Sunday I ventured down to County Kerry to do some hiking at Killarney National park. This is somewhere I had been three years ago when I cam but have wanted to return to. The landscape and scenery at Killarney are absolutely breathtaking. The town is situated just off the coast of a large lake connected to two smaller lakes and surrounded by Ireland's highest mountains.
I went with Agathe and her friend Estelle from France. We did a round trip hike of 16km (roughly 10 miles) beginning and ending in Killarney town with our furthest point being Torc Waterfall and the surrounding mountainside.
At this park you could hike all day and still not see half of the sights. You could easily take 3-4 days to hike all through the countryside here. I would certainly love to return and do a biking trip here but I do not know if I will have enough time.
One suggested trip is to rent a bike in Killarney town, bike to Ross Castle and take a boat though the lakes to the other side of the park where you can bike through the mountains through the Gap of Dunlow and finally back to Killarney town.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Beginning of the End
As May begins the general look and feel has been doom and gloom. Everyone is preparing for their final exams and papers knowing full well that they'll be leaving soon. On Saturday one of my best friends here, Audrey, left to return to France. It was hard to say goodbye for everyone. Audrey was always one to go to a pub to watch the Rugby match, and that being the case, that very night was the big rugby match between Munster (west Ireland) and Leinster (east ireland) for the Heineken Cup semi-final. Munster had only weeks earlier completely decimated Leinster yet that sad afternoon, with one fo their biggest fans gone to France they just couldn't do it. It wasn't even a good match to watch it was just sad to see them being run over but a far inferior team.
As the game stretched ona nd got worse and worse, so did the weather. We watched the match on a big outdoor screen seeing as it was Limerick's Riverfest weekend. by the end of the amtch the sky was dark, the wind was roaring and the rain began to fall. Sad day for Munster.
As the game stretched ona nd got worse and worse, so did the weather. We watched the match on a big outdoor screen seeing as it was Limerick's Riverfest weekend. by the end of the amtch the sky was dark, the wind was roaring and the rain began to fall. Sad day for Munster.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Easter Trip part 1
Agathe and I set sail (via bus..) from Limerick to Dublin a little before midday on Saturday. We got into the lovely capital city here around 3pm or half 2 maybe. We spent the afternoon just walking around the town and enjoying the parks within the city. We found a internet café that we used to print our boarding passes for the plane then set out to meet the Keanes for drinks and dinner. We met Michael Keane and his wife at the Mercantile Bar near Temple Bar in Dublin for a drink before going to dinner. Afterwards they showed us a splendid pub called Porterhouse where there aare hundereds upon hundreds of beers you can order. That was a lovely way to start off the vacation as most pubs in Limerick have a very slim selection of beer outside of Guinness, Bulmers (cider), Budwiser, Coors Light (for some reason people over here think that is good beer..) and Carlsberg.
The Keanes left to head home but Agathe and I stayed to listen to some of the live music. Out flight was at 6:20 am so we were planning to just head out to the airport and try to sleep there as best as we could. We took a Taxi to the dublin airport as we missed the bus we wanted to take by about 30 seconds. For being Easter Sunday morning the airport and out flight were a lot more crowded than I would have imagined but its still nothing like dealing with the crowds at O'Hare
The flight to Nice, France was short and simple. We landed in Nice around 10am their time (hour ahead of Ireland) making it just under a three hour flight. We picked up a bus from the airport into town along the Promenade Des Anglais and took in the sights of the Mediteranean. Finding our Hotel was simple however the room wasn't to be ready until 1 or 2pm so we dropped off our bags and set about walking into town. We had a breakfast of coffee and croissants (both were so much better in France then I've had anywhere else) then went and sat along the beach for a while. On the east end of the Promenade Des Anglais there is a castle/park area that you have to climb way up onto the hillside to access. I didn't count the number of stairs but it was enough to make the both of us rather tired by the time we got to the top. After that we headed back to the hotel to shower and have a nap before going out into town again
The Keanes left to head home but Agathe and I stayed to listen to some of the live music. Out flight was at 6:20 am so we were planning to just head out to the airport and try to sleep there as best as we could. We took a Taxi to the dublin airport as we missed the bus we wanted to take by about 30 seconds. For being Easter Sunday morning the airport and out flight were a lot more crowded than I would have imagined but its still nothing like dealing with the crowds at O'Hare
The flight to Nice, France was short and simple. We landed in Nice around 10am their time (hour ahead of Ireland) making it just under a three hour flight. We picked up a bus from the airport into town along the Promenade Des Anglais and took in the sights of the Mediteranean. Finding our Hotel was simple however the room wasn't to be ready until 1 or 2pm so we dropped off our bags and set about walking into town. We had a breakfast of coffee and croissants (both were so much better in France then I've had anywhere else) then went and sat along the beach for a while. On the east end of the Promenade Des Anglais there is a castle/park area that you have to climb way up onto the hillside to access. I didn't count the number of stairs but it was enough to make the both of us rather tired by the time we got to the top. After that we headed back to the hotel to shower and have a nap before going out into town again
Loosing Faith in my Immune System
School is over now except for final exams. I have already had three finals but have 2 more on the 8th and 14th of May. This weekend I was supposed to go to Dingle, Ireland for a hiking trip however Thursday night I became ill. Fever, swollen throat, aches and pains etc. Friday didn't show any significant improvement so I had to stay at home this weekend. I spent Friday in bed the whole day which is unfortunate in itself as my bed here in limerick is mighty uncomfortable.
