Archive for category: Ireland 2018

Spring break has started for NUIG, and I intend to make the most of it! I am currently sitting in a hostel in Brussels, trying to give me feet a break from constant walking. But I am getting ahead of myself, I left Galway on Friday afternoon to travel to my first spring break destination: Copenhagen. The capital of Denmark was cold, beautiful, and expensive. I bundeled up with all the layers I had (I am traveling with just a backpack for these two weeks of break) to brace the Baltic temperature. (0°C aka 32°F)That may not seem to bad for a Minnesotan, but with only a light raincoat, this Irish lass was a bit chilly. I started my day at the Nyhavan Canal since my hostel was located right next to it. This street is everything I dreamed Copenhagen would be: brightly colored buildings and boats made even that chilly day warm and friendly. I even got to go on a canal ferry ride to experience all of Copenhagen’s beautiful canals.

 

Before this visit I was not aware that Denmark even had nobility, but after touring three palaces I can’t deny the powers of some kings and queens. Amalienborg Palace, Christiansborg Castle, and Rosenborg Castle are all extremely beautiful and ornate. Below are picture of each (one outside and one inside) in alphabetical order.

I walked through Copenhagen all Saturday and most of Sunday until I had to hop on the metro to the airport. I got into Brussels late Sunday night and started yet another day of walking in the morning. There are so many beautiful buildings and statues in Brussels; the most impressive being the Grand Place. The picture below is only the beginning of the beauty because every point of a 360° spin fills your eyes with impressive buildings.

The architecture is amazing, but the best part of Brussels is the food. Belgian waffels are certainly better in Belgium than in America, Belgian frites beat McDonald’s fries any day, and meatball means a whole different thing over here. Not to mention the souvenir of some good old chocolate that I will struggle to make last until I get back to Ireland. All in all it’s been a good start. Tomorrow I will hop on a bus to Amsterdam, but that’s a story for another time.

 

My weeks 5 and 6 were pretty normal with just school and soccer – plus spending a lot of time in bed with a fever – so I have saved my blog writing for something more exciting: Rome. This past weekend my roommate Ruth and I took a total of 4 buses and 5 planes to visit the Eternal City. I have never been one to choose the urban setting, but in just 48 hours I fell head over heels in love with Rome. On Saturday morning we started our sightseeing at the Colosseum. It is one of those places that no matter how hard you try, pictures just cannot do it justice. It was so amazing to walk down a normal city street and spot the Colosseum standing tall and mighty right beside the metro station. You are living in the modern world but inside you are standing on almost 2,000 years of history.

After the Colosseum, we explored the Palatine Hill and Roman Forum, also known as Old Rome. The paths were never-ending and everywhere I turned was another fallen column, beautiful ancient building, or statue. But that was only the beginning of the Eternal City. We left Old Rome to find lunch and explore the slightly more modern Roman beauties. Again it was as though everywhere you turned was another beautiful structure; an obelisk, a fountain, a statue, the Spanish Steps, or the Pantheon. And in between all of these are narrow streets full of shops and pizzerias. My absolute favourite part was the Trevi fountain. Ruth and I visited it three times during our 48 hours in Rome. The artwork is incredibly beautiful and I couldn’t miss the opportunity to throw in a few coins. I could have spent hours by the Trevi fountain eating gelato and watching hundreds of tourists throw coins and take pictures.

On Sunday we visited Vatican City. Again it was simply incredible to see the amount of marble and intricate artwork that is in Rome. I did not see Pope Francis but I certainly did see more than enough statues of previous Popes. From the Vatican, it was just a short walk over to the Tiber River which has the most elaborate bridges I have ever seen. There were almost as many statues on the bridge as street vendors.

Walking around the city we stumbled upon a gorgeous view of Rome looking out at the Piazza del Popolo. I have grown so accustomed to the rain from Ireland that hopping over a few puddles to get this picture was no problem at all. Every part of the city surprised me with something beautiful. Rome is a city that I will not soon forget.

I may not have left the island this past weekend, but I did exit the country. The history of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will always baffle me. (I won’t go into politics, look it up for yourself.) Crossing over to the UK didn’t require me to show my passport or go through security, but it did make me change my euros for pounds and turn all the phone booths red. My friends and I stayed at a hostel in Belfast for the weekend. From there we could take a long walk to the Titanic Museum, watch a soccer game in a local pub, and experience a bit larger city than our quaint Galway. But most importantly we could hop on a tour bus to the Giant’s Causeway. Old historic buildings are beautiful, but nothing compares to God’s work in nature. Giant’s Causeway is made up of hexagonal stones that add to the beauty of an already rich landscape. I didn’t bother to learn the science behind it because no scientist shouting billions of years could answer better than saying that God is amazing. Climbing along these rock formations was certainly an adventure because the wind kept us on our toes. My feet got wet and my hair messy, but I can honestly say that the two hours spent there are my favorite so far. Since the wind was almost blowing us into the ocean while we were on dry ground, we couldn’t cross the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge for safety reasons (which might be a good thing since even walking near it gave me goosebumps.) Maybe by the end of my trip, my fear of heights will leave me. All in all, it was a fantastic weekend full of beautiful sights, great food, and good friends.

It has been quite a week for this Minnesota girl. It seems like much longer than 7 days since I last sat in Lola’s with snow falling out the window. In that time I have been on three planes, had my passport stamped two times, and moved into a house. There are endless things to adjust to; the almost constant rain, a much larger campus, a fifteen-minute walk to get anywhere, and new people everywhere I turn. But the changes aren’t bad. The city center is absolutely beautiful and incredibly Irish. Below is a picture of Shop Street in the evening. This iconic Galway street stretches on for blocks and has countless pubs, coffee shops, and stores on each side. Christmas decorations are still lighting up the streets and alleyways, and performers on the street give the most wonderful Irish feeling.

After a walk down Shop Street, a right turn will bring you to where the Corrib River meets Galway Bay. My ISA (International Studies Abroad) group and I visited the Galway museum next to the water to catch up on the rich history and enjoy the cafe before we went to campus. Below is a picture of Galway Bay.

I had attended many orientation presentations in the past few days. Ireland does college a little differently than America. Classes start on Monday, and registration for those classes also begin on Monday. In a couple weeks I will find out if the lessons I’ve been attending are actually the ones I will have the rest of the semester. It seems stressful to my American friends and me, but the Irish are certain that this is an easy and relaxed process. I am excited for school and soccer to start so that I can meet more people and get into a nice routine. Next week’s blog should have more information and pictures! Have a great week and God’s blessings!