Before I get into the details of the trip, I should probably say a bit about the end of my internship.
...........
July 13th was the end of my internship.
Moving on, Ireland. A place where bus drivers will call up other buses on the same route to pick you and 4 of your friends up from a place not on the route, because you are tourists who missed the stop for your hostel by 15 minutes. A place where there is a GIANT NEEDLE in the very center of Dublin, holding nicknames such as "erection in the intersection", or "stiffy at the liffy". A place where the Guinness honestly just tastes better.
Tasted better than it looks.
..And a place where the announcers on the airport transfer buses sound a little something like this:
Super Silly.
I was honestly afraid no trip would ever match up to the times we had in Paris and all over France last weekend. The weekend in France was beyond anything I ever expected, and we hardly faced a single complication. I was a bit scared Dublin would be a weekend of trying times.
It wasn't.
Well, if "trying times" includes "trying" to stop drinking anymore Guinness, or "trying" to wake up in time to catch the bus to the beautiful cliffs on the Galway coast, then yes, you could say it was a difficult weekend. But it really wasn't.
Traveling to Ireland went rather smoothly. We took a bus straight to the Gatwick airport, and made it through security without anything too horrific happening. My friend, Becky, was searched from head to toe, as her rings set off the metal detectors. Then, the attendant saw a "mysterious object" on his screen that xrays the organs of luggage. See, sometime in her past, Becky purchased a "so fetch" luggage bag from Goodwill. Apparently the person that owned it before her was a wine connoisseur and had a corkscrew tucked away inside the bag.
That could've been worse.
Which brings me to the *Featured Soul* of this entry: Rebecca Sue Button.
A girl of many personalities, all of which I'm almost certain I saw this weekend. But, it's important to point out one particular event. Before I get into the details of the weekend, I must explain what happened immediately upon arriving back in London. There we were, reflecting on a fabulous weekend and the approaching storm clouds. Before we knew it, a jet black London taxi flew by, absolutely nailing a puddle on the side of the road. Becky, with a look of a young fawn on her face, was just standing in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But I digress.
So, back to the times in Ireland. Dublin really is a beautiful city, but in comparison to London, it's about 1/8 the size. Our friends told us we'd be capable of finding our way around the city after a couple hours, and this was absolutely true.
Friday night, in search of some live and wonderful pub music, we found ourselves attempting to use the worst map ever created, right outside the place with the worst voice ever created.
It's the effort that should really count.
Dancing brought to you by Michael Harshman (aka "George Michael" or "Babyface".
After the pub on Friday night, we headed to our oven of a hostel. It was a well-kempt place, but we were the unlikely souls to be tucked into a literal corner room, where there was absolutely no air flow or ventilation. Deep, enjoyable sleep was a thing of the past.
The next morning, we had to be awake by 5:45am to catch a bus to take us to the Cliffs of Moher and Limerick and The Galway Coast for the day (I felt really bad for our 6th roommate, who had to deal with the 5 of us the night before). We shared a room with another person that we never even saw the face/body of, and we didn't udder a single word to a part from a timid whispering of "sorry". Tiptoe-ing and dropping coins all over the floor, we miraculously made it out of our hostel on time.
But we got lost trying to read the vile map of the city.
So we almost missed the bus, had it not been for a 60-something Irish woman, traveling by foot, sheltered by umbrella, that offered to literally escort us across the city of Dublin to the exact spot the bus was schedule to pick us up at (by Trinity College). What a God-send. We'd probably still be stuck somewhere by that river, walking in the wrong direction for hours.
The tour was absolutely beautiful. We stopped in a little town called Dooling, with every aspect of small-town life tied to it. In the words of our tour guide, "Ireland- Tha coffee is shet, but da tea is lovely."
There's nothing quite like the countryside of Ireland. Growing up in the boonies of Wisconsin, surrounded by cornfields and soybean fields and trees and nothing for my entire childhood, I was very surprised I still find rolling hills and open terrain to be so beautiful today. I wouldn't have taken this moment bak for anything.
The Cliffs of Moher were almost mythical. We half-expected unicorns to submerge from the mist off the edges of the cliffs.
Then it was off the the natural Limestone fields. So wonderful.
We ended up going out on Saturday night as well, which proved to have us back at the hostel roughly around 4:00am. Somebody told us that the sun starts to peak out around 3:00am in Dublin in the summers. We made it a goal to see this.
