Adventures in Ireland

This last weekend I made a trip, along with several other students in our program, to Dublin. I was able to even make the trip a bit of an adventure by opting to take several trains and a ferry rather than fly. Now I was worried leading up to the ferry because I've always pictured ferries to be small boats like the Staten Island ferry in New York. Thank goodness I was incorrect in this presumption! Our ferry looked more like a cruise ship complete with a movie theater, arcade, game room, shopping center, and two restaurants. Most importantly they had very comfortable chairs to sleep in since we travelled overnight arriving at the Dublin port a little before 6:00am. I was very glad I chose this option though because there was a magnificent view from the top outer deck of the ferry and I got to see a lot of the English countryside from the train.

Once we arrived in Dublin we dropped our bags off at the hotel, walked around for a bit waiting for everything to open up, and then took a 3.5 hour walking tour of the city. Our tour guide knew so much about the history of not only Dublin but Ireland in general. We went by the Dublin Castle where the British stayed and ran the government when Ireland was still under British rule. The castle garden immediately behind the building used to be connected to the river, and when the Vikings arrived hundreds of years ago that is where they landed. Since the water was so dark they named the city Dublin which means dark pool. We also visited Christ Church Cathedral, which was set up by the Vikings and at one time a Catholic church that was used for many purposes over the years and has been a prime example of the relationship between alcohol and religion in Ireland. A couple prominent families who owned alcoholic companies, such as the Guinness family, lived in Dublin and used their money to renovate some of the old churches and restore them to their original glory. It seemed that religion had always played a large role in Irish society so it was neat to hear how everything tied together. A few other sites we stopped by include Trinity College, the government building, and some monuments commemorating the potato famine. It was a wonderful tour and I learned a great deal. I truly could not have asked for a better introduction to the city.

The second day we were in Ireland we took a day trip outside of Dublin to visit the countryside and the Cliffs of Moher. I can not put into words how beautiful the cliffs are; I was absolutely amazed when I saw them. Along the way we stopped in Galway city, at the Dunguaire Castle, Poulnabrone Dolmen a stone age burial tomb dating back 6,000 years, and the Burren Mountains. In the mountains we took an hour long hiking tour and had a beautiful view. From our hike we could see the ruins of an old monastery tucked away where the underground rivers sprang up as well as the Kinvara village where there is an annual boat race in the small fishing village. We also learned about the rock walls that are everywhere. There area has a great deal of limestone rock, and so people have used it to build walls surrounding their homes, separating their land from others, and cordoning off different sections of their land. During the potato famine the farmers in this area had a bit of extra food so they decided to pay workers to come build rock walls up through the mountains in exchange for food. These walls serve no purpose, but it was a way for them to help their fellow countrymen survive this hard time. Lastly we visited a fairy tree. It's a special type of fig tree and it's believed that if you tie something to it when you have a problem the fairies will help to solve it. I really think it could be nice to have one in Lincoln and try it out. Everywhere we went we were surrounded by ancient sites and beliefs; there is just so much history even in the mountains!

Following the mountains we continued on our way to the Cliffs of Moher. We passed several more castle ruins along the way and finally arrived at our main destination. From the cliffs you can see the Aran Islands where the Irish Gaelic language is still spoken today. The cliffs themselves are 214 meters high at their tallest point and span 8 kilometers. I can honestly say that from every point on the cliffs there is a breath taking view. It was truly one of the most beautiful sceneries I've ever seen. Someday I hope to make it back to Ireland to see more of the countryside and perhaps make a visit to the city of Wicklow where the movie P.S. I Love You was based and filmed. Until then I will continue to think about all the great information and sites I saw this past weekend.

The pictures below include the Dublin Castle, Christ Church Cathedral, the Burren Mountains showing the old monastery, the fairy tree, four images of the Cliffs of Moher, and the remains of the Dunguaire Castle. Enjoy!

Off to the Races

It turns out I'm not as good of a judge when it comes to choosing horses at the races as I thought I might be. I finally figured this out after every horse I chose to cheer for lost. Most people in the group came home slightly in the red, but a few lucky betters broke even and the even luckier brought home some money yesterday. Maybe for next race I'm at I should choose horses based on facts rather than the horse's name or the color the jockey is wearing. I thought I would win for sure when I chose to cheer on Holyman and Obliterate, but I guess we can't win them all.

