Alone on the Ring

Today dawned bright and sunny, not super common here in Ireland, and I was especially thankful because I planned to head out to Caharciveen, a little town on the Ring of Kerry.  Now, I know what you're thinking...why was sun so important and what is the Ring of Kerry?  Well, the ring is probably the most popular scenic drive in Ireland; it forms a big circle when you complete the whole drive and it's in county Kerry.  And in order to get the best views and enjoy the scenery, sunshine was essential.  Plus, I planned to do a hike which is always better without the rain. 

The day was great, the portion of the Ring of Kerry I saw truly is beautiful.  God's creation is amazing; I have definitely been reminded of that multiple times here in Ireland.  Check out the photos and videos, they're the best way for me to describe the experience.  The hike was great, I got to explore some castle ruins and I have the whole hostel to myself!  It's definitely low season as far as tourism goes.  Currently, I'm sitting in front of a little wood stove and I get to put the wood in myself!  So great!  

"A little less old"

The past couple of days have been a bit of a whirlwind and I haven't had a chance to sit down and write about them.  I've visited Blarney Castle and kissed the infamous Blarney Stone (felt like I should put hand sanitizer on my mouth afterward).  Photos of that are in the Cork photo album.  I travelled to Killarney, a small town that borders a beautiful national park which I have done a bunch of great hiking in!  Just have a look at the Killarney album, the Gap of Dunloe album and the Torc Mountain album for more details on those.  I met a great Australian girl named Hannah and an equally great German girl named Monika who I hiked with today.  And randomly, I re-met the Canadian guy (Sean) I initially met in Cork.  Small world hey?  I saw him at the check in desk and was like, "Hey, haven't I met you before?"  It was fun to catch up on his recent adventures and then we went to the pub for some supper and moved onto a different pub to listen to some traditional Irish music.  I tried something called a hot whiskey which I think is whiskey mixed with hot water, cloves and lemon.  Not as bad as straight whiskey but probably still not my drink of choice; I'll stick to water.  :) At the last pub, we ran into three German ladies who are also staying at our hostel.  It was so great to watch as an older Irish gentleman tried to woo one of them to take a spin on the dance floor with him.  After they had all rebuffed him (poor Paddy, that's what I imagine his name to be), he left and then they got up and danced with each other!  Obviously, he just wasn't what they were looking for.  One of the ladies said to me in slightly broken english, "I think I might be needing one who is a little less old." 

Back amongst people

Friday was a sad and exciting day.  Sad because it was time to leave Westport, a place I had grown to like and feel comfortable in, and exciting because it was time to experience something new!  New = Cork.  Cork is the second biggest city in the republic of Ireland which means that I'm back in the land of department stores, tons of ethnic food choices and lots of people!  It also means I'm back in a hostel which has been an adjustment.  I got pretty spoiled in Westport by having my own space and my own routine, much like regular life.  Now I'm sharing a 4 bed room and having to locate my clothes in the dark (because when you're the first person up, that's just the considerate thing to do).   On the up side, I've met some nice people and even done some exploring with them.  Nice to be back among people again but challenging in the fact that I've gotten used to just being on my own and making all my own decisions.  Pros and cons....hmmm. 

Yesterday, I got out and saw the city centre, an art gallery and some historical sites.  It was a great day and I spent most of it with Sara from Italy.  She's super nice and even though she thinks her English isn't good, she does really well!  I introduced her to Subway…not quite Italian cuisine but she seemed to enjoy it. 

Today I headed out to Cobh (pronounced Cove) which is a small town about 30 minutes from Cork by train.  At one point in its history, it was called Queenstown.  Cobh is historically significant because it was the last port of call for Titanic before she took her fateful voyage.  And it’s also the site where a German u-boat torpedoed the Lusitania and a lot of people died.  The tragic thing about that story is the ship was only about 35 miles from shore and filled with civilians.  Sad.  There is a great museum detailing the history of the town which I enjoyed.  And there are a ton of historical sites throughout the town that you can see via a few different walking tours.  On my way home, I hopped off the train at Fota where there is a wildlife park and botanical gardens.  You can explore the gardens for free and even though it is November, they were still beautiful.  I had made plans with Sara to go to a pub for dinner so when I got back to the hostel we connected and decided what time to head out.  I wanted to go at 6 (being Canadian) and she wanted to go at 8 (being Italian), so we compromised and decided to go at 7.  We ended up heading out with Susan (from Australia) and Stefan (from London) and enjoyed some delicious fish and chips at a local pub.  And Susan was kind enough to let us try her locally made beer, Murphy’s.  Not as bad as I thought it would be…maybe Ireland is changing me more than I think.  After eating, we headed to another pub for some local traditional music (fiddle, Irish harp and Irish flute) and we met up with a Canadian and Australian guy who we had previously met at our hostel.  It was fun, with lots of discussion about our various countries.  Sean (from Edmonton) had some Canadian money with him and I think I got a little teary at the sight.  It was so nice to be able to chat with someone from home.  I never realize how good it is to be from Canada until I’m away.   So, all in all, a great day and my first time at an Irish pub...I'm definitely a local now.

