Spring Break: Day 4: Blarney to Dublin to London

Day 4 was an extremely long day, and I mean around 24 hours for us. After our night in a little village outside Killarney, we set off towards Blarney to visit the Blarney Castle... and of course therein kiss the Blarney stone!

The morning started off rainy, but I have discovered that Irish weather is even stranger than Kentucky weather in that one minute it's pouring the rain and the next we are in sunshine but then we turn a corner to find snow. But when we got to Blarney it wasn't at cold as it had been yesterday at the Cliffs, but the sky was overcast and it loomed rain for the future. We started our hike through the Castle estate and when we got to the Castle we bypassed the dungeons and kennels and went straight for the stone. However, to kiss the Blarney Stone, you first have to get to the Blarney Stone, which means climbing allllll the way up to the top of the Castle through one small tower by way of a teeny tiny spiral staircase. Ropes had been attached in the walls to serve as handrails if that tells you anything... at points you literally had to pull yourself up and climb to the next step. Now, these steps were spiral so they were narrow on one side and even more narrow on the other. That being said, I've never been so glad to have a slender female foot in my life.... I don't see how men with large feet make it! I myself was having to turn my foot sideways to get most of my foot on the steps! But after getting to the top, I realized something.... going into this, I had a false assumption of what the Blarney stone would look like. I thought it would be a stone that you walked up to and kissed.... boy was I ever wrong! Indeed, the Blarney stone is located at the bottom of the wall of the tower of the Castle..... this means that you had to lay back over another wall, through a gap, hold on to two bars with your arms, and also let some Irish guy hang on to you so that you could kiss the Stone without falling through the crack!!! Of course I've attached a picture! But yes friends, I have indeed laid myself through a castle wall and kissed the Blarney stone!

After leaving Blarney, we headed on to Dublin where our tour would officially end. But since we had return from London in our package as well, we had to kill a couple of hours in Dublin before our bus would pick us up for our journey back across the Irish Sea and Wales. So we piddled up and down Talbot street, stopping at Carroll's Irish Gifts and doing a bit of shopping. We took our time and killed enough time that we made it back to Paddy's Palace around 6:30, with our bus supposedly leaving around 7, which turned into 7:30. The 17 of us loaded onto a rather new coach and headed to the port to get on another ferry. We pulled out to sea around 9 and off we went for the three hour ferry ride. We were all starved and got some tasty food, chicken tikka massala for myself (one of my favorite indian dishes) and others had steak and kidney pies and the like. But soon after eating, the old seasickness set in again.... But this time I just tried to sleep it off. By 11:40 pm, and after a small nap, I was more than ready to get the heck off the ferry before my head exploded or I had to use a convenience bag. I stepped out on the port side of the ferry and to my delight, Land Ho!!!!! Finally, we started slowing down, and we all headed back to the bus. I was very thankful to get back on dry ground and in a moving vehicle that I could tolerate. Being now that it was 12:30 in the morning, we started our 6 hour drive back to London through Wales. Don't have much to say about this part except it's amazing how many positions you can put yourself in order to get somewhat comfortable on a bus so that you can sleep. We stopped around 3:30 at a rest stop and I got a muffin but I really just wanted to go back to sleep. Back on the bus at 4, I managed to doze in and out until I realized the sun was coming up, and it was 6 am, and we were back in Kilburn, the station we had left from. I was thankful that the Jubilee line was in good service on Easter Monday and we all sleepily jumped on the tube with all our bags and headed home. After a line change at green park to the Northern, we rode to Euston and jumped out. Ah, home, we were nearly there. Just a couple minutes walk and we saw it, Endsleigh Court! home sweet home! I was delighted to find that my long lost packages had also arrived so I took them up with me as we came in the door at 7 am. So yes, this day was completely 24 hours and even the porter asked if we had been driving all night.... must've looked a bit rough.

