Madrid Madness, Slower Segovia

Well… I've delayed my blog quite a bit on this Spain excursion, but it's been because we've moved around so much! I have had a speedy, up and down trip through Spain, and I will do my best to recount my last four days as efficiently as possible.

We arrived in Spain at around 9:00 a.m. and it took us a couple hours to sort out our selves and get into Madrid. We arrived in Madrid at around 11:50a.m. and immediately went to Retiro Park, a beautiful Spain version of "Central Park." we waited for about an hour underneath the statue seen below ('Alfonso XII,' one of Spain's great leaders) to meet up with our good friend Maxi Berger. Maxi is from our college but is native to Chile. Maxi was a huge asset to our trip as he spoke fluent Spanish. After the rendezvous with Maxi, we took a trip to our hostel, set up shop, and went out on the town.

Our first day in Madrid covered many of the main landmarks of the City. Plaza de Sol, Plaza Mayor, Gran Via, just to name a few.

"Metropolis" on Gran Via

We also tried some of those famous "tapas" that one always has when having a beer in Spain. Tapas are appetizers, and they are free with any purchase of a beer. A king in Spain long ago mandated that bars serve tapas with beer so as to "clean up" the city, so to speak. Most of our night life was spent trying out different beer and tapas. I also had a shot of mandrono, a special liqueur derived from berries native to Spain. The shot came in a chocolate-dipped waffle cone shot glass, which was meant to be eaten (see below).

We woke the next day to find Madrid lit up with a sun-filled beautiful blue sky. Perfect day to spend outside! Our first stop was to famous "El Rastro," allegedly the biggest flea market in Europe. It did not disappoint! Lots of gadgets, gimmicks, and gizmos, all entertaining to see yet worthless to buy.

El Rastro, Biggest Flea Market in Europe

After grabbing a paella lunch (rice and seafood), we toured the Prado Museum for awhile. While pictures were not allowed, I can say that Francisco De Goya's "Picturas Negras" were quite frightening yet well done. Goya was a renowned artist in his day, doing paintings for the royal family and upper class. Goya led in his public success until he contracted Syphilis and began to paint pictures of his nightmares (Picturas Negras, or the Black Pictures/Paintings). These were fascinating yet very morbid.

A nap, a few tapas and beers preceded a pub crazy that we did with a bunch of Americans, Canadans and Australians. My camera died but I can definitely say it was a blast of a time.

The next day, John Murray and I caught a bus to Segovia. We planned on meeting up with Maxi a few days later to go to Toledo. The trip to Segovia took about an hour and a half. Mountains rose out of the horizon as we made our way into rural Spain… after arriving in Segovia, John and I both agreed that we liked the small town feel a lot more.

Upon arriving in Segovia, we met up with Anna Martin, fellow college student and friend. We also settled into the best hostel we've ever encountered. For 20 Euro, we received a room with our own bathroom (with shower, towels, shampoo, soap), 2 balconies, and even a flatscreen TV! I knew I'd forget to take pictures of the room… and I did not disappoint. I can assure you, however, you would be impressed with Don Jaime's Hostel set up.

Our night in Segovia was mostly spent settling in. We got some refreshing tapas and brews, and late that night we went to a bar that serves the best Sangria in town. The ticket price was steep, but the drink was well worth it. It was even a show to see it made! see the photo below…

Best Sangria in Town

The next day of Segovia was spent completely on a sightseeing basis. John and I slept in and walked to Segovia's beautiful cathedral up the street. We were worried about the timing of our touring; you see, everything in Spain closes down from 2:00p.m. - 4:00p.m. for a late lunch and siesta. Our timing worked out, however, as we were able to tour both the cathedral and the castle during the afternoon.

Our touring was helped a lot by Rick Steves' book, "Spain and Toledo: a Snapshot." In the Cathedral, Rick Steves pointed us in the direction of a painting about the apocalypse, and explained it in the book. See if you can figure it out for yourself (picture to the left).

Our tour of the castle was equally as rewarding. Instead of taking the actual tour, we passed through a gate that let to the left of the castle. After hopping a small gate on the side of the castle, we found ourselves on the main balcony in the front of the castle. In this area was a beautiful hedge garden and an excellent view of the surrounding countryside.

We met up with Anna Martin at 4:30p.m. by the Aquaduct, which was very near our hostel. The Aquaduct is Segovia's trademark. It spans for miles and miles, and used to supply the city with water for centuries.

We spent the rest of our day just wandering around Spain. We got a bite to eat, did some grocery shopping for dinner, and returned to our hostel. We later met up with the whole CSB/SJU Segovia study abroad crew that night and went out for a bit. it was a blast!

