Edinburgh: A Hidden Gem

Hi again!

Last weekend I went to the hidden gem city of Europe: Edinburgh, Scotland! It was one of the most fascinating cities I've been to and I never wanted to leave! It was a perfect combination of Ireland and the city of London because of its rolling green hills, kind people, and fun pubs but also Union Jacks, spectacular architecture, and the royal family's summer palace. As you drive in through the city you are surrounded by rolling emerald hills and past old, spectacular architecture until you see the ancient Edinburgh castle up on a steep hill in the center of the city. Our hostel, the Castle Rock, was directly across from Edinburgh Castle in the center of the city and was decorated inside like an old castle. The kind Australian man at the hostel told us that we just so happened to get to Scotland on St. Andrews Day, a special national holiday in the country similar to our Fourth of July. On that day, entrance to everything was fee so we were able to explore freely! First, we headed out to Hollyrood Palace, the royal family's summer residence. Many important meetings have been held there in the rooms we walked through. Many of the paintings and rooms date back hundreds and hundreds of years so it was amazing to walk through such a well preserved building. There were small, winding staircases, and ancient miniature looking beds were Kings and Queens, such as Mary Queen of Scots, used to sleep. There were even remnants of the Old Abbey still on the grounds. It was a spectacular building. Also on site was the Queen's Galley- a photo tribute to Queen Elizabeth II. The pictures started with her coronation, transitioned to her wedding to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, then to the birth of her four children, her many events as Queen, the Royal Wedding, and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Included in the gallery were more personal photographs such as photos with her dogs, on family vacations, horseback riding with her granddaughters, and reading birthday cards from her many supporters. The gallery included an audio tour that described many of the photographs throughout the room. In case you didn't know, I'm quite obsessed with the royal family so this gallery was extremely exciting for me! Before we headed out, I bought some postcards of Princes William and Harry and one of Prince William and Kate Middleton :)

Next, we headed up through town, ate lunch and fudge, and stopped by The Elephant House cafe, known as the birthplace of the Harry Potter series. In the graveyard behind the cafe graves can be seen with names such as Cedric Diggory and McGonagall. After this short stop, we climbed up the many steps to the Edinburgh Castle. The castle, set up on an enormous hill in the center of the city, is now turned into a village setting. You can still go into the buildings but there are also gift shops, a whiskey distillery, and other small shops. It was bustling with people and hard to navigate but the view of the city was phenomenal. Luckily, we had perfect weather and were able to take pictures up there during sunset. That night, we headed into town for the Christmas market. I got a scrumptious meal of German kezpatchel (sp?) which is like mac and cheese. After exploring the market for a while, we decided to go on a ghost tour of the city because supposedly Edinburgh has one of the highest rates of paranormal activity in Europe. The tour brought us around to mostly spots in the New Town (in the pouring rain). In addition to telling us ghost stories, our tour guide pointed out some fascinating things in the city that we wouldn't have discovered otherwise. For example, when Bill Gates wanted to build a Microsoft office in Edinburgh, he wanted to build a structure similar to all the others in his empire. He went to the city to get his plans accepted for an all glass, modern building on the site of this old, beautiful historic building. The city said no, so Gates gutted the building and built his all-glass building inside. So if you look inside the building there is a gap of about three feet where you can see an entire new building inside the shell of an old one. It was so cool! As far as ghost stories go, she told of murderers who left shrines to their victims in the caves at Arthur's seat, the grave robbers who found a woman buried alive, the evil fairies that flock to Calton hill, and the recent story of a vampire killer. It was interesting to hear the many legends that the people of Edinburgh had developed over the years. After being soaked in the rain for a few hours, we headed inside for a drink and then went back to the hostel to go to bed.

Hollyrood Palace

The Abbey Remnants

Just a cute Christmas shop

The Edinburgh Castle

The view from the top

Saturday morning, we got up and headed directly over to Arthur's seat, the volcanic formation atop an enormous hill with views of the entire city. It was a much steeper climb than we thought but the weather was beautiful so we could rest and take in the views at the top. The long, steep walk to the top was certainly worth the hike as the top was a great reward. After goofing around for a while, we reluctantly decided to walk back down to the bottom and head back to our favorite, the Christmas market. There I got a sausage and a pretzel for lunch (loving the German food) as well as mulled wine. After some serious nomming, we decided to work off our lunches and climb up Calton hill, another hill in the city but much smaller than Arthur's seat. At the top of Calton Hill there are some old structures, such as a parthenon-looking building that obviously didn't belong. This stems from the old Scots belief that Edinburgh would be the Athens of the north. For dinner that night we headed to a pub called The Castle's Arms for some good Scottish pub food. I had the steak and ale pie and a cider for dinner. Yum.

The view from Arthur's Seat

At the top!

The view of the palace and the back of Arthur's seat from Calton hill

Sunday morning we got up super early to head back to the airport and onwards to Dublin. We were so lucky to have such a spectacular weekend in Edinburgh and I can't wait to go back. It was a great, relaxing weekend before the next two weeks of non-stop essay-writing for finals. Until next time!

