Although the semester is over, and our London adventures are coming to an end, I will always remember this entire experience. There is no good way of truly describing study abroad in it's entirety. The only word I could use to hint at it is just that it was an experience. It's a different experience to anyone who studies abroad, but I think I can safely say that it's always a great one. You never really know what it can do for you until you do it, and I am so happy I did.
I'll be honest, I was definitely scared to go at first. No one I knew was going to be there, I was going to a foreign country I've never been to, and hell, I had never even flown alone before going to London! I'm just glad I was able to push myself enough to still go.
All my life I lived on the safe side. I needed to take this risk. I needed to be able to discover myself and push myself to my limits without being worried about what might happen. I had to do something different and break out of my bubble to explore what's outside Connecticut!
The people that I met, the places that I visited, and now the Royal Wedding that I camped out for, add up to 4 months I could never forget. This time has changed me so much, and I have appreciated every minute of it. As excited as I am to go home to see my family, friends, and moob, I'm gonna miss this place a whole heck of a lot. But no worries, I'll be back :-)
Monday, May 2, 2011
The Royal Wedding - 29 April 2011
Last Thursday, the 28th, was my final day of exams. I had three to do, starting at 9am and ending at 9pm...but once they were over, all I had to look forward to was a relaxing vacation week in London, starting with the Royal Wedding. We went over to Buckingham Palace that night around 10pm with blankets, snacks, and beer to prepare ourselves for Friday's nuptials. The place was already packed with fans and news crews getting ready for the event which made for quite a few characters in costume with hats, face paint, and British flags everywhere!
It was absolutely freezing out and all we had were some throw blankets and sweatshirts so it made for quite a miserable attempt to sleep. With the noise and the cold weather, I don't think anyone got any sleep that night. Around 5am, the police stopped letting people into the area which meant it was extremely hard even to go to the port-a-potties and be able to be let back inside! The place was absolutely packed, you could barely move an inch. Luckily, we got there early and had prime seating for the whole procession.
Before we knew it, the sun was up and people were coming out of their tents. The final countdown was on until the ceremony started, and of course I had to pee. Nothing I could do at this point though, so I stood as close as I could with my camera in hand, waiting for the guests to arrive. We saw vans and vans of people with large, extravagant hats on but couldn't tell one person from the other. Then the Volvos and Jaguars went by with more important people I didn't recognize, amongst the many times the British guards went marching by.
We then saw Prince Charles pass by. This was just the beginning. I couldn't believe I actually saw him! In person! And I was SO close!
Then, it was the Queen. I actually saw Queen Elizabeth II. It was unbelievable! I know a lot of people are sick of the monarchy, but this was amazing!! Who can say that they've been to England, and actually saw the Queen...and this close!?!! But I'll tell ya, that yellow outfit of hers really made a statement....it even made the sun start to shine!
Then it was more marching of the guards and we didn't think that Kate was going to drive by before the wedding, but then, of course she did! To make everything better, we actually saw Kate Middleton in her gown before heading to the Abbey. First, the car with the bridal party went by, and then the car with Kate. It was unreal. We were actually standing across from Buckingham Palace, after sleeping on it's lawn, watching the procession of the Royal Wedding. Not once in my entire life did I imagine I would witness something like this...
Since we were by the palace, there weren't any big screens for viewing the actual wedding like there were in the parks around the city. Instead, we could only listen to it. As I was standing there with my friends though, it was so moving to be with them and fully recognize that this is the end of our journey here in London, and that we finish it off with something so historical. Not many people could say that they've experienced this, but I was so proud to be experiencing it with them. I feel like this was when it all hit us that we actually survived these 4 months in London and that we successfully lived here on our own. Then the tears started rolling when we realized it was almost over. But, there was still more to the wedding, so we started smiling and cheering after the 'I do's' for the procession back from Westminster Abbey. Meanwhile...I still had to pee...
Before they came back towards Buckingham Palace, the guards were surrounding the path they were to follow, and the head guy was going around measuring the space in between the guards making sure they were standing in the right spot. When they weren't, he yelled at them and they shuffled over. It was kind of silly haha!
Then, there were all kinds of horses everywhere, until we heard the loud cheers from down the street and we knew what was coming. Soon enough, Will and Kate's carriage came rushing by and I could barely get a glimpse of it!
Soon to follow, it was Harry and the flower girls and a page boy...
Then a car went by. I thought the Queen was in there so we started walking away until we heard loud cheers from the crowd and even more horses. I ran over as close as I could get and snapped about a hundred pictures of the Queen in her carriage...
Prince Charles then went by with Kate's parents...
Now we had an hour to kill to wait for them all to come out on to the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the kiss! We made our way to the right side of the palace, but the road was still blocked off so we weren't very close. There was a rumor that they were going to take down the gates blocking it, but we had no idea if this was true or where they would open it up from. About 10 or 20 minutes before they were supposed to kiss, they opened it up and everyone started running. I, of course, bolted and lost everyone I was with but I didn't care. My mission was to get as close as possible. The police stopped us all halfway the gates of Buckingham Palace to maintain some kind of order with the crowd. Then they slowly walked forward with the crowd of 500,000 people pushing behind them (and yes, I was one of them). By the time everyone was as far up as they could get, I was about three people away from the gate. Out of 500,000 people, I was right up front!!
We waited a little while longer, watching some of the wedding attendees peeking out the window at the crowd, but we saw some rustling of the curtains, and then the newlyweds walked out for a wave.
Then the rest of the family came out to wave as well...
Will and Kate kissed a first time, but I missed the picture. Luckily, and surprisingly, they kissed again so I was able to document it!
As a closing, two sets of fighter jets flew overhead to celebrate the wedding...
Once it was all over, I realized how much I needed a nap...and a bathroom. There were so many people around that it took forever to get home. There were police preventing people from going into the tube stations at certain entrances which meant we had to walk even further amongst the million other people.
As brutal as it was for not sleeping for 32 hours, having to pee for 6 hours, and camping out for 17 hours, it was well worth it in the end. I got to experience something I will remember for the rest of my life and be able to tell my grandkids about. It is an amazing story that I am proud to be able to go home with and it was truly the most memorable moments of my life. It was a time here where I really felt a part of the British culture with all the British spirit I felt that day, and I am so happy I was able to be a part of it.
It was absolutely freezing out and all we had were some throw blankets and sweatshirts so it made for quite a miserable attempt to sleep. With the noise and the cold weather, I don't think anyone got any sleep that night. Around 5am, the police stopped letting people into the area which meant it was extremely hard even to go to the port-a-potties and be able to be let back inside! The place was absolutely packed, you could barely move an inch. Luckily, we got there early and had prime seating for the whole procession.