Today it seems to be getting better, I've been able to be up and out of bed for the most part of the morning though my stomach is still tossing and turning.
On the upside I guess this gives me plenty of free time to update my blog with some stories from France and Italy
Today it seems to be getting better, I've been able to be up and out of bed for the most part of the morning though my stomach is still tossing and turning.
On the upside I guess this gives me plenty of free time to update my blog with some stories from France and Italy
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Excerpt from Europe
Agathe and I finally made it to Florence!
Its absolutly amazing.
the trip has had some small bumps but its going well.
We had to take two trains to get to Genoa yesterday with a lay over at a small border town called Ventimiglia
Then we got a train from there to Genoa. Genoa ended up being not so great. We could not find a hostel and the interet didn't give s any worthwhile budget hotels. So we decided to take a night train to Florence rather than a hostel.
Begin Adventure...
so we wait until 11:53 at ngiht to grab the train to Florence which first drops us in Pisa for a 2 hour Layover before another train to Florence. We weren't fast enough to get seats on the train (the kind with sleeper cabins for highr paying tickets and small 6 seat cabins for the rest) becasue many peple take up to many seats for themselves. So we ride at the very end of the train just laying in the cabin. Its not that bad actually. Then we get to Pisa and there doesn't appear to be a tilet in any part of the station that is still open. It's now 2:15 am so there is nothing open in ton either. We make a last ditch effort to try and see the Leaning Tower but we never made it as we were worried about missing our train. Turns out we were so close and just didn't know it. Regardless we are now utterly exhuasted and we grab the train to Florence which gets in at 5:15 am. The train ride is Freeeeeeezing cold. Apparently it got cold that night in Flornece and the Florence train station is also cold. We sleep on a bench until 7am when the passenger waiting room open up. Finally we can warm up so we sleep until 9:30 am or so, though very uncomforably.
We had don a bit of rsearch on the internet in genoa to see where the hostels are in Florence so w decide to set out to find a Hostel. WE finally find one and it seems great only the roomas aen't ready until 2pm.
So we frshen up a bit then start exploring the town of Flornece which turns out to be absolutely beautiful. The weather turns splendid, sunny and warm with not a cloud in th sky. We are now back at the Hostel havng showered and taken naps.
will keep you posted and let you know how France was (amazing in short)
Its absolutly amazing.
the trip has had some small bumps but its going well.
We had to take two trains to get to Genoa yesterday with a lay over at a small border town called Ventimiglia
Then we got a train from there to Genoa. Genoa ended up being not so great. We could not find a hostel and the interet didn't give s any worthwhile budget hotels. So we decided to take a night train to Florence rather than a hostel.