I sleepily stumbled up to Flat 210, opened my packages, had a fudge round (yum and thank you parents) and put myself to bed! And that, in a nutshell, was my days spent in Ireland! Hope you all enjoyed!!!

Spring Break: Day 3: Galway to Kilarney

For me, the second day of the actual tour turned out to be the best. After having a yummy irish breakfast in Galway (hooray for sausage!!) we loaded up on the bus with Gabriel at the wheel at started driving. We drove through some lovely countryside and then drove into the Burren and up on the hills. But by far, I loved driving down the West Coast the most. With the green green hills to my left and the blue atlantic to my right, I really enjoyed our bus ride to the Cliffs of Moher. And for my part, the Cliffs of Moher really made the tour all worth it. The Cliffs were absolutely breathtaking!! And it really helped that (even though it was cold) we got some great sunshine at the Cliffs as well. My friend Erica and I climbed out past the "please do not go past this point" sign. Now, I wasn't breaking any laws or anything, but it's just that there wasn't any paths or walkways or guardrails past this sign and therefore the private owners of the Cliffs couldn't be responsible for you once you're past that sign. But anyway, so we climbed out and it was definitely exhilarating to be living on the edge, literally! So beautiful! If any of you ever go to Ireland, you HAVE to visit the Cliffs!

After spending some time at the Cliffs, back on the bus we went and barreled on to Killarney, by way of another ferry across the Ring of Kerry (but I didn't get sick on this one thank goodness since we were only crossing a large river = no waves). When we got to Killarney we took a carriage ride through Killarney national park. Mr. Brown, our horse, was more than happy to pull six of us along in what is called a jaunting car. The weather was quite nippy, brrrrrr, and I was bundled up heavily plus a blanket around my legs. A beautiful park, and it was also nice and quiet and gave a great opportunity to get some pics.

I would have to say that this day was my favorite just because of all the beautiful sights and the time that we got to spend in the countryside. After being in downtown London for a month, I was definitely ready for some time out of the hustle and bustle city living. At one point when we stopped with the countryside on our left and the Atlantic on our right, our tour guide pointed out that "This is one of my favorite places because you can look all around you and find no traces of man's presence here".

Spring Break: Day 2: London to Galway

Our adventures started bright and early as we arrived at Paddy's Palace at 8:00 am to get ready to leave on our tour. We boarded our huggge coach bus and off we went. Within 5 minutes of leaving, we realized our tour guide and driver, Gabriel, was definitely a spirited Irishman...witty, loud, comical, and says the words "very tight" or "bang" after almost every sentence. It should be noted that "very tight" can be used in many different contexts. For example "It's going to be verrrrry tight lads" -- tight meaning we are driving a huge bus through lots of tiny streets.... Another example "The Americans and the Irish are the only ones in history to run the English out of their country... verrrry tight"...... another example..."once a paddywagon bus got hit by a truck and put six people in the hospital... verry tight".... so yes, now I say verrrry tight a lot.

On our way out of Dublin, we stopped by the papal cross area where the Pope John Paul II blessed over one million people at one time. We also drove past the Irish President's house, which looks quite similar to the White House. And just a side note: the house (well it's really an estate) of the American Ambassador to Ireland was basically right across the street from the house of the Irish President :). As we drove through the countryside and headed to Galway, we stopped at the monastic settlement of clonnmacnoise. Very beautiful, also very windy. On the first day, I wasn't exactly prepared for the amount of cutting wind in Ireland, but after day 1 on the road I learned my lesson and just wore my long underwear all the time. After looking at all the crosses and taking a few pics and a walk through the museum, we loaded back on the bus and barreled on towards Galway. The drive was beautiful and he sung us some songs like "Molly Malone" and "Willy MacBride" and told us bits of Irish history when and where it applied.

