Ireland

When Enrique and I landed in the airport in Ireland we were greeted by our good friend Gary and one of his best mates (I will try to throw in some Irish lingo every now and then). After a quick reunion we all piled in Gary's mother's car and hit the road for the start or our Irish touring. From the airport it was just a short drive to the cliffs of Moher. The cliffs are in the middle of green rolling hills and are absolutely beautiful. The weather was windy, cold, and wet. I loved every minute of it! The view from the cliffs was amazing. The black rocks combined with blue water, gray skies, and green grass provided a perfect first look at Ireland. The park is really well designed with all of the structures keeping a low profile by being built into the hills preserving the area's scenic beauty.

From the cliffs we went to the city of Galway where Gary went to college. The road wound past fields full of sheep, a ruined castle, and an area called the barren (pronounced burn). The barren was a huge area covered in black rock. It looked like a lava flow and stood in stark contrast to the surrounding green fields. The scenic beauty of Ireland is amazing and I could already tell that the road trips were going to be well worth having to sit in the back of that tiny eurocar.







That night in Galway we met up with the lads from NUI. Our first stop was a small pub where we were told we could find "good" Guinness. This was confusing to me because I thought all Guinness came from the same place and would taste the same. This is entirely untrue as I came to find out after an hour lecture on the reasons some Guinness is better than others and the keys to finding a pub with good Guinness. Apparently the Guinness gets better the more often it is drawn from the tap and the best clue to find it is to see if the old folks are drinking it. After my first good Guinness we headed to another place to watch the end of the football match (soccer game) and I decided to test out this theory about Guinness. I was in a bar where there were no old folks and no one was drinking Guinness so I ordered one just to see the difference. I was sorry to say that by not following the rules I had indeed ordered a bad Guinness. The rest of the night was spent with the kids in Galway reliving my college years, oh to be young again.

In the morning we hit the road and headed to Gary's hometown of Castlebar. On the way we stopped by Ashbury Castle. The castle was set on a peninsula of land with a river on one side and lake on the other. The grounds around the castle were absolutely beautiful with great views of the lake and its many tiny islands. The castle itself was exactly like what I had imagined a medieval fortress to look like, complete with Irish flag waving high in the air. After this quick stop we were back on the road to Castlebar where Gary's mother had a big Irish stew waiting.





When we had our fill of potatoes, carrots and beef Gary's mother suggested that we head down the road to catch the sunset from Crough Patrick (St. Patrick's Mountain). The mountain looks very impressive rising out of nowhere into a sharp peak. The hike around the mountain is absolutely beautiful with streams coming out of the hillside and sheep grazing along the boggy slopes. Even from just a short walk up the view of the bay below is amazing. I can see why this place is so magical for those who make the pilgrimage to the summit.

When we got back to Castlebar Gary's dad told us that his uncle was going to be singing in a pub in the nearby town of Westport and wondered if we would want to go. I leapt at the opportunity to hear some live Irish music and we all piled in the car and headed to Matt Malloy's Tavern. There was a lively crowd in attendance and all had a pint of Guinness in their hand. Following the rules I learned in Galway I promptly went to the bar for a "good" Guinness. I then slid into the back room where there were accordions, flutes, fiddles, banjos, and about 40 people crammed into the tiny space. I stood in the crowd soaking in every Irish melody. After the singing had died down we found a nice spot to sit and chat with a bunch of Gary's extended family. This was the perfect night to end what I figure is the typical Irish day, first go to a castle, then eat a huge stew, climb Crough Patrick, admire the sheep and scenic beauty, and finish the night with some good craic ("crack" a fun time) singing songs in a pub while drinking beers that your grandmother bought you.

In the morning we woke up to the smell of meat products frying in the skillet. The full Irish breakfast Mrs. Lavelle had whipped up was simply amazing. It was my first introduction to blood pudding and the Irish staple of Reggae Reggae sauce (not really Irish but very tasty tasty). With full bellies we hit the road to meet up with some more of Gary's buddies in Dublin.

In Dublin we tried to be as touristy as possible. We began our trip by walking around the beautiful campus of Trinity College. Among the sights on campus is the Book of Kells one of the world's oldest books. After a bit of intellectual stimulation we decided to go to the Guinness store house. Initially we thought this was going to be a brewery tour but it turned out to be more of a Guinness museum. This did not however dampen the experience as it was extremely well designed and definitely worth the trip. The tour wound through the nine story warehouse ending in a sky bar where we drank our free Guinness and admired the 360 degree views of the city below. Gary and his friend Tony got a little carried away and fortunately I had my camera ready to capture that magical moment, one of many we had throughout the day.





From the storehouse we took a stroll down Grafton Street in the heart of the city. At one end is the famous statue of Molly Malone and the other beautiful Stephen's Green. In between is packed with shops, tourists, and street performers. The city was especially festive since it was just a few days before St. Patrick's Day with Irish flags and shamrocks everywhere.



