Luck of the Irish

I am knocking on wood as I write this and definitely am not looking the gift horse in the mouth. But I just have to tell you how lucky I have been since arriving in Ireland. As you know my mom and I had a lot of rain on our London adventure, but since I arrived in Cork almost a month ago I have only seen two days of rain. One of which was the typical downpour I had been expecting and the other just a light drizzle. And I know that before I know it I will probably be writing a post about how it has rained about as long as Noah's experience on the ark. So I am relishing the sunshine or even gray but not rain clouds while I can.

Just my view on the way to practice

Besides brilliant weather, I have also been lucky with my courses. I was accepted placement into the twenty person class Rome and Ireland's History that is taking a trip to Rome at the end of the semester! And my geology professor was nice enough to let me switch labs so that I don't have any classes on Fridays--which means time to study (says mom) and time to travel (says me). Plus how many people can say that one of their geology professors makes a joke about you being a "Rock Musician" during a lab and then proceeds to recommend a jazz clarinetist. Check out Acker Bilk--English clarinetist and is currently on repeat in my playlists.

I've also now gotten into the swing of my schedule and have been able to participate in quite a few society/club events. I wore blue last Monday as part of UCC Cancer Society's Blue September Campaign that looks to bring awareness to the campus about male cancer. I went and watched Mrs. Doubtfire with the mental health society, watched an open mic night featuring the music department of UCC, drank tea and played Taboo with the Hot Beverages Appreciation Society, and went on a five hour hike with the mountaineering club last Sunday and hope to repeat it tomorrow.

Lough Coumshinguan, Co. Waterford

May the luck of the Irish please continue and if they wouldn't mind sending that pot of gold too; groceries are kinda expensive...

Foodie

It would be completely wrong of me to leave out where and what I am eating on my adventure abroad. Especially since multiple online sources claim Cork City as the Food Capital of Ireland. Don't believe me? Check out Campus IE, BBC Travel, or Irish Examiner.

But let's start off with what I can put together myself. Now I have to tell on myself, before coming to Ireland I rarely cooked at all! Unless you count Lean Cusine's or soup? So I have consumed a lot of various quesadillas, cereal, and nutella/peanut butter/jelly sandwiches. But I have also made for the first time scrambled eggs (yes I hear you all laughing), chickpea and red pepper side dish, and some pretty awesome salads. This semester I will be testing out various dishes and pushing my newfound baking skills to the test.

However, Cork does not receive such high praise for my often ill-fated attempts at "cooking." So where are places that you should definitely dine at if you ever fancy a trip to Cork? Well in no particular order:


 The Quay Co-op is a self-service vegetarian restaurant that never has the same menu day after day. If you want a Broccoli and Pine Nut Crepe or a Lentil Burger with Red Pepper Sauce this is the place for you!

 The English Market is a bustling collection of stalls of fresh produce, fish, meat, and cheeses that has been a part of the history of Cork for over 400 years. Many of the stalls have sandwiches, sausages, and assorted pastas that could make great picnics. Or head upstairs to the Farmgate Café and grab yourself a chicken salad sandwich and bowl of potato leek soup to go. (There is also a dine in area upstairs if the weather is not appropriate for bench eating). Closes at 5pm.

 Café Gusto located on Washington Street, right before the English Market, is a great place if you just need an afternoon pick-me-up or for a full fledged meal. Operating just during the day during the week, but serving dinner on the weekends--a place high on the list but with only 20 seats better get there fast.

 Having not been to Coqbull yet myself, I am putting this on the list by recommendation of our API Resident Director Shane. Shane works at UCC and lives a little outside of Cork so is very much our local insight. "Best burgers any where in Cork and huge."
 Uncle Pete's is a classy little joint serving up loads of different kinds of pizzas as well as open faced subs and falafel. Walls are covered in movie posters--very popular so there might be a wait. But it is worth it!