Alright… I'm a bit behind.. but more blogs to come. Until then, slainte!

thomas

More Family, Fun in Belfast, and Back on Home to Galway

I'm on my second day with the Murray Family in Rostrevor, and I must say that I am being treated like a king. John and I woke at 1:00pm to find a full irish breakfast prepared for us. Mrs. Murray did our dirty laundry and kept the whole house tidy with 5 kids. She's a miracle worker. After our irish breakfast, we raced off to the GAA club to watch the rest of the Celtic vs. Rangers football (soccer) match. We were happy when Celtic won 2-0, and all the "bhoys" around the club (who were drinking all morning) began their Celtic victory songs.

Tom Loonan and John Loonan met up with us at the GAA, and we returned to the Murray household for none other than more food! After a snack, Mr. Murray drove us up the local hiking mountain. The peak in Carlingford Loch is famous for a massive stone that sits on its apex. We all took pictures and hiked around for awhile before returning to the Murray household for… more food. Dinner was wonderful. After indulging in Mrs. Murray's best Irish supper, we talked for awhile about the few troubles with the economy in Ireland. Luckily for the Murray's, they are located in Northern Ireland, so their situation is not as dire as their neighbors just 2 miles south of them.

Atop the Rostrevor Mountains

Our night ended with a few Guinness and darts. I tried my gambling hand at a video poker machine in a small pub and won 10 pounds (about $17).

We awoke early to the sun shining down on Rostrevor… a perfect day to see Carlingford Loch and the park. I'll let the following pictures describe what I experienced.

After another delicious breakfast, we thanked the Murrays and headed off to Newry to catch a bus to Belfast. At this point, just so you know, its me (Thomas), John Murray, Tom Loonan, and John Loonan. So you know… lots of Tom's and John's in this crowd. We arrived in Belfast in the afternoon: just enough time to do our last bit of shopping. I found a few more great buys, including the new Celtic top that the "bhoys" were wearing yesterday.

Our night was spent in typical Belfast fashion: pub (Lawry's), club, (The Parlour), kebab (generic kebab house), hostel (Belfast Youth Hostel).

This morning, John Murray and I awoke to go tour the rough part of Belfast: The Falls and Shankill. This area was notorious for bad occurrences, before and after the troubles. We took pictures toured around until we arrived back at our hostel. We packed up and prepared for a long return journey to Galway. Prior to hopping on the bus, we stopped by "O'Neill's Sportstore," a location that sold Gaelic Gear and a variety of Gaelic football and Hurling jerseys and paraphernalia. John and I went wild, purchasing a whole array of Gaelic Gear as most of it was priced so inexpensively.

Our bus ride to Galway was relatively short considering it's length. In order to get to Galway, we needed to take a bus ride to Dublin Airport and then jump onto a Galway bus. All in all, the trip took about 4.5 hours, which is pretty efficient considering the indirect route we were required to take. We arrived in Galway and got the Loonan brothers posted up in a nice hostel. Rory picked up Murray and I about an hour after arriving Galway, and we took a trip out to Spiddal to drop off all our luggage. We shared a pizza and our week's experiences with Rory prior to returning to Galway to hang out with the Loonan brothers. Our night was spent in my typical Galway fashion: drinks at the college bar, Hole in the Wall and touring of the pubs. We ended up at Quays (pronounced "keys") Bar, where a talented band played nice covers ("All These Things I've Done" by the Killers was a highlight). After a late night, we returned to a cheap hostel that Murray and I had made reservations for (we didn't want Rory picking us up too late in the night).

We woke in Galway to an absolutely beautiful morning. The sun shone brightly as we pa-roused Quay Street, going in and out of the shops. After getting a few Christmas gifts figured out, we walked out on Clauddaugh and watched a Rugby match aside Galway Bay. I failed to take pictures, but I can assure you that the view would take your breath away.

We met up with Rory at 1pm and drove back to his house in Spiddal. Our afternoon activities included a bike ride through Connemara, in which Cain, Rory's dog, followed along happily. We visited the Foyle's and Rory even made us a steak dinner! It's good to be back at Rory's place. I feel quite at home, and I am starting to realize that I truly do have a home in Ireland.

MY HOME(S) in IRELAND

Rory's House

The Park Lodge Hotel

Our night was a bit more relaxed. We headed into Galway and met up with the Loonan Brothers to watch the Arsenal v. Man City match. It was a disappointing tie, as it seems most of these soccer matches are. After a few pints we returned to Rory's house and went to bed.