Umbrellas made in Canada don't really cut it

One day about a week ago, the rain and I became less friendly.  Normally, I love the rain!  But when it single handedly destroys my hair (which I happened to actually do that day which is rare) and my umbrella in one fell swoop, I was definitely not feeling the love.  Here's how it went:

1. Put jacket and shoes on
2. Think to myself, "Boy, it sounds like the wind has picked up out there.  Hmmm...I'm sure it's fine.  Hey, maybe I'll try out my umbrella!"
3. Open door
4. Open umbrella and step outside
5. Bye bye umbrella! (see cause and results visual below, the whole process took about 5 seconds...I'm sure anyone watching had a pretty good laugh!)

Public libraries...helping poor travellers and educating the masses.

Hmmm…what can I tell you?  To be honest, there’s not that much noteworthy going on lately.  I celebrated my first holiday in Ireland, Halloween, but it wasn’t much different than home.  It was raining rather than snowing and no kids came to my door which was ok with me because I didn’t have any candy.  Ok, that’s not entirely true.  I did have a few mini chocolate bars, but those were definitely already reserved for someone.  J  There were fireworks randomly being shot off on Halloween night as well as the nights previous. I think that was the biggest difference, we don’t have fireworks at Halloween right?  And I did manage to carve a pumpkin which is kind of a tradition for me.  Without my stencils and tools, I was forced to rely on good old fashioned knives and creativity but little Petey turned out OK. 

Before Halloween, I moved into my new place which is actually in the town of Westport.  It’s really cute and definitely warmer than the little house, not warm, but warmer, which is an improvement.  I now sleep with two blankets rather than six.  There’s a video tour and some pictures in my “Westport Apartment” album, see the link on the right, if you want to check it out.  I’m about a twenty minute walk from the town centre and it’s nice to be able to walk to anywhere I need to go.  It’s especially nice because as of Oct 31^st, I become vehicle-less.  I dropped off the rental in Galway and took the bus back to Westport.  It was nice to let someone else do the driving for awhile, although I was beginning to like the driving here. 

Did you know that Ireland also participates in daylight savings time?  Well, they do!  And I definitely did not know.  I was saved by seeing the time on my computer on Sunday morning; Windows is smarter than me and had updated my clock automatically.  Luckily, it’s “fall back” time so I wasn’t late for anything, just extra early. 

Due to the lack of internet at my current place (and neighbors that have intelligently password protected their wireless connections), I’ve discovered the Westport Public Library where they have wireless access for anyone with a library card.  And seeing as how I just recently received my first piece of mail in Ireland (my PPS number for tax stuff), I was able to provide proof of residence and get a brand new library card for only 3 euro.  Now I’m set and yesterday I even borrowed a movie to watch, such luxury!  I did receive my GNIB card finally and because I got my PPS number in the mail, I was able to open a bank account.  Yahoo!  I’m just waiting for the debit card to arrive and then I should be good to go.  Now if only I had some money to put in it.  J 

I'm such a weirdo

Today I was at the Museum of Country Life in Castlebar.  Not a whole lot to say about this museum trip except that like the other museums I visited in Dublin, this one was also excellent!  I learned about the day to day life of Irish people in the country from 1850-1950.  There were great exhibits and some interactive stuff too.  Mostly, the memorable parts of the day were my photo taking experiences and trying not to let everyone around me see what a weirdo I am.  Check out the Castlebar album to see more.  (link on the right hand side)

Tomorrow I move into the actual town of Westport rather than about a 15 minute drive outside out it.  This will be great because I can give up my rental car but it also means no more internet at home so my updates might be a little less regular for a while.  I'm hoping to be able to connect fairly regularly so I won't be completely out of the loop.  We'll see how it goes. 

Ella's Arrival!

She has arrived! The much anticipated birth of Ella Irene happened Oct 28th in the wee small hours of the morning. Tara and Tim's news is of course much more exciting than anything that happened to me that day, even in Ireland. I'm so happy for them and am praying God will continue to guide their newly expanded family of 5. I'm sure that Elijah and Michael will have to adjust a little bit, but I know once they get used to having her around, she is sure to become the toughest little girl in the neighbourhood. :)

Just call me Little Bo Peep

Rather than write about my trek around Letterkeen Loop today, just click here to check out my video diary from the day.  Hopefully, you get a few laughs, I know I did. 

Enjoy! (with a pat on the head)

Not much to say about today, which has been typical wintery day here in Ireland (cold, very wet and windy!), except that Bea and Matt are so sweet!  Bea was over this morning taking the reading for my electricity usage and she was commenting on the fact that there's not a lot to do on a day like today.  I assured her I had plenty of work to do and that would keep me busy.