Before we knew it, the sun was up and people were coming out of their tents. The final countdown was on until the ceremony started, and of course I had to pee. Nothing I could do at this point though, so I stood as close as I could with my camera in hand, waiting for the guests to arrive. We saw vans and vans of people with large, extravagant hats on but couldn't tell one person from the other. Then the Volvos and Jaguars went by with more important people I didn't recognize, amongst the many times the British guards went marching by.
We then saw Prince Charles pass by. This was just the beginning. I couldn't believe I actually saw him! In person! And I was SO close!
 |
| Prince Charles |
 |
| Queen Elizabeth II |
 |
| Kate driving by before marrying William |
Before they came back towards Buckingham Palace, the guards were surrounding the path they were to follow, and the head guy was going around measuring the space in between the guards making sure they were standing in the right spot. When they weren't, he yelled at them and they shuffled over. It was kind of silly haha!
Then, there were all kinds of horses everywhere, until we heard the loud cheers from down the street and we knew what was coming. Soon enough, Will and Kate's carriage came rushing by and I could barely get a glimpse of it!
 |
| Will and Kate in the carriage |
 |
| Will & Kate's carriage |
 |
| Prince Harry |
 |
| Queen Elizabeth II |
Now we had an hour to kill to wait for them all to come out on to the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the kiss! We made our way to the right side of the palace, but the road was still blocked off so we weren't very close. There was a rumor that they were going to take down the gates blocking it, but we had no idea if this was true or where they would open it up from. About 10 or 20 minutes before they were supposed to kiss, they opened it up and everyone started running. I, of course, bolted and lost everyone I was with but I didn't care. My mission was to get as close as possible. The police stopped us all halfway the gates of Buckingham Palace to maintain some kind of order with the crowd. Then they slowly walked forward with the crowd of 500,000 people pushing behind them (and yes, I was one of them). By the time everyone was as far up as they could get, I was about three people away from the gate. Out of 500,000 people, I was right up front!!
 |
| The crowd behind me! |
 |
| Kate and Will waving from the balcony of Buckingham Palace |
 |
| The Royal Family |
 |
| the kiss! |
Once it was all over, I realized how much I needed a nap...and a bathroom. There were so many people around that it took forever to get home. There were police preventing people from going into the tube stations at certain entrances which meant we had to walk even further amongst the million other people.
As brutal as it was for not sleeping for 32 hours, having to pee for 6 hours, and camping out for 17 hours, it was well worth it in the end. I got to experience something I will remember for the rest of my life and be able to tell my grandkids about. It is an amazing story that I am proud to be able to go home with and it was truly the most memorable moments of my life. It was a time here where I really felt a part of the British culture with all the British spirit I felt that day, and I am so happy I was able to be a part of it.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Amsterdam: what a weekend...
This past weekend was ridiculous. Becca and I left for Amsterdam Thursday night at 10pm and the cheapest way to get there was by bus, which meant a 12 hour ride. It was absolutely brutal. In the bus station, there were 200 people going to Amsterdam that night with two separate buses. The place was packed with everyone trying to get through customs! We probably only got 3 hours of on and off sleep the whole ride and by the time we got there, we were completely out of it. We ended up getting off at the wrong stop in the Netherlands, so we had to figure out the train to get into Amsterdam. It was only 7 euros but it was so unnecessary. At least we were only a half hour outside the city, but it was not fun realizing you weren't where you thought you were...and this was only the beginning of the adventure.
Once we got to Amsterdam, we found the tram to take us to our hostel. The city is small so everything was close by and better yet, my sister and brother-in-law were just a 5 minute walk away! After freshening up a little, we were able to meet up with them and grab some dutch pancakes for breakfast. Mine had apples, caramel sauce, and ice cream with the pancake that was made more like a crepe. The Dutch are so smart with how they make their breakfasts. I don't think anyone would mind have dessert first thing in the morning!!
Then we walked down to the IAMSTERDAM sign which was fun. Amsterdam was so crowded for the holiday weekend though so there was tons and tons of people taking your typical touristy pictures on the sign. Of course we joined in and I even got Stephanie to jump on top of the 'S' with me! Of course I made it up there first though...I think she's getting a little too old for that kinda stuff haha.
We then walked through the city and over to the Van Gogh museum. I was expecting to see more of his artwork, but a lot of it was paintings by people who inspired him which was interesting. But it was a great museum to walk around and cool to see the famous art that you'd only ordinarily see in textbooks.
After Van Gogh, we were hesitant to go to the Anne Frank House and we expected a really long line with all the people visiting that weekend. But it was probably the same wait as it was to get into Van Gogh. I think it was on the way to the Anne Frank House that Marc almost beat up one of the locals. If you didn't already know this, in Amsterdam, the bikers have the right of way no matter what. And this includes those on mopeds (so mom you'd have a lovely time there haha). Anywho, there's the road, the sidewalk, and in between there's a lower, red pathway for the bikes/mopeds. While we were figuring out where to go, people were flying by on their bikes and we were trying to get out of the way but the guy on the moped was going to go around us, but we backed up. Long story short, Marc threw the water bottle at him and it made for a great time. Hahaha I don't think you can get out of Amsterdam without having a hard time with the bikers at least once...
So we got to the Anne Frank House, and it was really cool to walk through. We got to see where she and her family hid and get a feel for her life story which was really interesting. The stairwells were so narrow and steep, it was absolutely amazing! I felt like I was walking up a ladder...
By this point, we were starving, and stopped at a little Italian place on the street. I loved all the seating outside that all the restaurants had. I don't know if it was the unbelievably great weather we had, or what, but it made for great people watching.
The next morning we met up with Steph and Marc again and went to the best pancake house ever. This time, I got mine with bacon and cheese. It was quite possibly the best decision I have ever made. SO delicious! We then went down the street a little bit to get tickets for a canal cruise, but with so many people around, and the lines being too long to get on the boats, we decided to get a paddle boat and paddle down the canals. I knew they had a lot of canals in Amsterdam, but I didn't know they had so many! There were bridges every which way and probably more water than road! It was so beautiful and the views were incredible with the greenery and cute houses. We had to be careful though with the heavy boat traffic. Luckily we had Marc to drive and Steph to help him paddle. Needless to say, Becca and I had a lovely time being taken around :-)
We took the boat to an area near the Heineken Brewery and then went inside there. It wasn't too expensive and each of us were able to get two drinks in the end along with a taster. With the taster, the guy told us to smell it and swoosh it around in our mouths to get the true flavor. In the tour, there was also a place where you could take your picture and send it in an email, so of course Stephanie and I sent one to rub it into the family...
After this, we didn't really have much time left before we had to get to our bus to head home. We did a little souvenir shopping, grabbed our stuff, and headed over to Central Station to catch our bus...
Oh but wait...we got lost...and missed our bus by 15 minutes. cool.