We got to Galway around 4:30 and after checking into our B&B for the night called the Aran house we headed into the city to do a bit of shopping and eating. Now, this was on Good Friday so all the pubs were closed. While this cut down on our eating choices, it also thankfully cut down on the number of intoxicated persons roaming the streets for which I was happy. I got some good shopping done in Galway and bought something that I've always wanted... a claddagh ring! After going shopping and taking some pictures at Galway Bay, which is the one you see, my roommate and I ate at an authentic Thai restaurant on the bay.... and all I can say is yummmmmmy! I love tai food in general and it had been a while since I'd had the opportunity to go to a good thai place so I decided to indulge and had some pad thai goong and crab wontons. It was very tasty and definitely hit the spot. After our delicious dinner, we moseyed back to our B&B where we sat down and had some irish tea, along with some chocolates we had bought earlier in the evening. Now, I have to tell you about this chocolate I found....It's called a Senzi bar... and it's a branch of Galaxy chocolate... but it's so creamy and has like this wafer thing in the middle surrounded by silky chocolate cream, I definitely say get one (or a bunch) if you can find it!

After our tea time, it was another hot shower and off to bed because we had to be up and at it again the next day!

Off to the Emerald Isle

Ready, Set, Here come the Spring Break entries!!! I'm going to do a different one for each of the four days.

Day 1: London to Dublin
Even though this technically wasn't part of the Ireland tour, it was exciting for me because we got to drive through Wales.

Our day started at 5:00 am when we roused ourselves from our beds so that we could get on the tube by 6:00 am. The station that we were being picked up from was at the far end of Zone 2 and would require a line change on the tube on our parts. We got to Kilburn station about 6:45 to see a large, green coach bus with the title Paddywagon designed clearly on the front, with a large leprechaun on it. We knew that being up for two long hours had already paid off. We got on the bus with 12 other people who had also booked return from London and off we went! And so we continued to go....and go... for six hours we went through England and all through Wales up to Bollyhead to the northern port. Even though I kept dozing in and out, Wales was beautiful from what I could see, lots of countryside and fences, definitely more laid back and agricultural than London.

Around 3 in the afternoon we boarded the StenaLine Ferry. Now when I say ferry, I don't mean a small thing... I mean a moving car deck. Two levels of parking garage plus a cruise ship type atmosphere on top with shops, restaurants, arcades, etc. However, unlike a cruise ship......you get a nice swaying/rocking motion.......and consequently I discovered that I get rather sea sick on things like this. About 10 minutes after our departure onto the Irish Sea, I had a headache plus nausea plus a general feeling of gross and Oh lord I might throw up. But alas, I managed to get control of myself by sitting at the back and being able to look out and see where we were going and getting some fresh air and that's what the picture is of.

We arrived on dry ground(thankfully) around 5:30 and through Dublin City we went. It was rush hour, so traffic was a bit tight, but I didn't mind because it gave me a chance to see the city. Less hustle and bustle than London, but definitely a happening place. After we arrived at Paddy's Palace (the office from which our tour operates) we were checked into our Bed & Breakfast for the night entitled the Adelphi. And boy, were we all tired!! But before we could call it a night, we had to get something to eat! So out into the city we went. We wandered up and down Talbot street looking at all the shops, some brand name, some local, some very cute and traditional Irish antique and craft shops as well. We had heard our driver that day mention The Celt, but we walked in and couldn't get a table so we left. Being 7:30 now... we were all ready for some food so we went across the street to a place called O'Shea's. And you may ask yourself....ohhh I wonder what kind of interesting food she got there....well, I'll tell you.... fried chicken. Yes, fried chicken.... I was one hungry southern girl and couldn't pass up their deal on fried chicken! So I foundered myself and all in all end up eating about 4 pieces of fried chicken, fries, and a salad. After our hearty dinner, we drug our tired selves back to our B&B, took showers and called it a night because we knew the day would start early tomorrow!

Defying Gravity!!!