The next morning proved to be just as beautiful as the day before. I woke early and took a bike ride with Rory and Cain. It was a cold morning, and Irish morning frost was everywhere. The ocean was stunning…

The rest of the day we spent with Rory and John Paul. After taking care of some flight logistics, Rory drove us to "Coral Beach." This beach was beautiful and incredibly special, as the sand on the beach was not really sand, but crushed up Coral pieces from the coastal coral reef. I put my foot in the North Atlantic Ocean. See photos below:

After the drive, Murray and I took Rory and John Paul out to a nice restaurant in Spiddal. I am happy at how comfortable I feel with both of them… as if they were my uncles or something. It certainly feels like family around here…

Our night was spent in Galway with our Galway girls: Elaine, Brona, Michelle, and Claire. The girls got to meet the Loonan brothers, who had enjoyed a beautiful day on Aran Islands. We went to Taaffe's Pub where the girls sang traditional Irish songs and danced with us. Afterwards we went to CP's, the nightclub hot spot. See the pictures below:

Claire, John, Brona

Takin' a Twirl with the Galway Girl

Most of our day today was spent in Galway. We walked the shops, picking up more gifts and enjoying McDonagh's Fish and Chips. We spend a good amount of time with Brona, who met up

with us in Galway. After our adventuresome Galway day, we returned to Rory's house to start packing for Spain…

Aaand… that's where I'm finally caught up on my blog. I am currently sitting in the Dublin airport at 5:00am waiting to get on our flight to Madrid. I can't wait for this one… more adventures to come!

Until then… slainte!

-thomas

Belfast, New Year's and Family

Next day was an early day. We woke at 9:30a.m. to find a Black Taxi Tour waiting for us. The Black Taxi Tour covers West Belfast, where the defining Protestant and Catholic blue-collar neighborhoods lie right next to each other. These areas, known as the Falls Road (Catholic) and Shankill Road (Protestant), are separated by a "peace" wall that rises 40 feet between the houses. In each section of town, the areas are defined by their artistic and sometimes aggressive murals that cover full walls of houses. These murals relate to the troubles experienced by the conflict between Catholic (Irish) and Protestant (English), which has spanned over centuries. We had both a Protestant and Catholic guide, which gave a very unique insight on the story behind the troubles. See pictures below for examples of murals… very interesting stuff.

After our tour, we had a quick lunch and headed off to Belfast's finest shopping malls to begin our shopping extravaganza. Belfast is an awesome place to look for goods… I was able to find a really cool sweatshirt at a place called "Primark," a Target-like store that sold European-styled clothes.

We spent quite some time walking around, and eventually we needed to head back and take a nap. After napping and grabbing a sandwich, Tom and John L. headed over to the Botanic Inn for a few drinks. We met a couple of Irish fellows that had a bit of the drink there, and they provided great entertainment for us. After Botanic, or "The Bot," we headed over for the second night at Rainnes, where I met a few more buddies. One guy in particular, Donol, invited me to his birthday party a few days later! Unfortunately I have since lost his phone number, otherwise I would have gladly joined his birthday bash. After hanging out with him and his friends at his posh house in Belfast, I caught a late night taxi ride back home to Jurys Inn.

The next morning, Lauren (Belfast exchange student from my college) and her boyfriend Stephen picked me up from Jury's Inn. After stopping and meeting Lauren's family at her house, we took the long trip down to Dublin from Belfast to meet up with John M. and the rest of the wedding party. Lauren and Stephen had been to Dublin only once, and it shocked me that they didn't travel to the South that much. Then again, it was much like the number of times I've been to Ely, MN. Sometimes I feel like I forget about all the travel opportunities that I have in my own state/country.

John, Stephen, Me

Lauren and Stephen dropped me off at my hostel, and I met up with John M. to exchange stories of the last few days. By this time, it was December 31st (NEW YEAR'S EVE!), and our plans were to hang out with the wedding party, Lauren and Stephen (who were visiting Stephen's aunt after they dropped me off).

New Year's Eve was very special. We spent a bit of our time at the hostel, where Stephen and Lauren met up with us again. After having a few drinks, we headed over to the Church Bar, where we met up with the wedding party and had some mighty craic (Irish for "good times") for New Year's Eve. I even got a good ole New Year's Eve smooch from a nice French girl (who, incidentally, thought I was Irish with my terrible feigning of an Irish brogue). Eventually, John M. and I made it back to the hostel and, after a friendly conversation with a few cute German girls in the lobby, decided to hit the hay.

