Cymru

That's pronounced 'Wales'. No, it's not. I'm in Cardiff now. Today I saw Cardiff Castle -which looks just like a fairy tale because it was refurbished by a Victorian coal baron and Scottish lord, and as such exists as an idealized image rather than a functional medieval castle. Like a really well appointed, 150 year old Disneyland!; the world's largest Welsh love spoon- carved out of a single great sycamore tree!; the world's largest turtle- drowned in tuna nets in the late '80s!; and the Millennium Dome- built on the river!

The Disney aspect was also present in Chester, which I just left. Lots of Tudor buildings and buildings made to look like Tudor buildings by intrepid little Victorians busy parlaying their repressed sexuality into the development of railroads and charmingly, naively idealized images of the past. And one of these Victorian buildings actually held a Disney Store. QED.

I also saw the Welsh National Assembly- well at least the outside. The tour guide at Cardiff Castle was actually Scottish, and she was happy to explain to the other tourists (there were only three of us. All Americans. But I made a point of mentioning that I was 'now living in Devon' as if that somehow made me less odiously American. Not that the guide seemed to find any of us odious. But it was important to ME that she know I was more than a regular tourist.) how wonderful it was to have representative government, like the Scottish parliament, and not be a noodly bunch of nobodies with no effective power, like the Welsh National Assembly. I nodded knowingly at this point.

I also got almost 45 minutes of sun today while I was photographing daffodils in Bute Park! And then it rained again... Bringing the sunshine total of this trip to something like an hour and a half TOTAL. Booyashaka! And of course I was photographing daffodils because they're one of the national symbols of Wales. Do you know why that is? As I understand it, it is because of their resemblance to the leek (presumably before the blooms) and leek are sacred to St. David the patron saint of Wales. Why leek are sacred to St. David I don't know. Of all the national saints in the area (Ireland- St. Patrick, England - St. George, Scotland - St. Andrew, and Wales - St. David) he is the only one actually FROM the area he is the patron of. Bit o' knowledge for ya. And if your interested; St. George was a Roman soldier in Judea, St. Andrew was an itinerant fisherman in Judea, and St. Patrick was- get this- a Roman citizen born in England who became a Christian missionary. And he was a teetoaller. An Englishman who didn't like to drink. Hard to understand why the Irish like him so much.

Edinburgh

I'm in Edinburgh now, 'one of the most vibrant capitals in Europe'. It's AWESOME. I'm staying about a block from the Royal Mile, which means both great views over the city and really sore thighs from the trek up the hill. But the views ARE great. Still wishin' for a little more sunshine, a little less rain but so it goes.

A little over halfway through my trip now... My only regret is that I didn't have more time to spend in Belfast... I would have loved to make it to the Giant's Causeway and maybe take a black taxi tour. But I'm not dead yet! Maybe thats what I'll do during my free month in June!

Anyway, haven't seen all that much of Edinburgh yet, as I arrived just in time for everything to start closing. Ah well, I have several more days to explore! But, I'm gonna go now and checkout a ghost tour tonight. TTYL, TTFN!

Scotland

Inverness, Scot. It is also quite cold. I saw the first 'stick-around' snow in this hemisphere at Glenwhilly. Up till then it had been dissolute flakes melting on impact. And this place is more 'Montana-like' then anywhere I've ever been that wasn't actually Montana.

For the past two days it has been snowing pretty convincingly, but today I woke up and it had all melted. Ah well. Over the past two days I've visited Loch Ness and the Battle of Culloden. I've checked out the Episcopal cathedral of St. Andrew. I've done the river walk and seen the Ness Islands. I've perused the 'House of Fraser Tartan Visitor's Centre' and I've even eaten haggis. I've contributed to every Highland Scot stereotype I can think of, so now it's time to get on down the road. I'll be heading off for Edinburgh in an hour or so.

I even visited 'The Loch Ness Monster Experience 2000' which was actually a really interesting multi-media presentation about the sightings and research done in the loch, rather than a believer's account of the monster. Mighta been a sturgeon apparently. Personally, I'm looking forward to the day when they identify the plesiosaur, brontosaur, sea serpent, crocodile, hippo, AND sturgeon populations in the loch that are CLEARLY there.

I would highly recommend Northern Scotland, although I might also recommed coming in May or something. Or bringing plenty of warm weather gear. Or drinking lots of whiskey, which is how all the men in kilts, walking around with bare legs and going 'commando', must do it.

I lied...

Another two days, another post... Anyway. Belfast. Rainy. Cold-ish. No sun. Impressive city hall flying the Union Jack, but still decidedly Irish. Except for the pedestrian crossing buttons. Which have gone right back to the kind you find in Exeter, London, et al.