Ok, so for the sake of coherence (yours and mine) I'm going to do a different post for all the exciting things that have happened recently (seeing Wicked the musical and spring break). Sooooo.....

Defying Gravity!!!

On Wednesday, March 19th, a few friends and I traveled down to the Apollo Theatre near Westminster to see Wicked the musical. For those of you who don't know, Wicked is based on the story of the book The Wizard of Oz, but the musical mostly takes place BEFORE Dorothy arrives in the land of Oz. So it tells the story of how Elphaba and Glinda come to be good friends but also how they come to fill their roles as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. I had listened to the soundtrack before seeing the musical and was already in love with the songs, but seeing them live at the Apollo and performed by a great cast made it all the better!!

I included a picture of the set, as good of one as I could get considering the low lighting in the theatre before the performance. There's a large dragon at the top and then in the middle is a map of the land of Oz with the Emerald City glowing green in the center.We had great seats!--Row O in the dead center!

I would definitely recommend that you all see this musical if you have the chance. It's a bit more lighthearted and comical at times than say Phantom or Miss Saigon, but still yet it has the drama, story depth, and fundamental conflict that a good musical needs. If you have the chance, you should download the song "Defying Gravity" which is sung by Elphaba's character at the end of Act I, absolutely amazing and definitely one of my favorites!

Ahoy Mateys!

In 48 Hours, I will be participating in a yearly rite of passage for all students: Spring Break. I know!!! Can you believe it's already here? I was very surprised this weekend while I was preparing to read for my classes when the readings for this week were under the heading "Week 4". The time is flying by and I can't believe I've already been here a month!
But yes, in 48 Hours, I will be crossing from Wales to Ireland on a large, green, ferry... I mean who would want to go to Ireland any other way! Going to Ireland is something I've always wanted to do and I'm really excited about our trip. I'll be gone Thursday, 20th until Sunday, 23rd, so there won't be any blogs about all my adventures in the land of ire until I get back.
As far as Londontown goes, I'm still having a fabulous time! Thankfully, it really doesn't feel like a school semester at all! The reading can be heavy at times, but as a junior in college I have obviously learned the skills of multitasking and time management. Weather hasn't been too stellar here for the past few days, kind of misty/damp and no sun to be seen. and brrrrrr, watch out for those 35 mph wind gusts!

And I had another adventure this past friday: The Launderette (dum dum dum). After hauling my laundry on my back like an alpaca in the Andes mountains through the crowded streets of London, I quickly realized that lots of other people in the Bloomsbury neighborhood decided that Friday afternoon was also the best time to do laundry, which equals play the game hurry up and wait. In order to play this game, you must keep an eye on the size washer you want, all the times they each have left, and then position yourself in a prime spot to seize the washer when it's open (and same goes for dryers). But alas, after almost two hours at the Launderette, I had won the game so to speak and hauled my now clean laundry back to Endsleigh Court.

And on a completely unrelated note, I would have to say that dinner is one of my favorite parts of the day. I've always loved to cook, and it's the only part of our day (outside of class/meeetings/weather/etc) that I have any absolute control over. Some of my favorites to make include chicken stir fry with crunchy vegetables, chicken cacciatore, tuna steak, and salmon fillets. It's amazing what you can do with some olive oil and a little butter (especially when the butter you bought on sale turned out to be 100% Irish Butter, 0% vegetable spread). And on the subject of food, I'm developing a real soft spot for Indian food, especially this thing called a thali. It has several different dishes in it, all in one-person servings and I have really come to like the robust flavors. (Hopefully I will be able to find a decent indian place in lexington when I get home)

I think that's all for now! I'm off to post-colonial anthropology!! Feel free to leave any comments that you want! And you all can always email me at kendall.allen@centre.edu. Love you all!