Northern Ireland

Hi again!

This past weekend my program hopped on a bus and headed North for the weekend on an organized trip focused on politics, the juxtaposition of the British north, and of course, the beautiful sites. Ireland is made up of 32 counties, 6 of which are a part of Northern Ireland: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, and Tyrone. The four provinces of Ireland consist of Leinster, Munster, and Connacht, and Ulster which makes up the northern province. Ulster consists of counties that lie within the Republic of Ireland and those that lie in Northern Ireland (the UK) but typically when one speaks of  Ulster, he is referring to the 6 counties belonging to the UK.

The only way we could tell we were crossing the border into Northern Ireland was a change in the road lines and a change in road signs into full English with MPH rather than KM. There is no physical border denoting the cross into a new country, and as you can imagine, the scenery looks exactly the same. The only noticeable differences between the two countries are the strong influences of political propaganda, and the British accents and flags but the land itself still feels Irish.

Friday morning, we arrived in Belfast and headed to the Lodge of the Orange Order, named after William of Orange. The Order is a fraternal society, predominately Protestant, with strong Unionist ties. There, we heard about some history and the present day role of the Order in Northern Ireland and around the world. The man there explained that he feels British down to his bones and that he feels no ties whatsoever to Ireland. After spending some time at the Lodge, we left to take a bus tour of Belfast city. The city center was beautiful with large decorative buildings, and a festive Christmas market full of delicious food (I got perogi and Bailey's hot chocolate). The tour of the city was fascinating. The tension between Catholics and Protestants as well Unionists/Loyalists and Nationalists. There are vibrant political murals everywhere with very blunt messages on every street corner. Part of the city is still divided by a wall designating the Catholic side from the Protestant side. It was shocking to see the reality of the situation that still plagues the city today.

Political Murals

After our bus tour, we head to Stormont to see the Parliament building. Northern Ireland has its own representative parliament that meets to decide on those issues that are not decided for them at Westminster such as roads, education, and taxes. Inside Parliament, we were able to sit in two of the rooms where meetings and debates are held. It was fascinating to hear how the system works. That night we stayed at the Jury's Inn in Belfast city. I was so exhausted by the end of the long day that I think I had the soundest sleep since I've gotten to Ireland!

Saturday morning, we headed out on a long journey to the Carrick-a-Rede bridge in Co. Antrim. There was about a 15 minute walk through the hills to the rope bridge where you have to descend a steep set of stairs down to the wood and rope bridge that hangs 100 feet over the sea below. The bridge connects the mainland to a small island previously used by fishermen. On the mainland side there is an opening to a volcano that lays dormant beneath the sea. The 25ish foot walk across the bridge was extremely frightening as my friends before me walked across shaking the bridge back and forth! Nonetheless, we all made it across and took some great photos! Once back on the bus, we headed further on to the Giant's Causeway, a naturally formed volcanic rock formation on the edge of the ocean. The rocks have formed, over time, into these tall octagonal tube-like columns that stick up from the sea. It looks similar to a jetty but it is hard to believe that these are not man-made rocks. Legend has it that the formations were created by giants in order to cross the ocean, hence the name, "giant's causeway." Surrounding the rocks are enormous cliffs and caves told to be the home of the giant, Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn MacCool).

The cliffs of Co. Antrim

Crossing the bridge!

The Giant's Causeway

The columns

The most gorgeous sunset

The next morning, we set out for a tour of the city of Derry/Londonderry. The city was dark and grey and covered with dark political murals. Later in the day, we visited the Bloody Sunday museum where we read about the tragedy the victims, families, and Ireland as a whole faced. It was deeply saddening to think this event happened so recently in the country's history. The many letters and photos on display were very shocking and I think we were all surprised to see how extreme the violence really became.

The weekend overall was a huge learning experience. I definitely didn't expect that the reality of political propaganda would be so in-your-face at this point in time. However, the issues and debates are still very much alive today. It's hard to believe that crossing the invisible border brings a world of changes.

Sunsets, Sangria, and Spaghetti

Hello, hello!

This past week was the long-awaited fall break trip to Spain and Italy! I have been dreaming of going to Italy for a long, long time and I can finally say it is as spectacular as I dreamed it would be. After ten days of traveling, I am beyond exhausted and I can barely function, but I must fill everyone in while it's still fresh in my mind!

