Tag: Ireland

THE COAST AND COUNTRYSIDE OF NORTHERN IRELAND

Post author By Just Visiting
Post date November 24, 2013
4,426 Comments on THE COAST AND COUNTRYSIDE OF NORTHERN IRELAND

Have you ever visited a place without any prior knowledge or expectations of what it’d be like, only to find yourself planning a disappearing act once you arrive, into this fictional world of happily-ever-after that’s the complete opposite of the life you actually live? That’s what happened to me in Northern Ireland.

After falling in love with Dublin I was curious to see the North since it’s actually part of the UK. We drove through the rain, passing small town after small town before hitting Belfast. The downtown area was bustling, complete with a multi-level shopping center and giant outdoor TVs for passersby to watch soccer on the go. But after driving through some of the mural-covered back roads (which could easily be mistaken for a forgotten, semi-active war zone…or maybe even downtown Detroit) I didn’t have very high hopes for the rest of the day. But holy hell was I wrong.

This was the first time I can remember ever being out in the country and not only enjoying it, but never wanting to leave.

Maybe it’s my love for the friendly/crazy/drunk Irish people and their charming accents, or their flawless alcoholic contributions to the world. Or maybe it was because I was touring the countryside with one of the most fascinating, hilarious people I’d met while living in Europe. Or maybe it was simply because Northern Ireland was truly whimsical and beautiful. Whatever the reasons, this day trip made me feel right at home, longing for a time before cell phones and Facebook.

I kept imagining myself sneaking away at our next pit stop, roaming through the hills with a few meandering sheep before coming across a cute little farmhouse. A burly Irish man with a perfect manly beard and dirty working-man hands would answer the door of course, and invite me in for a pint of Guinness and a glass of Jameson with his seductive accent. Then he’d take me out back to show me the farm and all of the fresh cheese he makes, you know, as a hobby. And just like that, I’d forget all of my concerns for the world I used to know, and I’d live happily ever after on that farm.

Sadly that didn’t happen. But I did have one of the best guided tours of my life on the Extreme Ireland Day Tours of Giant’s Causeway.

Our guide was hilarious, and he knew so much about The Troubles in Northern Ireland. He gave us a brief history in Belfast that could’ve easily spanned an entire middle school semester in History class, including the fact that the Europa Hotel was considered the most-bombed hotel in all of Europe—and the world. For once I actually enjoyed sitting on a bus, looking out the window and listening to his commentary.

On our way to the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge near Ballintoy, our guide got on the speaker and said that he had some bad news. I could tell by the way the bus occasionally jerked over into the other lane that it was something weather and wind related. Then I heard the only words that could’ve ruined that perfect day: the bridge was closed due to gale force winds making it unsafe to cross.

Upon hearing this news I went through a whole myriad of emotions, followed by cursing at the voices in my head, anger-eating chocolate, and praying to the Irish Gods. It all must’ve worked because next thing you know, the winds let up enough for us to safely cross just a couple of hours later. I got some awesome video of the walk across the 66-foot bridge, so more on that later.

The entire area surrounding the Carrick-a-Rede Bridge was nothing but natural beauty. I could see Scotland, and though I knew there were farmhouses just beyond the hills, there were no visible signs of civilization as far as the eye could see. And for a city-dweller, that was awesome.

After my glorious walk across the bridge, we continued on to Giant’s Causeway, a more touristy spot just up the road. Giant’s Causeway is a group of about 40,000 polygonal basalt columns caused by a volcanic eruption. Or as legend explains it, a causeway built by the Irish giant Fionn mac Cumhaill to get over to Scotland to fight the Scottish giant Benandonner.

Clearly the Irish have been hitting the bottle for as long as they’ve been telling stories.

After leaving Giant’s Causeway we drove out to see what’s left of the 13th Century Dunluce Castle.

You wouldn’t even guess from these photos that it was absolutely freezing on that cold March day. The wind was relentless, blasting us like one of those reporters you see standing in the middle of a hurricane while you secretly hope he gets pegged by a cow or a stop sign for his stupidity.

