I have been looking forward to Thanksgiving week since before I came to Spain. Why? You may ask. Well, because my best friend came to visit : ) We started planning this adventure last summer before I had even bought my plane ticket to Spain. At first I think we mentioned it as a joke but it took Parker about 5 minutes to actually decide to ask for a trip to Europe for Christmas. Bless her family for saying yes!
We set the plans in stone in September when Parker purchased her plane tickets. Because she was going to be here for a week, we decided we should go see another country while she was here as well. Unsurprisingly, we picked Ireland. Parker and I just had to go see our imaginary lover from our favorite book series which is set in Dublin. I’ll spare you the details, just know that we geeked out big time on this trip! Haha!
So, Parker flew straight to Dublin and I caught a flight out of Madrid. We met up on the 19th at around 1pm after I walked around terminal 1 for 20 minutes and then finally realized she was in terminal 2. That’s when the adventure began : )
We quickly realized that Irish people are some of the nicest people. They’ll talk to you just as easily and nicely as an Oklahoman! That may have been my favorite thing about Ireland. Don’t get me wrong, Spaniards are nice, but they’re not Oklahoma nice. Irish people come as close as it gets I think. On our bus ride into the city, we got to meet an adorably sweet old Irish man. He talked to us the entire 45 minute ride. In the first 2 minutes of speaking to us he announced that he was gay, 70 something, and liked to wear an earring to annoy all of his stuffy counterparts. I loved this man instantly and took it as a good indicator of how the trip would go. I’m happy to say I was right!
The first thing we did after checking into the hostel was check local movie times. At that point, it had been 3 months since I’d watched a movie in an actual movie theater. If you know me very well, you know that is an absolute blowout record of how long I’ve gone without going to the movies. I practically live at the Warren when I’m in the city and the Malco is the backdrop for about half of my favorite high school memories. Needless to say, I’ll never wait that long again. I felt like I’d been separated from a long lost family member or something. So, of course, Parker and I went to watch Breaking Dawn. Don’t judge me! I couldn’t wait until I was home in December while everyone was posting about it on Facebook during the mean time. And because we were already americanizing our first night in Ireland, we decided to have Burger King for dinner. Again, don’t judge. I had fast food only one other time in the three months I’d been gone. I’ll go ahead and admit that I also had Starbucks in Dublin, but I won’t apologize for that!
After our “big” first night out, Parker was tired from her flight so we went back to the hostel and planned our itinerary for the next day. We booked a trip to the south coast of Ireland to go see the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher. We woke up at 6am to go catch a bus at 715 to Galway and then met up with our tour guide group. It was a beautiful day and all of the Irish kept going on and on about how it was uncharacteristically warm. I take the credit because the exact same thing happened when I went to England for Bo’s wedding. Apparently I can’t help but warm a place up! I haven’t posted the photos yet but I will soon. The countryside of Ireland is stunning and luckily we got to take a walking tour up the Burren. The “Burren” in Gaelic means “the rocky place” which were actually rocky hills that provided an amazing view of the countryside. The photos I took don’t begin to capture the greenness of the country.
After the Burren, we went to the Cliffs of Moher. They were breathtaking! I felt like I was at the end of world, and staring off into the Atlantic was incredibly humbling. Not being able to begin to fathom the distance from Ireland to the States definitely makes you feel small. Along the way to and from the Cliffs, we got to see so many cute fishing and farming villages. I would love to go back and explore them all one day. We also saw a few Irish castles and English forts. Everything, old and new, in Ireland has an incredible charm to it. If you ever go to Dublin, I fully recommend taking a day trip to one of the coasts. You’ve never experienced anything like it.
After the Cliffs, our tour bus stopped to eat at a place called Fitzpatrick’s. That’s when we realized that there were 2 American guys on our bus. Well, they realized we were American when they overheard Parker and I ranting about football (as usual). They were studying abroad in London together and we got to hangout with them for a while that day. One of them was from Dallas originally. I apologized for his bad luck ; ) Even in Ireland, I felt his pain! Haha
On our third day in Ireland, we spent the day walking around Dublin. Surprisingly, Dublin is actually rather small. We could have easily walked from one end to the other in under an hour. We started the day off by going to see Trinity College. I’m sorry to all of my Sooners, and while I still love our campus, it pales in comparison to Trinity. OU’s campus will remain my favorite but I’m afraid Trinity may have stolen my heart. Seeing a campus like that did nothing to help my graduation jitters. I began to think up excuses to go study abroad there. I found a few, but none that would hold up too well against my parents.