A couple of hours later, Matt knocks on my door with a plate of Irish stew for me that Bea had made.  He said, "Enjoy!" and then he patted me on the head.  A little weird and normally, I don't like being patted, but somehow from Matt, it's ok. :) And the stew was delicious, a real treat on a day when you I can hear the wind howling and the rain blowing against the windows. 


It's a little misty because the steam was fogging up the lens!



No, no, no! I can do it!

So yesterday, I drove down to Kilkenny, a town in the southeast of Ireland.  Here's what the guidebook has to say about Kilkenny:

"Forget Galway, ignore Cork and don't even bother with Dublin.  Kilkenny can stake its claim as Ireland's best city because it combines a stunning medieval historical centre of winding streets and notable buildings with a rich heritage of arts and culture - best expressed in the myriad of festivals it hosts - and a throbbing nightlife that draws them in from far afield." (Lonely Planet Ireland)

You might think that's why I took the 3.5 hour drive down to Kilkenny...for the throbbing nightlife...but that's not exactly true.  I had a job interview there at a local hotel for a front desk position.  Long story short, I was offered the position but declined it for numerous reasons which aren't really interesting enough to write about.  It's ok though, because the city does live up to it's reputation (although I can't really attest to the nightlight situation) so it was worth the trip. 

The drive down there was great!  Deciding to trust Google Maps to tell me the best way to go turned out to be a good decision.   I've had mixed results with this as sometimes it fails to realize that even though that's the shortest route, it's really no more than a glorified bike path where the sheep own the road.  :)  But the route was, for the most part, just fine and I had it mostly to myself on the way there because I left early.  And then, like a mirage rising in front of me, I saw a sign for the M6!  And even more incredible were the words "Dual Carriageway" and a speed limit of 120 km/hr!  Oh yeah, baby, I was turning on the cruise control...even if it was only for 32 km and then I left the motorway again.  Sigh, it was good while it lasted.

At some point on the trip there, I realized that I had forgotten my dress shoes at home. And I don't care who you are...no one can pull off dress pants with hikers.  It was too late to go back so I resolved to find some shoes in Kilkenny.  After about half an hour of random driving around the city (I wished several times that I had an iPhone), I came across a Dunnes, kind of our equivalent to Zeller's with food and clothing and house stuff, so I was saved!  Before and after the interview, I had some time to explore the beautiful city of Kilkenny, filled with medieval churches and abbeys and its very own castle!  While at the castle, I was attempting to use my camera timer to capture a photo of me with the castle and fountain in the background.  This involved placing the camera on a bench and running madly to the fountain in time for the picture to be taken.  After one attempt, I was interrupted by an Irish couple and the man asked if he could take the photo for me.  Nice!  We set it up and he took the photo with his wife giving "friendly" comments on how he should proceed.  After the first photo, he gave the camera back to me to check it out and his wife, with the best intentions, approached as if to take the camera and help him out.  "No, no, no!  I can do it!" was his response as he shooed her away.  It made me think of a few couples I know and that made me smile.  And I smiled to myself again at the proud look he shot his wife when I assured him that the first attempt was great. 

Almost a local...

Today I realized that I’ve actually become pretty comfortable here; I’m not a local by any stretch but it’s amazing to me how quickly you get used to a place.  I like it.  Here are some of the things that contributed to that realization:

• The other day I actually thought, I need to “ring” that person.
• Today, I went out without my camera, guidebook or map.
• While driving, I have thought, “Man, these tourists drive slow!”
• I no longer have to ask the cashier what each of the chocolate bars is like.
• I have experienced the familiar acceleration of my heart when I drive by a police car because, yes, I am going ABOVE the speed limit.
• When a movie commercial says “In cinemas now!”, I no longer change it to “theatres” in my head. 
• I bought a re-usable shopping bag.
• I know alternate routes to avoid “holiday traffic”. 
• I have learned to spend an entire evening in one room…because it’s the only one that’s heated!  And wearing 2-3 pairs of socks at all times in the house seems pretty standard. 

Don’t get me wrong, everyday there is still something different to learn or experience; I just think that living somewhere can quickly become comfortable and that can be nice.  And please don’t think that it has all been easy or comfortable.  I’ve often needed to remember the verse God placed on my heart recently, Joshua 1:9, about being strong and courageous and not being afraid or discouraged because God is with me wherever I go.  There have been times of discouragement and fear here, but I am comforted by the fact that I’m not alone and that my courage is not my own but His. 

"We flushed it down the toilet."

I’m going to try and recap a couple of days in one entry so here goes…

On Friday, I needed to go to Galway to return my rental car and pick up a new one.  Budget just wasn’t cutting it as far as price goes; Hertz was going to be better.  While I was there I thought I’d see the sights in Galway, which took me about an hour and a half.  I’m sure it’s a lovely city to live in but as far as tourism, there’s only a little to see, at least as far as I was able to uncover. 

