Luck and Lyrics

The Aran Islands and a Surfing Excursion

allisonleigh — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:55:01 +0000

***Sorry that this is late! Obv. you can tell that I typed it while I was still there ***

Hey Everyone!

Hope that summer is starting to settle in for you all- I know that this last week it has surely not been warm here in Ireland. It was about 50-60 degrees but, what do I expect, I guess? Anyhow, I promised a good post, and here it is (warning it might be very long for some )

The Aran Islands

Our group went to the Aran Islands last week Wednesday and had a great time. Now, don’t get me wrong, it was beautiful, but to be honest the tour we were given was very rushed and I felt like I was speeding through the whole thing. Therefore I have to say it wasn’t one of the better moments here in Ireland…it was beautiful nonetheless though!

We got to see Leprechaun houses (seriously- they are soo tiny)

And the cliffs are not roped off in any way- it was so gorgeous up there- can’t wait for the Cliffs of Moher!

They had a sweet little cafe on the Island that served baked goods as well as soups and sandwiches and salads. I, of course, chose to try the Chocolate Guinness Cake- HOLY INSANE YUMMY. It was so dense and chocolate with the faintest hint of beer. The frosting on top was similar to cream cheese frosting, but thinner. It was SOOOOO GOOD!

Bundoran Hostel and Surfing

This weekend my roomates and I decided to go to Bundoran to try surfing. Bundoran is a quaint seaside town and is about three hours north of Galway. It borders on Northern Ireland so we had to be careful about having pounds and euros.

We stayed in Homefield Backpackers Hostel and took Surfing lessons through Donegal Adventure Camps.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t take my camera with me when we went surfing but we did look pretty H-O-T-T hott in our wetsuits

Then we thought we missed our bus and we were waiting in the pouring rain. Fun stuff.

Overall a great time these last few days- stay tuned- We are going to the Cliffs this week followed by DUBLIN!!!

Peace out Playas.

“You can go higher, you can go deeper
There are no boundaries above and beneath you
Break every rule ’cause there’s nothing between you
And your dreams”

Kris Allen: No Boundaries

Don’t Stop Reading!

allisonleigh — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Hi Everyone,
Sorry for not posting the rest of the trip- its has been so hectic these last couple weeks, with Dublin, Ring of Kerry, Galway, and now Dingle.
I am currently residing in a B&B in Dingle for my last few moments.
Unfortunately, the internet cooperated only a handful of times this trip- HOWEVER- I will continue to post the remainder of my pictures once I am back in the states (tuesday!)….
Overall this trip has truly changed my life. I hope that in my new life, you don’t look at me as a different person, but rather a new person. My views on a lot of things have changed and my attitudes and passions have as well. The adjustment from just a month will be hard. Very hard. But bear with me and things will be easy.
Thank you for reading thus far, and please, don’t stop now.

LOVE YOU ALL- MISS YOU ALL

Lots to Say- Post Coming Soon!

allisonleigh — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 21:29:49 +0000

Hey All,
I have done a lot in the last few days and I promise a good post soon! Thanks for continuing to read!

Food!

allisonleigh — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 07:25:51 +0000

Just wanted to show you what I have been eating while I am here! We have a small kitchen with an even smaller refrigerator, but to be honest, a majority of the food I have eaten has been from the Grocery Store.

My first real taste of Irish food was at a restaurant called Riordan’s (pronounced like Reerdin’s)

I had..what else?? IRISH STEW:

You guys this was incredible!!! It was boiled cabbage, potatoes, boiled carrots, the stew- which is a combination of Lamb, spices, and “gravy”. Again, this was soooooo good. I think I could eat it every day.

Then I found a little treat that is currently my new obsession- bloggies, meet Yoghurt Covered Banana Chips:

YUM!

Another great spot in the City is the farmer’s market. It has some local food vendors, crafts, jewelry, and more…it was adorable in every way.

While there, I decided to get some dinner for the night- Vegetarian Kitchiri- a combination of Basmati Rice, Mung Beans, onions, carrots, peas, leeks and a wide array of spices: Cumin, Coriander, Ginger, Cinnamon- it was delish!!!

courtesy of dietdessertndogs.com

As for last night we decided to go to a smaller bar called The Dáil Bar:

For my meal I ordered: Baked Chicken Roulade- you guys, it just keeps getting better and better!!! This was incredible.

From the menu: Baked breast of chicken wrapped in leeks, filled with Toulouse sausage and smoked mozzarella served with roasted butternut squash and a lemon and sage veloute. NUM NUM!!!

I actually don’t have lyrics for this post (GASP!) but I think the food porn will suffice

Ciao Bellas!

