The Trip of a LIFETIME
Alright, so I am already diverging from my "country bumpkin" posts. But this post is still somewhat related. That's what I'm telling myself and who cares? It's my blog!
In May Bear and I went to Ireland to see our good friends get married. The bride was from Co. Waterford, Ireland, and the groom from Saskatchewan. What a freaking awesome time!
We first landed in London to visit my good friend Tanya for a few days. With Tanya we saw Buckingham Palace, walked the Thames, said 'ello to Big Ben, among many other things. Our time in London was fantastic. One of the most memorable expeditions was our trip to the British Museum and to Abbey Road Studios. An anthropologist and Beatles fan's dream! Woah!
The foyer to the Museum is breathtaking on its own. But once we got into the Ancient Mesopotamia exhibit, I just about died. A few years ago I took a first year Art History course. It was pretty much archaeology of art in Mesopotamia. It was FANTASTIC (and easy). I was seeing all of the lovely pieces from my class right there in the exhibit and in person! Sumerian Lamassu, Sphynx, Cylinder Seals... the works! Thankfully I bought a large SD card prior to our departure to the UK, so I was able to take a lot of pictures.
The Museum was just fantastic. I can't even say how magical it was to be in there... just FANTASTIC. How many times have I used that word already?
Our other 'dream come true' moment was our trek to Abbey Road Studios. I grew up with an avid Beatles fan for a mom. At one point there was a room dedicated to their greatness. Not a shrine, just a room with loads of memorabilia. My mom's Beatlefanaticness rubbed off on me. I was pretty stoked to get to see the famous crosswalk and studio. We took the underground (mind the gap!) to St. John's Wood and winged it from there... searching in the wrong direction. We went left when we should've gone right-- it was a nice tour of London suburbia.
After we turned around we knew we were in the right spot once we saw traffic stopping for very slow pedestrians across a short crosswalk on Abbey Road. I managed to get my picture too, but due to traffic and construction my picture is not as epic as the album cover.
As many wonderful things London has, the people are not as wonderful. I found most to be pushy and nonchalant, especially at the underground stations. What ever happened to pleasantries and manners? Also, it was a friggin mission to find a garbage can (thanks to the Queen's Jubilee and Olympics on the horizon). Guess they'd rather have garbage all over the streets than a bomb go off (no, I did not litter).
After two days in London we were off to Dublin. We enjoyed a freshly tapped Guinness at the airport waiting for our charter bus to take us to Waterford.
I'm going to fast forward through a lot of the goings on in Ireland, otherwise I'd be here for days and I don't think you want to listen to all of my "Ireland is so wonderful" jibber-jabber.
In Waterford we witnessed the marriage of our two good friends Rob and Cรณra. We followed them to Co. Cork to kiss the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle, taste Whiskey at the Jameson distillery in Midleton, and relax in Killarney, Co. Kerry.
Co. Kerry is beautiful. Ocean, mountains, lakes and great people. Our great adventure with R and C was climbing Carrantouhill, the highest peak in Ireland. The climb, up and down, took us around 7 hours. Gusts of wind threatened to blow us off the mountainside but we all, thanks to the help of our guide, managed to summit the mountain in one piece. Oh I was sooo proud of myself! I'm not the most athletic gal in the world, and I have a back that likes to freak out when I push my body too far, so this ascent was the greatest thing I'd ever done! Sadly I've taken this feat far outta context and whenever I feel like a sweet treat I tell myself, it's okay, you can eat it... you climbed a mountain! Luckily, those treats don't happen too often!
In May Bear and I went to Ireland to see our good friends get married. The bride was from Co. Waterford, Ireland, and the groom from Saskatchewan. What a freaking awesome time!
We first landed in London to visit my good friend Tanya for a few days. With Tanya we saw Buckingham Palace, walked the Thames, said 'ello to Big Ben, among many other things. Our time in London was fantastic. One of the most memorable expeditions was our trip to the British Museum and to Abbey Road Studios. An anthropologist and Beatles fan's dream! Woah!
 |
| Foyer to the Museum |
The foyer to the Museum is breathtaking on its own. But once we got into the Ancient Mesopotamia exhibit, I just about died. A few years ago I took a first year Art History course. It was pretty much archaeology of art in Mesopotamia. It was FANTASTIC (and easy). I was seeing all of the lovely pieces from my class right there in the exhibit and in person! Sumerian Lamassu, Sphynx, Cylinder Seals... the works! Thankfully I bought a large SD card prior to our departure to the UK, so I was able to take a lot of pictures.
The Museum was just fantastic. I can't even say how magical it was to be in there... just FANTASTIC. How many times have I used that word already?
Our other 'dream come true' moment was our trek to Abbey Road Studios. I grew up with an avid Beatles fan for a mom. At one point there was a room dedicated to their greatness. Not a shrine, just a room with loads of memorabilia. My mom's Beatlefanaticness rubbed off on me. I was pretty stoked to get to see the famous crosswalk and studio. We took the underground (mind the gap!) to St. John's Wood and winged it from there... searching in the wrong direction. We went left when we should've gone right-- it was a nice tour of London suburbia.
 |
| Abbey Road |
After we turned around we knew we were in the right spot once we saw traffic stopping for very slow pedestrians across a short crosswalk on Abbey Road. I managed to get my picture too, but due to traffic and construction my picture is not as epic as the album cover.
As many wonderful things London has, the people are not as wonderful. I found most to be pushy and nonchalant, especially at the underground stations. What ever happened to pleasantries and manners? Also, it was a friggin mission to find a garbage can (thanks to the Queen's Jubilee and Olympics on the horizon). Guess they'd rather have garbage all over the streets than a bomb go off (no, I did not litter).
After two days in London we were off to Dublin. We enjoyed a freshly tapped Guinness at the airport waiting for our charter bus to take us to Waterford.
I'm going to fast forward through a lot of the goings on in Ireland, otherwise I'd be here for days and I don't think you want to listen to all of my "Ireland is so wonderful" jibber-jabber.
 |
| Blarney Castle |
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| View Descending Carrantouhill |
Co. Kerry is beautiful. Ocean, mountains, lakes and great people. Our great adventure with R and C was climbing Carrantouhill, the highest peak in Ireland. The climb, up and down, took us around 7 hours. Gusts of wind threatened to blow us off the mountainside but we all, thanks to the help of our guide, managed to summit the mountain in one piece. Oh I was sooo proud of myself! I'm not the most athletic gal in the world, and I have a back that likes to freak out when I push my body too far, so this ascent was the greatest thing I'd ever done! Sadly I've taken this feat far outta context and whenever I feel like a sweet treat I tell myself, it's okay, you can eat it... you climbed a mountain! Luckily, those treats don't happen too often!
 |
| At the Summit! |
After the Co. Kerry adventures, we headed back to Canada. I absolutely love Ireland and the people within. Most hospitable, friendly, helpful people I've met. If you thought Canadians were nice, meet an Irishman!
I haven't even started about the food. If you go to Ireland, bring stretchy pants. Perhaps diet before the trip. There are such delicious foods you will eat yourself into a coma. Every morning we had a "true Irish breakfast", fixed with blood and white pudding, brown bread (best ever), white toast, eggs, beans, tomato, sausage, and side bacon. Some mornings I managed to vary away from the meal for a little less food... but who are we kidding... it was worth the calories. And besides, it's okay, I climbed a mountain!
I guess that's about it for highlights of Ireland. So many other wonderful sights and events, but I can't tell you everything!
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