 Duke's Coffee Company makes a killer chai tea latte! Serving breakfast all day, this coffee shop is a great place to stop in and order lunch or a scone and coffee during your down time. Seating on multiple floors inside as well as some covered outdoor seating.

 

 Fellini's Tearoom is any artists' dream spot! Filled with vintage furniture and artwork, Fellini's is a great place to lose an afternoon. And how cute is it that there is a bowl of sugar cubes on every table? Great subs and tomato soup.

 The Edison is the hipster retreat on a girls night out for cocktails. They do also serve food opening at 6pm. Though a little pricy at 10 euro a cocktail, their innovativeness and sweet vibe has people crawling back for me. "The Zombie, Chocolate Martini, Mermaid's Orgasm" are just a few of the drink choices plus specialty beers a plenty.

 Having frequented this pub a few times for a drink while enjoying the killer view of the main drag in the city center, I would say it seems a popular hang out for many in Cork. If reading reviews online, one might see multiple complaints about rude staff, but every visit I have been greeted with the same attitude as I find elsewhere.

 Seemingly small and unimposing from the outside, Old Oak brings to mind the phrase "don't judge a book by its cover." The pub extends way back once inside and has a small area that later in the evening turns into dance floor with a DJ and flashing lights. Drinks are a little on the high side, but as I've found in Cork, for having such a drinking culture most bought at pubs are rather expensive. Best advice--pre game or as the Europeans say pre drink and then only buy one or two drinks on your night out.

 The Oliver Plunkett pub on the lower level with the Frisky Whisky bar upstairs is a great venue to gather with friends to listen to both trad. and modern bands play, take in a sports game, or talk amongst the homey décor.


Also check out the Half Door Café, that I speak of in an earlier post! I'll be sure to keep adding to the blog where to go for the best food, drinks, and music.

love always,

 

First Week at Uni

How I feel when I was told during orientation that my schedule isn't set yet

How I feel when the International Office says we have to apply for spots in certain courses

How I feel when someone asks me if I'm a fresher

How I feel as a senior in an all freshmen geology class (and with men in there too)

How I feel when my entire 200 person history class turns to look at me because I'm a girl and I answered correctly

How I feel trying to choose what clubs and societies to join

How I feel when students can't direct me to buildings on their own campus

How I feel when people ask why I'm not going out every night

How I feel when I get mistaken for as a local

How I feel when someone from home asks what I've been cooking (except replace pizza with quesadillas)

But at the end of the day, how I feel about being here for a whole semester

 

Love always,



Rebel Country

Though Cork does have some of the friendliest and fastest talking people I've met, I haven't run into many rebels. Maybe they just don't take Introduction to Geology. But any case, Cork, is known as the Rebel County in Ireland-particularly when it comes to sports.

 

A lovely part of coming over to Cork a few days prior to API(the third party study abroad program I'm with) orientation was I met up with new friend Darien. Who goes to College of Charleston, a mere hour and a half away from my home!

 

 

After exploring a bit of the city center with mom and Darien, we grabbed a bite to eat at the Half Door Café. Where coincidently our cook was an American young man who had lived in Cork for a year but was moving back to the states the next day to care for an ailing parent and then move to South Korea. Our American counterpart was full of good advice, including giving us a tip for an amazing view of the entire city. And it did not disappoint--and the food he made was pretty killer too!

 

 

After one of the steepest roads I've ever seen let alone tackled, the three of us were given a chance to rest on a bench while a sweet breeze wafted over the city.