The next bus wasn't until Monday morning (this was Saturday night at the time) and we simply could not stay that long with exams that week and the cost of the hostels was ridiculous over the holiday. The lady told us of one train we could take for 140 euros with about 10 different stops and changes, which was just too much. She then sent us over to the other station to figure out a train, then we had to go to the international desk, get a number, talk with them...yada yada...
Then we figured the easiest way was to grab a flight back the next morning for the same price as the other train with all the stops. All of the hostels and hotels were booked that weekend though. We even had a hard time getting a room a couple weeks before! Luckily, Steph and Marc were staying another night so we crashed on their (wooden) floor. But hey, it was better than nothing...
We had a nice meal at the Hard Rock Cafe, though. Although the wait was an hour, unless you were able to spot an empty table outside. It was hilarious. Everyone was waiting like vulchers reading to pounce on the next available table!!
After dinner, we were too tired to do anything else, so we went back, figured out our plane tickets, printed them at the front desk, and left in the morning with plenty of time so we didn't miss another way home...
We only got back to London a couple hours later than when we would have had we taken the bus...but it was another unnecessary glitch in our trip.
We can laugh about it now because we're home and we're safe but it was unbelievable how much the transportation was messed up. We were doing so well this whole time with traveling...I guess we were bound to mess up at some point! It makes for the experience though, so I don't regret a minute of it!! :-)
Next stop...the good ol' U S of A
can't wait.
Once we got to Amsterdam, we found the tram to take us to our hostel. The city is small so everything was close by and better yet, my sister and brother-in-law were just a 5 minute walk away! After freshening up a little, we were able to meet up with them and grab some dutch pancakes for breakfast. Mine had apples, caramel sauce, and ice cream with the pancake that was made more like a crepe. The Dutch are so smart with how they make their breakfasts. I don't think anyone would mind have dessert first thing in the morning!!
Then we walked down to the IAMSTERDAM sign which was fun. Amsterdam was so crowded for the holiday weekend though so there was tons and tons of people taking your typical touristy pictures on the sign. Of course we joined in and I even got Stephanie to jump on top of the 'S' with me! Of course I made it up there first though...I think she's getting a little too old for that kinda stuff haha.
 |
| Me and sister Stephanie on the 'Iamsterdam' sign |
After Van Gogh, we were hesitant to go to the Anne Frank House and we expected a really long line with all the people visiting that weekend. But it was probably the same wait as it was to get into Van Gogh. I think it was on the way to the Anne Frank House that Marc almost beat up one of the locals. If you didn't already know this, in Amsterdam, the bikers have the right of way no matter what. And this includes those on mopeds (so mom you'd have a lovely time there haha). Anywho, there's the road, the sidewalk, and in between there's a lower, red pathway for the bikes/mopeds. While we were figuring out where to go, people were flying by on their bikes and we were trying to get out of the way but the guy on the moped was going to go around us, but we backed up. Long story short, Marc threw the water bottle at him and it made for a great time. Hahaha I don't think you can get out of Amsterdam without having a hard time with the bikers at least once...
So we got to the Anne Frank House, and it was really cool to walk through. We got to see where she and her family hid and get a feel for her life story which was really interesting. The stairwells were so narrow and steep, it was absolutely amazing! I felt like I was walking up a ladder...
By this point, we were starving, and stopped at a little Italian place on the street. I loved all the seating outside that all the restaurants had. I don't know if it was the unbelievably great weather we had, or what, but it made for great people watching.
The next morning we met up with Steph and Marc again and went to the best pancake house ever. This time, I got mine with bacon and cheese. It was quite possibly the best decision I have ever made. SO delicious! We then went down the street a little bit to get tickets for a canal cruise, but with so many people around, and the lines being too long to get on the boats, we decided to get a paddle boat and paddle down the canals. I knew they had a lot of canals in Amsterdam, but I didn't know they had so many! There were bridges every which way and probably more water than road! It was so beautiful and the views were incredible with the greenery and cute houses. We had to be careful though with the heavy boat traffic. Luckily we had Marc to drive and Steph to help him paddle. Needless to say, Becca and I had a lovely time being taken around :-)
We took the boat to an area near the Heineken Brewery and then went inside there. It wasn't too expensive and each of us were able to get two drinks in the end along with a taster. With the taster, the guy told us to smell it and swoosh it around in our mouths to get the true flavor. In the tour, there was also a place where you could take your picture and send it in an email, so of course Stephanie and I sent one to rub it into the family...
 |
| Stephanie and I at the Heineken Experience |
 |
| Becca and I inside the Heineken Brewery |
Oh but wait...we got lost...and missed our bus by 15 minutes. cool.
The next bus wasn't until Monday morning (this was Saturday night at the time) and we simply could not stay that long with exams that week and the cost of the hostels was ridiculous over the holiday. The lady told us of one train we could take for 140 euros with about 10 different stops and changes, which was just too much. She then sent us over to the other station to figure out a train, then we had to go to the international desk, get a number, talk with them...yada yada...
Then we figured the easiest way was to grab a flight back the next morning for the same price as the other train with all the stops. All of the hostels and hotels were booked that weekend though. We even had a hard time getting a room a couple weeks before! Luckily, Steph and Marc were staying another night so we crashed on their (wooden) floor. But hey, it was better than nothing...
We had a nice meal at the Hard Rock Cafe, though. Although the wait was an hour, unless you were able to spot an empty table outside. It was hilarious. Everyone was waiting like vulchers reading to pounce on the next available table!!
After dinner, we were too tired to do anything else, so we went back, figured out our plane tickets, printed them at the front desk, and left in the morning with plenty of time so we didn't miss another way home...
We only got back to London a couple hours later than when we would have had we taken the bus...but it was another unnecessary glitch in our trip.
We can laugh about it now because we're home and we're safe but it was unbelievable how much the transportation was messed up. We were doing so well this whole time with traveling...I guess we were bound to mess up at some point! It makes for the experience though, so I don't regret a minute of it!! :-)
Next stop...the good ol' U S of A
can't wait.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Stonehenge & Bath
This morning, I got up at 6:30am to get ready for our day trip to Stonehenge and Bath. Stonehenge is a random rock formation in the middle of nowhere and no one knows how they got there. There are many theories about fairies putting them there to get to fairy world, or the devil putting them there as a gateway to hell, but there is really no explanation! Sadly, though, it was much smaller than I expected and there wasn't much to do. We basically walked around it, took a bunch of pictures at different angles and that was that...
Anywho, so Stonehenge is located in a little English county of Wiltshire, about a two hour drive from central London. Bath was another hour drive away, more or less. It was a cute little town where all the buildings were flat in the front and all made of the same Bath Stone. The Roman Baths are located there (hence the name) which was cool to learn about and see. It was a nice area to walk around in too and the scenery was beautiful. If I had more time, I would have loved to go back there again!
 |
| all of us being the stones...well kinda |
Monday, March 28, 2011
The Terrible Two Invade London!