The race we went to was a little different than the big race tracks I've seen in the states. First the track itself is grass rather than dirt and there are very few seats. Most people in attendance stood in the grass down by the track or sat in one of the restaurants. I also thought there would be more fascinators (hats). Towards the end of the day I started to pick up a few tips on choosing a horse and learned that you should watch them walk around and warm up so you can see their leg muscles because that can give you some hint as to how well they do. The absolute best advice I heard was to ask the ushers at the front of the building. A couple girls on the trip asked an usher for advice and it turns out that he was right every time! I guess being around the horses so much really gives you a good sense of what they can do. The environment at the races is so fun; it truly was a fantastic experience and of my favorite activities of the program.

Starting after class this morning we have our extended weekend. Most of us are going to visit Dublin but there are people staying in England to visit some cities around Oxford. There are a few other groups going to Berlin, Amsterdam and Scotland as well. Personally I'm extremely excited to see Dublin. I've heard it's beautiful and just a really neat place. Who knows, maybe it will even get me in touch with some of my Irish roots :) Since we're experiencing a "heat wave" with temperatures in the high 70s in Oxford it might be nice to have some colder weather for the weekend in Dublin. I'm perfectly happy with the temperature here knowing that it's over 100 back in Nebraska but it is a little funny that this weather is considered to be quite warm. Look forward to some fun stories from the weekend!

Until then here are some pictures from the races.

So Lucky

The last few days have been absolutely amazing! I've attended high tea, gone to London, and had a good old lazy Sunday.

Friday we got dressed up and went to experience the English tradition of high tea. I definitely think this is a tradition we could use in the states and more specifically in Lincoln. Perhaps we could make it a little less fancy but the idea of a tea break in the afternoon could do us wonders! The food they served was delicious and the tea was great as always. We had several finger sandwiches ranging from smoked salmon (my personal favorite) to cucumber. Then there were the scones with jam and cream and the top layer of just incredible desserts; I couldn't help myself, it was just all so good. It was also nice that the Dean was able to join us for tea before she headed back to Lincoln.

Yesterday we got up early and made a trip into London. It was a bit of a whirlwind but I managed to fit a lot into a day. We got there and had three hours to run around before watching the musical Chicago. We managed to make it to Buckingham Palace and saw the changing of the guard, over to Westminster Abbey where we took a tour, past Big Ben and the parliament building, then over by the London Eye and a neat little walking bridge. After all of that we had to rush back for the wonderful show. I just adore going to shows and this was a new one for me so it was very fun. Everyone seemed to like it, even the guys who didn't originally really want to go :) We then got another two and a half hours before the bus headed back to Oxford. I wanted to see the Olympic Village so a couple friends and I took the tube out to see it. Unfortunately the majority of the village was still closed off, but it was neat to say that we were there. We got a few pictures out in front and then headed to a great Indian restaurant right there. I would highly recommend the Indian food in London, oh my goodness it was a great quick meal. The entire day trip was fabulous and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. I know there are a few sites I missed, but I am truly just so lucky to have been able to see as much as I did.

Today I woke up and walked around the city for a bit. I went to the Christ Church meadow and had my breath taken away. I can't wait to go running through there tomorrow because it is just the most beautiful little area of the city. I spent the rest of my Sunday being lazy reading a good book on the bench directly in the center of Jesus College. The weather was so nice I just had to be out there!

Everything has been so great throughout my trip. I couldn't ask for anything more and can hardly wait to see what else I will be able to experience!

Pictures include: Pictures from High Tea, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, the Olympic Village and Christ Church.

The Merchant of Venice

Yesterday I wandered around the city and found my way to the original Blackwell's Bookstore. It was started here in Oxford as a family run business and has now become one of the largest, best known bookstores in the world. Needless to say I couldn't help but buy a book! Other than the bookstore I walked by several of the other colleges and just admired all the architecture. There truly is nothing like these buildings back home and I want to try and see as much of it as I can before I have to leave. Everything is so old and beautiful, some buildings have been here for longer than the United States has existed! That's just so crazy to think about.

Last night we took a big group picture of the Nebraska at Oxford class of 2012. Dean Plowman made it to Oxford in time for the picture and then ate dinner with everyone. She is so interested in everything that we are doing and has been extremely fun to have here. After dinner we made our way to a play. I was honestly a little nervous for the play since it's was written by Shakespeare, but I had no reason to be since "The Merchant of Venice" was fabulous! We sat in a big outdoor amphitheater and laughed throughout the entire thing. From the venue to the actors it was just wonderful and I think everyone who went felt the same way.

