The Grand Finale

I am writing this at my gate in the Dublin Airport waiting to board my flight to the United States. My two week trip was amazing, full of unexpected and spontaneous decision.

My final day in Amsterdam I decided to rent myself a bike and ride around for a few hours before I had to fly back to Ireland. I rode to the north of the city and then all around finding nice parks and many parts of the city I had not yet reached. Once back in Dublin I was immediately greeted by a German who was staying in my room and invited me to come have drinks with them at Temple Bar. Of course I cannot turn down a Guinness. A good conversation about our respective countries and the rest of the world ensued.

The next morning began my final European day of adventure. My first stop was Kilmainham Gaol, a prison used by the British to house Irish revolters. A great amount of history in that building, very interesting. From there I went to the biggest city park in Europe, Pheonix Park. Full of hurling and cricket pitches as well as a nice monument and gardens. After that I could not resist any longer, and I started off for the Guinness Storehouse. A 7 floor experience of the making and tasting of Guinness was a wonderful way to cap off my time in Ireland. I had my fill of Guinness and enjoyed the nice view of Dublin from the top floor. Trying to squeeze as much in as I could, I rushed from the storehouse to the National Museum and then next door to the National Library. I was starving at this point so I was pointed in the direction of the Brazen Head, the oldest pub in Dublin. A traditional Irish meal and another Guinness would be my last taste of Ireland.

My trip has been everything I expected and more. I was anxious about traveling on my own and having planned so little when heading across the pond. But things fell into place and I had an amazing adventure. I learned the benefits of being a solo traveler. I met people from Italy, Finland, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Uruguay, Israel, Netherlands, U.S., England, China, Japan, Australia and others I'm probably forgetting. The world is an amazing place and I intend to see it all.

Amsterdam (A Cleaner Venice?)

I spent the past few days of my journey in the great city of Amsterdam. It is unlike any city I have ever been to and I feel the people here pride themselves on that. Whether it be the Red Light District, the "coffe shops", or the thousands of people constantly flying by on bicycles everything here is different.

My first day in Amsterdam was a bit stressful. I had no money having relieved myself of pounds back in Scotland and no way of getting more since the bank did not know my intent to visit the netherlands. Once this was resolved I found the nearest pub and enjoyed an Irish feast. I then decided to explore the city in hopes of finding a good bakery or sweet shop. Unfortunately that turned into an hour of getting lost. Narrow streets with over 160 canals make things look very similar at night. Exposing myself as a tourist and asking my way back I eventually returned home safely.

Day 2: My yearning for Dutch food unfulfilled, I got up and went to a place called Pancakes!. A popular place for Sunday brunch and so there was a line (queue as they like to call it) out front. A young man in front of me was also there by himself so I struck up conversation and asked if we could sit together to cut my wait time in half. He obliged and turned out to be a rather interesting Canadian. He was just 20 years old. He went to South America for 5 months, did a year of college, then decided to head off to Europe. But I digress, my pancakes was phenomenal. It is quite flat but very tasty. I ordered one drizzled with chocolate.
Full from breakfast I went to Dam Square to begin a tour around the city. We started in the infamous red light district. Our guide, Mark, had been a neighbor to a prostitute in the city and he therefore knew many of the girls working windows. He was a supporter of legal prostitution claiming that it makes the women safer than if they were to be in brothels and such. From there we saw the national monument of the Netherlands, the Royal Castle and both new and old churches. One of the best parts of the tour was a short stop to taste some cheese from a traditional cheese shop. They use the same methods as before WWII and their cheese was fantastic. The darker parts of Amsterdam's history was also covered. We went to a location of a World War II ghetto for Jews. The tour wrapped up with the uncertainty that faces Amsterdam in the upcoming months. There are those who are fighting to change the extreme tolerance for things that are in fact illegal.

