Galway

Early in November I went to Galway with API. It's been a long time, and I've been really bad about updating my blog lately but I will try to be better in the future. I'm going to add one trip at a time, but we'll start with the one that's in the title, because that makes sense.

Galway.

Galway is one of the larger cities in Ireland, and is on the western coast. The city is much like any other town in Ireland, beautiful streets with neat shops, and some really awesome pubs and clubs. It is known for its party scene...and I can back that claim up.  I had a blast going to The King's Head, and The Quays. A few too many pints of Guinness, and shots of Baby Guinness possibly, but it's hard to care.

Also, there were a lot of neat stories that were relayed to us on our walking tour. There is an old wall, with a window in it where a man hung his own son because the town wished to free him before his sentence was completed, so the father (the head of law in town at the time) hung him for all to see. The people were on their way to free the son, whose surname was Lynch, and were called the Lynchmob, which is where the word came from. Also, lynching came from this story. There were several other tales similar to this one, but I can't remember all of them, which is really pretty bad.

We also had a nice lunch in a small town outside of Galway called Gort while we were out visiting Bunratty Castle (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED), Dunguaire Castle, and another monastery with a round tower. The countryside is very beautiful and the only negative part about the trip is that we were unable to see the Cliffs of Moher. Maybe someday I'll get to go.

The semester may be ending, but keep reading...the posts will keep coming.

Edwords

I swear I was busy...

Hello everyone,


I'm so sorry it's been so long since I last posted anything. I will try to go into more detail about each place I've been to in the last month as soon as I can. Right now it's study week at UCD, so I'm working "hard" on getting French learned so I can take the exam when I get back to Kansas State in January. Also, I have exams in Irish Politics and Folklore coming up that I need to do well on.

Sarah and I in Oslo, Norway

Since my last update I have been to Galway, Norway, my mom, Mike and grandparents have visited, Kilkenny, Glendalough/Wicklow, and done a few new things in Dublin. Also, I now am officially dating Sarah, the Irish girl that has grabbed up space in this blog on several occasions. Coming back to see her is one of my biggest motivators for doing well in French and, in doing so, graduating from KSU in May so I can begin my masters at UCD in the Fall.

This blog is going to continue when I return to America as an overall update on my life, a beer journal/adventure log, and, upon return to Ireland, the same purpose as now.

For now though, it is Christmas time in Ireland. The school has put lights up on all of the buildings in our square in the residences, which looks really nice. Also, there is a large blue-lit tree at the front of campus by the welcoming sign to UCD. I won't be here for Christmas, although I kind of wish I was as I've been invited to Sarah's house for the holiday (out of politeness more than anything I'm sure). I am looking forward to being home for the holidays though, and I'm sure I'll realize that I was more homesick than I thought when I arrive. I've decided that I want to get a Hopperoni pizza with a V-6 IPA at Wichita Brewing Company & Pizzeria immediately after I get home. This will of course be followed up by one of their tasty dessert pizzas.

I'm starting to do some of my Christmas shopping for my parents and others. I know that I'm bringing back a nice bottle of Irish whiskey for myself, and a few trinkets for family. Also, hoping to grab a few Cuban cigars before heading home. Sarah guessed what I was going to get her, so I've already adjusted and gotten something else. Hopefully it will remind her of me when I'm gone, and maybe make her more apt to visit the good old state of Kansas soon.

Anyway, I've probably wasted enough time from studying for the day (some tv, a long lunch, a few tea breaks, some Google Earth exploration, future trip dreaming, blog writing, planning to cook dinner, cooking dinner, maybe a movie tonight....). It's amazing that I've gotten anything productive done today at all, but I swear that I have. It's extremely difficult to learn French on my own, with no speaking and not a lot of real explanation.

Passport Stamps: 11

Next: I promise to talk some about Galway.
Preview: Lots and lots of drinking. Oh, and some other things.