Today we're going to experience a traditional high tea. I've been told that it's quite the event so I can't wait to see for myself. I also had the pleasure of eating my first authentic plate of fish and chips at lunch! I'm generally not a big fish eater, but I could probably eat fish and chips all the time it was so good. It looks like I'll need to take my camera to meals from now on because not only is our food delicious but the presentation never ceases to surprise me. It makes me wonder if this is what meals are like for Oxford students throughout the year or if it's just for summer events that they work so hard. If it turns out that these are typical meals for students I'm going to be very jealous.

Until I can post about my high tea experience here are a few pictures to look at. The second is the backside of the church I believe, the third is the original Blackwell Bookstore, and the last is of Dean Plowman and I following our group photo.

Oxford Tour & Punting

Over the last couple of days I've had the opportunity to learn quite a bit about British history in class and the city of Oxford. We took a walking tour of the city and heard that Oxford has been a hub for education dating back to around 1096 and the University itself is the oldest English speaking university in the world! How neat is it that I get to stay and learn in such a special place? The buildings are all so pretty, and let's face it, the fact that scenes from Harry Potter were based off the buildings here is kind of cool. The University system itself is quite different here than in the states. We were trying to understand the differences in the colleges, but it's difficult since they're all separately run and you choose a specific college to apply for. Jesus College has to be my favorite since that's where we're staying, but the others are all very pretty and I love how they come together to form Oxford University.  

Other than seeing the town we also went punting. It's a bit like riding in a canoe, but someone stands on the back of the boat and "paddles" using a long metal pole. Since the current was really strong we weren't able to try it for ourselves but the ride was really nice. There was a sweet older man along the banks that handed us some bread to feed the ducks, which was quite the adventure. I myself am not a huge bird fan so I was not quite thrilled when they all swam right up to the boat. It really seemed like they were about ready to hop in and join us for the ride a couple of times!    

Tonight we are taking our official Oxford class photo and watching a play. I'm excited to see what the theatre is like since we will be watching it outdoors! If it's anything like the buildings I've seen so far it's bound to be a fantastic experience. I'll write about it tomorrow, but until then enjoy the pictures below! 

The first and last picture below are of Jesus College. The other two are from the tour and the third is of the University Church of St. Mary.  

Home In Oxford

After the most amazing week of traveling I'm happy to be "home" in Oxford! Everywhere in Europe is just so pretty and full of history. Rome was wonderful and I was so lucky to be able to visit the Vatican and the Colosseum. Both places were so rich with history and the 

detail in their designs amazed me. Barcelona was a bit different. The architecture 

throughout the city designed by Antoni Gaudí was different, unique, and left me speechless. Park Güell and Sagrada Família were perhaps the most beautiful places I have ever seen. I think I could go to both every day and find something new to love about them. I was unable to spend much time in Paris and would love to go back to visit more of the sites there, but the fireworks show for Bastille Day was incredible! I have never seen fireworks that big and bright, not to mention how perfectly they framed the Eiffel Tower which was lit up brighter than a Christmas tree. I also fell in love with the crepes there and have decided the first thing I do when I get back home will be to learn to make some. I truly could not have asked for a better week and feel like the luckiest girl to have that experience.

Now that everyone is in Oxford we're about to have so much more fun. Yesterday was our first day of classes and the teachers are just too funny. They make the material exciting and want to hear about all the fun activities we do. During the afternoon we learned to play rounders, which is a lot like baseball but uses bats half the size. Once we finally got the hang of the different rules it was really fun. The city is gorgeous and I can't wait to go on an official walking tour this week. I still can't believe that I get to stay at one of the oldest Universities in the world for a month! Everything from the rooms to the food and classes has been wonderful and I could not have asked for a better start to this trip. 

Here are some pictures from this past week. Enjoy!

I Made It!

After a couple plane rides I landed in London this morning! From what I was able to see of the city it's gorgeous. I took a day trip to Oxford to drop off my big bag and can not wait to spend a month there. From all of the history to the beautiful buildings and wonderful University I can hardly wait to see what I have the opportunity to learn. 

First I'm heading around Europe for the week and will be flying to Rome early tomorrow. I'm so lucky to get these experiences and hope to take in as much as I can! Look forward to pictures from the week!