After Trinity, we walked to the Guinness Factory. That building is by far, one of the coolest things ever designed. It’s shaped like a Guinness glass on the inside! While we were there, we learned how they make Guinness, took some amazing photos, and had a half a pint in the panoramic view on the top floor of the building. Shamefully, I’ve never been one for beer so I took a few sips but I just couldn’t hack it!
After, we walked to the Jameson Distillery and bought some gifts for some lucky ducks back in the states. The Jameson Distillery was pretty impressive as well but we decided against a tour because we wanted to make sure we had time to explore Temple Bar district. We had a superb dinner at an Italian restaurant and looked in some fun boutiques. Sadly, we didn’t get to have a night out in Temple Bar because we had a bus to catch back to the airport.
We spent our last night in Ireland at the airport in Dublin because we had an early flight to Madrid. Nonetheless, I had a good time just laughing and being absurd with my best friend. Without a doubt, all of the tired travelers sleeping next to us on the couches at Starbucks hated us, but I know we were entertained. Parker and I usually are. Overall, Ireland was fantastic and I cannot wait to go back. I’ve definitely added it the list of places I plan to know, not just experience.
Kaitlin
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Mixed Roman Emotions
Ever since I was a little girl I have been obsessed with Roman and Greek cultures. Hercules is still one of my favorite Disney movies, and while I’m pretty sure that movie was supposed to be based on the Greek Hercules, he was still a big hero to the Romans. Gladiator is still one of my favorite movies to watch with my dad. As I got older, I have to admit that I started to romanticize Italy. Everything I had heard about Italy was a grown woman’s fairy tale. Grape vineyards, beautiful countryside, good-looking Italian men, breathtaking architecture, and an incredible history were just a few of the things calling my name before I had even left the States. I mean, Shakespeare was even inspired enough to chose Italian cities as the backdrop of some of his most famous plays. Saying that, I don’t feel like the hype which Italy received was all on me. Which is why I am not taking the blame for the somewhat mediocre time I had there. Maybe I did have Rome put up on a pedestal and if that’s the reason why I found it somewhat lacking then let me make myself clear when I say that I have learned my lesson. I no longer have any expectations for the cities I visit. Maybe if I had felt that way before Rome, it would have been a little better.
In short, the city was kind of dirty and there were homeless people everywhere. The architecture was only pretty around touristy sights. Even though the city in its majority was a little lacking, I can say that the Trevi Fountain was breathtaking. I threw two coins in. Tradition says that you can throw three in but that can be bad luck. I’ll explain. One is so that you’ll come back. Another is to meet someone new (that’s not ambiguous at all) and the last is to either get married or divorced. How I understood it was that if you were already married it meant that you already had that special someone and the only thing you could possibly want is to return to Rome one day, but if you threw in an extra it meant that maybe you weren’t so happy and the wishes would take care of that for you by giving you a divorce (haha). So like I said, I threw in two coins. One, so I would return to Rome one day (and hopefully have a better experience) and another in hopes of meeting someone new. I currently had no desire to throw in a coin for that last wish and thought it best not to tempt fate : )
I have to admit that the Pantheon was very cool. You definitely felt like you were in a different time when you walked in. People don’t just makes building like that for the heck of it these days. The Coliseum also gave off that affect. Times ten. We walked out of the metro thinking it would take us a minute to find it and walk to it but we were mistaken. As soon as we excited the metro and walked onto the street, there it was staring us in the face. It was incredible! Just imagining the things that took place there and the people that witnessed it was enough to give me chills. It was sad to think about how such a great monument had somehow become a ruin. Half of the top layer of walls had fallen down and all of the columns were eroded. Still, the only things that took away from the experience were the cars passing literally 30 yards away and the metal bars surrounding it. We didn’t get to go in but I’m sort of glad we didn’t. It keeps some of the mystery alive for me.