Money, even wierder than in Ireland. At least the Euro is a sensible monetary system, even if the collection of various cool foreign coins is now in the past. But the Northern Irish Pound... It's like a GBP, and it's worth the same, but it doesn't look like a Pound, and you can't actually spend it in Great Britain.

Anyway, I must go check into my hostel. This bag is killing my neck, much as I love it. TTFN

From Galway...

Hello folks! And before you ask any questions, I have free internet here at the hostel, so I figure I should use it! I'm currently in Galway, all the way on the other side of the island from Dublin, right on the sea. The River Corrib runs right through the middle of town, and about a block from my hostel along a really pretty little path to the bay, and when the sun comes out of hiding its breath-takingly gorgeous. Even when the clouds are out it's gorgeous, but then your focus tends to be on 'Sweet Jesus it's cold!' so you tend to miss some of the inherent beauty. I'm fairly well stocked for cold weather gear- brought my scarf and gloves, no worries Mom- but I didn't have a hat, so I bought one from one of the reknowned woolen merchants in town. It warm and scratchy, so you just know its through-and-through quality Irish wool. It's also various shades of blue and green which I'm willing to bet are not the natural shade of the sheep, but what's a little dye between friends. Besides, it'd be gauche to say anything.

I've visited the huge church dedicated to St. Nicholas - both of them- and admired the mosaic portrait of JFK in the Catholic one. You'd think that with the profusion of saints the two congergations wouldn't have to share, but apparently St. Nicholas was traditionally the patron saint of sailors- rather than his modern incarnation as the patron saint of soft drinks- and was thusly perfectly suited to Galway. I also strolled through the farmer's market which smelled like incenses and beets- something which appears to be universal. All modern farmer's markets smell like insense and beets, world over.

Befoer leaving Dublin I did get to see a bit of the parade, but it was late in starting and I had a bus to catch... So I didn't get to see any of the floats while the parade stayed parked, mid course, for about fifteen minutes. Oh well. However, on the way into Galway we passed through Loughrea and managed to get entangled in the parade itself. While undoubtedly a much smaller affair, it was a great parade with kids dressed up like mermaids, aliens, seahorses, butterflies, rocket ships, and Jack O' the Green, among others. And if they also happened to be carrying a banner- as a great many of them were- they'd make a special effort to whack it against your window and wave enthusiastically to you. I felt bad for disrupting the parade, but you couldn't beat the view.

It was originally my intention to head on to Belfast from here, but apparently it can't be done unless you hire a car. So It's back to Dublin for me on Mon. just in time to turn around and pick up another bus to Belfast. Ah well, live and learn. And bus fares are relatively cheap so it's not such a bad thing.

Well, I'm off for some pub grub and hopefully some traditional Irish music! Should be a good time. I'll post again soon... But probably not, like, two days soon. Don't get used to frequent posts because I will only disappoint you in the long run. TTFN!

Whist Your Noise!

Hello everybody! This is Allison, coming to you live and in person from Dublin! Currently I am sitting in a very down-at-the heels internet/international calls center, however they have very comfy ergonomic office chairs, and I don't think internet/international call centers come in any other variety anyway.

Dublin is great! Weather is a bit dodgy right now... Mostly snow today with occasional rain or hail flurries depending on whether or not the temperature has risen or dropped within the last five minutes... But it's March after all, these things are to be expected. Did a number on the brave crocuses that had already bloomed, but the daffodils and hyacinths seem to be doing ok. It's still kind of weird being in a place where things never stop blooming...

I visited the National Museum, the National Gallery, Trinity College Library, Merrion Square, Grafton St., and St. Stephen's Green today. All super-nifty. Especially the Library. Seeing the Book of Kells was incredible, but maybe even better was just seeing the Long Room of the original library, peering up at the enormous shelves, inhaling the smell of old books... It was bliss. Also on display in the Long Room was the oldest harp in Ireland- often incorrectly attributed to Brian Boru- and one of the dozen remaining broadsheets printed on the eve of the Eater Rising. It was incredible. I saw one of the recovered bog bodies in the National Museum. Took me right back to last year's Heaney class. I highly recommend anyone who ever has a chance to visit DO SO!*

I'm booked into a pub about a block from St. Stephen's Green- which is a pretty fashionable address and has been for the past several hundred years, apparently- called O'Donoghues. Apparently, this is a very well known traditional music pub, where the Dubliners first started gigging together in the '60's. Which I did not know when I booked the room and was pretty excited to find out. And I have my own bathroom. In all the years I've been alive I've NEVER not had to share a bathroom. And a double bed even though I booked a single room. And the Spar across the street does a mean Beef Aloo for cheap! So I'm pretty much awesomely and totally pleased with everything!