The woman who birthed me (aka my mama) came to London on Thursday with her friend Pattie!!!! We were counting down the days, minutes, hours until she got here! I was SO excited. They went to Paris for a few days first, and then took the train to London Thursday morning. I met them at the hotel and cried with joy with my mom in the sidewalk because the day had finally came! Their room wasn't quite ready so we quickly began our journey throughout Kensington.
It was absolutely gorgeous outside (didn't even have a jacket!) so we walked down to my dorm, got yummy cupcakes at Buttercup, past the buildings I have class in, made a pit stop in the enormous Whole Foods, and walked through Kensington Gardens. There were people everywhere, walking and laying in the grass. This is rare to see on any given day, but the sun was shining and the sky was blue. After walking through the park, we went down past Royal Albert Hall to head back to Gloucester Road for a visit to the pub. Seven hours later, we left and headed back to the hotel......
Friday morning, we got all ready to go to Victoria Train Station to head to Stonehenge only to find that the tickets weren't coming up that we ordered the night before...not in the best state of mind I guess? We later found out that I booked bus tickets, not train tickets...oops! Anyways, we found the hop-on-hop-off bus tour that they signed up for so we took that around and got off at Westminster. They got to see Westminster Abbey and Big Ben, but were a little disappointed that Ben wasn't bigger...sorry guys! haha
We had ordered tickets for the London Eye that day too which was perfect. The views were amazing in daylight and it was the best day to go! We went to McDonald's for lunch of course, since they had to go at some point! They were pleasantly surprised to see Cadbury Egg flavored McFlurrys! We hopped back on the bus that took us to the Tower of London. We walked through that which was nice, stopped by Starbucks for a coffee, and took the tube back to Knightsbridge to see the famous Harrod's. They had a glorious time shopping in there, and finally got their paddington bears, but sadly we had to leave behind a couple pairs of fabulous shoes :-(
That night we went to delicious Da Mario's for dinner (a cute Italian place on the corner of Gloucester Road and Queens Gate Terrace). I've been there plenty of times, and it never fails. We took an early night Friday for our much needed shopping day on Saturday!!
Little did we know there would be over 100,000 protesters parading through the streets of Central London on Saturday, but did that stop us from shopping? HELL NO! We made our way to Oxford Circus for millions of stores to choose from. It was lovely. We kept running into the protesters and policemen that were absolutely everywhere complaining about money cuts or something. They were even throwing stink bombs at the police. Trafalgar Square was packed with them! But on the bright side, there was a market set up in one area with a nice little man selling dolls that Pattie just loveddd. He was explaining the story of the dolls to my mom and Pattie turned away. My mom said she didn't need one and said goodbye, as he replies 'yes, and you should probably get your friend home, she seems tired of listening to me...' Then all hell broke loose and Pattie went yelling back at him. It was great! haha I love them...Then we made our way back to Gloucester Arms for dinner and a couple pints
Sunday morning was the changing of the guards. We got there at 10:45am and the ceremony started at 11:30. The place was already packed! Luckily we found a good spot near the gate as thousands more people flooded in behind us. Once it started, everyone's cameras were up in the air and you could hear the band marching in behind us. It was my first time seeing it too, so it was a good experience. When the second band came in, though, they set up music stands in the middle of the area. Pattie joked that they'd start playing Lady Gaga, to which my mother responds that we should shut up with such a serious procession going on. Next thing we knew, they started jammin' out with YMCA by the village people. I was cracking up. I absolutely could not believe it!!! Of course I started doing the motions...but I was the only one so I stopped. They followed it up with 'You Look Wonderful Tonight' by Eric Clapton as the head guard went through and fixed everyone's poofy hats.....they looked pretty wonderful to me hahaha
After the ceremony finished (about 45 minutes later) we walked through St. James's Park to Westminster and attempted to get to Notting Hill for Portobello Market. It took forever to get there though because the two lines that go there were closed so we had to take a bus. Once we got there, we found the best cupcakes (so says Pattie who knows her cupcakes) and burgers (so says all of us who REALLY know our burgers). It was a great afternoon with great weather, and even better people :-)
Sunday was our last day together since they left Monday morning around 6:30am. We spent our last night the queen mother in their hotel bar. Well, not really, but she seemed pretty sassy and too proper so thats what we called her. A few White Russians and Vodka/Cranberries later...it was time for our final goodbyes....
I had the most amazing weekend with those ladies and I will never ever forget it! Thank you girls so much for coming out here and your great company. I can't wait to see you when I get home!!! xoxoxox
love you!!
It was absolutely gorgeous outside (didn't even have a jacket!) so we walked down to my dorm, got yummy cupcakes at Buttercup, past the buildings I have class in, made a pit stop in the enormous Whole Foods, and walked through Kensington Gardens. There were people everywhere, walking and laying in the grass. This is rare to see on any given day, but the sun was shining and the sky was blue. After walking through the park, we went down past Royal Albert Hall to head back to Gloucester Road for a visit to the pub. Seven hours later, we left and headed back to the hotel......
Friday morning, we got all ready to go to Victoria Train Station to head to Stonehenge only to find that the tickets weren't coming up that we ordered the night before...not in the best state of mind I guess? We later found out that I booked bus tickets, not train tickets...oops! Anyways, we found the hop-on-hop-off bus tour that they signed up for so we took that around and got off at Westminster. They got to see Westminster Abbey and Big Ben, but were a little disappointed that Ben wasn't bigger...sorry guys! haha
We had ordered tickets for the London Eye that day too which was perfect. The views were amazing in daylight and it was the best day to go! We went to McDonald's for lunch of course, since they had to go at some point! They were pleasantly surprised to see Cadbury Egg flavored McFlurrys! We hopped back on the bus that took us to the Tower of London. We walked through that which was nice, stopped by Starbucks for a coffee, and took the tube back to Knightsbridge to see the famous Harrod's. They had a glorious time shopping in there, and finally got their paddington bears, but sadly we had to leave behind a couple pairs of fabulous shoes :-(
That night we went to delicious Da Mario's for dinner (a cute Italian place on the corner of Gloucester Road and Queens Gate Terrace). I've been there plenty of times, and it never fails. We took an early night Friday for our much needed shopping day on Saturday!!