But damn was the scenery beautiful, and totally worth it.

Should you go?

Hell yes. Even if you’re not up for renting a car and making the trek on your own, the day tour I did from Dublin was about 65 Euros, and it helped launch Ireland to the top of my Favorite Places in Europe list. Traveling the coast is nearly orgasmic. Plus the company offers tons of other day trips and adventure courses, so if the rest of their staff is anything like our guide you’ll definitely enjoy yourself.

I want to go back and do an extended hike and a trip to the Cliffs of Moher, so if you need a travel buddy, let’s go!

Tags Belfast, Carrick-a-Rede Bridge, Europe, Giant's Causeway, Ireland, Irish countryside, Northern Ireland, UK, United Kingdom

Europe Living Abroad

I’m Back From Europe: A Brief Recap

Post author By Just Visiting
Post date May 13, 2013
2,353 Comments on I’m Back From Europe: A Brief Recap

It’s been a week since I’ve landed back on US soil. And it’s taken me this long to sit down and start writing about it. Mostly because I don’t know where to start. It’s daunting to summarize what I saw, what I did, and what I’ve learned during those 97 days abroad. So let me begin by breaking it down by numbers (disclaimer: numbers are totally not my strong point).

97 days
14 airports
14,027 miles flown
42 hours on airplanes
26 hours on trains
10 trains
2 buses
1 ferry
2 Airbnb’s (3 if you count the one that I stayed at twice)
2 friend’s houses
8 hotels
8,500+ photos

Places visited:
Reykjavik, Iceland
London, England
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Bristol, England
Dublin, Ireland
Dublin, Ireland again
Belfast, Ireland
Northern Ireland Coast (Carrick-a-Rede Bridge, Giant’s Causeway)
Newbury, England
Paris, France
Barcelona, Spain
Interlaken, Switzerland
Jungfrau, Bernese Oberland, Switzerland
Venice, Italy
Rome, Italy
Pompeii, Italy
Amalfi Coast, Italy : Positano, Amalfi
Athens, Greece
Crete, Greece

And yet, here I sit in my New York apartment once again, feeling almost as though I never left. But I know I’ve come back wiser, re-energized, and obviously a wee bit older with a slightly more damaged liver and a new view on living abroad. And on the United States.

To sum it up, that was the quickest 97 days of my life. I didn’t sleep much but I saw more than I ever imagined I could pull off in three months while still working a full-time job and not going into debt. I saw natural phenomenons, snow-covered mountains, and ancient cities that are nearly twelve times older than the United States. I tasted some of the most amazing food I never knew existed, met some incredibly hospitable people while spending time with friends both old and new, and drank enough Guinness to safely assume my body could snap into relapse any day now. I walked across a rope bridge in gale force winds, showed my mom her first international experience, and participated in the chaos that is St Patrick’s Day in Dublin. Of the 14 total weekends I was gone, I spent just four in London and ten traveling around Europe. I quickly adapted to waking up at 3am nearly every Monday morning to catch a flight back to London and straight in to work a full shift. It was a whirlwind of three months, but the best experience of my life.

I’ve learned a lot on this trip. I’ve learned that exploring without a cell phone is not nearly as difficult as it sounds. Turning off the GPS and disconnecting from Twitter and Facebook let me get lost in the city and the moment and enjoy wherever I was with no interruptions.

I’ve also learned that Europe is ridiculously expensive and living there while still getting paid in US dollars is NOT recommended. I spent a shit ton of money, but every penny was absolutely worth it.

I’ve also rekindled my love for New York City, and I’ve got a newfound respect for the United States.

So stay tuned for tons of stories, tips, babblings, and pictures. But in the mean time, here are just a few highlights.

Sunset in Crete — Yes, I took pictures and GoPro’ed the sunset in Crete. Two nights in a row.

This would be so much cooler with about 50 less tourists in the photo.