Complications arose, ensued, were overcome.....

more language lessons:
nappy = diaper
if a lift is broken, it is said to be in the status of being investigated
class = lecture
professor = tutor
you must specify if you want still or sparkling, you cannot just ask for "water"
stovetop = hob
stove burners = cookers

After a relaxing weekend filled with historical and athropological readings (yawn), classes fired back up on Monday. But thankfully, the week is almost over and not only do I have another week of classes behind me, but also my two presentations of the semester are already finished!

Last night, as part of my theatre lecture, we traveled down to the Lyric Hammersmith via the Piccadilly line to see a production called A SARAJEVO STORY. This production was much different from the production that we saw last week (Speed the Plow) in many different respects. Speed the Plow at the Old Vic was considered a 'West End' performance, which is basically the equivalent of our Broadway, meaning that it's in an established theatre that receives no sponsorship from the nationally-funded Arts Council (this means it's subsidy free). However, A Sarajevo Story was performed at the Lyric Hammersmith, considered a Fringe production (meaning Off West End) and received some sponsorship from the Arts Council. Whew, now that I established the difference in that I can talk about it! A Sarajevo Story was produced as a multimedium production, incorporating various technologies to tell a story about the events that occured in the Balkans in the early 90s. I have some background in this area because of my previous government classes, and as such, I was expecting (as any normal person would) to see some documentary-esque production about the atrocities that occurred on both sides. However, I was completely surprised to see that the production was actually more of a story, taken from an international court judge's perspective (female and american I might add). The production followed her involvement and growth through her experiences in Sarajevo, but more importantly it told a story of communication and miscommunication. I really came away with the idea that sometimes, it's what isn't being said that more important than what is being said. In all things, sometimes it's what we aren't saying to each other that matters the most, and that goes for all relationships depicted in the play: friends, husband and wife, one race to another, and nations to nations. From an intellectual standpoint, I enjoyed it much more than Speed the Plow.

Today's classes passed rather quickly and after a quick run to Waitrose (sort of like a Kroger), my roommmate and I began preparing a yummy dinner: chicken cacciatore! We fried the chicken and added red and green peppers and onions and of course some garlic and then added a tomato and herb sauce and let it simmer for a bit. It was quite tasty I must say!!! I finished out my culinary evening with a crunch mcflurry from mcdonald's around 8:30 and it was definitely what I needed to finish out my day!

However..... little did I know that upon returning to Flat 210, Endsleigh Court, that neither my roommate nor I would have the golden ticket upon us: otherwise known as keys...... After a couple trips to the porter, and an unsuccessful "spare" key, I was provided the key to the rubbish bin door.....please take a moment and think about the size of a rubbish bin door.....think a European doggie door....Now picture me.....crouched outside said doggie door, but alas, this story is not going where you think it is. No, no, dear friends, don't kid yourselves, Josh Stevens was here to save the day. So yes, while I am still crouched outside said door, Josh stevens has head in door trying to open the little door to our flat.I should also clarify for the mental picture in your head that the doggie door opens into a little wooden box area. On the left, at a 90 degree angle, a door of comparable size opens to the flat. this comparable door, has a hatch, which was locked. But remarkably, Josh Stevens used man strength and punched the comparable size door open, through hatch and all. Then, Josh Stevens dove himself through both doors and at one point had legs outside the wall in the corridor, torso in tiny wooden box area, and head plus shoulders in Flat 210, Endsleigh Court. We have discerned, after proper discussion, that this was a Legends of the Hidden Temple Moment (thank you Nickelodeon). Upon seeing one Josh Stevens in such a position and all because he is such a good friend to climb through such a rubbish bin for me, I sunk to the ground in laughter, lovingly. Josh Stevens then emerged like a Roman god from the other side of the door and let us in to our humble abode. Josh Stevens has hereby been declared as Champion of Rubbish Bin Manuevers and will be awarded a medal of valor.

So as one Jack Sparrow has said.... Complications arose, ensued, were overcome. Thanks Captain Jack and thanks Josh Stevens! That's all for now folks, hope you enjoyed!!