Little did we know there would be over 100,000 protesters parading through the streets of Central London on Saturday, but did that stop us from shopping? HELL NO! We made our way to Oxford Circus for millions of stores to choose from. It was lovely. We kept running into the protesters and policemen that were absolutely everywhere complaining about money cuts or something. They were even throwing stink bombs at the police. Trafalgar Square was packed with them! But on the bright side, there was a market set up in one area with a nice little man selling dolls that Pattie just loveddd. He was explaining the story of the dolls to my mom and Pattie turned away. My mom said she didn't need one and said goodbye, as he replies 'yes, and you should probably get your friend home, she seems tired of listening to me...' Then all hell broke loose and Pattie went yelling back at him. It was great! haha I love them...Then we made our way back to Gloucester Arms for dinner and a couple pints
Sunday morning was the changing of the guards. We got there at 10:45am and the ceremony started at 11:30. The place was already packed! Luckily we found a good spot near the gate as thousands more people flooded in behind us. Once it started, everyone's cameras were up in the air and you could hear the band marching in behind us. It was my first time seeing it too, so it was a good experience. When the second band came in, though, they set up music stands in the middle of the area. Pattie joked that they'd start playing Lady Gaga, to which my mother responds that we should shut up with such a serious procession going on. Next thing we knew, they started jammin' out with YMCA by the village people. I was cracking up. I absolutely could not believe it!!! Of course I started doing the motions...but I was the only one so I stopped. They followed it up with 'You Look Wonderful Tonight' by Eric Clapton as the head guard went through and fixed everyone's poofy hats.....they looked pretty wonderful to me hahaha
After the ceremony finished (about 45 minutes later) we walked through St. James's Park to Westminster and attempted to get to Notting Hill for Portobello Market. It took forever to get there though because the two lines that go there were closed so we had to take a bus. Once we got there, we found the best cupcakes (so says Pattie who knows her cupcakes) and burgers (so says all of us who REALLY know our burgers). It was a great afternoon with great weather, and even better people :-)
Sunday was our last day together since they left Monday morning around 6:30am. We spent our last night the queen mother in their hotel bar. Well, not really, but she seemed pretty sassy and too proper so thats what we called her. A few White Russians and Vodka/Cranberries later...it was time for our final goodbyes....
I had the most amazing weekend with those ladies and I will never ever forget it! Thank you girls so much for coming out here and your great company. I can't wait to see you when I get home!!! xoxoxox
love you!!
 |
| Leesh and Pattie being silly at Kensington Palace |
 |
| Me and Leesh at the Italian Fountains |
 |
| Becca, Leesh, and Me at Gloucester Arms |
 |
| Pattie, Leesh, and Ben |
 |
| McDonald's! |
 |
| Terrible Two find Harrod's |
 |
| My mama and I in St. James's Park |
 |
| Leesh, Me...and Shan! |
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Czech it out...
After we successfully made it through Berlin, Germany, we found the bus station and made our way to Prague, Czech Republic. It was a 5 hour bus ride that passed by fairly quickly despite the constant bumps on the highway. After a while, all you could do was laugh about it because it was so loud and everyone was bouncing up and down! It was quite hilarious...
We arrived in Prague around 8pm and were greeted by my friend Barča. Originally from Czech Republic, she worked with me at Canton McDonald's last summer while she was visiting her cousin in the states. Since being back and me being in London, we kept trying to meet up somehow so finally it happened! It was so nice to be able to see her, especially in Prague! She knew exactly where to go for our first stop - McDonald's :-)
After that we went to meet up with her friend, Kristýna, and then made our way to our hostel which was even more fantastic than the one in Berlin! We really lucked out with hostels this trip. It was very close to everything too, and no matter where you were, you could find a tram or train to take you to where you needed to go.
The first night, we went to a cute pub with dirty comics on the wall which was kind of funny...although we couldn't read any of them and their humor is a bit different than ours, haha. I did have a tasty Czech beer though, Kozel, and I really hope they have that in the states...for cheap. We got there just before close so we had to finish up fast and head out again. But it was a beautiful night out so we were happy to stroll around the cute Prague streets. It really reminded me of Epcot in Disney World with the cobblestone and architecture with your typical European city. Ugh it was beautiful...and I can't wait to go back.
The next morning, we got up bright and early for our tour of Prague. We were all woken up by a warning going off in our hostel announcing that there were technical difficulties and that everyone needed to evacuate. Luckily it was nothing serious, just kind of obnoxious....but a couple hours later Barča and Kristýna met us in front of our hotel to take us around. It was absolutely wonderful having them help us. We didn't have to worry about the language barrier, the directions, or even figuring out what we wanted to see! Before going there, I had no idea what they had to offer or what the main sites were. It cut out on a lot of time so we were able to see so much more than anywhere else.
We started off going up Petřín Hill where there was a tower that looked like a mini Eiffel tower that you could go up to get the most beautiful view of the whole city. There were other buildings up there too including a mirror maze called Zrcadlové Bludiště which was silly. It reminded me of a fun house haha. But then we went up the tower. I think it was 299 steps up a spiral staircase but it was well worth it! The white buildings with the red roofs were everywhere. I absolutely loved it! I wish the sky was blue, but it was gorgeous anyways.
When we walked back down, we went through more narrow cobblestone streets toward Prague Castle. This castle is the largest in the world, but probably the windiest too! Once you go inside, theres a bunch of other buildings and it must create a wind tunnel or something because it was so cold too! Anyways, inside there was a beautiful cathedral, St. Vitus, that reminded me of Notre Dame. We went inside, and it was even more cold in there! We could even see our breath. Kristýna told us that the walls were 2 meters thick so no wonder! Besides the cathedral, we also went into Old Royal Palace, the Basilica of St. George, and other places that I don't remember the names to. We then got to see the changing of the guards which was nice, since I still haven't seen it in London!!!
We were starving by this point, so we went to a traditional pub and got traditional Czech food. I got goulash which was delicious! It was pork with gravy, bread dumplings and onions. Yum! My friend Becca got something similar, called svíčková, which was beef with gravy, bread dumplings, whipped cream and cranberries on top! Quite unique, I'd say...
THEN we went to see these sculptures that were huge babies without faces. It was so odd. I have never seen anything like it! This one boy wanted to take a picture with them so he was screaming and trying to get on top of one while spanking it! It was hilarious!!! Nearby was the Lennon wall which was a huge wall of graffiti dedicated to John Lennon with lyrics and drawings. It was beautiful and so colorful. Perfect for us Beatles fans :-)
This took us to Charles bridge, which is the oldest, most famous bridge in Prague with artists and kiosks with jewelry and paintings. The views were great on either side of the bridge but it was so crowded! We went there the first night to see the lights and be at peace without everyone else around though which was nice. At the end of the bridge there was a big area for shopping, etc.
We went to the Astronomical Clock, too, which was a big site to see of Prague. On every hour it dings and the windows open at the top where little statues go around inside and then a man is all dressed up at the top with a trumpet playing a tune. Everyone was so into it and it seemed like a big part of their culture. It was so cute seeing everyone walking around this square. The city was so quaint and picturesque with a mini fair in the center too! They had food, sweets, and souvenirs for people to buy which, again, reminded me of Disney.