Monday morning I awoke early to beat the line for the Anne Frank House. To my surprise getting there 10 minutes prior to opening puts you quite a ways from the door. Once inside, it was a moving experience. To see the actual place where 8 Jewish people hid for two years invoked a range of emotions. It was terribly sad and upsetting, but I am glad to have seen it.
To cheer myself up a bit, I went back again to Pancakes! So delicious. Then I walked to the southwest of the city in an attempt to visit the Van Gogh museum. However, I like everyone else was refused due to construction. Such is life. But, the popular sign that reads I Amsterdam is right next to the museum so I took the opportunity to photograph the landmark. I then realized that a renowned cake shop was also nearby, so I popped over to have a remarkable piece of cheesecake. After a day full of eating I went over to what must be the biggest park in the city to relax. The park was vibrant and full of dogs and their owners. When it started to rain I found a little nook beneath a tree and enjoyed simply watching. Another visit to an Irish pub before I would get completely washed out and turn in. My rainy adventures have now caught up to me in the form of a cold.

A Few Days in Scotland

Tonight concludes a short stay in Edinburgh, Scotland. Another amazing UK city with its castle overlooking everything around it. I arrived here after taking a bus across the entire country. There was plenty of beauty to be seen throughout the 4 hour drive. We went through mountains, small towns, forests and farms. However, the entire journey was plagued by rain.

The rain continued throughout the day and into the night. I decided no storm could stop me so equipped with my rain jacket I explored a beautiful park in the middle of the city and visited the national gallery. I got quite lost as I continued to walk around on Thursday, but that's half the fun of an adventure. I eventually gained my bearings, but at that point was fairly soaked. Once dried I ate some local Scottish beef and had a few pints at a local pub.

Friday I was educated on much of the history behind the city. I took a tour lead by a girl from Chicago. She did well and seemed to know a lot about Scottish history, and after four years of being here was developing an accent. The tour took us through most of the Old Town of Edinburgh. We saw cathedrals, graveyards, markets and best of all the Castle of Edinburgh. The castle is remarkable in its positioning in the city. It sits atop jagged rock and is visible from many points around the city because of its height.

One anecdote during the tour was of a famous dog in the city. The story goes that the dog, Greyfriar's Bobby, kept watch of the graveyard with his master. When his master died the dog found his way to his master's grave and remained there for 14 years. Now there is a headstone at the front of the graveyard along with restaurants and things nearby commemorating Greyfriar's Bobby.

After the completion of the tour I hiked over to the National Museum of Scotland, which houses some incredible relics. Six floors of Scottish and world history as well as a rooftop terrace overlooking the city. After all that I could not absorb anymore history, so I found a pub nearby. I had no choice but to eat the Mussels in Guinness with a side of Guinness. I enjoyed some cricket while eating and then went for a nap in the park while the sun set behind the castle. Saturday I am off early to Amsterdam for a spontaneous trip to the continent.

Leaving the Republic

On Tuesday I hopped on the train and left the Republic of Ireland for greener pastures. I headed north to the UK's Northern Ireland. Due in large part to a newly hired travel agent I had much to do when I first arrived in Belfast. The cities get more and more beautiful as I go. Belfast is the birthplace of the Titanic and there is a district dedicated to the ship. I immediately went downtown after arriving at my hostel. I accidentally ran into City Hall, which was quite nice. From there I went to the river running through the city. Surprisingly, I then went willingly into an enormous shopping mall called Victoria Square. I did no shopping, but instead headed to the 360 degree view from a lookout high above. It was quite a view and a good shelter from the rain. The man at my hostel told me I must go to a place called Boojum and have a burrito. I obliged and was pleased to find that it was the Irish replica of Chipotle. Back in the room I met an American from Alaska who has been living in Ireland 12 years. We shared a pint and he suggested I see a documentary. The film was called The Imposter and was about a man who pretended to be a family's missing son. Very, very interesting and well made, I would recommend it to all.