Feta and honey saganaki and pan-fried cheese in Athens. OH. MY. GOD. AMAZING.

Showing off my awesome sunburn in the hot tub. Oh, and that's just the Parthenon in the background, no big deal. — Showing off my awesome sunburn in the hot tub. Oh, and that’s just the Parthenon in the background, no big deal.

The mind-blowing beauty of the Northern Lights in Iceland.

These were the people who inspired my own jumping spree all over Europe.

I drank so. Much. Guinness. And learned how to pour the perfect pint at the Guinness Academy.

Westminster Abbey on a cold, rainy evening. So like, every evening in London.

What good is a vacation without a few days in a Greek paradise?

Tags Athens, Crete, Dublin, Europe, Greece, Guinness, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jungfrau, Living Abroad, London, Northern Lights, Rome

Europe Uncategorized

Celebrating St Patrick’s Day in Dublin

Post author By Just Visiting
Post date March 19, 2013
3,796 Comments on Celebrating St Patrick’s Day in Dublin

I spent most of yesterday not only rehydrating and grazing on comfort food to ease the lingering hangover of my second weekend in a row in Dublin, but also trying to find the words to describe what Saint Patrick’s Day in Dublin was like. Then I realized, being in Dublin for St Patrick’s Day is a lot like spring break. But less of the sunny skies and sandy beaches, and more like drizzly grey skies and walkways littered with shattered glass, empty beer cans, and the occasional pile of vomit. But despite the nearly-freezing temperature, there were still plenty of scantily clad girls running around!

So, ladies and gentlemen, contrary to popular belief by many US people, St Patrick’s Day in Dublin IS a big deal. And it’s not just one day of gluttonous fun, the festivities run for five days total.

The General Post Office going green for the big day

That being said, I must add that the city is jam-packed with drunks from every country except Ireland. Like Times Square on a Saturday packed. I read there were 225,000 people estimated to be passing through Dublin airport this weekend, and that doesn’t even include those coming over by ferry such as myself and about a thousand passengers on board with me. A fairly sizable amount for a city whose population ranks in at just above one million.

A majority of these tourists seem to be college students. They’re loud, happy, and at times borderline obnoxious as they sing at the top of their lungs while skipping down the street with their arms linked. Some of them just look like drunken babies stumbling a zig-zagged line while shouting at the ground and holding onto their friend’s arm as if they’re walking a flaming tightrope. Hard to believe it’s only 2PM, the day BEFORE St Patrick’s Day.

Everybody is clad in green and orange, with Irish flags tied around their necks like capes, shamrocks painted on their faces, and the girls who actually wore an appropriate amount of clothing donned shamrock tights, neon green tutus and wigs. The amount of Guinness flowing from the taps was unreal, and I’d say about 85% of the the people in any given bar had a Guinness in hand. Considering the average pour-time for a pint, I’m surprised the bartenders were able to keep up with demands.

Once 8, 9 o’clock rolls around there’s live music flowing from almost every pub, playing a mixture of top 40 hits and traditional Irish music. Every single bar in Temple Bar is massively crowded like you’re working your way up to first row at a concert, to the point where the crowds are spilling out into the streets or bouncers are turning people away because they’re at capacity. One of the first pubs to lure us in with their live music and deceivingly empty appearance was Fitzsimons. As soon as we walked in I’m pretty sure we floated our way over to the bar, because I don’t think my feet touched the ground once. We had to seek space on the fourth floor stairwell just long enough to slam our beers and check in on Foursquare using their free wifi. After that we diverted our drinking route just outside of Temple Bar. It’s amazing how much the atmosphere can change just a block away.

I wish I could tell you the name of the place(s) I visited the rest of that night because they were absolutely perfect. Maybe I’ll do some digging and see if I can follow through on a later post. Once we got off the main strip of bars, even just a block over directly on the River Liffey, the crowd was much more tolerable (but still drunk and fun), the live music was actually good and entertaining, and the Guinness was even more delicious since it was so easy to get to the bar and get one.