A Biking Adventure

allisonleigh — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 16:43:52 +0000

Beautiful scenery, great friends, cute villages, hard work, meditation, and exploration: That sums up the day I had. A group of girls and I decided that today would be the day for a big biking trip through Ireland- I cannot tell you- this was THE BEST part of my trip thus far. It was so great in every way.

We went to the City Center around 9 this morning and rented bikes from a shop on the West Side. The owner gave us a great discount on our deposit and also “threw in” the helmets- After that we made a quick stop back at Corrib Village, and then we were on our way. We had a map to follow (which ended up being useless at the end of the journey:)) and it lead us in a bit of a triangle.

We journeyed up some really steep hills, and rode along the land of Western Ireland. Everyone we passed was friendly (except on the main roads- we got honked at a few times for being in the way of traffic) and the scenery was unbelievable! We saw cows, stray dogs, and well-endowed horses :

Travelling along the coast was amazing. We journeyed through many little towns and right before we got to Spiddal, we stopped at the beach along the North Atlantic :

We spent a lot of time at this beach- it was gorgeous…

We tried to spell out I-R-E-L-A-N-D…

I even found a four-leaf clover

Then we settled in Spiddal for lunch. It reminded me a lot of Door County with many little shops and cafe’s.

The weather for our trip was mild- its starting to cool down now and it was a bit breezy as well. Somewhere around 60 degrees I think? With probably 10-15 mph winds.

Before I show the next picture, I should explain something. For my Women’s Health class we have been learning a lot about meditation. Two types in particular, mindful walking and meditative walking, are something that the class will do on a regular basis. Mindful walking is just as it seems- silently taking in the moments around you with nobody but yourself. Reflecting on the moment. Meditative walking is a bit different. You walk heel to toe, and pause in between each step. You can recite something to yourself on each step. The more “popular” saying is, “I am here (on step one), I am present (on step two), I am here (on step three), I have arrived (on step four).” This type of meditative practice is again, done alone, and silently. You can do Meditative walking in the privacy of your own home, or on a labyrinth…which is what leads me to the next part of our biking journey. We were treking along when we saw a sign for a labyrinth. Lindsey decided that we should stop and we all agreed. It was a fabulous idea:

So we did some Meditative Walking on a Christian Labyrinth in the West of Ireland- true peace and tranquility.

Then we started to get a little lost here and there, and tired as well….Finally we made it back and relaxed for the night. It was the most amazing thing so far (as I have said like 6 times now.)

I am so glad I am here…

Peace out.

“It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn’t believe what I’d become”

-Coldplay: Viva La Vida

Connemara, Kylemore Abbey, & The Spanish Arch Hotel

allisonleigh — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:55:45 +0000

Hey, hey, hey!! Finally got the internet in the apartment, though it is very sketchy. I will have to whip some Irish arse here soon, if it isn’t fixed for good- Dad you make a good point- some things are exactly the same no matter where you are….

Anyways, onto the fun!!!

As promised, I have lots of fun stuff to show you- Currently, the Volvo Ocean Races are taking place in Galway. This is a sailboat race with sailors coming in from all over the world. It is amazing to see all the different people in such a “little” city. We went down to the boardwalk, which is roughly a 20 minute walk from our village, and looked around all afternoon- it reminded me a lot of a typical festival- much like Summerfest. They played classical music on the boardwalk and they have food vendors with everything from Chinese, Thai, Paella (from Mexico), German food, falafel, icecream, popcorn, everything you could think of from around the globe! It was cool- and the weather was HOT! I think I got sunburned….anyways, here is a large mural at the race entrance:

Then when you actually found your way down to the dock, they had a huge graffiti mural:

After that I decided that everyone needed to meet my roomies- it is my pleasure to introduce Cortney, Kari, and Chelsea (in that order):

Next up on the journey (this is over the course of about three days) was Kylemore Abbey (aka The Sound of Music-jk but it looked like it!) and Connemara.

From www.connemara.ie , “

From the rugged Twelve Bens mountain range in the north through lake-rich Roundstone Bog to the golden beaches reaching out into the Atlantic Ocean, you’ll know you’re in Connemara by the light that constantly changes the mood and tone of the landscape.

Connemara has long been regarded as the real emerald of Ireland.

This natural terrain and unspoilt environment offers the visitor a wonderland of sights, experiences, adventure and activities. The people are warm, friendly and extend a hospitality which is the essence of Ireland.