LIARS!
It's okay.. I didn't want to see the sunrise in Ireland, anyway. (Yes I did).
Sunday morning we got up and binged on the free breakfast at our hostel. This consisted of Bran Flakes, Bread, and Coffee. Breakfast of champions.
Travels home were better than smooth, and we made it back to London in one soggy, water-logged piece. Overall, a successful weekend. My Irish knowledge base has increased exponentially.
I will leave you with a song that will forever remind me of this trip, and a photo that I hope I will never lose for my entire life.
Slainte, lads. Love.
Honestly, at the risk of sounding like an old 'The Young and the Restless' episode, I am more alive now than I have felt in months.
France did it. It surpassed any presumptions I had about traveling and hospitality and genuinely sincere people. I'm going to cut right to the chase with this entry's featured soul:
Nicolas Bellieres.
You (and your family), single-handedly made our trip to France spectacular. From the second you picked us up at the train station to the moment we headed in our separate directions, Jen and I had an absolutely brilliant time. Even when Jen struggled to stay awake as we drove all over France that Friday afternoon, I'm sure she loved every second of her dreams as well.
What a doll.
--------------FRIDAY.--------------
(Thursday Night): Jen and I had quite a bit of difficulty going to bed early. We had to wake up by 4:30am Friday morning in order to make it to the Tube station and catch the first train to central London. Things went very well considering how early it was. We were out the door by 5:30am, and arrived at the platform roughly 30 seconds before the train got there. When we got to our stop, we walked across the station to the Eurostar/chunnel platforms. (The "chunnel" is a train that runs under water, taking us straight from London to Paris). We arrived around 10:30am in Paris on Friday morning. Nico, a saint stuck in traffic, arrived just 5 minutes later and was standing under terminal sign #8 waiting for us.
We walked to the car, and immediately started the 2.5 hour drive to Montrichard to catch Le Tour de France. Thanks to Nico, we made it with time to spare and managed to see the entire tour pass.
Even before making it to Paris, we were fortunate enough to see the beautiful French countryside and everything that it entails. The area we stopped at in Montrichard was right near a river that wrapped around the French countryside.
After catching The Tour, we was pretty fulfilled already and our weekend wasn't even close to being over. Nico drove us to Le château de Chenonceau: an old castle that I'm going to eventually move into. It was equipped with a hedge maze, multiple outdoor paths, and just all the beauty of the château on its very own.
#history.
After we had our share of Chenonceau, we were Paris bound. Jen fell asleep, again, but I won't add a picture in hopes she still considers me a friend . When we arrived in Paris, we headed to Nico's house to drop off our bags and settle in a bit. Nico: You have the most charming house I've ever been in. If only I knew more French and felt comfortable enough speaking it to tell your parents!
We stayed for only 10 minutes before we realized how hungry we were. We headed out to meet up with Florian, Ben, and some other friends of Nico's that I had not yet met. Where did we go for our first taste of French cuisine? Why, none other than KFC.
See, KFC in France is more than just Kentucky Fried Chicken. It's more like Kentucky-Derby Fried Chicken. You actually sit down and eat it there. And talk to people. And enjoy it (without having a heart attack afterward).
... and they had a ball pit.
They should really specify on those signs what "children" are. What do you mean by "children", exactly? Young at heart? Under the age of 50? Please be more detailed with your descriptions next time.
After KFC and a change of clothes, we headed out into a dark Paris. Unfortunately, the Eiffel Tower wasn't lit for the night, but I did get to see Notre Dame at night as my very first "must-see". I'm actually thankful my attention was set only there as I took it all in.
To follow, we found a cozy, pitch-black, hot as hades pub. Reading menus by cell phone light: Check.
-----------SATURDAY--------------
The next morning (early-afternoon?), we headed out around 11:30 because Nico was, once again, a saint that let us sleep in until 11:00-ish. Disclaimer: I'm generally an early-riser, but all the traveling and constant stimuli can really take it out of a person.
Dressed and armed with chocolate croissants, we got back in the red Peugeot and headed into the city. First things first: We headed to the Eiffel Tower. Jen fell asleep in the car on the way there. It was enormous in comparison to how I imagined it would be. Honestly, though. The one in Vegas doesn't even come close. That structure is popular across cultures for a very good reason.
It's really unfathomable unless you're standing in front of it.