 

 

 



Photo Catch-Up

Guinness Storehouse Museum

Dublin skyline from Sky Bar at Guinness Storehouse Museum
 



Long Room in Trinity College Library (where the Book of Kells is held)



 

2 1/2 hr train ride Dublin to Cork

Okay I have to take a moment to gush about how much I loved riding the train. First off, I felt all official because our names showed above our seats since we had pre-booked. Also I loved being able to read "Brida" by Paulo Cohelo, which is based in Ireland, as I watch the beautiful countryside go by. Refreshments were available to purchase and free wifi was available. I've heard it is slightly pricier than bus tickets, but classy ladies travel in style. ;)

 

View of Cork from Lancaster Lodge

 The Lancaster Lodge, where mom and I stayed while she was in Cork, was across the river from a beautiful "rainbow row" of buildings and incidentally two minutes from the apartment I am now staying in and maybe a ten minute walk to campus. The staff at Lancaster Lodge definitely embodied the stereotype that Irish people are very friendly and the breakfast was stellar! I recommend the "mini-Irish" breakfast which was NOT MINY! It just did not come with blood pudding. (And I can be adventurous, just not at 7 in the morning)

 

University College Cork, where I am attending classes

Is my current university beautiful or what? And that is just a snippet of the beauty. Be there on a day when the sun is shining, it is 100 times better.

 

The main cathedral of Cork, St. Finn-Barr's

The cathedral pictured above is right down the street from Deans Hall, the accommodations, where I am staying. Also the front has some of the most intricate detail which reminds me of Strasbourg's almost over the top beautiful churches.

 

 Finally on top of things! Anybody think it will last?

Love,



 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Ireland

"Fabulous place, Dublin is. The trouble is, you work hard and in Dublin you play hard as well."

 

Being the birthplace of Guinness probably makes it hard to not be a city known for partying. And like my R.D. Shane told us, the Irish know that the world has a preconceived belief that they drink all the time and it's the truth. Okay, not everybody in Ireland drinks all the time. But it is a known fact that the Irish as a whole make sure to always leave some allowance for alcohol.

 

Like the drinking stereotype, many have the belief that the most commonly experienced weather in Ireland is rain. And the locals will tell you that it is also another true stereotype. However the snow pictured in the winter section, at least in Cork, is very rare. Which is fine by me!

 

After an hour delay, mom and I left London Gatwick airport on a short flight to Dublin where the sun was actually shining at the time. You might start to think that I am food obsessed because I keep talking about places to eat or make sure you eat. But that is because I experience the emotion of HANGER (anger out of hunger) deeply in my soul. And so for anybody that may ever travel with me or if you or someone you know experiences hanger, please make sure to feed them on a regular schedule and prior to any sightseeing because otherwise they will be far from amused.

 

Inside the Guinness Storehouse Museum

 

View from our hotel window

Yet again we lucked out with amazing location in hotels. Jurys Inn Christchurch as you can tell by the picture is literally right across the street from the amazing cathedral (which is the actual one), right down the street from St. Patrick's cathedral, and a two minute walk from Temple Bar area which is the place to eat, drink, and shop in Dublin city center.

 

 

 

 





No Rest for the Weary

We were determined to jam pack our two and half days in London. So here are some more pictures of what we saw and did.



 

Mom outside the British Museum



Travel tip: Don't go to museum when you haven't eaten all day--the mummies just aren't going to do it for ya

Buckingham Palace

Travel tip: State rooms are worth a visit, but get the free listening guide. Otherwise, you'll be lost on some things because there weren't many signs to read describing things or rooms.

St. Martin-In-The-Fields

Travel tip: If you can find the entrance to the restaurant in the crypt of the church, best food we had in London. Cafeteria style ordering but definitely no Gee food there. (No offense Gee!)

Pulled mom on the London Eye and she agreed-best view of the city!

Travel tip: Worth the expense, and even if you are scared of heights or get motion sickness like mom and I it is not something you want to miss. But TRY to go when it isn't raining so you can see the skyline. Also, you can drink champagne while you go around! What??

View from the London Eye

At Oxford University

FYI: This statue was the inspiration for the ghost Nearly Headless Nick from the Harry Potter films

Kensington Palace

We saw a lot, we did a lot, and had a lot of rain but I can't wait to visit London again in a little over a month!