Two fridays ago now, we left the Dublin airport for Barcelona, Spain to meet up with my roommate Chiara. Barcelona was a toasty 60 degrees when we got there at about ten o'clock at night, which was tropical compared to Ireland. That night, we headed out to a small bar called Seranno, where the place was packed with college kids pouring their own drinks. The nightlife in Barcelona is like nothing I've ever experienced before, and I only got a small taste of it! The next day, we headed out to Park Guell, the gorgeous mosaic park set in the hills of the city. The park was designed as a community for the upper class so the structures and mosaics are extremely intricate. After a lengthy photoshoot, we headed to the harbor and walked around the gothic part of the city. There was never a dull moment as the streets are lined with huge palm trees and the most unique architecture I've ever seen. After much exploring we headed out for another night on the town. Saturday night was a great night full of friends, food (yummy tapas), and a lot of sangria! On Sunday morning, we got in some last minute sightseeing and checked out La Sagrada Familia, the spectacular church based off of the designs Gaudi created before his death. The cathedral is enormous and each side represents a different aspect of religion whether it be the Genesis or the stations of the cross. Unfortunately,  we were very sad to leave the beautiful city of Barcelona so we stopped for some Dunkin Coffee on the way out of the city to ease the pain...

Park Guell

Park Guell, the mosaic benches

The Spanish Arc de Triomph

Sunday evening we landed in Milan and spent the night in the greatest hostel called Ostello Bello, where they provided a full buffet of Italian food! The next morning we took a train to Venice, where we actually trained through the water to get to the city! Although the city was dark and gray that day, it was still one of the coolest cities I've ever seen. As soon as you step out of the train station, you are directly facing a canal and you have to take a water taxi to navigate the city. We spent some time exploring the narrow streets and quaint bridges before going on a gondola ride through the city! As much as we begged and pleaded with our Gondalier to sing to us, he would not, so instead he informed us on the sights of Venice. Later in the evening, we were lucky enough to see a spectacular sunset over the water and I was able to take some of my favorite pictures of the trip! Also that day, I had my first taste of Italian gnocchi, prosciutto pizza, and gelato! It was a perfect way to start our journey through Italy.

Venice Canals

Sunset

Tuesday morning, we hopped on our next train to Florence where our friends Katherine and Meaghann are studying! Also, thanks to my friend Brette (a huge Italy enthusiast) we were armed with the greatest suggestion list of all suggestion lists. The city was just as romantic, inviting, and heartwarming as she described it to be. The buildings are mostly a warm red or orange color and as the sun sets, the city looks as if it is on fire. It was truly stunning to see.

Tuesday we spent most of the day shopping and exploring, but on Wednesday we headed out to the Chianti region for a wine tasting in a refurbished Medici castle. The castle, the weather, and the wine made for a perfect afternoon in Tuscany. We got a tour of the castle and were able to taste a selection of wines and snacks with homemade olive oil! We had such a great time eating and drinking together in the beautiful countryside. That afternoon, before the tasting, we headed to Coquinarius in the city for lunch (one of Brette's many recommendations) where I had the most delicious pear and gorgonzola ravioli ever. In case I hadn't eaten enough that day, we went to Brette's recommendation, Neri's Gelateria, for dessert! I alternated between gelato and a cannoli each night.

Thursday, we sent the day exploring the gardens at a local palace, got brick oven pizza at Gusto's (another of Brette's recommendations), and climbed the 463 steps to the top of the Duomo in the city centre for an incredible bird's eye view of the city. We stayed up there chatting until sunset and got to see the sun set the city ablaze as it descended over the horizon. After a perfect evening, we were extremely reluctant to leave Florence the next day. I now understand why people say you fall in love in Italy, because I fell in love with the country itself.

The Ponte Vecchio Bridge

The Medici Castle

Chianti countryside

Wine Tasting

The view from the top of the Duomo

Once we got to Rome on Friday, we set out directly for the Colosseum and the Forum, two of the most impressive archaeological structures still around today. The ruins were so cool! Many, many pictures later, we headed to the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain. At the fountain, we all made a wish and threw coins into the water!

The next day, we headed across the city for a tour of the Vatican museum. The museum is an exhibit full of paintings, sculptures, and tapestries. The building itself is so incredible that my eyes couldn't keep up with all the artwork. At the end of the tour, we were led into the Sistine chapel. The chapel was a long rectangular room, painted from floor to ceiling. It was different from what I expected but the paintings were exquisite. Next, we were led into Saint Peter's Basilica which was absolutely enormous! The alter was probably as big as my church at home. This vast building, in all its grandeur, was amazing to explore. Later in the day we stopped at the Spanish steps at sunset to see the grande white church that overlooks the city. There was an enormous crowd of people on the steps just taking in the beauty of the city. After another perfect day in Italy, we ate some more wonderful food and I went to sleep that night with a full belly and a happy heart.

The Colosseum

The view at the Forum

The Pantheon

Maggie and I at the Spanish steps

The Trevi Fountain

After a long ten days I am so very happy to be back in Dublin, but I'm so grateful to have had such an amazing week with my friends. I came back full of gelato and full of love for Italy and Spain. I can't wait to go back someday and keep exploring!

This week it's back to the grindstone before we head to Northern Ireland for the weekend. Miss and love you all during this holiday season. I have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Cheers to a wonderful family, the best of friends, and the greatest semester I could ever ask for.

Much love. Eat some turkey and watch some football for me :)