GALWAY -- Day 1

Holy crap I've been without internet for a while now. The cottage internet connection is chancy at best, and the internet at Joe Mac's decided to crash for a while when I got here a few hours ago. BUT!!! I took 671 pictures this weekend and I need to start sharing them!!

Dunguaire Castle!!

Interior of Dunguaire Castle -- we stopped here for a photo op on the way to Galway. Sadly I learned nothing of the history while we were here -- it just looked really cool.

Katie, Katie, Amber, Brittnie, and Beaner :)

One of the many things I love about Ireland -- there are random towers and fortresses scattered around the countryside, and you can just walk up to them if you want. We didn't in this case, but I could've.

The reason the fields here are so green and good for sheeps is that there's limestone just under the soil. And now you know.

There was some really cool mist/fog going on this morning/afternoon/while we were driving forever -- love the hills and water and clouds here!

The grown-over ruins of an old watch-tower. Cool stuff.

The Gentlemen: Ryan Revior, Kyle, Eric, and Taylor

The crazy limestone fields called The Burren, which are famous because they have a MASSIVE variety of flora growing in the cracks (something to do with heat trapped in the pockets of air down there)

See? FERNS. In early spring. Not out in the open, but in The Burren!

The Poulnabrone burial site. So cool.

Everybody in the picture!! This is also the picture where Rick got his sneaker stuck in the crack of two rocks, and had to pull it off his foot to get free.

If I heard our bus driver correctly, this is a castle that a crazy lady married the lord of, only to kill him for his money. I like that version of the story best, anyway.

I almost thought that we were back in MN <3

A few months too late *le sigh*

The Cliffs of Moher!!!

THE CLIFFS OF INSANITY!!!! This was Bailey's favorite stop of the day, for that very reason -- the famous scene from 'The Princess Bride' was filmed here.

O'Brien Tower, which looks out over the Cliffs. I'm still convinced my family members worked on this tower, though that's probably not true :P

This is how big the staircases were on the inside of the Tower. I didn't feel like I was going to die at all... *sarcasm*

Yours truly, with the O'Brien Tower in the background

So far as we can figure, this is where 'The Princess Bride' scene was filmed -- but no one could tell us for sure.

A new set of cliffs -- Black Rock. According to Owen, this was a calm day for the sea, because normally the waves crash all the way up to the top of the cliffs.

The English major rock -- Brittnie and I :)

Calla and I were those crazy cat people who spent 15 minutes of a bus break trying to pet a semi-stray cat :3

 I'm just realizing that this is where my pictures for the day end -- I took so many early on that I forgot to take one of our B&B or of the university where we went to see 'The Clean House' (one of my favorite modern plays) or the university bar where we went to sing karaoke later!!!! But this is a pretty comprehensive look at our first day in Galway. Next, DAY 2!!!!!!!!

-S

Yes, We Do Homework in Ireland

As today's title suggested, we did a lot of homework and school today. Our professors are hosting a movie night in their cottage in half an hour, so I'll make this a quick post:

My delicious dinner :) animal-shaped pasta and garlic toast. I have no other pictures of today, since it was spent in school and doing homework at the pub.

 HOORAY FOR EXCITING POSTS!! Like I said, I won't be posting anything remarkable until this weekend, when we go on our first long trip :)

-S

Oliver, Oliver...

Huzzah!! The interwebs are back online. It's 10:00 pm here on Sunday. The Super Bowl starts back home soon (prediction: the Pats are going to spank the Giants, and I'm going to miss all the fun movie previews because I'm not going to Eamon's house to stay up really late and watch the massacre). A quick recap of my Saturday and today:

Yesterday morning I woke up early to do homework, and witnessed the first really intense rain storm we've had while here -- even the locals have noticed how much sun/not rain we've had. Until yesterday and today, of course. But it was cool to be inside watching it sheet in sideways...

Our ticket to see the musical!! The high school, or 'college', put on a great show...

Kyle, Calla, Eric, Taylor, Brittnie, Katie M, and Bailey, all somehow in one picture, at the play :D

The stage. I was disappointed that I couldn't get a very good picture of the set, because it was really cool and moved a lot more than most shows I've seen, and it was a young show too! A majority of the actors were 12-17, except for a few adults and returning students.