The coolest thing about Rome wasn’t even technically Roman. It was the Vatican City. Fun fact: The Vatican City is the smallest country in the world. It is also the country where the Pope resides which is surrounded by Rome on all sides. Rocio, Jensen, and I took a tour of the museum which was incredible. I’ve never seen so many works of art and important pieces of history in one place. Michael Angelo is definitely my top respected artist. He had multiple Popes wrapped around his finger. He was just that good. I mean, the man drew naked people on the ceilings of this sacred place and they paid him for it! That’s impressive. When I was younger, pictures of the Sistine Chapel just looked like this ugly jumbled mess to me. Now, after seeing it, I can see just what a genius Angelo was. Every single object, person, and color represents something. Our tour guide told us an interesting story. He said that an adviser to the Pope, who had commissioned Angelo to do the Sistine Chapel, complained about the nudity and tried to have Angelo fired. When Angelo found out, he painted the adviser's face on one of the people he had placed in his depiction of Hell. I have a feeling Angelo was a funny guy = P
Saint Peter’s Basilica was stunning to say the least. However, I did feel a little sacrilegious going inside and taking photos. I’m not Catholic or anything but it still seemed a little weird. The basilica was really high on my list of things to see while we were in Rome, or should I say the Vatican, but after I found out what it was made of I was a little heartbroken. Our tour guide informed us that when Pope something something decided to have the basilica built, he ran out of money. That was when priests began charging money in exchange for forgiveness. Then to lighten the costs even further, the Pope ordered that they were to remove all of the marble from the Coliseum and use it to make cement for the marble columns that were to go inside the basilica. So when you watch Gladiator and you see that the Coliseum is all pretty and white, don’t think it’s a lie. It really was that stunning when the gladiators fought and the Romans watched. Just know that you can thank Pope What’s His Face for the reason it doesn’t look like that anymore.
The most important and best thing about Rome was the food. It was great everywhere we went. It was better than great, it was amazing! And if I never have crappy Pizza Hut pizza again for as long as I live, I’ll be okay because at least I can say I’ve had the best and that’s Italian pizza.
All in all, my trip was worth it because I got to see some of the greatest monuments of all time. I just wish the Italian men hadn’t been so creepy, that the homeless hadn’t been so scary, and that the old men had kept their hands to themselves. That’s all I’m going to say. Ciao!
Kaitlin
In short, the city was kind of dirty and there were homeless people everywhere. The architecture was only pretty around touristy sights. Even though the city in its majority was a little lacking, I can say that the Trevi Fountain was breathtaking. I threw two coins in. Tradition says that you can throw three in but that can be bad luck. I’ll explain. One is so that you’ll come back. Another is to meet someone new (that’s not ambiguous at all) and the last is to either get married or divorced. How I understood it was that if you were already married it meant that you already had that special someone and the only thing you could possibly want is to return to Rome one day, but if you threw in an extra it meant that maybe you weren’t so happy and the wishes would take care of that for you by giving you a divorce (haha). So like I said, I threw in two coins. One, so I would return to Rome one day (and hopefully have a better experience) and another in hopes of meeting someone new. I currently had no desire to throw in a coin for that last wish and thought it best not to tempt fate : )
I have to admit that the Pantheon was very cool. You definitely felt like you were in a different time when you walked in. People don’t just makes building like that for the heck of it these days. The Coliseum also gave off that affect. Times ten. We walked out of the metro thinking it would take us a minute to find it and walk to it but we were mistaken. As soon as we excited the metro and walked onto the street, there it was staring us in the face. It was incredible! Just imagining the things that took place there and the people that witnessed it was enough to give me chills. It was sad to think about how such a great monument had somehow become a ruin. Half of the top layer of walls had fallen down and all of the columns were eroded. Still, the only things that took away from the experience were the cars passing literally 30 yards away and the metal bars surrounding it. We didn’t get to go in but I’m sort of glad we didn’t. It keeps some of the mystery alive for me.
The coolest thing about Rome wasn’t even technically Roman. It was the Vatican City. Fun fact: The Vatican City is the smallest country in the world. It is also the country where the Pope resides which is surrounded by Rome on all sides. Rocio, Jensen, and I took a tour of the museum which was incredible. I’ve never seen so many works of art and important pieces of history in one place. Michael Angelo is definitely my top respected artist. He had multiple Popes wrapped around his finger. He was just that good. I mean, the man drew naked people on the ceilings of this sacred place and they paid him for it! That’s impressive. When I was younger, pictures of the Sistine Chapel just looked like this ugly jumbled mess to me. Now, after seeing it, I can see just what a genius Angelo was. Every single object, person, and color represents something. Our tour guide told us an interesting story. He said that an adviser to the Pope, who had commissioned Angelo to do the Sistine Chapel, complained about the nudity and tried to have Angelo fired. When Angelo found out, he painted the adviser's face on one of the people he had placed in his depiction of Hell. I have a feeling Angelo was a funny guy = P
Saint Peter’s Basilica was stunning to say the least. However, I did feel a little sacrilegious going inside and taking photos. I’m not Catholic or anything but it still seemed a little weird. The basilica was really high on my list of things to see while we were in Rome, or should I say the Vatican, but after I found out what it was made of I was a little heartbroken. Our tour guide informed us that when Pope something something decided to have the basilica built, he ran out of money. That was when priests began charging money in exchange for forgiveness. Then to lighten the costs even further, the Pope ordered that they were to remove all of the marble from the Coliseum and use it to make cement for the marble columns that were to go inside the basilica. So when you watch Gladiator and you see that the Coliseum is all pretty and white, don’t think it’s a lie. It really was that stunning when the gladiators fought and the Romans watched. Just know that you can thank Pope What’s His Face for the reason it doesn’t look like that anymore.