Begin Adventure...
so we wait until 11:53 at ngiht to grab the train to Florence which first drops us in Pisa for a 2 hour Layover before another train to Florence. We weren't fast enough to get seats on the train (the kind with sleeper cabins for highr paying tickets and small 6 seat cabins for the rest) becasue many peple take up to many seats for themselves. So we ride at the very end of the train just laying in the cabin. Its not that bad actually. Then we get to Pisa and there doesn't appear to be a tilet in any part of the station that is still open. It's now 2:15 am so there is nothing open in ton either. We make a last ditch effort to try and see the Leaning Tower but we never made it as we were worried about missing our train. Turns out we were so close and just didn't know it. Regardless we are now utterly exhuasted and we grab the train to Florence which gets in at 5:15 am. The train ride is Freeeeeeezing cold. Apparently it got cold that night in Flornece and the Florence train station is also cold. We sleep on a bench until 7am when the passenger waiting room open up. Finally we can warm up so we sleep until 9:30 am or so, though very uncomforably.
We had don a bit of rsearch on the internet in genoa to see where the hostels are in Florence so w decide to set out to find a Hostel. WE finally find one and it seems great only the roomas aen't ready until 2pm.
So we frshen up a bit then start exploring the town of Flornece which turns out to be absolutely beautiful. The weather turns splendid, sunny and warm with not a cloud in th sky. We are now back at the Hostel havng showered and taken naps.
will keep you posted and let you know how France was (amazing in short)
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Easterbreak plans
For Easter Break I will make my first appearance on Continental Europe
Easter Sunday - early morning flight from Dublin to Nice, France
2 nights in Nice at the Hotel Dante. perhaps taking a day trip to Villefranche-sur-mer for the beach as the beaches in Nice are rocks and pebbles not sand.
Train to Milan, Italy through the Alps on April 14th during the afternoon.
spending remaining days in northern Italy with no set agenda.
Possibly seeing Venice, Verona, and Florence.
Flight back to Shannon from Turin, Italy on April 18th late late late at night.
Also pending my exam schedule there are tentative plans to meet Maureen and her friend in Croatia at the beginning of May
Easter Sunday - early morning flight from Dublin to Nice, France
2 nights in Nice at the Hotel Dante. perhaps taking a day trip to Villefranche-sur-mer for the beach as the beaches in Nice are rocks and pebbles not sand.
Train to Milan, Italy through the Alps on April 14th during the afternoon.
spending remaining days in northern Italy with no set agenda.
Possibly seeing Venice, Verona, and Florence.
Flight back to Shannon from Turin, Italy on April 18th late late late at night.
Also pending my exam schedule there are tentative plans to meet Maureen and her friend in Croatia at the beginning of May
Trip to the North
This past weekend the Mary I international group took a trip to visit northern Ireland. We stayed two nights in Belfast and also took guided bus tour of other parts of the north. We visited the Giant's Causeway, the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Dun Laois Castle, and the City of Derry where the Bloody Sunday incident took place.
I think Derry was one of my favorite spots, I have been there before but only briefly, this time i got to explore the city a bit more. We visited Bogside, the Catholic neighborhood in Derry, where the Bloody Sunday incident actually happened. Now there are a series of murals painted by local artists from the bogside commemorating what took place and calling for an end to the violence.
Also noted there were numerous marks of grafitti from the RIRA stenciled on the walls. This was a bit disturbing to see as they are the group claiming responsibility for the latest violence in Northern Ireland. Now its impossible to tell if the grafitti is new or if it has been there for years but if it is new grafitti then it really is a bit disturbing. In large letters on one rooftop there was written "RIRA Pride" which is scary if it is new.
The city of Belfast was a great spot as well. We saw the two sectarian neighborhoods and the political murals associated with each one along wiht the giant wall between the two neighborhoods still restriciting access.
We also walked throught the campus of Queens University Belfast which was gorgeous.
I think Derry was one of my favorite spots, I have been there before but only briefly, this time i got to explore the city a bit more. We visited Bogside, the Catholic neighborhood in Derry, where the Bloody Sunday incident actually happened. Now there are a series of murals painted by local artists from the bogside commemorating what took place and calling for an end to the violence.
Also noted there were numerous marks of grafitti from the RIRA stenciled on the walls. This was a bit disturbing to see as they are the group claiming responsibility for the latest violence in Northern Ireland. Now its impossible to tell if the grafitti is new or if it has been there for years but if it is new grafitti then it really is a bit disturbing. In large letters on one rooftop there was written "RIRA Pride" which is scary if it is new.
The city of Belfast was a great spot as well. We saw the two sectarian neighborhoods and the political murals associated with each one along wiht the giant wall between the two neighborhoods still restriciting access.
We also walked throught the campus of Queens University Belfast which was gorgeous.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)