baile atha cliath

limerick is beginning to feel like home.

two weekends ago i visited dublin. dublin was not what i expected and more. i'm not sure what i expected honestly. in america when we think of big cities we generally think skyscrapers. the highest point in dublin, according to the people at the guinness factory, is the gravity bar situated at the top of the guinness storehouse.

dublin activities included walking up and down temple bar, perusing street markets, visiting museums, and attending movie screenings. the dublin international film fest was being held during my visit and i saw the irish film board shorts as well as the last station. it was great craic! as they say here in ireland.

my next big trip will be to scotland. i'm visiting a friend who goes to school in stirling, scotland which is just outside of edinburgh. until then i keep myself occupied with school, exploring limerick, and enjoying the mild weather.

construction crews have already started repaving the streets. it's only march, oh the wonderful effects of having no snow. amazing.

p.s.

uachtar reoite means ice cream in irish gaelic in case you were wondering. also, i miss coffee ice cream. apparently, this is an american institution which i will never take for granted again!

three weeks and still alive

i've been living in limerick for the past three weeks. experienced a little homesickness, but that has passed. for only being my third week living on the emerald isle i have accomplished quite a bit. i've visited the blarney castle, the cliffs of moher, and "hiked" the burren.

the "hiking", as my european friends like to call it, felt more like an exercise in preparation of climbing mount everest. nevertheless, the views were spectacular. indeed, that picture right above is not a stock photo. love it, eat it up, because you aren't going to get photos like this anymore unless an elevator, helicopter, or other device plants me there. all joking aside, i'm glad i did it. i felt an odd sense of accomplishment after hiking for four hours up an endless hill. i'd go further into detail about my experiences that day, but that would trigger my post traumatic stress disorder.

the group i traveled with was a university of limerick club called, "the outdoor pursuits club". i'll give everyone who knows me time to compose themselves from the laughter which i'm sure has ensued......anyway, before the burren we stopped at the cliffs of moher for about thirty minutes. not enough time. the cliffs of moher were amazing. i've been to niagara falls and honestly it didn't impress me, partly because both the american and canadian sides are so touristy. it's this massive natural wonder diminished by casinos and motels. the cliffs of moher should be one of the worlds seven natural wonders. there are no buildings, hotels, or motorways blocking the view. all you can see is the ocean, farmland, and the aran islands in the distance.

this weekend i was able to relax and catch up on podcasts, eating ice cream, and generally lazing about in my cozy apartment. with any luck, next weekend i will be attending the dublin international film festival. at the moment theology is calling; there is reading to be done.