The most important and best thing about Rome was the food. It was great everywhere we went. It was better than great, it was amazing! And if I never have crappy Pizza Hut pizza again for as long as I live, I’ll be okay because at least I can say I’ve had the best and that’s Italian pizza.
All in all, my trip was worth it because I got to see some of the greatest monuments of all time. I just wish the Italian men hadn’t been so creepy, that the homeless hadn’t been so scary, and that the old men had kept their hands to themselves. That’s all I’m going to say. Ciao!
Kaitlin
Space
It's been about a month since I've posted on this thing. Since I've been getting more than a few requests to start filling you guys in on my life again, I figured I better start now. It's not that I didn't want to write. Okay, yes it is. But I have several reasons for not wanting jot down my every experience. I realized a month ago, when I was in Rome, that there is absolutely no way that I can help you guys understand how incredible this journey has been for me. So I gave up. My poorly written descriptions of the places I've been, the things I've seen, and the people I've met are sad in comparison to the real thing. It's like trying to describe color to a blind man. Okay, so maybe not that drastic, but I still feel like I'm not giving any of these things the justice they're due. On top of that, I wanted to be enjoying things to their fullest, not thinking about how I was going to jot down the details accurately later.
The other reason I was feeling reluctant to write is because I'm in Spain, people! I have 5 and a half weeks (to the day) left in this amazing place. I cringed as a wrote that. I hate admitting that time is running away from me here and this blog is kind of a reminder. Ever since my mother, grandmother, and aunt came to visit, I have had this internal countdown going in my head. When I wake up in the morning, still on the verge of unconsciousness, the thought "You have __ weeks and __ days left" manages to jolt me awake. It's enough to make me sick, and of course it manages to get my day off to a bad start instantly. At first I thought I was having trouble forgetting my looming departure because I was homesick. Then I took a minute to laugh and admitted that it's because I have a hard time dealing with deadlines. They make me antsy. Also, just knowing that I'm leaving soon is so unsettling. Partly because I feel so at home in this city and partly because it feels like I just got here. I'm not sure where the time has gone. It's also unsettling because I don't know when I'll get to come back to this place. And I hate not knowing.
I realized today that this blog is what is going to keep me sane. I’m going to try to fit as many new adventures and experiences as I can into this thing before I have to leave. Basically I just needed some space but now I'm back : )Just to let you know, I won’t be updating my Facebook every time I write a new post, so you’ll have to keep up with me on your own.
Mejor,
Kaitlin
The other reason I was feeling reluctant to write is because I'm in Spain, people! I have 5 and a half weeks (to the day) left in this amazing place. I cringed as a wrote that. I hate admitting that time is running away from me here and this blog is kind of a reminder. Ever since my mother, grandmother, and aunt came to visit, I have had this internal countdown going in my head. When I wake up in the morning, still on the verge of unconsciousness, the thought "You have __ weeks and __ days left" manages to jolt me awake. It's enough to make me sick, and of course it manages to get my day off to a bad start instantly. At first I thought I was having trouble forgetting my looming departure because I was homesick. Then I took a minute to laugh and admitted that it's because I have a hard time dealing with deadlines. They make me antsy. Also, just knowing that I'm leaving soon is so unsettling. Partly because I feel so at home in this city and partly because it feels like I just got here. I'm not sure where the time has gone. It's also unsettling because I don't know when I'll get to come back to this place. And I hate not knowing.
I realized today that this blog is what is going to keep me sane. I’m going to try to fit as many new adventures and experiences as I can into this thing before I have to leave. Basically I just needed some space but now I'm back : )Just to let you know, I won’t be updating my Facebook every time I write a new post, so you’ll have to keep up with me on your own.
Mejor,
Kaitlin
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