The funny thing about Galway is the story of trying to get to the airport to pick up my new car!  I had discovered that since the Galway airport is teeny tiny, there were not that many ways to get there, namely a bus once a day (which I had missed) or a taxi or my own two feet.  No one suggested walking; I just thought it might be a way I could save some money since the traffic was crazy that day and a taxi the whole way would have cost an arm and a leg!  So, I set out in the direction of the airport, thinking that I would walk until it wasn’t safe to walk (ie: I reached the motorway where there is no shoulder to walk on) and then I would call a taxi.  On the way I watched taxis drive by and memorized the phone numbers on them so that I could call one when I needed.  I thought the phone numbers seemed awfully short, 6 numbers instead of the usual 9.  “Maybe that’s just a special way to call a taxi”, I thought.  Sometimes, I’m not that bright.  After walking for awhile and having to climb over a fence and a wall, I reached the motorway.  Brilliant, I thought, I’ll just call the taxi now from this gas station.  But strangely enough, the phone numbers I had memorized didn’t work and didn’t work and didn’t work.   Feeling a little distressed, I went into a neighboring car dealership where a very nice receptionist was kind enough to call me a taxi and give me the phone number for future reference.  Sure enough, I was missing the first three numbers, much like an area code.  They said I could wait inside which was nice of them.  So I waited, and waited, and waited.  I was concerned because what happens when you are late to pick up a rental car?  Do you get charged or do they refuse you your car?  I don’t know!  Half an hour later, they are closing and the girl notices I am still there, “Are you still waiting for your taxi?!”  To which I replied yes and so she called them again.  Traffic was indeed bad and she was told that someone was on their way.  About 45 minutes after the initial call, a taxi pulled up and I was taken to the airport.  If it took him 30-45 minutes just to get to me, can you imagine how much it would have cost me if I had gotten a cab right from downtown?  All of a sudden, walking and fence hopping didn’t seem so bad.   And in case you were wondering, nothing bad happens when you are a little late to pick up your rental car; actually, no one even mentioned it.  J 

The next day dawned bright and sunny so I decided to take a trip to Achill Island.  It’s like an island but not really because it’s connected to the mainland by a bridge.  But it’s supposed to be very scenic and there are lots of villages to explore and some hikes to do.  Well, Achill Island definitely did not disappoint!  It was amazingly beautiful and honestly, I don’t even have the words to describe it.  (there are photos and videos on my web album if you want to check it out) 

One of the highlights of the day was chatting with a Dublin-er on the top of this hill we had both climbed.  He was with two other guys but I don’t know where they were.  Mostly he was funny because it was interesting to talk to a city person who had ventured into the “country” for a visit.  (it’s a bank holiday weekend here in Ireland, a long weekend, so lots of Irish folk were on mini holidays)  We talked about the roads and I learned that not every Irish person is used to driving on roads like I have experienced, he said that because there was no motorway all the way out here, they had been crawling along through these little “provincial” towns (he actually used the word provincial) and the locals were always behind them bullying them to go faster.   Actually, they did go VERY slow; I followed them out from the beach and eventually, I became the bully behind them because they were going about 40 km/hr!  And he said that you can tell where someone is from in the country based on their license plate number so the locals know who is from the “big city” and who is actually from around here.  His funniest quote had to be during our discussion of the Irish economy, “Economy? What economy?  Oh, didn’t you hear?  We flushed it down the toilet.”  It’s always interesting to get the local perspective. 

Pilgrimmage up Croagh Patrick

When I woke up to discover a mildly sunny day, more importantly it wasn’t misty or raining, I knew today was the day to climb Croagh Patrick.  I think Croagh is the Irish/Gaelic word for “mountain”….at least I’m thinking that’s a safe bet.  Apparently, back in the day, this is the mountain that St. Patrick walked up as an act of penitence.  It’s become a holy mountain in Ireland and people come en masse to do this hike (or pilgrimage) at the end of July.  I packed up and drove to the next town over from me where the trailhead begins and where the cafe and visitor centre (fancy word for souvenir shop) are located.  I won’t bore you too much with the details of the hike other than to say it was about an hour of straight up and then about an hour of straight down and it was really rocky.  It was the kind of up where your Achilles tendons are always at their max and several times on the way down I thought, “I’m thankful I have emergency health insurance”.  I enjoyed the way up, hard but not impossible, but my knees did not enjoy the way down.  Oh well.  It was definitely worth it when I got to the top to see what seemed like the whole of Ireland stretched out below me.  I know I couldn’t see the whole island, but you know when you see a view that just seems to go for ever?  That’s what it was like.  St. Patrick’s oratory is up there (a small chapel) as well as his bed, which looked like a big stone.  I spent some time hanging out and eating my lunch on the top but not too long because it was COLD up there.  I actually put mittens on!  There were lots of nice people to meet on the way up and down; I’ve gotten into a habit of trying to guess where people are from before they speak…I’m not very good but my guesses are getting better.  Mostly I have trouble with Irish vs. English, but continental Europeans and Americans are pretty easy to spot.

