Winter Vacation: Part 2

Okay, now that I am well settled back in Aix I can finish recounting my travels in the British Isles.

I feel as though I did not give a sufficient account of my time in Nottingham.  Getting there, though terrible, was by far the worst part and it was more than compensated for with the time I spent there.  I had such a wonderful time with my friends there and I even made some new ones.  Everyone was more than hospitable and I really didn't want to leave.  I was also there with 3 of the 5 girls I will be living with next year and it was really great for the four of us to spend some time together.

Ireland:
On Tuesday night Camille and I flew from Nottingham to Dublin and then took a bus to Galway. We had zero complications and it was glorious.  Upon arriving at her apartment, her roommate Chelsea gave me a freshly made grilled cheese sandwich.  It was heavenly.  Camille also lives there with Katie, who is her best friend from high school and Katie's boyfriend Jack was also visiting, so we had quite the fun group of people in the the apartment.
On Wednesday Jack and I went to class with Camille and Katie and then we walked around city center for a while.  We made breakfast for dinner and then watched (500) Days of Summer, which I loved.

On Thursday we went to Cork.  Naturally the city bus was running 15 minutes late, so we missed our coach and had to wait for 2 hours until the next one left.  We got to Cork in the middle of the afternoon and checked into our hostel before we went exploring.  We walked around for a while and grabbed some lunch at a place called Abrakebabra.  Pretty much the best name an fast food restaurant has ever had.  After have such a busy day of mostly sitting around and not really doing anything, we were in dire need of a nap, which we partook in with much enthusiasm and vigor.  Except for Jack. Who slept for about 15 minutes.

We had intended to get drinks and desert that evening, but the restaurants nearby were full and we were impatient.  So, we went into the first pub we found and asked if the kitchen was still open.  It wasn't, but the bartender said we could go get food and bring it in - which we did.  Across the street was a place called Mike's.  I was in the mood for some chips (aka fries) and they had them on the menu.  I ordered a large order for about 3 or 4 euros, expecting a typical-ish order of fries.  Lo and behold I got an order of chips approximately the size of a small child.  I was initially horrified at what I had just ordered and then stoked because of the great value and then very daunted at the thought of the task that was before me: eating this massive order of chips.  Luckily, I had help and we managed to polish them off and then roll ourselves back to the hostel and go to bed.

On Friday morning we went to Blarney Castle.  It was a pretty standard medieval Irish castle, but the grounds were really beautiful  it was kind of muddy, but we walked around the area for a few hours.  There was one area called Rock Close that has very much druid history and fairy folklore associated with it.  Next to a waterfall, there was one particularly slippery set of stairs known as the wishing stairs.  But, in order for your wish to be granted you have to focus on your wish as you walk down the stairs and then back up with your eyes closed the whole time.  Naturally I risked life and limb to complete this task (and I'll give you a dollar if you can guess what I wished for).  Also, I did not kiss the Blarney stone.  Getting herpes was not on my Ireland to-do list.

Our return to Galway was uneventful and I left the following morning for Paris.

Paris:

I thankfully had no travel mishaps on this leg of my trip either. (Unless you count the city bus being extremely late and me having to walk 45 minutes to the Galway coach station, getting there just before the bus left).  But, my bus to Shannon was fine as was my flight to Paris and my bus ride from the airport to the city.  I even managed to successfully navigate the Metro and find my hostel.  The hostel wasn't that great, but it was cheap and had a bed and free breakfast.  My train to Aix didn't leave till noon on Sunday, so I left my hostel before 8 and walked to the train station.

There is something very romantic and liberating about walking through the streets of Paris alone.  The sky was gray and the weather was mild.  The streets were fairly empty until 9:30.  I walked passed Les Invalides and across the Seine via the Pont Alexandre III I saw the obelisk and the Musée D'Orsay.  It broke my heart to walk by and not go inside, but I really didn't have the time that the museum deserves.  I also walked passed the Louvre.  Upon inspection I have to agree with Louis XIV;  it is definitely a sub-par residence.  Cramped, ugly, terrible location, not majestic or regal in the least.*

The last sight I visited on my way to the train station was Notre Dame.  I visited there when I was in Paris 5 years ago, but was not allowed in because they were ordaining priests that day.  This time I was so excited to finally go inside.  And, I approached, I realized it was sunday morning and I would be able to sit through a mass in the Notre Dame de Paris.  I was ecstatic.  Until I walked up to the door with my duffel bag and saw a sign saying luggage was not allowed into the cathedral.  For the second time, I was turned away.  But, I am determined that the next time I go there, I will not fail.

After that disappointment I comforted myself with un café et un pain au chocolat before making my way to the Gare de Lyon and returning to Aix.  I was so thankful to get back to this town that I have come to know and love.  I think I was more homesick for France during my 10 days abroad than I have been for America during the 5 weeks that I have been in Europe.  I feel settled here.  And I love it.




*Note: sarcasm