My first day of 2011 was quite a good time. After packing up and leaving our Hostel, John M. and I headed over to the wedding party's hotel. After rousing Tom and John L, we took a "James Joyce" stroll around Dublin, just pa-rousing the shops, parks, streets, watching the street performers and taking pictures. Our sights included St. Stephen's Green, Trinity College, O'Connell Street, Graftin Street, and Molly Malone and James Joyce himself. I should have a slideshow of these photos up soon… I'll keep you posted!

Quick Stroll through Trinity College in Dublin

After our Dublin adventures, John M. and I headed up North to visit John's family from Rostrevor. The bus ride took about two hours, and by the time we arrived there it was quite dark. John M.'s uncle, John (I know… too many Johns in this blog), picked us up with James, his brother-in-law. Upon arriving at their house, Veronica (John's wife… or uncle, depending on which John), immediately went into action by serving up food and drink. After some refreshments, we headed down to the local pub in this small village.

The pub experience on this night at Rostrevor is one of the best times I've experienced here. The musicians were incredibly talented and welcoming, and they forced me to sing "Take Me Home, Country Roads" with them. I got to hear some Irish classics, and John's uncle and James bought us Guinness pints all night. What a way to spend the New Year!

Alright I'm only 2 days behind now… I'll blog a bit more later.

until then… slainte!

My First Week's Adventures

Sorry for the delay with the blog!

I've been living my live at a million miles an hour. Regardless, I'm having a blast...

Our night in Galway was absolutely prime. We met up with a few girls from Galway that we had met last year. These girls had all graduated from NUIG and were now in Galway city apartments. We went out to a few bars and clubs. I spent a gratuitous amount of money with John and these Galway girls, but it was an absolute blast. We ended our night listening to these girls sing songs and play instruments... they were incredibly talented.

ME AND THE GALWAY GIRLS

The next day was the wedding! It was an absolutely beautiful ceremony. Everyone was dressed up and having a blast. John and I were fortunate enough to sit next to the Foyle Family and Rory for both the ceremony and the reception dinner, and I had a great conversation with the Bride's father. I could take up a whole page on how awesome the people were at this wedding, but words would not even do them justice.

The reception pasted quickly but not without a little Guinness, singing, "Piano Man" and the rest of it. I ended my night talking with my best friend's Tom, John (x2), and the band that played at the wedding. I absolutely loved my time that I spent with all the people at the wedding, and soon enough I found myself on the way to Belfast.

JOHN AND I AT THE WEDDING

I decided to go to Belfast in the last minute, leaving John to meet him just a few days later in Dublin. The trip to Belfast took all day and was quite delayed, and I arrived at the hotel at 8:00pm with the wedding families that went up there as well. We went out for a late pint at the Crown Bar. During this time, we met up with Chris, a native and friend of Tommy (guy from the Wedding Party). I immediately made friends with Chris, who I proceeded to follow around Belfast to a few different bars and clubs. Soon enough, it was just Chris and me at Rainnes (the hot place to be), and myself. I again started spending gratuitous amounts of money on beverages for Chris's mates, but made a lot of friends in the process. By the end of the night, I ended up at a kebab shop with a few of my new-found friends. We ate fast food and I headed back to my hotel room to hit the hay.

I should be sleeping... lots more coming...I will blog the rest tomorrow!

till then... slainte

Making More Friends

Whew! It's good to be back.

Our trip to the Cliffs was quick but fulfilling. It was really rainy and windy. I could hardly keep my eyes open for the picture in my last entry because the rain stung my face. BEAUTIFUL STILL. The Cliffs are always a treat.

The family that I'm with bought John and I fish, chips, soup, and Guinness! We tried to pay but they refused. I am going to like this wedding a lot… I can tell.

We got to the Park Lodge after a bumpy ride through the Burren and everyone was already drinking at the PLH pub. We had a Guinness or two and proceeded to help the Foyle's to serve the whole crew a dinner. John and I helped with serving and cleaning dishes… its the least we could do to pay back the crew for having us. Rory is sick so we get to stay in the cottages for a few days…another reason to pay the Foyle's back. This time, I am in Cottage 6. My friend Tom and John and I are all in the cottage together… its wonderful.

John and I finished dishes and played Rugby '08 (video game). I've still got it.. beat John twice in it now. Afterwards, we joined the crew in the PLH pub/lounge. We drank a lot with all of the people at the wedding. All who were once strangers are now seemingly lifelong friends. So glad to be here.