I got to the bottom and headed over to an old abbey and the national famine memorial.  The abbey was cool and there was a grave there for a guy who died in 1791!!  It just reminds me of all the history that came before Canada was even born!  There were probably older as well because there were lots of slabs that had become unreadable over time.  And the famine memorial was….haunting, I think that’s the best word to describe it.  I have realized how little I knew about the famine that happened here in the 1800s and how terrible it actually was.  It literally wiped out half of Ireland’s population, before the famine there were 8 million people here and after there were only 4 million survivors.  And of the 100,000 people who emigrated to escape the famine, they think that 13,000 people died on the ships.  They started calling them coffin ships because of all the deaths.  It all just reminds me to be thankful to God for the amazingly blessed life I have. 

The other night, I had a job interview which was actually pretty funny.  It started out with the woman forgetting to show up and ended with her telling me that they had chosen me for an interview because they believed I’d be able to use my Canadian connections to secure jobs for all the graduates of their business college.  Secure jobs?  Connections?  Am I in the Canadian mafia or something?  While I didn’t say that out loud, I was definitely thinking it.  Needless to say, when I politely told her that besides the regular job searching tools that Canadians use I didn’t have any “connections” that would be able to secure jobs for graduates, she looked disappointed and SURPRISED. I don’t think I’ll be getting the job. 

And for those just tuning in, you can view photos and videos of this day and others. Just click on the links at the side of the page under "Photos and Videos".

Can you get a ticket for going too slow?

Today was fairly cold and misty but I decided to hit the road anyway, having already decided to try and get to the Ceide Fields, an archaeological site that is spoken of fairly highly so I thought I should check it out.  It seemed to be a day for livestock on the road, I saw cows being herded down the highway (their owner was running behind them!), then more cows on the road that I had to wait for, and then sheep that were also on the road!  I thought to myself, just when I'm starting to take it for granted that I'm in Ireland, I come around a bend in the road and I'm reminded....I'm definitely not in Canada anymore.  And it always makes me laugh.  At one point today, I was being followed by the Garda (police)!  It was rainy out and the speed limit was 100km/hr on the road, but I was definitely not going 100.  I started to think, can they pull me over because I'm going too slow?  Well, that freaked me out so I tried to pick up the pace and got up to 90 for a while (some white knuckles were involved) and then I pulled into the nearest town to "check it out".  I wasn't really checking it out, I just didn't want them to be following me anymore...and they wouldn't pass!  In retrospect, I'm laughing at myself; in the moment, I didn't think it was very funny.  

I eventually reached the Ceide Fields and toured around the visitor center and the fields for a while.  You're probably asking...what are these fields all about?  Well, in 5000 BC there was a farming community in this area but eventually, a bog blanketed the whole community so you couldn't even see that anyone had been there.  Eventually, as farmers in more modern times were cutting turf (peat) from the bog for their fire, they started hitting the stone walls that were under the bog!  So, archaeologists came in and excavated some of the area to reveal housing structures, grave sites and fences all over the fields.  It's actually pretty cool in theory and the visitor centre does a great job of showing you how it happened etc., but the fields are actually kind of a let down after they get you all psyched up.  You walk around on these pre made paths and everyone once in a while the bog is dug up to reveal these piles of stones.  I could definitely tell that some were fences and I think there was one house but I was definitely imagining something...more identifiable.  Oh well, worth seeing but just not what I was expecting. 

On the way home, I decided to take some roads that weren't on the map.  A word of warning if you're ever in Ireland, don't do this.  If I thought the roads were narrow before, I hadn't seen anything like this.  With my car in the middle of the road, I think I could have reached out my window on either side and touched the plants on the side of the road!  I think I held my breath everytime someone came towards me and went by.  And the crazy thing is, the locals don't even seem to notice!  They just hurtle by me, not knowing that the Canadian driver they just passed is saying a silent prayer of thanks that she's still alive and her car is unscathed.  On the plus side, now the regular roads seem really wide!   

Road Trip: Ireland Style

With my ankle feeling better but not quite tip top, I decided to take a road trip.  The guide book suggested a route that basically went right past my front door so I just started driving.  The first place of note was the Doolaugh Valley, incredibly beautiful with lakes and mountains and road dwelling sheep.  Hey, does anyone out there know why all the sheep here have pink or blue or both colors painted on them?  I thought, maybe it distinguishes boy sheep from girl sheep but then some have both and I didn't really want to imagine what that could mean.  There wasn't a lot of traffic, which is a good thing because I was going about 50km/hr just looking at everything and trying to be a good driver at the same time.  But the lack of traffic meant I was able to stop when and where I wanted, which sometimes meant the middle of the road.  The next place along the route was Aasleagh Falls, very pretty but not quite Niagara or anything.  I kept driving until I reached Leenane, a cute town with a sheep/wool museum.  I should have asked them about the pink and blue!  Back on the road again, I decided I wanted to head to Kylemore Abbey; a girl I met earlier in the morning had mentioned it and I like old churches so I thought, why not?  The road that took me there borders on Connemara National Park, definitely made the trip more scenic and definitely a place I want to go back to.  In the process of getting to the abbey, I passed a local church where a wedding was going on.  Weddings are nice, but not when they create complete road congestion.  Imagine this: the roads are already tiny but now you have rows of parked cars on either side and groups of people casually walking back to their cars through the middle and only lane of traffic.  I wanted to honk but then I got distracted by their hats.  We really have to bring hats back in Canada.  They're cool, especially big ones with feathers.  I finally reached the abbey only to discover that it's actually more of a castle and there is also a gothic church to view and a victorian walled garden and tea room....all that for the low price of 12 Euros!  (which is equivalent to about $18 Cdn right now)  However, they are nice enough to let you get close enough to take pictures and go to the gift shop for free.  :)  After the abbey, it was back on the road and I was headed home but on the way, I hit an Ireland driving milestone!  I actually reached the posted speed limit. (only on the straight bits, but still!)  