The following day in Belfast I was compelled to take a tour of the Giant's Causeway. A nice Irish man led the tour and he was very funny, mostly at the expense of the Canadians. We stopped first at a Castle not far from Belfast. After our castle visit we embarked on the most beautiful drive I have ever been on. Through the Irish countryside with the water always on our right. We eventually came to Carrick-A-Rede with the sun shining bright and it was extraordinary. The ocean down below was gorgeous and the cliffs that we walked along could not have made it more picturesque. After a 15 minute path over the cliffs there lies a rope bridge about 100 meters over the ocean. It is very much secure and does not seem frightening at all until you are midway through and the wind picks up. But making it to the island on the other side is well worth it. The view is simply incredible. The atlantic ocean with islands all around and the Irish countryside stretching out behind. But that was not even the main event. We stopped for lunch at Bushmill's distillery, an Irish whiskey distillery licensed since 1608. The cheesecake was excellent. Anyway, we went to the Giant's causeway to examine the wonders of nature. The stones were amazing and the surrounding area did not disappoint either. I walked around with a couple of Australians and we enjoyed a pint at the top of the mountain after.

Now I am currently on a ferry that is expected to dock in Scotland. From there I will be taken to Edinburgh. So I bid adieu to Ireland for now as I start a new adventure.

The Other Side of the Atlantic

Today was easily my favorite day in Ireland. To be fair its only been three, but the Cliffs of Moher were some of the most amazing natural structures I've ever seen. I signed up for a tour that lasted all day. An Irish man by the name of Desmond who has been guiding tourists for 19 years showed us much of the West countryside. We went through the Burren, a national park south of Galway. We were allowed to get out and stop many times and explore the area. At about 1:30 we stopped for lunch in a little town called Doolin. Our guide told us he would refrain from his usual 10 Guinness so we didn't fall in the ocean on the way back. Up on the cliffs we got there while it was sunny, but incredibly windy. A storm passed through but after it was beautiful. The cliffs are more than 200 meters high, overlooking an endless stretch of the Atlantic ocean. On the way back we encountered a herd of cows coming down the street, which Desmond dismissed as a traffic jam. Another stop had us climbing a rocky mountain and getting close to the shore. Our last stop was at the Dunguaire Castle on the water. A lot of amazing sights from the West of Ireland today. Galway has been a pleasant surprise.

Going West to Galway

Very early this morning I had to make a decision about where to go next. A dying computer & phone and no itinerary made this process a bit more stressful.

As a bit of background, before I ventured to Ireland I was working for the High A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers baseball team. Our season was supposed to end September 2nd, however, the team made the playoffs. And they kept winning making it all the way to Game 5 of the Florida State League Championship, which was the night before my flight to Dublin. We won the championship and celebrated into the morning. So that is my main excuse for the unpreparedness.

Anyways, I decided on Galway at about 2 a.m. and went to sleep. Now, having explored the city I can appreciate the choice. The Irish Rail system brought me here in a few hours, and I quickly started exploring. There is a very European area of streets, shops, and pubs exclusive to pedestrians. Not far from there is the North Atlantic ocean. The sun came out today, which helped me enjoy the scenery. I stopped for lunch at a pub and the bartender appreciated an American having a Guinness in the middle of the day on Sunday.

A Long Day in Dublin

Saturday was my first day in Dublin after my stop in New York. I landed at 9 a.m. (4 eastern) and headed out into Ireland. After inevitable confusion about where my hostel actually was and a refresher on European street sign placement I found my home for the night before heading off to tour the city. Our tour guide was quite knowledgable having grown up in Dublin, but he was the youngest of the group (21). We started at city hall discussing Irish history 9,000 years B.C. Along the way we saw Dublin Castle, Trinity College, the Spire of Dublin, and the building the White House was based on. The tour lasted three hours and afterward we went to have lunch at a local pub. Later on, I investigated the streets of Dublin and made myself an Italian dinner. And finally that night, a much anticipated moment, my first pint of Guinness at The Bleeding Horse. It was everything I could have hoped for. I made a few friends at the hostel that night and have come to the conclusion that I am capable of traveling alone.