Tomorrow is the big day! I'm gonna get up bright and early so I can get a good spot for the parade. And then it's on to Galway! I'm taking plenty of cool pictures I can't wait to share with you all when I get back to good Ol' Devon, but till then you're just going to have to wait and wish you were me. Really, and I can't express this enough, you have to see Dublin sometime. I can't even begin to explain how cool it is. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

*Momma, you musn't feel bad you didn't ever visit here. It's odd, but it seems like very few people from the UK do... There are a number of people in my flat who not only have never visited here, but have never even THOUGHT of visiting Ireland... Maybe it doesn't seem like much of a holiday, being so close... But then Blackpool DOES count as a holiday and that's even closer and a bit tawdry... So I don't know... You should come though Mom. It's very worth the visit.

If only Mama Snow Monkey had a waterproof pram!

It is very silly to put anti-piracy ads at the beginning of DVDs, and especially those that urge customers not to purchase illegal DVDs. Either I purchased this - fully legal - DVD or I stole it, in which case your conceit that I wouldn't lift it from a shop (and thus should be equally unwilling to purchase a nefarious copy) is clearly false. And either way, I clearly don't need another copy, so I won't be purchasing an illegal one from some dodgy fellow standing in a dark alley way. The whole concept is foolish. On the plus side, they do have better visuals than that stunt-guy one they show in US cinemas- check out those Photoshopped flames! They even have a branding iron shaped like a copyright symbol. Which as a punishment would be both hilariously fitting and clearly a violation of various international sanctions against cruel and unusual punishment.

You'll never guess the weather we had today. It rained. Happens every now and again. It's always so much fun to walk up the High St. during a rain shower to see all the babies Saran-Wrapped into their prams, kicking out against what I can only assume they understand as an invisible and impenetrable force field placed there by an evil overlords, namely their mum. This is an opinion that is unlikely to change much for them over the next 18 to 19 years. But I'd forgotten my umbrella and was tired, and I really, REALLY wished I had a giant pram all my own to ride in as I was pushed along by some eleven foot tall nursemaid with a tattoo that reads "Cake" on her burly left forearm. She's a lefty. It mostly doesn't bother her, 'cept for the fact that it kept her from competing in Women's Shotput internationally... She accidentally hit a judge in the eye at an Olympic qualifier. He didn't know where to stand see...

Anyway, I'm keeping it short this week as I've roughly 15-20 pages worth of essays to write before next Tuesday. So that isn't going to be any fun at all... But then it's Interval! I'm taking the train to Bristol, and then it's on to Dublin for St. Patrick's Day! Booooyah! I'm going to take MASSIVE amounts of pictures. I'm so excited already! TTYL, TTFN.

Racing 'Cakes!

Happy Pancake Day! Or Shrove Tuesday... Or Mardi Gras... Or Carnivale... Or... Regular Tuesday... Anyway, enjoy these tasty pancakes of symbolic goodness. And Jesus looked upon the pancakes and said "They are good" and they WERE good, once again proving Jesus knew what he was talking about- assuming he was talking about pancakes.

Technically of course, Shrove Tuesday and everything was yesterday, and you should all be deep in thoughts of penury now, what with the start of Lent and all... I'm willing to pretend and keep eating pancakes though. Such is my devotion to you.

So, yes... Pancakes are good aren't they. Shrove Tuesday pancakes are a sort of crepe-y affair, rather than the buttermilk babies I think of as pancakes, which is perhaps why my mother had such a hard time finding pancake batter mix while she was here at Christmas. But these pancakes are an important spring ritual that can in no way be construed as pagan. They run races with them. In skillets. The pancakes, not the people. And they use them to tell the future. And they nail bits of them inside the chimmney. For Jesus. All of this is for Jesus.

But there you are, yet another British tradition expounded for you Colonials to ponder. It's
like a whole other country- smaller, older, and more similar to the US than any other place in the known universe at this junction. Which rather mitigates any "bravery" on my part. What is really amusing is how different Brits expect it to be for Americans. There seems to be real surprise at the relative lack of culture shock.

I'm already getting misty about the things I'm gonna miss about Britain:
1. Trains - I love trains. I hate air planes. I haven't got a car. I'm gonna miss trains.
2. Concerts - EVERYBODY comes to the UK. A lot of them are even FROM here. And no venue in the entire country is more than ten hours away. I can't even get to Seattle in ten hours!
3. TV - Most of it's crap of course, like anywhere else, but occaisonally there is a really great series that only runs for six episodes- a complete run, mind you. You can really get a handle on something that short.

But of course, none of these things compare to the things I MISS about home, namely all of you! Especially Chewy. I miss Chewy, and I've never even met him... her... it... I swear, finals are the only thing keeping me in this country, the pull of Chewy is so strong. Nobody else get a chinchilla- you're jeopardising my entire academic standing.