It looked like such a perfect little city and I really can't put it into words. I would really love to go back there. It was my favorite place to go to thus far and I would love to see my friend Barča (and Kristýna) again!
We arrived in Prague around 8pm and were greeted by my friend Barča. Originally from Czech Republic, she worked with me at Canton McDonald's last summer while she was visiting her cousin in the states. Since being back and me being in London, we kept trying to meet up somehow so finally it happened! It was so nice to be able to see her, especially in Prague! She knew exactly where to go for our first stop - McDonald's :-)
After that we went to meet up with her friend, Kristýna, and then made our way to our hostel which was even more fantastic than the one in Berlin! We really lucked out with hostels this trip. It was very close to everything too, and no matter where you were, you could find a tram or train to take you to where you needed to go.
The first night, we went to a cute pub with dirty comics on the wall which was kind of funny...although we couldn't read any of them and their humor is a bit different than ours, haha. I did have a tasty Czech beer though, Kozel, and I really hope they have that in the states...for cheap. We got there just before close so we had to finish up fast and head out again. But it was a beautiful night out so we were happy to stroll around the cute Prague streets. It really reminded me of Epcot in Disney World with the cobblestone and architecture with your typical European city. Ugh it was beautiful...and I can't wait to go back.
The next morning, we got up bright and early for our tour of Prague. We were all woken up by a warning going off in our hostel announcing that there were technical difficulties and that everyone needed to evacuate. Luckily it was nothing serious, just kind of obnoxious....but a couple hours later Barča and Kristýna met us in front of our hotel to take us around. It was absolutely wonderful having them help us. We didn't have to worry about the language barrier, the directions, or even figuring out what we wanted to see! Before going there, I had no idea what they had to offer or what the main sites were. It cut out on a lot of time so we were able to see so much more than anywhere else.
We started off going up Petřín Hill where there was a tower that looked like a mini Eiffel tower that you could go up to get the most beautiful view of the whole city. There were other buildings up there too including a mirror maze called Zrcadlové Bludiště which was silly. It reminded me of a fun house haha. But then we went up the tower. I think it was 299 steps up a spiral staircase but it was well worth it! The white buildings with the red roofs were everywhere. I absolutely loved it! I wish the sky was blue, but it was gorgeous anyways.
When we walked back down, we went through more narrow cobblestone streets toward Prague Castle. This castle is the largest in the world, but probably the windiest too! Once you go inside, theres a bunch of other buildings and it must create a wind tunnel or something because it was so cold too! Anyways, inside there was a beautiful cathedral, St. Vitus, that reminded me of Notre Dame. We went inside, and it was even more cold in there! We could even see our breath. Kristýna told us that the walls were 2 meters thick so no wonder! Besides the cathedral, we also went into Old Royal Palace, the Basilica of St. George, and other places that I don't remember the names to. We then got to see the changing of the guards which was nice, since I still haven't seen it in London!!!
We were starving by this point, so we went to a traditional pub and got traditional Czech food. I got goulash which was delicious! It was pork with gravy, bread dumplings and onions. Yum! My friend Becca got something similar, called svíčková, which was beef with gravy, bread dumplings, whipped cream and cranberries on top! Quite unique, I'd say...
THEN we went to see these sculptures that were huge babies without faces. It was so odd. I have never seen anything like it! This one boy wanted to take a picture with them so he was screaming and trying to get on top of one while spanking it! It was hilarious!!! Nearby was the Lennon wall which was a huge wall of graffiti dedicated to John Lennon with lyrics and drawings. It was beautiful and so colorful. Perfect for us Beatles fans :-)
This took us to Charles bridge, which is the oldest, most famous bridge in Prague with artists and kiosks with jewelry and paintings. The views were great on either side of the bridge but it was so crowded! We went there the first night to see the lights and be at peace without everyone else around though which was nice. At the end of the bridge there was a big area for shopping, etc.
We went to the Astronomical Clock, too, which was a big site to see of Prague. On every hour it dings and the windows open at the top where little statues go around inside and then a man is all dressed up at the top with a trumpet playing a tune. Everyone was so into it and it seemed like a big part of their culture. It was so cute seeing everyone walking around this square. The city was so quaint and picturesque with a mini fair in the center too! They had food, sweets, and souvenirs for people to buy which, again, reminded me of Disney.
It looked like such a perfect little city and I really can't put it into words. I would really love to go back there. It was my favorite place to go to thus far and I would love to see my friend Barča (and Kristýna) again!
 |
| Mirror Maze |
 |
| Prague |
 |
| Kristyna, Barca, and Me at the top of the Tower |
 |
| Prague Castle |
 |
| Becca, Me, and Jackie all dressed up! |
 |
| Goulash and a beer. om nom |
 |
| babies! |
 |
| Jackie, Becca, and Me at the Lennon wall |
 |
| Fair in Old Town Square |
 |
| Astronomical Clock |
Monday, March 14, 2011
Berlin, Deutschland - first siting of a Dunkin' Donuts since January!
After getting back from Ireland on Saturday, we had a few days in London, and then Jackie, Becca, and I left for Berlin on Tuesday around 2:30am. Needless to say, we didn't get any sleep that night, but by the time we got to Germany, we were too excited about the sun and the area around us to nap! (well that and we had about 4 hours to kill until we could check in to our hostel).
So we dropped off our bags in the luggage room, and took the train into Hauptbahnhof, the main area of Berlin. Once we got there, we were very tired, and hungry, so we looked around for food. Surprisingly, it was a Burger King we saw before a McDonald's....but then, as we went down the escalator, the bright Orange and Pink sign glowed above us. It was a Dunkin' Donuts. We screamed with joy and ran to go get our coffee. Yumm! We grabbed a sandwich and spent a good amount of time relaxing in the train station until we decided to find a tourist center to help us figure out where we wanted to go. In no time we were outside on another beautiful day and made our way to the lawn in front of the Reichstag, or German parliament. With the TV tower in the distance, we really felt like we were in Berlin now. We continued to walk past the Brandenburg Gate and into Unter Den Linden. Everything was so gorgeous and the architecture was amazing...even though we had no clue what anything was. The next day we would take a bus tour around the city to figure that all out...
After a nice walk around, we headed back to our hostel to check in. This place was AMAZING! It had a pool and a huge bar, and our room was purple with two bathrooms! Although the TVs in the lobby kept playing old 80s/90s music videos...I feel like we were stuck in the late 80s the whole time we were there with the music and style...
