We toured. Oh yes, we were tourists for all of Saturday and Sunday. Lots of time on Mercedes Benz tour buses and staring out the windows. From the front row, of course.
I saw W.B. Yeats country home...a quaint cottage attached to a CASTLE TOWER. It was cool. I saw Lady Gregory's country estate, as well as a beautiful Copper Beech tree that has all of her famous writer friends initials carved into it. I saw the tallest round tower, built in the 14th century, that is perfectly intact and leans a bit like the tower of Pisa.
I drank nearly an entire bottle of wine, then walked up to the pitch black beach with the girls and didn't drink anymore, just a red bull, but it was really creepy and windy and cool. On the way home we stopped at a bar we like to go to, The Living Room, because there is a bathroom right up this front set of stairs (bypassing the crazy Saturday night crowds), and we waited in line and convinced the bouncer not to worry about us not having IDs so we could get in, use the toilets, and get out without him seeing us. Then I was the designated walker because everyone was drunk (we met some other kids on the way home to the apartments), and I thought we were going to have a few casualties crossing the "circle of death" (aka the Bodkin Roundabout near our apartment...7 different crossings to make), but we all made it. Amazingly.
I went on a tour to the Burren (lots of rocks, limestone, really cool mountains), the Ailwee Caves, the Cliffs of Moher, a beach where there are surfers, a cute small town in County Clare (who was playing a big rugby match and beat Wexford. Raise the Banner! That's their cheer. Whatever). Some more cliffs that weren't covered in tourists (at least 4 buses of Italian kids at Moher), and some other stops and beautiful scenery and an even more beautiful (though very windy) day. It was gorgeous. Tiring though.
I finished my Chuck Klosterman book last night (fantastic, as usual) and went to bed around 10. I am still tired, but today is rainy and gross so maybe it will be good to just chill out, finish editing my papers, and read some more.
I'll have a ton of pictures up whenever I can find a computer without an Admin lock on the USB ports...I can at least charge my iPod, but I can't upload anything. Also, Anita has a ton of pictures, she hasn't uploaded in like 2 weeks or more, so when her's are up I'll steal them for my album, too.
Now I think it's coffee time. And maybe a little more Rolling Stones on the iPod. Too much bagpipe music this weekend ;)
3 comments:
relax... chill the fuck out and stop stressing over italian kids and whether or not you deserved the A's your are receiving. You're in Ireland and you are a tourist so deal with it and have a good time. Go out by yourself and force youself to meet some people that you think you will hate, try it... I dare you. This is a once in a lifetime chance, enjoy your last week and have a shot of Paddy for your Big Bro.
-Seacrest out!!!
I do appreciate everyone's concern over my stress level. But I assure you all that compared to the me that you get to deal with on a regular basis in St. Louis (thanks mostly to Target), I am waaaay chill. Obviously, I am just a little bit on the um, cautious side. Whatever. I am really really enjoying my time here, and I have met tons of people who I never would have gotten to know otherwise, and I have gone out on my own many times now (not at night...not really the best idea unfortunately, to walk home alone). Ireland is wonderful and I am really glad I decided to do this. I am also really looking forward to being home, sleeping in my own bed, and saving lots of money to take another big trip hopefully sometime in the next year.
As for the shot of whiskey, well, these folks drink their whiskey the way you drink your tequila, Brendan. Slowly, out of a glass, often with water or ice. I have only seen shot glasses in tourist shops, not at the pubs. Maybe I'll endulge Thursday night after our tests. My stomach hurts already thinking about it though ;)
The pictures are glorious..you are having a great time and that is all that counts!!!! Home soon!!!
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