After The Eiffel Tower, we headed to a little French Cafe for lunch. Nico helped me order, as my French is honestly pretty atrocious. It didn't help that the waiter instinctively knew that French was not our primary language, and hardly gave us any time to even try to construct a cohesive sentence.
My first *real* French cuisine:
Croque Monsieur.
What is it? Delicious between two pieces of bread. I'd suggest Googling it to find out more.
After lunch, we headed to the greatest gallery in all of France: The Louvre. We saw the Mona Lisa, and many, many other portraits and sculptures and paintings. To be completely honest, Mademoiselle Lisa was a total letdown. Like anticipating the release of your favorite novel in film form, and wanting to throw skittles at the projector. But, I did find other things of total and complete interest.
After The Louvre, it was a quick stop to see the Arch de Triumph, as well as the Moulin Rouge. Both worth seeing.
After all of the above, we headed to what proved to be my favorite part of a Saturday in Paris: *Montmartre Hill* to see THE Sacre Coeur. This is an old Cathedral on the highest hill of Paris, overlooking the entire city. After being heckled by various vendors all the way to the top, we literally found sanctuary inside the sanctuary. We were "shushed" immediately upon entering, but for great reasons. After wandering through the cathedral in complete silence, we headed back outside to the front steps of Sacre Coeur.
If I had to choose the single most appreciated moment from the entire weekend, the feeling and experience to follow on the steps would be it.
We stepped onto the platform, and just looked. Not at each other, not at the plethora of tourists surrounding us, but just out. In front of us. Out into the city. Nobody said a word. I didn't look to my right and left to make sure Nico and Jen were doing the same. We stood there, completely unaware of our surroundings, and just stopped everything but our eyes for awhile. No pictures, no commentary, just the very site.
(This photo was taken prior to entering the cathedral.)
Soul? Satisfied.
Mind? Satisfied.
Body? Time to eat.
What's for dinner? CREPES. Savory for the meal, sweet for the desert.
---------------SUNDAY.---------------
A day of transportation.
Our Sunday consisted of moving by foot, motorcycle, car, airplane, subway, and train. All in one day.
We flew directly over Disneyland, Paris. I'm willing to bet we had more fun in the sky than anybody down on ground level at that amusement park.
We landed (successfully), drove back to the city center, and scouted for some carbs. After eating in front of Notre Dame, it was time to head back to the train station. Nico not only walked us to the car to get our bags, but he also walked us back upstairs to our platform. After a surprisingly somewhat tearful goodbye, Jen and I hurried up to wait some more before boarding the train. I don't know if I was sad from saying goodbye to a great friend or the weekend of bliss in general, but I was bumming. Hard.
But then I saw this, accompanied by Sigur Rós on the train. A friendly reminder of how fortunate I am.
It is impossible to ruin that moment.
That just about tells it all. Today (Wednesday) was my last day of interning, and this weekend it's off to Ireland.
Nico: I'll see you and Florian and Benjamin in 3 short weeks when you arrive in Wisconsin. Bisous, and 1 million thank-yous. Merci Beaucoup Nicolas.
Today is the 6th of July. Next week is my final week of interning here, followed by a week of oral presentations, due dates for 20-page papers, and final exams for my British Politics course. Then, just a couple days of free time in London before I head to other parts of Europe.
Have I really already been here going on 6 weeks now? Looking back at the very first day in the city, it seems like ages ago. The feel of the city has changed, and it actually feels like home. It's the same feeling I had after being abroad for 6 months: Like having two separate yet distinct lives in completely different countries. It doesn't help that I will have to immediately start searching for a job upon my arrival back home, and I only have one measly week left in my house downtown before I have to move out.
Needless to say, life is moving pretty fast. "If you don't stop and look around once and awhile, you could miss it."
SO, what I've been up to: After last weekend's journey to Greenwich for the prime meridian and the festival, I had my normal week of interning and class. I was really, really looking forward to Thursday night, though. I was going to the famous Globe Theatre to see Shakespeare's "All's Well that Ends Well". It was phenomenal. We were on the first level, right near the action (but not in the peasant standing area). Prior to the beginning of the performance, all of the actors walked out in full wardrobe to meet some audience members. Just erasing the invisible line between performer and audience member made the play that much better. I've actually seen this particular play done before, and the version I saw this time around completely surpassed my expectations. I don't know if it was because I was inside the Globe Theatre, and the performance lasted from sunset into a completely dark night... but something about it really made me a happier person.