After checking in, we took a much needed cat nap and met up with Marty's cousin, Franzi, at Kauf Bar, not too far from where we were staying. This was the best night in Berlin! To be able to talk with a local (who spoke English) eat delicious food, drink delicious beer, and be able to relate with someone who knew people from back home. She was so nice and took us to another bar before heading back where we all got white russians, yummm...It was so sad to say goodbye so soon, but it was the highlight of our trip in Berlin by far :-)
The next day, we went to Alexanderplatz (another main area in Berlin) where we were going to pick up our tour bus. After another delicious breakfast for only €2 we found the bus that took us through the city, much of what we already saw the day before. We got off at the Judisches Museum Berlin (the Jewish Museum) where we spent a good hour or two learning and seeing a lot of artifacts and such about the Jewish people in Germany, especially during the Holocaust. The setup was very unique where there were few windows and it zig-zagged like a maze. There was even one part where you could go through a door and it slammed behind you. You were in a cold dark room with really tall ceilings and a tiny window at the top. It was extremely eerie in there and made me feel very uncomfortable. It must have been the goal, but it seriously gave me the chills. Once we walked back out, there were other people in there screaming to hear their echo which made it even more scary. It was quite effective. Once we went to the other part of the museum, it was more general about the typical Jewish life throughout the years but it was interesting and very interactive which was nice.
When we were done with the museum, we wanted to catch the bus again, but little did we know, the tour stopped running at 4pm. lame. So we walked around in the direction of the train to head back, found some curry-worst and bratwurst, and really tasty donut type things and then went back to the hostel to change for the night.
We went to the bar at the hostel just to check it out, and it was the best bar I've seen in a hostel. The bartenders were so nice and the drinks were deliciousss. After that, one of the bartenders gave us free entry cards to get into the club down the street, Matrix. Supposedly the 14 year olds are there until 10, the 16 year olds leave at midnight, and then its normal....we got there a little early so it was completely dead once we got there, but that only means no wait! We got 3 drinks, and 3 for free, so of course we got piña coladas. Again, though, we were caught in the 90's with the Spice Girls, N'Sync, Michael Jackson, and the Macarena playing. It was so much fun!
The next day we made our way to the Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie to do the true Berlin touristy stuff. It was very cool seeing these, but kind of weird to see people acting out the guards at Checkpoint Charlie...I was surprised. After a little souvenir shopping, it was time to head to the bus station to go to Prague. We luckily made it JUST in time to get a few snacks and hop on. After just five hours and the bumpiest ride of my life, we were greeted by Barča in the beautiful Czech Republic.
So we dropped off our bags in the luggage room, and took the train into Hauptbahnhof, the main area of Berlin. Once we got there, we were very tired, and hungry, so we looked around for food. Surprisingly, it was a Burger King we saw before a McDonald's....but then, as we went down the escalator, the bright Orange and Pink sign glowed above us. It was a Dunkin' Donuts. We screamed with joy and ran to go get our coffee. Yumm! We grabbed a sandwich and spent a good amount of time relaxing in the train station until we decided to find a tourist center to help us figure out where we wanted to go. In no time we were outside on another beautiful day and made our way to the lawn in front of the Reichstag, or German parliament. With the TV tower in the distance, we really felt like we were in Berlin now. We continued to walk past the Brandenburg Gate and into Unter Den Linden. Everything was so gorgeous and the architecture was amazing...even though we had no clue what anything was. The next day we would take a bus tour around the city to figure that all out...
After a nice walk around, we headed back to our hostel to check in. This place was AMAZING! It had a pool and a huge bar, and our room was purple with two bathrooms! Although the TVs in the lobby kept playing old 80s/90s music videos...I feel like we were stuck in the late 80s the whole time we were there with the music and style...
After checking in, we took a much needed cat nap and met up with Marty's cousin, Franzi, at Kauf Bar, not too far from where we were staying. This was the best night in Berlin! To be able to talk with a local (who spoke English) eat delicious food, drink delicious beer, and be able to relate with someone who knew people from back home. She was so nice and took us to another bar before heading back where we all got white russians, yummm...It was so sad to say goodbye so soon, but it was the highlight of our trip in Berlin by far :-)
The next day, we went to Alexanderplatz (another main area in Berlin) where we were going to pick up our tour bus. After another delicious breakfast for only €2 we found the bus that took us through the city, much of what we already saw the day before. We got off at the Judisches Museum Berlin (the Jewish Museum) where we spent a good hour or two learning and seeing a lot of artifacts and such about the Jewish people in Germany, especially during the Holocaust. The setup was very unique where there were few windows and it zig-zagged like a maze. There was even one part where you could go through a door and it slammed behind you. You were in a cold dark room with really tall ceilings and a tiny window at the top. It was extremely eerie in there and made me feel very uncomfortable. It must have been the goal, but it seriously gave me the chills. Once we walked back out, there were other people in there screaming to hear their echo which made it even more scary. It was quite effective. Once we went to the other part of the museum, it was more general about the typical Jewish life throughout the years but it was interesting and very interactive which was nice.
When we were done with the museum, we wanted to catch the bus again, but little did we know, the tour stopped running at 4pm. lame. So we walked around in the direction of the train to head back, found some curry-worst and bratwurst, and really tasty donut type things and then went back to the hostel to change for the night.
We went to the bar at the hostel just to check it out, and it was the best bar I've seen in a hostel. The bartenders were so nice and the drinks were deliciousss. After that, one of the bartenders gave us free entry cards to get into the club down the street, Matrix. Supposedly the 14 year olds are there until 10, the 16 year olds leave at midnight, and then its normal....we got there a little early so it was completely dead once we got there, but that only means no wait! We got 3 drinks, and 3 for free, so of course we got piña coladas. Again, though, we were caught in the 90's with the Spice Girls, N'Sync, Michael Jackson, and the Macarena playing. It was so much fun!
The next day we made our way to the Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie to do the true Berlin touristy stuff. It was very cool seeing these, but kind of weird to see people acting out the guards at Checkpoint Charlie...I was surprised. After a little souvenir shopping, it was time to head to the bus station to go to Prague. We luckily made it JUST in time to get a few snacks and hop on. After just five hours and the bumpiest ride of my life, we were greeted by Barča in the beautiful Czech Republic.
 |
| The Reichstag |
 |
| The Brandenburg Gate |
 |
| TV Tower |
 |
| Berlin Cathedral |
 |
| Jewish Museum |
 |
| Berlin Wall |
 |
| Checkpoint Charlie |
Irish I Were Drunk-er
Last weekend was the first weekend of Spring Break. On Thursday, I left for Cork, Ireland with my friends Becca, Mary, and Jackie. We flew into Shannon (no, not my sister, but the city...) and took a bus down to Cork. It was at this point that I realized my camera was almost dead and I didn't bring my changer. Damn. On the bright side, our hostel was so cute, and right across the street from the train station which was nice. That night, we walked around downtown Cork which was nice, except everything closed so early!! (except for the pubs/bars which was most important). We went to a delicious burger place for dinner. In London, they simply don't know how to cook their meat, it's always so dry. It makes me miss Plan B but Ireland did a decent job. Then we went to a pub that consisted of one older couple in the back, a group of Asians, and your typical drunk, old Irishman at the bar. His words sounded like gibberish as he insisted we were from Knightsbridge...
