absolutely dumbfounding, i mean, i realized that these lakes were huge, but the actual breadth was simply shocking. bear in mind, most of the lakes i'm used to are lakes like: jordan lake, lake kerr, lochmere lake...lakes that are either teeny tiny, or on relatively flat land, with nothing to speak of, in terms of background landscape. These lakes had towering mountians on all sides. And inside of them. The small islands (or mountains), inside SHOOT from the water.
My journey continued, and i discovered a small bike path that would eventually take me towards Muckross Abbey, which is, quite simply, everything i had hoped to see in ireland. It's a small old church, with no roof, and many graves. But don't let my description fool you. It is filled with magic. i quite easily spent an hour exploring the building (too scared to actually walk inside this dark area, staying mainly to the outside-inside part of the church, and not climbing the steps. At approximately this stage, i realized that there was ONE other person in the ENTIRE NATIONAL PARK, due to the rain. And she was a middle aged american woman, who had no idea where she was. It was heart-wrenching, when she was like, "Hmm...do you know where i might have parked? I'm lost and have been wandering..."
To which i could only reply: "I'm sorry, but no. I, too, hail from America." And then pointed her towards N72. My advice, however, went unheaded, as she continued on her way, in the exact opposite direction. But, the actual Abbey was incredible. Breathe-taking, and so soothing. My clothes, while wet, were like neoprine, i felt. Meaning that my body heat had warmed the water directly touching my skin, so i was no longer hypothermic.
Then begins the stage of my random wanderings, which took me down by Muckross house, i didn't actually go into, i did admire quite a bit from the outdoors. I was a little intimidated, because at this point a lot of other people were starting to make their way into the park (it had cleared up a LOT), and they were all running around and biking in the same general area, so i continued on, and my journeys took me to the shores, the very shores of the lake! I'm pretty sure it was lough leane, though i have no real way of telling. The only way i can guess is the fact that it was so vast. This was quite a bit more stunning than my original encounter with the lake at the lake hotel, due to the fact i was standing on a sandy beach (which had some clothes nearby...so it looked like some lady was running around terribly scantily clad), and i was able to take a step or two into the surf, and touch the water. I was also able to leap out onto some stones that went a little ways out into the lake, and take some pictures, before carefully leaping back.
It was also about this time i discovered that my rear breaks, on my bike, were broken. meaning they came apart, and so i was gliding around with only my front breaks to save me. Which is a TERRIBLY dangerous way to go down enormous irish hills. Later on in the afternoon, i would repair my own bike before returning it.
So, after walking my bike through a series of fields and paths, , it turned out i was near Ross-Castle-Lane. So i went down it. And the castle was STUNNING. There were these horse-drawn carridges that passed by while i was walking down the street, which were lovely (though i didn't have the time to spring for one), the castle was incredible. Words fail to describe how incredibly picture-esque and stereotypically "irish" this castle seemed. Massive lake on the right side, enormous crumbling ruins of a castle on the left, and with the backdrop of a sun piercing through the overcast sky, creating sunbeams, and illuminating the backdrop of mountains behind. It was, simply put, completely stunning. Especially with the forceful waves in the background. There were a few families about, enjoying the scenery (though apparently not as much, since they'd all rather have comical photos of themselves trying to scale the wall of the castle), while i just kind of...sat there?
This was rounding into about 5 o'clock, and my bike was due back at six, so i took an untaken path that eventually dropped me off near the city center. Where i returned my bike, and got a meal at this family owned place, that basically makes chicken sandwiches. They were decent, nothing to write home about. I then moseyed back to my hostel, where i took a couple hour nap. I went back out towards the city center at ~ 9o'clock, since i was assured by SEVERAL establishments, that LIVE MUSIC was to start at 9. The first pub i stop at, something faile, or something along those lines, i had my first irish guinness, which was as delicious as you would think a guinness to be. In this bar, however, and i'd say about as important, i heard an irish folksinger sing "Whiskey in the Jar," which made me feel REALLY good. Then moved over to a place that started with two Ts. I cannot remember the name of it now, to save my life, which was only remarkable due to the fact that they were playing the Indiana - NorthWestern game (???) Thank you big10 network, thank you. I also had a harp there, which was decidedly more flavorful than the guinness. I then went over to Murphy's, where i was able to hear Fields of Athenry. I must say, i feel like as far as irish folk songs go, i can pretty much cross that completely off my list. Since i've heard the ones that matter, in PUBS, while drinking irish drinks! (I had a smithswicks at the last place, my least favorite drink).
about this time it was 11:30, i walked back up to my hostel, and turned in.
Woke up @ ~9 the next morning (!! BUT!! THE CLOCKS FLIPPED BACK AN HOUR), and took yet ANOTHER path to Ross Castle (This was after exploring to the north a bit, finding their public library), and just kind of hung around and enjoyed the serenity of the entire area. Especially since there weren't many people about (at least until church let out), so i could just sit on these benches lining the path down to ross castle. at this point, my feet and legs were in outright rebellion against the rest of my body, and i had to stop frequently to sit and enjoy the scenery, and not fall down and die.
