Murder Mystery Dinner
I had smoked salmon for the first time. It is delish. The box that the murder mystery came in said 18 and up. As the night progressed we understood why. It was a really fun night. I was neither the murderer or the person smart enough to solve the crime...
I shot the sheriff
but I did not kill the boss
with a wine bottle.
with a wine bottle.
Northern Ireland Trip
I went on an extended weekend exertion organized by my study abroad program. A bunch of different students from different Irish Universities who study through the University of Bulter comprised the gang. It was rad because mostly everything was all set up for us -- transportation, tour guides, meals, accommodations. It was nice to be looked after for a bit. We stayed in Belfast, but visited Derry and the countryside of Northern Ireland, too.
We saw a place called Giant's Causeway, which is this insane rock formation made by a volcano 60 millions years ago. It basically looks like tons of stacks of hexagons going out to sea. It is so crazy. Anna Bolton does not believe that it is real. Also, it was so windy that I thought I was gonna have to hold on to one of the hexagons for dear life to keep from flying away. Luda would be gone for sure.
A Giant's Causeway
We saw a place called Giant's Causeway, which is this insane rock formation made by a volcano 60 millions years ago. It basically looks like tons of stacks of hexagons going out to sea. It is so crazy. Anna Bolton does not believe that it is real. Also, it was so windy that I thought I was gonna have to hold on to one of the hexagons for dear life to keep from flying away. Luda would be gone for sure.
A Giant's Causewayor a giant made up story
for eager tourists?
for eager tourists?
Above is a picture of a really sweet castle that we visited. Another day, another awesome Irish castle.
Above is a view from one of the windows in said awesome castle. Apparently, during a routine banquet the kitchen floor fell through and all of the food and servants went plummeting into the sea. That's a long way down. Yikes.
Even more interesting than weirdo shaped rocks and faulty castle floors was learning more about "The Troubles". The Troubles refers to recent and violent political and social strife in Northern Ireland. There is a lot of information and are many sad details about the situation, so I suggest that you look up the info yourself, instead of having me try to summarize what I understand of it.
Before exploring Belfast, we got a tour of the city of Derry and its walls. Derry is where Bloody Sunday took place.
In Belfast we went on what is known as a "black cab" tour, where the driver takes you around to important spots relating to The Troubles. Below is a picture of Corrine, Sarah, and Patty, our cab driver/tour guide.
We saw walls and gates dividing Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods, memorials for those killed, remains of burned down buildings, but most famously, we saw murals. Below is one of the most famous murals. It is painted on the side of a Protestant housing development. The gun, like Mona Lisa's eyes, follows you wherever you go.
Even more interesting than weirdo shaped rocks and faulty castle floors was learning more about "The Troubles". The Troubles refers to recent and violent political and social strife in Northern Ireland. There is a lot of information and are many sad details about the situation, so I suggest that you look up the info yourself, instead of having me try to summarize what I understand of it.
Before exploring Belfast, we got a tour of the city of Derry and its walls. Derry is where Bloody Sunday took place.
In Belfast we went on what is known as a "black cab" tour, where the driver takes you around to important spots relating to The Troubles. Below is a picture of Corrine, Sarah, and Patty, our cab driver/tour guide.
We saw walls and gates dividing Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods, memorials for those killed, remains of burned down buildings, but most famously, we saw murals. Below is one of the most famous murals. It is painted on the side of a Protestant housing development. The gun, like Mona Lisa's eyes, follows you wherever you go.
Derry walls, murals,sidewalks memorials.
How long is too long?
On Saturday we had a free day to explore Belfast, so some friends and I went on the mighty Belfast Wheel. We thought about opting for the luxury car on the wheel, where you can ride for half an hour amongst some leather seats, a glass floor, a dvd player, and champagne. We took the poor man's pod in the end, but we did sing songs. So that was awesome.
London, Round II.
