Today I woke up and looked over to the other side of the bed and saw Alex. Sleeping. It was great.
It was even greater that she had to get up before me to shower, while I just spent that time laying in bed and falling in and out of sleep until I actually had to get up. I had cornflakes for breakfast, which was also great.
Then Tony and Connie and Alex and I jumped in the car heading into the city centre and literally sat in the car with it running while Katie ran around inside…I thought it was funny, because of how many times at my house, my mom says “Hurry up, girls! I’m in the car!”, but she’s never actually in the car…but today, we were. Waiting. In the car.
Anyway, Katie eventually runs into the backseat with us, and we made it there juuust in time for her lecture at Trinity College at 10am. Alex and I had a train to catch at 11:05 for our journey across the green land that is Ireland, and so we killed some time wandering around the gorrrrgeous campus!
It was even greater that she had to get up before me to shower, while I just spent that time laying in bed and falling in and out of sleep until I actually had to get up. I had cornflakes for breakfast, which was also great.
Then Tony and Connie and Alex and I jumped in the car heading into the city centre and literally sat in the car with it running while Katie ran around inside…I thought it was funny, because of how many times at my house, my mom says “Hurry up, girls! I’m in the car!”, but she’s never actually in the car…but today, we were. Waiting. In the car.
Anyway, Katie eventually runs into the backseat with us, and we made it there juuust in time for her lecture at Trinity College at 10am. Alex and I had a train to catch at 11:05 for our journey across the green land that is Ireland, and so we killed some time wandering around the gorrrrgeous campus!
Like I said yesterday, the weather was wonderful again! Our handy in-car thermometer informed us that it was a steamy 19ºC outside, and it was so nice! I already told you, a long time ago in Aberdeen, that my favourite day of the year is the first day that you can go outside without a jacket on…but I admit now, that the first time I did it in Aberdeen, I was just being optimistic. I mean, it was warm then, but probably only about 10ºC. Today was a legitimate 'favourite day of the year'.
Not only was the weather what made it so wonderful, but everything else that was included in the day, too! You’ll see as I continue with today’s post, that every single thing added together for a day that couldn’t be considered anything less than incredible.
Connie brought us to the train station, and after a whirlwind of mini panic attacks trying to find out where to pick up our tickets, a faulty ticket gate that didn’t let us through to the platform, and a sad/quick goodbye to Connie after a very enjoyable stay at her place, Alex and I eventually found our seats on the train to Sligo.
Not only was the weather what made it so wonderful, but everything else that was included in the day, too! You’ll see as I continue with today’s post, that every single thing added together for a day that couldn’t be considered anything less than incredible.
Connie brought us to the train station, and after a whirlwind of mini panic attacks trying to find out where to pick up our tickets, a faulty ticket gate that didn’t let us through to the platform, and a sad/quick goodbye to Connie after a very enjoyable stay at her place, Alex and I eventually found our seats on the train to Sligo.
Anyway, we eventually make it to Sligo, after making the transition from the tall buildings and busy streets of Dublin to the more calm, sheep-filled, green fields of Ireland. To be honest, lots of it looked like places I know in Canada, once you get out into cottage country. I didn’t have a window seat and didn’t want to get glare off the windows anyway, so I didn’t take any pictures en route, but if you imagine what it looks like driving by the great lakes as you get into cottage country, that’s what it eventually transitioned into (don’t worry, it gets better). Alex’s aunt Niamh and cousins Jenny (age 11) and Niall (age 9) came to pick us up from the station, and I couldn’t have been more delighted to see some friendly smiling faces, especially the adorable kids! We drove more into the countryside to their home in Sligo and got all settled in. Their house is a-freakin-dorable. I can’t even really explain. The cupboards are painted green and there are lots of windows in the kitchen that were letting in the amazing bright sunlight from outside, and everything was just so neat and tidy and home-y. We met their dog, Archie, a Westland Terrier that reminds me of MacDuff, for any of my family who may be reading this, and took some pictures playing around with him in the sun (aka Niall became my personal photographer and snapped some shots of us – But I’m not complaining! Some of them turned out quite well, and it’s nice to have myself in some of my pictures, too!! Now I have proof that I actually AM here…).
Niall and Alex
Alex and I playing with Archie -- look at that air! wooo! ; Photo courtesy of Niall
After having lunch and about 4 consecutive cups of tea, we went out to the shoreline at a place called Strandhill, where there is a little place where you can get surf lessons and a whole bunch of little seaside shops. We sat on the rocks overlooking the beach, and enjoyed the glorious sunshine (oh, how I’ve missed it!!) while checking out the surfers and getting to know Niamh and Niall a bit better. Jenny stayed at home with her dad, Fineen, because her neighbour was over—I got an adorable shot of them on the swings! Check it out!:
Anyway, Strandhill was amazing, as was the trip there – there are these mountains that just seem to follow you everywhere! Just looming in the distance, reaching up so high, it’s like…well, I don’t know exactly what it’s like, but it’s darn beautiful.
this was a cool bit of graffiti that Niamh pointed out to us -- the government let some
artists do it in some kind of initiative to say something about 'actual' graffiti
After Strandhill, we came back to the house for a little bit, then headed off to a church service for 7pm. After the service, which was Catholic and a nice breath of fresh air for me, since I haven’t been to a Catholic service in some time now, we went for a tea and chat with some more of Alex’s relatives. As you can imagine, we were pretty hungry after that, even though we’ve had enough junk food in the past 2 days to last a good month or so. Anyway, we came back home, fooled around a bit with Niall and Jenny and their cousin Aisling until supper was ready, and then had a nice family meal around the table. And guess what we had for supper? CHICKEN KORMA! It made me want/miss Rahim’s reallllllll bad. I’ll have to go there as soon as I’m back in Ktown. After supper, we just had a nice relaxing evening, sitting around the dinner table, drinking white wine and chatting and laughing at the girls and their hilarious 11-year-old antics. I tell ya, they seem like they’re a lot older, and I think I forgot for a few moments that I am literally a decade older than them. Way to make me feel like a granny, eh?
But I really must be off to bed now! Je suis fatigée and I have no idea what the plan is for tomorrow, but the earlier I get to bed, the earlier I can wake up and see what’s in store!
A couple things to leave you with: I forgot to mention before, but one funny thing that they say in Scotland (and especially in Ireland), I’ve noticed, it saying “What are you like?”, meaning something along the lines of “Aren’t you an idiot?”. The first time I heard it said was Heather, who was laughing at some of my birthday pictures…and she was like “what are we like in that photo?!” And I was confused so I said “um…like animals?”. Anyway, I still wasn’t 100% sure what it meant until today and then realized that Heather probably thought I was trying to be funny…when I was actually just being naïve.
Second funny thing that could have happened, which luckily, for my sake, didn’t, was that on the train to Sligo, Alex was teaching me a bit of Irish. I didn’t even really know that there was an Irish language in itself, but it’s actually one of the 2 official languages here, kind of like French in Canada (like, all the street signs are in Irish, but only some areas are brought up speaking Irish). Anyway, so one of the things she told me would be useful would be to say “Poc ma thon” (sounds like “poag muh hone”) when I introduced myself to them, meaning “Hello”. I soon found out, however, due to her giggling to herself and luckily not an unfortunate encounter, that “Poc ma thon” actually means “Kiss my arse”. Apparently it’s a national joke that the Irish tell to annoying tourists to get themselves embarrassed. Nice to know I have someone looking out for me here, eh?? Lovely, that would have been. Lovvvverly.
Until next time,
Beckers
Beckers
Xxx
P.S. I thought green might be a good choice for today's entry ;)
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