Plans for The Weekend

*Cork Jazz festival
*Kissing the Blarney stone!!

AND next week is reading week and I have classes off...I'm thinking it's perfect timing to go see the CLIFFS OF MOHAR! (look them up, they're gorgeous)
AND Monday is a Bank Holiday so everyone has classes off. Susan and I are planning a hike in Howth. Very very very exciting. And free.

Powerscourt!

Two Fridays ago my friends John and Elliot kidnapped me and took me to Powerscourt. Basically this man lived in a HUGE house with a HUGE estate and built himself a beautiful garden to play in. Here are some pictures!

Missed a lecture to climb this tower...totally worth it!

We just walked around found a bunch of horses. It was pretty random, and pretty cool.

John and I, surrounded by moss and rocks.

The zen part of the garden

Flowers and fountains! ('fun' fact: behind the fountain is Ireland's largest pet cemetary)

The house. There was some delicious chocolate inside.

An Update!

Sequins are everywhere!!!!

Ok wow. It has been a while! My friend Susan emailed me some of her pictures, so I'll fill you in (some)

This is a Viking church we stumbled on when

we were walking around Dublin a few weeks

ago. It's the Christ Church Cathedral and it

was founded in 1038 and is stunning.

REALLY mini-cooper! Note the sun, something I miss dearly

Socialist party protesting the Lisbon Treaty.

Last Friday was vote day, and it passed.

I'll add more later. There'll be a fun entry soon, I had an impromptu adventure last Friday!

picnic in the park

St. Stephen's Green

Yesterday was probably one of my favorite days in Dublin. My friend Susan and I decided to have a picnic--and we went all out! We packed some crackers and cheese and brought along some poetry. The we stopped at the farmer's market (there is one every day at the City Center) and got some pears and blueberries and bread. Then we headed down to St. Stephen's Green (which, if you've ever read The Dubliners, is referenced quite a bit). It was such a nice little scene!
Afterwards we went to Ireland's National Gallery, an art museum (have I mentioned all museums are free?) and on one of the floors there was a really neat exhibit on Harry Clarke, an Irish artist who illustrated Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales in 1916. I bought myself a postcard as a souvenir.

looks good enough to eat, eh?

My best friend is having her baby!

There is going to be a beautiful new person in the world today! Never have I wanted to be home this badly. I can't wait to meet her!
I love you Schuyler! Congratulations Skip and Luke! Happy birthday Amber!

Outside My Window

Real Update this weekend. (probably)

some pictures!

dinner!

sauteed chicken breasts in onions red/green peppers and pineapple. serve over white rice.

picture post coming soon!

I can't believe I've been here a week!

WELL!
Week one is over! And I'm ok!
Today is my birthday as well as the day before classes start. It's really weird to be here on my birthday--very reminiscent of freshmen year. Last night we went to a pub to hear this singer my friend Kathleen likes. She snuck up while he was taking a break, and when he came back on stage he sang Happy Birthday to me! AND it was to the tune of "brown eyed girl" by van morrison--it was really sweet!
Tonight we're going to go out to dinner to this really cheesy restaurant called ThunderRoad Cafe. It's more Americana themed than Applebees. And then we might try to go out to a dance club. Last night, after the pub, we found a club without a cover charge. They had a band instead of a DJ, and the band was really good but very slow and smooth--not exactly dancing music! Still, we all had a good time.
We did a little bit of sightseeing yesterday during the day. First we went to Phoenix Park, it was very beautiful. Then we found a large obelisk memorial. It's the second largest in the world (second only to the one in Washington D.C) Then we tried finding this contemporary art museum (all museums are free admission in Dublin!) but by the time we got there it was closed. We walked a little further and sort of stumbled onto to the Christ Church Cathedral, and man was it gorgeous and HUGE. Unfortunately, my camera battery had died, so I didn't get pictures, but we're going to go back. I might even attend a service. I DID manage to get some postcards, so all was not lost.

It has rained every single day I've been here. It hasn't been horrible, and I've seen sun on most days, but it looks like today is going to be a pretty overcast/gray day.

Tomorrow, as I mentioned, is my first day of class (I only have one, my Philosophy class) and to celebrate I'm going to cook dinner for my suite mates (there are five of us). If anyone checks this in time, let me know your ideas!

picture post

My unpacked tiny room!







Street performer playing the spoons outside of Trinity and Oscar Wilde in the park.

day 2

so so so packed. had my first guinness yesterday. i could taste it the entire walk back to the hotel!
the hotel, by the way, is very very nice.
we went on a walking tour of dublin today and got to see this really huge, really beautiful catholic church. and then we went to a fun play, although it was very long (a little over 3 hours!)
i had irish eggs for breakfast, weird texture but very delicious.
after riding a cab, i am positive there is no way i could handle trying to drive over here. the last right turn scared the crap out of me!
weather has been rainy during the day, but pretty warm at night, i would guess at low 70's. it's beautiful and orientation has been fun. i can't believe this time next week i'll have had my first day of classes!

I MADE IT!

DUBLIN!

oh yeah, in newark with some internet!

flying is so cool.
almost as cool as sushi from 'wok ' roll'.
but probably safer ;)

packed!

I did it!
It was certainly a process, but it's finished!
final weigh in: backpack=15 lbs and duffel bag at 30lbs!

Still in America!

Hello family and friends!
The adventure begins soon and the blog begins sooner!