To keep the good times rolling we decided to take the Viking tour of the city. We and about twenty others piled into one of the amphibious WWII DUKW's and hit the streets announcing our presence with the authority of a hearty Viking roar. Your man (the guy, in this case the tour guide) was absolutely fantastic. He took us by all of the major Dublin landmarks and had us acting like kids at a preschool birthday party as we would give our nastiest Viking roar to the folks on the street. The tour concluded with a dip in the canal in the heart of the city where we got to float by U2's recording studio in addition to enjoying the fact that our Viking bus had just turned into a boat.







The only downside to my tour of Ireland was that it ended too soon. I had a great time getting to see a little of Gary's homeland and meeting his friends and family. The weather in Ireland may not be the best in the world but the amazing people more than make up the difference.

Oxford/London

Rachael and I spent our last moments together in the airport in Milan as she was headed back to Raleigh and I to London. I was sad to see her go after all of the fun we had but I was fortunate to be headed on another adventure which would allow me to take my mind off of missing her. When I arrived in London I caught the first bus I could to Oxford where Thomas, a friend from NC State, was awaiting my arrival.

After dropping off my stuff and emailing home to let the folks know I had arrived safely I was ready to finally relax. Thomas took me to the Royal Oak which is a tavern in the true sense of the word. The place was a maze of little booths and hallways with dim lights and oak timbers everywhere. For dinner I was served a huge cheese and bacon burger (apparently not called a bacon cheeseburger), a pint of dark pull tap beer, and delightful conversation with two of Thomas' South African classmates. From there Thomas took me for a short walk around the town and through some of the colleges. While there is not much activity late at night, I found it really nice to see all of the old halls lit up and vacant.

In the morning Thomas and I had to say goodbye as he was about to begin a week of class and I a week of vacationing. Before I left town I had a chance to go back around to see the inside of probably the most famous college in Oxford, Christ Church.





The campus of Christ Church is absolutely amazing. The grass is the greenest I have ever seen, one of the few positive side effects of all the rain, and the buildings are like that of a medieval castle. The dinning hall is the great hall in the Harry Potter movies and is actually still used three times a day to serve the general student population. There is a wonderful old chapel that sits right in the heart of the campus and has displays of medieval relics and tombs of knights. The most incredible part about Oxford is not Christ Church but rather that all of the colleges are equal in their splendor.







After my short tour of Oxford I caught a bus into London to meet up with Enrique. We started our tour with a short walk down the Thames to what is probably London's most famous landmark Big Ben. The weather was gray and rainy but I think that added to the whole atmosphere, after all you don't go to London to get a tan. The area around Big Ben is beautiful, with little greens tucked in between Westminster Abbey and the Parliament buildings. As I surveyed my surroundings I kept having deja vu, I think because of the notoriety of this particular place as well as seeing the pictures from my grandparents' many trips to London. From Big Ben it is just a short walk to all of the other famous London sights so I made sure to double knot my sneakers in preparation for a little urban hiking.





After a stroll through beautiful St. James Park which was full of blooming flowers, some more of the greenest grass I have ever seen, and white pelicans, we arrived in Trafalgar Square. The square was absolutely abuzz with crowds milling around huge fountains and beneath Lord Nelson's column. In keeping with my urban outdoorsman theme I decided to do a little bouldering and climbed up the base of the column. From here I was rewarded with an amazing view of Big Ben down a street packed with row houses and double decker buses as well as a great photo opportunity with a wild urban beast!





We then continued our tour making stops at Buckingham Palace, a short walk through Hyde Park, and ending in Piccadilly Circus for a big plate of fish and chips. The contrast between the stately Buckingham Palace and the frenzied Piccadilly Circus could not be greater and yet they stand only a few blocks from each other. This amazing mix of the historical and modern is what gives London such a unique appeal.







After dinner Enrique and I decided that one good turn deserves another so we went down to the Thames for a night time stroll. We were greeted with clear skies, a full moon, and bright lights covering London's landmarks. After walking out on the London Bridge and getting some good shots of the Tower Bridge we headed in for the night.







In the morning we had just enough time to get to the Tower of London and take a quick tour around the grounds. I wish I had gotten the chance to go inside but I guess that I will just have to put that on my list of things to do next time.



I always wondered why my grandparents took the same vacation to London over and over again but within my first hour there I completely understood. It is impossible to see everything without going a million times and if you have already found one of the greatest places in the world why go anywhere else? London is an amazing city full of different cultures and a lively spirit. I was sad to have only had the chance to spend one day there but have the feeling I will be back many more times.

Cinque Terre

With Rachael coming to visit during my final exam week we really had to utilize every spare moment I had. Keeping this in mind we decided to turn my two "study days" into a trip to the Italian Riveria and Cinque Terre! I must say that I am very pleased with our decision. Cinque Terre is a National Park located right on the Mediterranean and comprised of five villages carved into the cliffs. The terraced hills surrounding the towns are full of grape vines and citrus trees which add to the already magnificent scenery. These towns are only a few miles apart but are connected only by a foot path, a train line, and the sea.