So i got to my train a little early (Since i didn't know about the hour fallback, i was an hour+ early, but then i farted around the mall for a litle while), and then waited at the train station and read walden. Where i came across my favorite line thusfar: "Probably I should not consciously and deliberately forsake my particular calling to do the good which society demands of me, to save the universe from annihilation." I quite literally laughed out loud upon reading that, and it definitely made me think of jill.
The trainride back was quick and without incident, there was an irish father who said to his wife, "I'm gonna kill him, i swear to GOD" about his adorable 6 year old son, who was running up and down the isles on the train. Cork was pretty awesome, though i didn't get much of a chance to spend time there, i was able to walk around the inner city a little, and enjoy some random vendor-street food. I then made my flight, and flew the entire way back, where i had to take a long series of trains to make it back home.
And here i am, and that was, by and large, my irish adventure. a couple of things have been left out, but it's nothing that you won't miss terribly or find out later.
And now, at two, i go to bed.
Night.
I feel like i should note that my coworkers seem really awesome and understanding.
I'm trying to re-upload my ireland photos (again) >.<, since the first one crapped out.
anyway, i leave work at 6ish (Flight @ 10), and head back towards my apt. I gather all my things, get ready to go, and head out the door. i get to the subway station, get on, and ride two stops.
Then i realize i don't have my passport. You'll kind of forget exactly how MASSIVE london is, until, that is, you have to run back and get your passport. So another 10 minute ride, and 5 minute run, and i'm back at the hotel. Fortunately, i've got enough time to run back, slip onto the train, cut some guy in line at the burger king at paddington station (Yes, i know, an american eating burger king in london, how exotic, but i was running behind, and needed a quick bite. So i make it all the way out to the airport, no delays, no problems.
Then comes my arrival in Cork. It had recently rained (Which i was soon to learn that that is the PERPETUAL state of ireland, also the reason it looks so pretty), and i was able to get my bus to drop me about 500 feet (really, 500 feet, not my gross exaggeration of distance), from the doorstep of my hostel. since this was quite literally just a place to rest my head before jumping on the train to killarney, i didn't make much note of it, though it does seem that hostels are always run by foreigners (Except Killarney's!!! i'll get to that in a minute). I slept in a large room with at least two people making out all night, and lots of people who snoooore.
Which kind of made me feel a little good when my alarm went off at 7 in the morning, potentially waking ALL of them up. Unfortunately, to turn off the alarm, i had to pop out the batteries, during which, i lost one. :(
The train to killarney was wonderful, giving me a fantastic preview of what kind of scenery was to come.
So my train pulls in, and it's a little overcast, no rain yet, and i walk straight out, and into a shopping mall, which kind of threw me for a loop. Here's a tiiiiiiiiny 15,000 person town, and here's this huge outlet mall. The top floor was full of all these artisans who were peddling all kinds of wares, one of which i paid particular attention to, was this man who was trying to sell his wooden carvings. He'd obviously been doing it for yeaaaaaaaaars, and gave me hope that i might be able to pull something off someday. I found my hostel (The railway Hostel) Pretty much directly across the street from the mall, the operators being wonderful kindly irish people, it's all decorated out with halloween images and cobwebs and other things. Pretty much the single most awesome place to spend a night.
I moseyed on down to this sandwich store down near the center of town, and they gave me a filled roll (Which included ham, eggs, sausage, and butter), and then walked over to rent a bike. The guy renting them seemed cool enough, and even gave me a handy map to help show my way around the area (Though it much later turned into MUSH). And set off! At first i just rolled down N72, like the guy who rented me the bikes had told me, and came upon a little bike trail. I explored this area in the neighborhood of the "Lake Hotel", which had these incredible crumbling ruins right next to their property. And took my first photos. It was about this time that the rains began. The lakes for the rest of the day, were like the ocean. In terms of waves, overall sound, and wind strength. It was absolutely dumbfounding, i mean, i realized that these lakes were huge, but the actual breadth was simply shocking. bear in mind, most of the lakes i'm used to are lakes like: jordan lake, lake kerr, lochmere lake...lakes that are either teeny tiny, or on relatively flat land, with nothing to speak of, in terms of background landscape. These lakes had towering mountians on all sides. And inside of them. The small islands (or mountains), inside SHOOT from the water.
My journey continued, and i discovered a small bike path that would eventually take me towards Muckross Abbey, which is, quite simply, everything i had hoped to see in ireland. It's a small old church, with no roof, and many graves. But don't let my description fool you. It is filled with magic. i quite easily spent an hour exploring the building (too scared to actually walk inside this dark area, staying mainly to the outside-inside part of the church, and not climbing the steps. At approximately this stage, i realized that there was ONE other person in the ENTIRE NATIONAL PARK, due to the rain. And she was a middle aged american woman, who had no idea where she was. It was heart-wrenching, when she was like, "Hmm...do you know where i might have parked? I'm lost and have been wandering..."