Traveller sidelined by injury

Yesterday, I made the short trek from my house into the town of Westport.  This is a 15 minute drive and somehow the driving seems easier already.  Parking, especially parallel, is a bit of a challenge but I managed.  The trip to Westport was part necessity and part tourism.  I needed to get my GNIB card, which I did from a very nice immigration officer named Linus.  I almost convinced him to hire me because he obviously needs an administrator but he said by the time they did all the paperwork to hire me, my year in Ireland would be up.  I then took a trip to the social welfare office for my PPS number (another job/tax related thing).  However, I was told that I needed a job before I could apply for my number which is actually the opposite of what it says on the website and what I was told in Dublin.  After double checking and finding that they are wrong and I am right (how was I to know?) I think I'll go back again on Monday but perhaps to a different office since there is another one about 15 minutes down the road.  Maybe they'll be more in touch with what the requirements actually are.  :) 

The tourist part involved cruising around the town which is actually quite cute.  Westport has won the "tidy town" award in Ireland 3 times, a fact that they are very proud of as it's in every guide book and pamphlet I saw, and it is indeed a tidy town.  The streets are layed out in a wheel like pattern with the clock tower serving as the hub.  I spent some time venturing in and out of shops, trying to stay out of the rain.  Yes, it was raining!  Finally, after 6 days in Ireland, it actually rained.  I know, I know, there will probably be a day when I'll wish for it to stop, but for now, I'm still excited when it rains.  After touring the main town, I decided to take a walk that was recommended by the tourist office.  It was an old railway line that is now a walking path which leads to the entrance to Westport House.   I explain more about Westport House in my Westport photo album but basically it's a huge Irish manor house that sits all by itself on these beautiful grounds.  It's neighboured by a pirate themed amusement park and campground for families.  You, like me, might be wondering, how do those 2 things fit together?  Well, the house is built on the ruins of a castle owned by one of Ireland's most famous pirate queens, Grace O'Malley.  Thus, the amusement park.  Obviously, Ireland is not immune to commercializing something to make some extra cash.  All in all, it was a bit of an eerie experience because there was no one around, no cars in the car park, no ticket takers at the gate and no one to stop me from entering the section which said "Only ticket holders and wristband wearers past this point".  So of course, I went in for free.  :)  I wondered if it was closed but I could hear kids yelling on the rides and the gate was open so I don't think so.  Since I was an "illegal" patron, I didn't stay long and kept an eye out for guards with tazer guns running toward me. 

Now, even though I have a car, I had parked it first thing and did all of my sightseeing and errands on foot.  (I find this easier)  However, midway through the day, I started to feel pretty bad pain in the ankle and shin of my right foot which continued to get worse until I was limping around town.  I could plead ignorance and say this was a sudden onset pain that took me by surprise but the truth is I've been feeling it mildly since Dublin but ignoring it because...there's just so much to see and who wants to nurse an injured ankle?  Well, now I'm nursing an ankle because I woke up this morning after an uncomfortable sleep and couldn't really walk.  What's wrong?  I think it might have something to do with 8-10 hour days of walking on concrete in flip flops, not the most ideal travel footwear, so I've learned.  I haven't worn them since Dublin, but I think the damage was done and long days of walking, even in good shoes, haven't helped.  So, I sidelined myself for the day and spent a leisurely day reading, job and car insurance hunting online and administering anti-inflammatories.  Hopefully, I'm back up and running tomorrow or the next day.   

Westward Ho! But wait...my trunk's broken.