After the performance, we headed into Camden (our favorite spot for the London night life). We ended up at a club/bar/pub/disco dance place named Hoxton. The rest is history.
Which brings me to the (drum roll please) *Featured Soul* of this entry:
Gabe Gurrera.
You are fabulous. So much love.
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Friday Jen and I got up bright and early (10:30am), to head to Kent, England for the *HOP FARM MUSIC FESTIVAL*. We were beyond pumped. The journey to Kent was an adventure all on its own. We met some very interesting souls on the train, who were more than willing to share their wine and champagne with us (and we brought our own Strongbow, just in case). Note: There are no laws in the UK against open alcohol in public. You can literally walk down the street with a beer in your hand and wave at a police officer as you walk by.
Upon arrival to Kent, I felt like I had taken a train ride back to Wisconsin. We were literally on hundreds of acres of farm land that used to be used to grow hop (the stuff added to beer to make it extra-tasty). Obviously it made sense to continue with our festival-inspired activities by enjoying some brew and live music. Throughout the course of the day, we saw:
The Walkmen
City and Colour
10CC
*Deathcab For Cutie*(did I mention we were 2nd row?)
**The Eagles**
Deathcab (and Ben Gibbard) were of course, fantastic. But, The Eagles literally blew any competition completely out of the water. Even after all these years, they've still got it. AND, Hop Farm was their very last show for their European tour. AND the sun set during their show, and we were eventually completely wrapped in darkness, surrounded by Hotel California. I couldn't help but think of my dad when seeing (many) grown man around me, arms crossed, grinning from ear to ear.
After we finally made it back to South-West London, we went to bed straight away. Apart from the noticeable ringing of my ears, I haven't slept that soundly since I've been here. Saturday was a day devoted to writing papers, a long walk, and drinking way too much coffee. You know when you say to yourself, "Okay- today I'm going to crack down and just crank out at least 20 pages of this paper".... I was nearly there. Got to about the 15-page mark. I should be working on it now, but instead I'm obviously writing this. Procrastination is a tricky thing.
Saturday night we took it easy, and were honestly too lazy after a day of being too lazy to go out. Jen and I curled up in my bed (a tiny twin-sized mattress), and watched none other than *Twilight*. I'm sure it wasn't intended to be a comedy, but we were laughing nearly every 30 seconds at the horrible acting. Afterward, Jen showed me this, which couldn't be more accurate.
Keep on truckin', Bella.
Sunday--> London Bridge, London Tower, and wandering around parts of the city we haven't seen (including the dodgy 'Elephant Castle' on the very east end of the Jubilee line). I'm willing to bet this was the most run-down part of the city, and we realized it was time to go immediately when we got there. But- the bridge was beautiful, and the tower was everything I had hoped for. The best part? The crowned jewels display. Photography was "strictly forbidden", but I managed to slyly snap a couple photos. The entire tower was really impressive. The whole day was great.
If you're still reading to this point- Thank you!
Monday night: 4th of July in the UK. Celebrating America's independence from Great Britain in Great Britain. It was also the birthday of my friend, Becky here on the program (and my brother-in-law back home!), so we head out on the city to celebrate a bit. Not quite like the misquitoes and beer tents and fireworks displays back home, but it was a good try at getting there. The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel like I missed it this year. But hearing stories from people back home (and getting pictures like this one), made it all a bit easier to be so far away. (SPOILER ALERT- THE BOTTLE WAS EMPTY).
I love my nephew.
And of course, some pictures of Becky's badass birthday cake.
Yesterday was skype galore. My parents, Steven Knurr, and of course, Nico, to finalize plans for this weekend- FRANCE. Below is a screenshot of my dad being awesome on skype, followed by Nico "visiting" London before we come to France.
Beyond excited. Really. France is bound to be an adventure all on its own.
Well, longest blog entry known to man. There's still so much going on here that I haven't spoken of, but I feel like half of you are probably asleep by now. To the roomies back home: Miss you guys. To JBarr: I love you. To my parents: Thank you for everything. To Casey Anthony: Yeah, I've got nothin'. The cards are against you, but based on the evidence, you are a free being. Besides, the guilt riding on your conscience for the rest of your life would outweigh any physical punishment by the state. Just sayin'.
Oh, and one more thing: Liz- I hope you had fun at the comedy club last night. It sure looks like you did.