One of the beginning scenes, with my favorite song 'It's Your Funeral' -- very clever and well-sung (describes the entire show, really). Oliver's actor was also the cutest thing I've seen ever, and I don't have a non-blurry picture of him :(

Oliver, The Artful Dodger (Bailey's favorite character), and the chorus singing 'Consider Yourself'

The entire cast, at the end of the show, coming out for a rendition of 'Consider Yourself' -- they all came out to take a bow and sing, then the principle read off some thank-yous (a very personal touch, I thought) and they all sang again before the show officially ended :)

The highlight of today -- going to the Red Rose Cafe with Brittnie, Bailey, me, Katie M, Katie K (taking the picture) and Colleen (not pictured). We had a nice lunch, then crossed the street to Joe Mac's to watch Ireland just barely lose to Wales in Six Nations. So sad. But we had fun being there :)

 So that's that! This week's posts will probably be smaller until Friday, when we leave for our 3-day Galway trip! 

-S

Balintubber Abbey, Moore Hall, and Joe Mac's

Hello all, sorry for the late post.We were out late last night, having a wondrous time at Joe Mac's, and our Internet has been out at the cottages. So, we're back at Joe Mac's, taking advantage of the Wi-Fi and drinking tea while pretending to do homework. Such is the life of a study abroad student.

Clew Bay, early in the morning!

Balintubber Abbey, also known as the Abbey that Refused to Die. It never missed a Mass even through the Reformation!! It's been burned down 3 times, but built back up each time.

Those are the original stone arches! So beautiful.

This is a gnarly old ash tree growing out of the grave of a famous priest killer -- legit story.

Moore Hall is this amazing old mansion where George Moore lived -- his racehorse won a large purse of money that got the parish through the famine.

Pat and Amber at Moore Hall

Bailey, Brittnie, and Rick at Moore Hall

Beaner and Owen, our bus driver

YELLOW DOOR! I like this picture

Tom trying on an old vest at the Museum of Country Living

My favorite exhibit at the Museum -- The Blacksmith

Turlough House, part of the Museum of Country Living

JOE MAC'S. Taylor, me, Eric, Bailey, Kyle, and Melissa, all having a grand time :)

Katie and her new best friend Richard -- a redhead and an excellent dart player!

That was yesterday -- expect a quick post tomorrow about the musical we're going to see tonight!!

-S

Welcome Banquet Day!!

On the way to school, I just kind of turned and snapped this photo -- view from across the sheep field below our cottages <3

The best crisps I've ever had, here or at home. It's probably the fact that they're baked in sunflower oil, and are all shades of delicious.

Because I was feeling antsy today, I went down to the beach and ran around in bare feet. Little did I know that Clew Bay is very cold, and the wind was very very cold -- but the view was gorgeous. Clare Island in this picture <3

I came back from scampering around the beach to find Colleen, Brittnie, Katie, Bailey, and Katie M. playing Skip-Bo very ferociously. We all had some strawberry-mango tea and chatted for a bit :)

I don't think we have this flavor back home. I find this super ironic.

My first bulls-eye at darts -- it was a practice round, and I lost the one game I played against Kyle (we're tied now, 1-1) but I was pretty proud of myself :)

Three of the coolest guys around -- John Staunton, owner of the pharmacy down the road and director of the cottage board; Peter Sweeney, manager of the cottages and all-around go-to guy for any and all problems; and of course our very own Tom Zelman(sometimes Hagan) :D

Probably the best picture my camera got of the set dancing we were learning last night!!! I danced almost all night, so I think Kyle took this picture with the camera I left on the table... It was a lot of fun but a lot of work. My feet are still sore the next morning.

All the girls and Peter -- we were yelling at the boys to take notes ;)

That was yesterday -- it's 8:15 in the morning on Friday now, and we're about to take off for Balintubber and Castlebar. I think we're going to the pub after we get back, so I won't be blogging again until Saturday morning. Wish me luck!! :D

-S

A Varied Kind of Day (aka I Suck At Titles)

Kyle with a match in his mouth.
"Well, my eyelashes are looking a bit crispy..."

Kyle trying to teach Katie Murphy how to play the guitar -- the mass in the back is me doing a little bit of homework. This was how we passed the time waiting for the pub to open -- we're cool kids, don't worry.

Kyle hopped up on the roof and scared Bailey, and I went back to comfort her. It was kind of hilarious, because I tried non-verbally to warn her, but I did a really bad job so it was kind of my fault. But still funny!

The peat fire I managed to set this morning :) not nearly as good as Kyle's but pretty good.

Another food difference -- Starbursts here have challenges written on the wrapper. We had fun with that too :)

I took lots fewer pictures than I intended this morning -- Katie Kero gets photo credits for the first three :) tomorrow night is our big welcome banquet, so hopefully I'll have a post to make out of that!!

-S