Yesterday, I boarded the bus for Galway, the major city of the west coast.  (and when I say major, you should know the population is about 72,000)  Finally!!  I was headed to the "real" Ireland; let's face it, we all have a movie inspired picture of Ireland and I had yet to see it.  So with much anticipation I got on the bus and settled in for a ride full of great scenery.  And...I was a little disappointed.  Don't get me wrong, it was beautiful but I always forget that major highways (motorways I should say) aren't usually surrounded by amazing scenery.  But at least I wasn't surrounded by city anymore.  We arrived in Galway where I lugged my pack and my suitcase to the rental car place.  After being persuaded to buy rental insurance (which I know is smart but it's SO expensive!), I wasn't feeling as great about my car rental as I had previously but no matter, I was headed toward the open road and the west coast and I was driving a VW, cool!  The only problem...I couldn't seem to get my trunk (or boot) open.  Hmmm...just imagine me in this strange parking garage trying every possible way to get that trunk open; I was inside trying to push it open, I was feeling all around the edge for an unseen latch or hook, I was pointing the key fob at it and trying several different button combinations.  Nothing.  I'm sure if someone was watching, they were laughing.  I shoved my stuff into the backseat and despite the temptation to avoid embarassment and just drive off into the sunset, I forced myself to be assertive and go back to the rental place to inquire if possibly my trunk or fob was dysfunctional.  To his credit, the guy didn't laugh too much before informing me that I was to push in on the rather large VW symbol on the back thus converting it into a handle which would then open my trunk.  :)  Lesson learned. 

I'm proud to say that on my way out of the city and on my drive to Westport, I only got honked at twice!  Once at a roundabout and once at a left hand turn where I think I was on the right side of the road...which isn't correct.  Oops.  I will say this, I'll never complain about any Canadian road again because I never have to wonder whether the width of two cars will actually fit on the road!  And it's amazing how 80km/hr can suddenly seem like race car speed when it's done on a twisty, narrow road where there's no shoulder except a friendly stone wall.  The one thing about driving is that you don't really get to enjoy the scenery (because you're gripping the steering wheel so tight) and the scenery was finally everything I had been hoping for, "movie Ireland" at its best!   But I decided the crazy driving and broken trunk were all worth it when I arrived at my little vacation house overlooking Clew Bay which opens up into the sea.  Bea and Matt live in the main house and they've converted one end of the house into an attached apartment.  They are everything you'd expect an Irish couple to be and they have been SO great since I arrived.  Matt brought over some scones tonight that Bea had made and asked if I had ever tried a "brown scone" before.  Not really sure what that meant and already having asked him to repeat it twice, I said I didn't think so and thanked him for bringing them over.  When I tried one, I quickly realized he was actually saying "bran scones"!  I laughed at myself and then enjoyed a delicious scone. 

Being a tourist is easy; being a resident...not so much

My third day in Dublin actually involved something I was required to be there for, orientation with SWAP (the company that arranged my work permit).  I showed up to an orientation group of 7 people, 5 of whom were Canadian...guess I'm not as original as I thought.  It was useful, if somewhat overwhelming, information.  This is kind of how it went: "Ok, you need to get a GNIB card and then you'll need to get your PPSE card and then you'll need to open a bank account, fill out this form once you have a job and then just fill out this other form and this other form and then you're done.  Oh wait, there's this other form also.  Oh, and did we mention that for all of this you need a proof of residence letter? You're not living anywhere yet? Hmmm, well, no worries, just sort it out at some point before you get a job."  Now, for anyone who knows me, just "sorting it out at some point" doesn't really cut it.  But I'm practicing my very best "chillaxing" skills and trying to trust that with God's help, it'll all get sorted at the right time.  And as usual, I'm probably worrying more than needed.  In an attempt to get the GNIB card figured out before I left Dublin, I was up at 4am this morning to try and get to the Immigration office before the crowds descended.  The office opens at 8am but it's rumored that anyone actually showing up at 8 is usually 350th in line or something crazy like that because people line up before the office opens.  I thought I'd be there in plenty of time, but arriving at 5:15am found me at the back of a line of about 50 people.  After waiting for 2 hours in the cold, I found that I was now at the back of a 100 person line because, yes, people save spots for their 3-4 friends to come and join them in line.  Bah!  I'm not a fan of budders.  I realized there was no way I was getting in there before my bus left for Galway so I headed back to the hostel.  I can get the GNIB card here in the west, it's just not quite as simple as in Dublin.  Oh well, guess I should have gotten there at 3am or something like that. 

On the plus side of yesterday, I headed out to Kilmainham Jail for a tour around the ancient and now closed prison.  This was definitely one of the best historical sites I saw, amazingly well done as far as the restoration and museum section and a passionate tour guide.  Again, I left feeling educated and somewhat distraught after learning what prisoners there had to endure for as little as not revealing their "sources".  If you're into history, check out the story of Ann Devlin.  From the little I learned about her, she was a braver woman than I could ever hope to be.  And a tragic love story, if that's more your speed...Grace Gifford and Joseph Plunkett, secretly married in the prison chapel 3 hours before he was to be executed.  After the actual ceremony, Grace was invited back to Joseph's cell for a 10 minute visit and the entire 10 minutes they were surrounded by guards and officials.  My heart ached for her and for so many other people that suffered in that prison.  As you can probably tell, I really get excited when someone can make history more personal.  So, if you're ever in Dublin, put Kilmainham Jail on your list of things to see. 

Can you tell me how to get to the Bog of the Frogs?

I should note that I'm posting my photos and videos on a web album and you can access those via the links at the side of the page. 