To which i could only reply: "I'm sorry, but no. I, too, hail from America." And then pointed her towards N72. My advice, however, went unheaded, as she continued on her way, in the exact opposite direction. But, the actual Abbey was incredible. Breathe-taking, and so soothing. My clothes, while wet, were like neoprine, i felt. Meaning that my body heat had warmed the water directly touching my skin, so i was no longer hypothermic.
Then begins the stage of my random wanderings, which took me down by Muckross house, i didn't actually go into, i did admire quite a bit from the outdoors. I was a little intimidated, because at this point a lot of other people were starting to make their way into the park (it had cleared up a LOT), and they were all running around and biking in the same general area, so i continued on, and my journeys took me to the shores, the very shores of the lake! I'm pretty sure it was lough leane, though i have no real way of telling. The only way i can guess is the fact that it was so vast. This was quite a bit more stunning than my original encounter with the lake at the lake hotel, due to the fact i was standing on a sandy beach (which had some clothes nearby...so it looked like some lady was running around terribly scantily clad), and i was able to take a step or two into the surf, and touch the water. I was also able to leap out onto some stones that went a little ways out into the lake, and take some pictures, before carefully leaping back.
It was also about this time i discovered that my rear breaks, on my bike, were broken. meaning they came apart, and so i was gliding around with only my front breaks to save me. Which is a TERRIBLY dangerous way to go down enormous irish hills. Later on in the afternoon, i would repair my own bike before returning it.
So, after walking my bike through a series of fields and paths, , it turned out i was near Ross-Castle-Lane. So i went down it. And the castle was STUNNING. There were these horse-drawn carridges that passed by while i was walking down the street, which were lovely (though i didn't have the time to spring for one), the castle was incredible. Words fail to describe how incredibly picture-esque and stereotypically "irish" this castle seemed. Massive lake on the right side, enormous crumbling ruins of a castle on the left, and with the backdrop of a sun piercing through the overcast sky, creating sunbeams, and illuminating the backdrop of mountains behind. It was, simply put, completely stunning. Especially with the forceful waves in the background. There were a few families about, enjoying the scenery (though apparently not as much, since they'd all rather have comical photos of themselves trying to scale the wall of the castle), while i just kind of...sat there?
This was rounding into about 5 o'clock, and my bike was due back at six, so i took an untaken path that eventually dropped me off near the city center. Where i returned my bike, and got a meal at this family owned place, that basically makes chicken sandwiches. They were decent, nothing to write home about. I then moseyed back to my hostel, where i took a couple hour nap. I went back out towards the city center at ~ 9o'clock, since i was assured by SEVERAL establishments, that LIVE MUSIC was to start at 9. The first pub i stop at, something faile, or something along those lines, i had my first irish guinness, which was as delicious as you would think a guinness to be. In this bar, however, and i'd say about as important, i heard an irish folksinger sing "Whiskey in the Jar," which made me feel REALLY good. Then moved over to a place that started with two Ts. I cannot remember the name of it now, to save my life, which was only remarkable due to the fact that they were playing the Indiana - NorthWestern game (???) Thank you big10 network, thank you. I also had a harp there, which was decidedly more flavorful than the guinness. I then went over to Murphy's, where i was able to hear Fields of Athenry. I must say, i feel like as far as irish folk songs go, i can pretty much cross that completely off my list. Since i've heard the ones that matter, in PUBS, while drinking irish drinks! (I had a smithswicks at the last place, my least favorite drink).
about this time it was 11:30, i walked back up to my hostel, and turned in.
Woke up @ ~9 the next morning (!! BUT!! THE CLOCKS FLIPPED BACK AN HOUR), and took yet ANOTHER path to Ross Castle (This was after exploring to the north a bit, finding their public library), and just kind of hung around and enjoyed the serenity of the entire area. Especially since there weren't many people about (at least until church let out), so i could just sit on these benches lining the path down to ross castle. at this point, my feet and legs were in outright rebellion against the rest of my body, and i had to stop frequently to sit and enjoy the scenery, and not fall down and die.
So i got to my train a little early (Since i didn't know about the hour fallback, i was an hour+ early, but then i farted around the mall for a litle while), and then waited at the train station and read walden. Where i came across my favorite line thusfar: "Probably I should not consciously and deliberately forsake my particular calling to do the good which society demands of me, to save the universe from annihilation." I quite literally laughed out loud upon reading that, and it definitely made me think of jill.
The trainride back was quick and without incident, there was an irish father who said to his wife, "I'm gonna kill him, i swear to GOD" about his adorable 6 year old son, who was running up and down the isles on the train. Cork was pretty awesome, though i didn't get much of a chance to spend time there, i was able to walk around the inner city a little, and enjoy some random vendor-street food. I then made my flight, and flew the entire way back, where i had to take a long series of trains to make it back home.
And here i am, and that was, by and large, my irish adventure. a couple of things have been left out, but it's nothing that you won't miss terribly or find out later.
And now, at two, i go to bed.
Night.