That night we got a good nights rest and woke up bright and early for our Paddywagon Tour at 8am Friday morning. C'mon, who could turn down a tour that was called a paddywagon!? It started just a short walking distance away from our hostel and took us to Limerick where we got to see King John's Castle, the Cliffs of Moher with O'Brien's Tower, Galway Bay, Poulnabrone Portal Tomb, Bunratty Castle and Durty Nelly's. And of course in between we got to see the picturesque, little Irish villages which were so cute! Although I don't think I would be able to get any pictures on the way even if I had a charged battery since our insane bus driver was going SO fast down the little windy roads. Yikes!
The Cliffs of Moher were absolutely beautiful. We caught them on the most fantastic day with the sky blue and the sun shining. Plus, I was still able to get some amazing pictures despite the little battery I had. The bus stopped for about an hour and a half until we had to leave for our next stop, but I could have easily spent all day there! The views were absolutely breathtaking. We stopped at a pub for lunch after that in Doolin which was nice. The food was set up cafeteria style oddly enough, but it was quite delicious.
Our next stop was Galway Bay. On the way there, the road was so narrow and close to the water that if you looked out the window it was as if you were driving on the water! It was gorgeous though. We were able to get off, and walk along the rock which was amazing. I wish you all were there to witness it with me!
Then we got back on the bus though and all this one girl wanted to listen to was traditional Irish music, that the driver said he didn't have besides the slow classical, Gaelic stuff. So then she kept asking to play Enya. God help me...oy
Now on our way to the Poulnabrone Portal Tomb. I had never heard of it, but it was pretty cool. It kind of reminded me of Stonehenge with the slab-like stones on top of each other.
Durty Nelly's was the next pub we stopped at, just in case we wanted a drink, but we were too tired...sadly. It was a cool pub though, with fireman and police badges covering the walls. It was right next to Bunratty Castle where you could go in for a Medieval dinner, but we only had 20 minutes so we had to skip out on that one.
All in all, the tour was pretty good. I just wish we had more time to spend in Ireland to truly enjoy its beauty and culture. But, then again, there's always next time!!
I got a tattoo that night though! Of a celtic knot on my left hip. I am so happy with it! And then I casually met up with the others at dinner at a Johnny Rockets type place, but it was called Eddie Rockets, nice. We went to a pub after that and then had another early night so we could wake up to take the train early to Dublin. Again, I wish we had more time there. It was such a cute city. A bit bigger than Cork which was nice, since I'm now used to the city life. We got a litttttlee lost getting to where we needed to go, but we ended up figuring it out like always :-)
This is where we did our souvenir shopping and went to the Guinness Factory. Still not a fan of Guinness but I drank most of the free pint anyways...And at that point it was time to head to the airport to go back to London. I'm disappointed that we only had Thurs-Sat in Ireland. With all the extra travel time you need to get from one site to the next, you would need at least a week to fully enjoy it. I DEFINITELY plan on going back at some point in my life. So let me know who wants to join!!
That night we got a good nights rest and woke up bright and early for our Paddywagon Tour at 8am Friday morning. C'mon, who could turn down a tour that was called a paddywagon!? It started just a short walking distance away from our hostel and took us to Limerick where we got to see King John's Castle, the Cliffs of Moher with O'Brien's Tower, Galway Bay, Poulnabrone Portal Tomb, Bunratty Castle and Durty Nelly's. And of course in between we got to see the picturesque, little Irish villages which were so cute! Although I don't think I would be able to get any pictures on the way even if I had a charged battery since our insane bus driver was going SO fast down the little windy roads. Yikes!
The Cliffs of Moher were absolutely beautiful. We caught them on the most fantastic day with the sky blue and the sun shining. Plus, I was still able to get some amazing pictures despite the little battery I had. The bus stopped for about an hour and a half until we had to leave for our next stop, but I could have easily spent all day there! The views were absolutely breathtaking. We stopped at a pub for lunch after that in Doolin which was nice. The food was set up cafeteria style oddly enough, but it was quite delicious.
Our next stop was Galway Bay. On the way there, the road was so narrow and close to the water that if you looked out the window it was as if you were driving on the water! It was gorgeous though. We were able to get off, and walk along the rock which was amazing. I wish you all were there to witness it with me!
Then we got back on the bus though and all this one girl wanted to listen to was traditional Irish music, that the driver said he didn't have besides the slow classical, Gaelic stuff. So then she kept asking to play Enya. God help me...oy
Now on our way to the Poulnabrone Portal Tomb. I had never heard of it, but it was pretty cool. It kind of reminded me of Stonehenge with the slab-like stones on top of each other.
Durty Nelly's was the next pub we stopped at, just in case we wanted a drink, but we were too tired...sadly. It was a cool pub though, with fireman and police badges covering the walls. It was right next to Bunratty Castle where you could go in for a Medieval dinner, but we only had 20 minutes so we had to skip out on that one.
All in all, the tour was pretty good. I just wish we had more time to spend in Ireland to truly enjoy its beauty and culture. But, then again, there's always next time!!
I got a tattoo that night though! Of a celtic knot on my left hip. I am so happy with it! And then I casually met up with the others at dinner at a Johnny Rockets type place, but it was called Eddie Rockets, nice. We went to a pub after that and then had another early night so we could wake up to take the train early to Dublin. Again, I wish we had more time there. It was such a cute city. A bit bigger than Cork which was nice, since I'm now used to the city life. We got a litttttlee lost getting to where we needed to go, but we ended up figuring it out like always :-)
This is where we did our souvenir shopping and went to the Guinness Factory. Still not a fan of Guinness but I drank most of the free pint anyways...And at that point it was time to head to the airport to go back to London. I'm disappointed that we only had Thurs-Sat in Ireland. With all the extra travel time you need to get from one site to the next, you would need at least a week to fully enjoy it. I DEFINITELY plan on going back at some point in my life. So let me know who wants to join!!
 |
| Mary, Me, Jackie, and Becca at the Guinness Factory! |
 |
| Cliffs of Moher |
 |
| O'Brien's Castle |
 |
| Galway Bay |
 |
| Paddywagon Tour Bus! |
 |
| Poulnabrone Portal Tomb |
 |
| Bunratty Castle |
 |
| Celtic Knot Tattoo! |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)