Day 2 dawned with an overcast sky but still no rain.  I planned to head out to a fishing village outside of Dublin called Howth.  It's a lonely planet recommendation so I expected other tourists, but I was surprised by just how many.  It felt like all of Dublin's tourist population had decided to go to Howth on this lovely Sunday.  Oh well, I did manage to escape the hoardes at some points during the day.

First, I got a bit lost on the Dublin train system; who knew that there were three different kinds of trains?  I definitely did not and found myself out in some industrial area which I knew immediately was not the picturesque village of Howth.  An Irish bloke was kind enough to re-direct me to the main station where I could board the proper train; it turns out I'd only gone a couple of stops out of the way.  Not knowing what to expect in Howth, I arrived with a trainload of others and immediately headed out of the village to what I thought would be an untravelled area to hike.  Wrong again.  Throngs of people were also headed in the same direction so I resigned myself to being one of the masses for the day.  It turns out there are 4 established hiking loops in Howth, so I set out on the longest one which would take me along most of the coast line before looping back to the train station.  I was supposed to follow the purple arrows, indicating the Bog of the Frogs trail.  (remember that ok?)  The trail was beautiful and eventually when the purple trail split from the rest, I had it mostly to myself.  I even had the good fortune to run into a lovely Irish gentleman named Jack.  He asked where I was off to and I said, "Can you tell me how to get to the Bog of the Frogs?"  He shrugged non-committedly and then we had a bit of a chat and he sent me on my way with some directions on how to finish the trail.  Let's just say, I should have ignored Jack.  I ended up a bit lost because rather then looking for the purple arrows, I listened to my new friend's advice.  Oh well, I managed to get back on the red trail which re-connected with the purple trail.  You know, I never did see the Bog of the Frogs which is sad because I was really looking forward to it.  Here's a map of Howth, if you look at the dotted line that surrounds the land mass...that's what I ended up walking (not counting the Jack detour): 


I explored more of the village, saw a seal wrestle some sea gulls for fish, had my first dose of fish and chips (so good!) and then headed home for the night. 

First Day in Dublin

Well, I've never blogged before but I guess I decided this would be the easiest way for people to keep track of me.  So...read if you want, if not, that's ok too.  At least this way you don't have to delete my emails and feel guilty.  :)  Just kidding; I know you'd never delete my emails! 

So, day one in Dublin is finished and I'm tired and sore.  My feet and back definitely aren't used to walking for an entire day...why do I have to walk that much?  Well, I'm too cheap to pay for public transit and there's just so much to see!  It should only take a couple of days for my body to get adjusted.  Anyway, I'll say this for Dublin, it definitely lives up to what you think it should be.  I've just returned from the more popular pub filled streets and it was crazy...and it wasn't even 10:00pm!  I can't imagine what happens later on, just more fun filled revelry I guess.  Someone needs to remind me why I chose to come to Ireland, a country that thrives on having a pint and heading out to the pub, when I don't even drink?!  I'm starting to think my beer free life might be coming to an end; don't worry though, it might just be a pint or two here and there.  And just in case you thought Dublin was only for Irish folk, I can tell you that I don't think I've ever heard more languages or accents in a single day.  This is definitely tourist central for Ireland which makes me feel less conspicuous but also makes me excited to leave Dublin and head for less touristed areas. 

Some highlights from the day....I visited three of Dublin's amazing National Museums and was happy to learn more about this country's history, everything from bog butter to the Easter Rising of 1916.  I feel educated.  There were 2 castles to visit, neither of which were super impressive.  I think I'll have to venture out of the big city to see the grander ones.  And I visited St. Stephen's Green (small park) and Phoenix Park, the largest park in all of Europe!  It's twice the size of Central Park; take that New York!  I arrived in the park to discover many cool things, including the Dublin Zoo and some crazy tall tower thing, but most interesting was this private residence that looked a little like a mini version of the White House.  I wondered if I should scale the thistle filled ditch and small fence to get to it, but I decided to just go around to see if there was an actual entrance.  I arrived at the actual entrance to find a large locked gate and 2 guard posts (with guards)!  Thinking I must have missed something, I checked the guide book to discover that this "private residence" is actually home to the president of Ireland.  Later on, I saw the tall fences with coiled barbed wire and security cameras....can you imagine what would have happened if I tried to get across that initial ditch?  It's basically the equivalent of paying a surprise visit to Obama!   I can just hear myself talking to the secret service guys, "Who lives here?  No way!"  Interestingly enough, later on in the park I did get offered a lift by a park ranger, but only because the park was closing and I don't think he trusted that I knew where I was going.  Hearing my mom's voice in my head, "Don't you dare get in that car!", I declined and walked back to the hostel.  I followed this up with some pub observing, a crepe and some gelato.  All in all, a great day.  Oh, and I had some very Irish things said to me today..."Top o' the morning to ya!", "Hello darlin" and "No worries. You're grand."  They all made me smile and reminded me why I picked Ireland.