To start out this entry, I’d like to
apologize for the delay in posts! I had just started writing this entry when my
laptop bit the dust. I then had limited access to computers and had to focus
that time on school work. However, to make up for this lack of communication, I
will be posting twice this week! Lucky you! We’ll start out with the post I
started (in March) before my laptop’s untimely death.
March is here (and now almost gone)
and my months of more frequent travel have begun. The fun started a few weeks
ago when I spent two full days in Barcelona.
In general I tend to favor smaller cities, but I have to say that I lost
my heart to Barcelona. For those of you who don´t know, Barcelona is a beach
city on the east coast of Spain, about four hours from Pamplona by train. While
two full days wasn´t nearly enough time to see all of the city, I did get to visit
some great places. On the first full day, I ventured to la Boqueria, a food
market. There were tons of stands with meat, fish, spices, fruit, juice, vegetables,
and most importantly, CANDY. After filling up at the market, I took a boat tour
around the ports of Barcelona. It was a gorgeous view, and there was a man
playing the accordion which added greatly to the experience. I was feeling very
posh, let me tell you.
After the boat tour, it was off to
Parc de la Ciutadella, a beautiful park. The first thing I came across was a
row of orange trees. I almost lost a shoe trying to get an orange down, but
eventually had to admit defeat. There was an ornate fountain in the middle of
the park, and street performers entertaining the crowd just outside. Overall, the
park was a lovely place to be in the city.
The next day I had the opportunity to
visit La Sagrada Familia. Work began on this church in 1882 and continues to
this day. Much of its façade and inspiration comes from famous Catalan
architect Anton Gaudi. The church is overwhelming in every respect of the word,
and so I won´t try to describe it but rather encourage you to check out my
picture below. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words, and I sincerely
doubt that you want to read that many of my words (nor do I want to write
them!)
Another interesting experience that I
had in Barcelona was going to a restaurant with a set tasting menu. Now, anyone
who knows me well knows that I´m a picky eater. I don´t eat anything from the
sea, and anything somewhat out of the ordinary simply isn´t my style. So
imagine my concern when I saw the words monkfish, duck, spider crab, and lamb
included on the menu. However, I´m pleased to say that I enjoyed the meal and
have a new appreciation for Spanish cuisine. That being said, I still don´t
think I´ll be ordering any monkfish next time I go out to eat.
My next trip was to Ireland with a
fellow USC student. Before anyone asks, no, I did not go for Saint Patrick´s
Day. I actually arrived the day after and spent four full days on the Emerald
Isle. The day I arrived was spent in Dublin exploring and watching a rugby game
at Trinity College. I also had my first Irish dinner, shepherd´s pie, which is
a pie crust full of beef and veggies and topped with gravy and mashed potatoes.
I can truly say that I could live in Ireland for the food if for nothing else.
The next three days were spent in
Galway with day trips to the Burren, the Cliffs of Moher, the Aran Islands, and
Connemara. I
completed these trips with the Dublin Tour Company, during which I ran into
another USC International Business student!
Small world. The Burren was our first stop. It is a national park full
of limestone, and is also home to several ancient Irish tombs. Afterward we
visited the Cliffs of Moher, which is simply stunning and also a little
terrifying. The cliffs seem to challenge you to get as close to their edge as
possible for breathtaking pictures, and then remind you of the waves and rocks
that lay hundreds of feet below.
The next day we headed to the Aran
Islands on a ferry. This visit felt somewhat like stepping back in time. There
are very few stores or houses on the island, just sprawling farms with stone
walls holding in sheep, horses, and goats. My friend, Keira, and I rented bikes
and spent the day peddling along the coast of the island and trying to justify
buying the giant woolen sweaters for which the Aran Islands are known. Unfortunately, no sweaters were bought.
Our final day with the Dublin Tour
Company consisted of a trip to Connemara, a somewhat barren part of the
country. The highlight was Kylemore Abbey, a breathtaking castle that has served
as a private mansion, a school for girls, and an abbey in its long and
interesting life. After the abbey, we made a quick stop in the village of Cong,
which is one of the smallest villages I’ve ever seen. It is, however, famous
for being the location of the movie The
Quiet Man. I’d never heard of this movie, but the few residents of Cong are
quick to bring it up to any visitors! Rightfully so-the village didn’t have
electricity until the film’s shooting.
After days of touring, we returned to
Dublin for the last full day in Ireland. In the morning, we took a free tour of
the city which included sites such as Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Temple Bar, and
Trinity College (Side note-look up these tours in any cities in which you
travel-they’re awesome and FREE). After the tour we headed over to the Guinness
Factory for a little more information about this famous beer and a free pint.
The free pint was somewhat wasted on me-after all this time in Spain, I’m a
wine kind of girl.
So ends my travels for
now-check out my next post this weekend to hear about my spring break travels
and Semana Santa in Spain!
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