Live Music in Dublin for St Patrick’s Day Weekend from Just Visiting on Vimeo.

On actual Saint Patrick’s Day we ventured out even further to explore some less-touristy spots and found ourselves inside Club Conradh na Gaeilge, the only pub in Dublin that still speaks Gaelic (or as the Irish call it, Irish). We found it by walking down some pub-less area before seeing two green and orange semi-slutty chicks emerge from a random black door in the basement of some building. So we gave it a shot. But more on this gem of a place later.

When in Dublin, do wander into random basements. Good things will happen, I promise.

Aside from all the drunken debauchery there was of course the St Patrick’s Day Parade. I’m not a fan of parades. At all. Between the crowds, the waiting, the endless acne-faced marching bands that sound identical to every other marching band, to the random floats and costumes that I’m clearly not artistic enough to make a damn bit of sense out of, I find them dull and unexciting. But how often would I be in Dublin for St Patrick’s Day, staying just one block from the start of the parade route, and unable to sleep due to a massive hangover? So I checked it out.

St Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin from Just Visiting on Vimeo.

This year they started a “The People’s Parade,” inviting 8,000 tourists from around the world to march through an hour before the actual parade itself. I didn’t catch that part because it was rainy, and while all the websites said to be in place along the route no later than 1130, I strolled up at 1155 and still got a good spot.

People were climbing ladders to get a good view

Apparently this guy was famous, but I have no idea who he was. Any idea?

The parade was a parade. Sure there were a few costumes and floats I could appreciate just for the sheer amount of hard work that had to have gone into making them, but aside from that I wasn’t that impressed. It seemed like there were more Americans marching than anything. The FDNY, Purdue, and about a dozen other US school’s marching bands.

So, you’ve got a year to plan. Should you do St Patrick’s Day in Dublin?

Yes.

But two things that will help your trip immensely,

1 Plan ahead. Prices continue to skyrocket big time the closer it gets to March 17, and literally every hotel room in the city will be booked up well in advance. We started looking into this about three months before and hotels and flights were still available at a reasonable price. Since it ended up being a last minute trip, flights were close to $600 roundtrip from London (the weekend prior I paid $200 to get there), and every single hotel room in the city was full unless you wanted to spend $900 a night. I ended up paying $200 to crash on a couch at the airbnb guy’s house that I stayed at the weekend prior.

2 Make sure you know what to expect, and tailor your plans accordingly. Ready to get wild and party your face off like you’re 18 again? Great, you’ll love Temple Bar. Want to head to a local pub and actually find a seat to enjoy live music and conversation? You’ll find that too. It’s surprisingly easy to escape “the madness” (as we’ve named it) and find a comfortably busy pub. So if crazy spring-break style partying isn’t your thing, don’t fret, just stay the hell away from Temple Bar after a quick drink (come on, it’s like a car accident). Do I wish maybe I would’ve done it 8 years ago when I was young and wild? Maybe. Would I do it again? If someone asked me to go along, hell yes. Bottom line is I love Ireland and I love Irish culture. I’ll take any excuse to visit Ireland again, but I might sit out the next parade.

Tags Dublin, Ireland, Irish, March 17, parade, pub, St Paddy's Day, St Patrick's Day, St Patty's Day

Europe Food + Drinks Ireland

What Not to do in Dublin

Post author By Just Visiting
Post date March 12, 2013
3,879 Comments on What Not to do in Dublin

In the states we'd refer to this as an "Irish pub." In Ireland it's just a pub.

I fell in love with Ireland the second I stepped off the plane, though I wasn’t exactly sure why. Especially since the only day I spent in Dublin was anything but ideal. I was only there for the weekend though, so I spent Saturday in the city before heading off on a fourteen hour tour of Northern Ireland on Sunday. But more on that later.

Basically, my perfect day in Dublin was supposed to go a little something like this:

– Wake up early.

– Have an Irish breakfast, including Guinness.

– Walk around town taking awesome photos.