TOM AND JOHN BEHIND THE PLH BAR

Walked down to the ocean. The path down to the beach has changed a bit, but John and I agreed that it was for the better. Saw some cows grazing by Galway Bay! I gotta remember to bring my camera for these things. More pictures to come… I promise. Tonight John and I are meeting up with some Irish friends in Galway. It will be good to see them again... can't wait! Wedding tomorrow, too!

until next time... slainte

Makin' Friends

What a start to a trip!

I must tell you prior to beginning these blogs… I will be quite brief with these entries in comparison to last year's blog. I don't have a 3 hour class to spend time making entries while the irish professor drones on about the potato famine. I'm here to see friends now. So this time around… it's more pictures.. less words!

Anyway, I began my trip in Minneapolis. I arrived at my gate to site down and discover a young Asian lady sobbing in one of the gate's seats. She apparently was flying stand-by and missed her flight. Her English was sub-par at best.

I worked with a service desk to help send her on her way. As I thanked the nice lady behind the counter for helping us, she smiled and handed me three "free cocktail" tickets, saying, "Merry Christmas, and thank YOU!"

Bonus! Not one hour into my trip and I'm being offered free booze.

The flight to New York was entertaining. I met a lady on the flight that was heading to Jerusalem on some sort of faith journey. This lady explained that she spends lots of her travel time smuggling Bibles into restricted countries like China and Burma. She had been to 22 countries. Fascinating!

Met up with my buddy John in New York. We got our duty-free whiskey and waited for the flight. To make a long story short… our flight was delayed by 3 hours. We all mounted the plane and for some reason or another… had to dismount and go on another plane. DAMN! O well. I'm on vacation.. and it's Christmas time. It was hard for me to get upset.

Plane ride wasn't the best. Didn't sleep well, but that didn't matter. We poked out of the clouds in Shannon and there was … a GREEN Ireland! I did not expect this. They had snow 2 days before. It was rainy, but nonetheless… IRELAND/HOME.

I met a bunch of the wedding party's family on the flight over, and now John and I are heading to the Cliffs of Moher with a bunch of people we don't know. We will inevitably get to know these people very in the next few days. I can't wait! Pictures up soon.

Until Next time… slainte

I'm Goin' Back!

Hello family and friends!

Just about a year ago, I was mounting a flight in Heathrow Airport. As the plane took off, I recall thinking, "When will I be back to Europe?" Well, it seems as if I am returning sooner than I expected.

This summer I was able to purchase tickets to Ireland for leisure travel during winter break. Why am I going back? A few reasons...

1. Visit friends.

Me, Rory, John

For those of you who don't know... I studied abroad in Galway, Ireland during the Fall of 2009 (the older posts of this blog should detail my travels during my 2009 excursion). During my time in Ireland, our group stayed in cottages at the Park Lodge Hotel for the semester. The Foyle Family are the innkeepers for this hotel, and during my time there I was able to befriend this family. I also met and befriended a local cab driver, Rory, who I've kept in contact with since returning from Ireland. Rory was kind enough to offer myself and John (good friend, Study Abroad 2009 fellow adventurer, Ireland comrade) lodging when we return. John and I also befriended a few galway girls that attend (or attended) National University of Ireland - Galway. We will also be visiting John's Aunt and Uncle in Rosstrevor and an exchange student in Belfast that goes to my college.

2. A wedding.

One of my friends, Tom, is traveling to Ireland for his sister's wedding during this time. Tom's sister Becky is marrying Joe, who she met at the Park Lodge Hotel while they were both on study abroad programs. Becky and Joe returned to the Park Lodge for John Paul Foyle's wedding, where Joe proposed to Becky. Now, they are returning to the Park Lodge Hotel to tie the knot. I'm just there to crash the wedding.

3.... Um, the Guinness?

Yes, this is totally a leisure trip. Thankfully, the tickets weren't terribly expensive, and Ireland has become a country that I am very passionate about. While over there, I am interested in exploring a work visa for a few months. I can't be sure of this, however, as Ireland's unemployment rate is +15%. The Euro is relatively low, and while there's snow over there, I'm still ready to go over and see my friends.

John, Tom, and I are all very good friends that all go to the same college, so this is going to be a very special trip for me. John and I are also taking a side trip to Madrid, Spain to visit a few collegiate friends there as well.

The Itinerary

Arrive December 26

December 26 - January 3: Galway, Ireland

(Becky and Joe's Wedding on Dec. 28)

January 3 - January 5: Rosstrevor, Northern Ireland

January 5 - January 7: Belfast, Northern Ireland

January 8 - January 13: Madrid, Spain

January 14 - 15: Galway, Ireland

January 15 Eve: HOME

I hope that is enough background information for you... enjoy the posts to come!

Slainte,

Thomas