We arrived in the farthest village, Monterossa, and had plans on spending the day hiking through all of the towns on the way to our hotel in Riomaggiore. Mother Nature decided to throw a wrench in our plans and made it rainy and cold, not the most ideal of hiking conditions. Despite the bad weather Rachael and I were still feeling inspired by the beauty of our surroundings and decided to hike the trail anyway. As soon as we hit the trail the rain eased up and we were all smiles. The trail was well maintained and wound through the citrus groves and past waterfalls. When the beauty of the trail was coupled with that of the brightly colored buildings in the town below and the blue Mediterranean it was easy to see why this park has gained so much fame.





About halfway through the hike our smiles faded as the rain and wind picked up. At one point we stopped in a little valley with no towns in sight and we thought about giving up and just turning back. Despite being completely soaked we were able to summon the courage to press on and in just a few minutes were greeted with a bird's eye view of the beautiful town of Vernazza. Once we got off the trail we immediately began searching for a place to dry off and get some food. We found a little pizza place at the point of the harbor where we enjoyed our meal looking out over the water and into the town square. After we ate we chose to take the shorter drier route via the train to our hotel in Riomaggiore.





Riomaggiore looked like it came straight out of a postcard as it had brightly colored buildings, a grand old church, and clouds hanging just below the peaks of the cliffs. Once in our room we took advantage of the hot showers and warm dry beds for some much needed rest.



For dinner we went down near the harbor to sample the local fare. The menu suggested the local delicacy of seafood soup for two which fit our appetites and proportions perfectly so we decided to try it. What was served to us was nothing like what we had anticipated. The bowl was overflowing with every kind of baby sea monster you could imagine. There was almost everything in this soup including tentacles, squid, and what we think we were baby lobsters. Once we got past the initial shock and giggles it turned out to be rather tasty. We polished off the meal with cheesecake and then headed in for the night.



In the morning we went down to the harbor to take some more pictures and admire the scenery. We continued our tour by taking the train to the other two towns we had yet to visit and found them every bit as enchanting as the others. One of my favorite things about all of the villages was their reliance on boats as the main form of transportation. Evidence of this is seen in the streets near the harbors where people actually park their boats in front of their houses. I am not sure how they get the boats on the dollies or how many people it takes to push them up the hills but I am very glad that they do it. Even with overcast skies and empty streets Cinque Terre was still an amazing place and I hope to come back during the high season to experience it then as well.

Milan

For Rachael's first full day in Italy we decided to take a trip to the big city and world fashion hub of Milan. Our first stop was in the heart of this great city at the Duomo. We were lucky enough to be there on one of the last days of the Carnival celebration. The square was bustling, with confetti and silly string flying through the air and little kids dressed in costume running past our feet. The weather was perfect and when coupled with the magnificent cathedral it provided an incredible backdrop for the whole scene.



The Duomo is one of the most intricate structures that I have ever seen. It is an enormous work of art comprised of billions of tiny sculptures all put together. I was having a difficult time trying to get close enough to see the minute details and yet stand back far enough to see the entire thing but loving every second of my confusion.





Upon entering the sanctuary I was immediately dwarfed by the cavernous space. In contrast to the exterior the interior is very dark and cold but still extremely beautiful. The naves and the floor contain incredible inlays of marble and colorful stained glass windows. The Alter at the front is absolutely enormous. There is a huge organ and large paintings which create an awe inspiring sight. Next to the alter there is a really interesting statue of St. Bartholomew. He at first glance appears to be just a wrinkly old man but as we came to find out he is not draped in a cloth but actually is carrying a cloak of his own skin. Quite a way to become a saint if I do say so myself! Taking advice from my own travel rules we decided to find the tallest thing we could and get on top.







Luckily for us we didn't have to walk very far because we were already standing inside it. After a small fee and an arduous trek up the stairs we were greeted by a magnificent sight. The top of the Duomo is covered in intricate carvings with tiny details that you could never possibly see from the ground. Atop every spire there is a different sculpture and each downspout has a different design. The real treat of the whole experience was that the entire roof was open to explore. The views of the city were amazing and despite the large number of people it didn't seem crowded. I think my fear of heights has lessened some over the last few years but I do have to say that walking the ridge line of the roof, knowing that only a few feet of stone separated me from the marble floor far below, did send a chill up my spine. It was right around this time that the excitement had worn off and I was ready to get back down to the square.







Once down off the roof we headed for a quick shopping detour on one of the streets nearby where I picked up some super sweet and stylish Milanese sunglasses! Armed with my new found sense of style we headed to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, the worlds oldest shopping mall. The glass ceiling gives the mall that certain air of class that you would expect from the stores below, Luis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, and of course McDonald's. From there we headed past the famed opera house La Scala and on to the castle.



The castle is a formidable structure sitting in the middle of the town. Out in front there is a large fountain where crowds gather to admire the entry tower and watch the world go by. This is by far the largest castle that I have ever been in and definitely showed the power of the Lombards. It is very well preserved and at one of its entrances still has a working drawbridge. Inside the castle is a really nice green where we took in some sun and rested our feet before we had to start the journey back to Pavia. With only a few of the sites in Milan seen I look forward to exploring more in the months to come.