– Tour the old Jameson Distillery. Drink Jameson.

– Take a leisurely stroll through the Guinness Storehouse.

– Drink Guinness at Gravity bar, admiring the views over Dublin.

– Find a bar to watch Ireland v France rugby while eating Irish stew and drinking more Guinness.

– Meet fun locals at said bar and continue on the evening with a pub crawl.

Sounds like the perfect Saturday in Dublin, right? Ideally, yes. But instead it went a little something like this:

– Woke up two hours later than I’d hoped.

– Inhaled a cup of rice pudding I’d mistaken for Greek yogurt in an attempt to save time on eating breakfast.

– Made it a few blocks snapping photos against a miserable looking sky, before the incessant mist became a bit too much for my camera.

– Stumbled upon the Old Jameson Distillery only to see the next 93 minutes of tours sold out. Luckily I was able to sign up for the last one of the day at 515pm, but since it was already 2 I had to hoof it over to the Guinness Storehouse to make it back in time.

– Took the long back-way over to Guinness in what had now become a steady rain and light wind. You know, just to ensure I was properly soaked before going inside.

– Had no time to stop for lunch, so I chugged my sample beer, poured my perfect pint, then chugged that too. And just like that with no food in my stomach, I was tipsy.

– Visited Gravity Bar long enough to snap a few photos of raindrops and clouds before rushing out the door to the Old Jameson Distillery.

– Bought a Guinness coffee mug on the way out, then oh-so-cleverly carried it unguarded in the rain in a paper bag with a thick rope handle.

– Got disoriented on my way back towards the Old Jameson Distillery and ended up walking about five blocks too far. So I asked some nice Irish fella to point me in the right direction and found myself backtracking with only six minutes until the tour started. Then, right there on the corner of Mary’s Lane and Greek Street, tragedy struck. The Guinness bag succumbed to the battle against the rain, and the bottom fell out, sending my prized mug crashing to the ground. I shouted expletives as a family across the street pulled their daughter near to avoid my harsh words. But come on, she’s Irish, surely she’s heard worse? I picked up the pieces and carried the shattered, dripping wet remains into the Jameson Distillery just in time at 514PM.

– Did the Jameson tour, grabbed the largest glass of free whiskey afterwards and downed it a bit too quickly in an attempt to make it to watch rugby.

– Walked another 20 minutes in the rain and wind before realizing I’d completely missed the rugby match.

– Stopped into a pub for an Irish stew only to discover that they didn’t accept swipe cards.

– Pissed off, I went out the door and directly across the street to McDonald’s. I was still buzzed and by this point STARVING, so I ordered 12 chicken McNuggets, a large fry, an apple pie, cheese sticks, and a chocolate shake. And I took it all back to the apartment and ate every. Last. Crumb.

It wasn’t necessarily a bad day, but I did miss out on a few key things due to poor planning and unexpectedly quick intoxication. So folks, if you’re going to Dublin, here are a few pointers:

– Remember that Guinness should not be a substitute for food. You will get drunk.

– Take an umbrella and a sturdy bag if you plan on buying any fragile souvenirs. Sadly the gift shop attendant at the Jameson Distillery said that happens all the time.

– Buy your tickets to the Guinness Storehouse and Old Jameson Distillery in advance online. You’ll save a few bucks, plan your day a little better, and avoid the lines.

– If you’re deciding between touring Guinness or Jameson, I think the Guinness Storehouse is the better choice. The Jameson Distillery was great, as was the tour guide, but it was shorter and felt like more of a theatrical setup since it’s in a place they no longer use, whereas the Guinness Storehouse felt like a much bigger experience.

– Don’t count on going out to a pub near the Old Jameson Distillery. There aren’t any.

– Have fun. Drink Irish beer and whiskey. Eat Irish food. And chat with the locals. From my experience they’re super friendly (at least if you’re American) and LOVE to talk. Plus they have cool accents!

Tags beer, Dublin, Guinness, Ireland, Irish, Jameson, tour, whiskey