I returned from London tonight (Tues, Nov 18), after leaving yesterday morning (Mon, Nov 17) . Maybe this Haiku will help to summarize my travels:
Run, bus, airplane, run,
bus, metro, metro, metro,
bus, airplane, bus, walk.
Here's the thing, I can't even complain about my somewhat insane travel schedule because the trip was so sweet and 100% worth it. Corrine could not come, which was sad, but it did allowed me to be kinda impressed with my traveling solo skills.
Ok, yadda yadda, I made it to London and met the wonderful Cori Melton at a Starbucks in Liverpool Station at the time I said I would meet her (yeah, that's right, I made it somewhere on time and without getting lost). Then Cori and I hung out until the main event aka the concert.
Kyle, Cori's Whirl House housemate (apparently, it's "Whorrell House", but details, details) came along too and we met Kendra at the show. Here is a picture of us gals taken by Kyle.
Some people (Anna, Emily, Mom...) may recall November 17th of last year. Let me just say that I am not usually a crier, but there may or may not have been some birthday tears at a football game. The only reason I bring up that somewhat painful memory is to contrast this birthday with it. Insert Haiku.Twenty-first birthday.
Tunes poured out instead tears.
Thanks Anathallo.
Y'all, the concert was sweet. I was in London. I was with good people. There were blue twinkle lights. Kendra bought me a pint of Guinness. The opening band was good, which rarely happens in such small venues. All of that would really have been enough for me.
BUT also, Anathallo played a fantastic show. Which included my favorite songs of theirs. We got a chance to talk them for a while after the show and got to get their new CD a day early. Matt, from the band was nice enough to write "Happy, happy birthday, I can't believe you chose to spend it with us" on the poster that came with the CD. I was also able ask Jamie, a band member, about the album artwork and some lyrics. I love talking about music, art, and lyrics always, but it's even more awesome when it's with the actual artist.
Last night I went to sleep on Kendra's floor feeling like I got some my favorite things for my birthday -- adventure, friends, and music... and I didn't even have to cry. 
Today was a day of sight-seeing Molly-style (free and random). Kenj and Cori had work and class, so I was let loose on my own until I had to head to the airport. I walked around, got a baguette at a place where Kendra recommended, walked around some more, figured out the tube, had a donut and talked to the Krispy Kreme employees for an hour (see picture below of Curtis and Catalina. Curtis put the hat on just for the picture), went to a crazy/cool Museum that Cori recommended, walked around, sat in a park and wrote haikus, figured out the tube again, spent the rest of my pounds on Christmas presents for friends in Liverpool station, then caught the bus to the airport. I got back to Galway at around 10 pm. I am tired.
Friends from Krispy Kremecan provide conversation
and a taste of home.
Thoughts on traveling alone
I have found that when ridiculous things happen to me when traveling alone, I have been going through these situations as if they are normal. This is because I have no one to exchange "can you believe the ridiculousnesses of this situation?" eye contact with.
Some examples of times when I would have loved to have made that eye contact:
- getting asked on a date by a Frenchman in the Krispy Kreme
- not being able to figure out how to open a door and having a little old lady help me
- getting frisked for 10 minutes in the airport (they check everywhere btw)
Perks of traveling alone:
Poems and prayers
are found in parks, tubes, hotels,
airport terminals.
3 comments:
clarification: i DO think that hexagon thing is real. i just don't think it's natural. there were totally mid evil people out there with jackhammers making hexagons.
another clarification: my children are in specials. i am not the teacher who sits in the back on her computer all day. write a haiku about that girlfriend.
yall, with 'hints the name,' 'staying in a hostile,' and all the ones that em has messed up, we now have to add the 'whirl house' and 'mid evil' to the list of Bolton kid creative english
who wrote staying in a hostile? that wasn't me was it?
and when on earth does anyone ever see hence written to know how to spell it correctly? if you really want someone to make fun of go post on scott's blog.
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