The beautiful spring flowers, buds on the trees, newborn lambs dancing on the hills and the call of the cuckoo all make Spring time a very special and magical time in Connemara. This is an ideal time to take a break as the countryside is totally renewed. On mellow Autumn days, one can enjoy the Connemara countryside, now clothed in different colours with each passing day. In the evening enjoy lovely warm turf fires after a day spent walking, cycling, painting, shooting, fishing or golfing.”

We took all kinds of pictures along the way, stopping in Famine Village (everyone died as a result of famine- hence the name), and our bus broke down at a little town called Leannon- it was really beautiful you guys, these pictures really don’t do it justice.

Then we made it to the biggest destination, Kylemore Abbey! :

Kylemore Abbey is the Monastic home of the Benedictine order of nuns in Ireland. They also have a huge garden and a few small churches.

*I swear I have a supportive bra on- the girls look a little saggy in this picture

The Abbey is situated at the lower level of one of Ireland’s amazing mountains. Overlooking the Abbey is a huge Virgin Mary statue- it is sitting WAAAAAAAY up in the mountain- how it got there, I will never be able to fathom.

It was a great day…..then….

WE HAD A GREAT NIGHT!

Look what I had!! :

Oh Goodness, My Guinness!

It was yummy! As you can tell, we had quite the adventurous night. In Ireland, everyone is so friendly. We met three Aussie men and hung out with them- go figure. Anyhow, the night life ends fairly early at the nicer pubs- This one we went to was called the Spanish Arch Hotel:

Yep it was a good night (Actually they collect all the glasses at the end of the night and stack them on the bar to clean up after everyone leaves…)

The pubs close early ( like 12) so we went to a “club” where they had music and drinks as well. The pubs play mostly live music and all of the singers are AMAZING! They sang Love Shack (hate that song!) and even Katy Perry.

I had videos but with this internet it takes FOREVER to download them, so until I can get on campus, pictures will have to suffice.

I forgot to mention that the first day of classes was good- this is the “first day of school” picture- Mom that’s for you;) (please excuse the freshly awaken Ali)

Not quite like the sweet crimped-curly-mullets of past first day of school pictures but it’ll do.

Peace out

“And I ask you, friend, what’s a fella to do?
‘Cause her hair was black and her eyes were blue
So I took her hand and I gave her a twirl
And I lost my heart to a Galway girl”-

Mundy: Galway Girl

Great Times in Galway…and No Internet..right now.

allisonleigh — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:45:21 +0000

Hi! This is going to be a quick post, but I just wanted to let you all know that I am sitting in the computer lab on Campus right now- the fact is that our internet @ Corrib Village is not working and they are in the midst of fixing it. Until then, I am going to be sporadic in my posts, and without pictures- sad. But, I will try my hardest to keep it going strong- PLEASE keep reading!!!

Since we got here we have done so much stuff! I have visited the Volvo Boat Races, hung out in the city center, went for a run by this small castle, and been to classes….this place is awesome- although it really reminds me of Wisconsin- We have our first big trip tomorrow to Kylemore Abbey and Connemara- should be fun- we leave at 9:30 am and come abck around 5. I am thinkin’ the plan is that we will get back and go out on the town for the first night! Looking forward to an ice-cold glass pint of Guiness!!!

Thanks for all the posts everyone- I will try to figure out when I can skype with you all (Mom Dad, Amy, Crystal, Abi!!!)

Arrival

allisonleigh — Sun, 31 May 2009 15:26:54 +0000

Well, I am here!!! Safe and sound and with all of my luggage- YAY!

We are currently on Ireland time and it is approximately 3:45 pm here in Ireland, and 9:45am in Wisco!

Our flight was six hours long and it was cramped. Babies crying. Old creepy men next to us drooling. You get the picture- but we made it. Once we got to Shannon Airport we saw the group and then we all boarded a small bus. Since everyone was on time (SHOCKER), we had plenty of time to spare, so my Prof (Keely) decided that we should stop at a grocery store so we could stock our fridges, at least for tonight…

Enter Dunnes:

While perusing the isles at Dunnes- which I might add, has the BIGGEST yogurt section I have ever seen in a grocery store- I came upon this gem of a product:

What a name Sounds delish…not.

After we stopped at the grocery store, we came to Corrib Village- my official home for the next month! We got our room assignments, then found our room, and stumbled upon this:

Its cute, right? Dorm living at its finest.

Then Cortney, Chelsea and I decided to walk to see where our class is tomorrow morning(8 am!!). This sign lead us to the correct destination:

Thats all for now ladies and gents!

I am soooooo tired.

Peace out homies (chest hand pump)

“I’m so tired, but I can’t sleep…”

- I Will Remember You: Sarah MacLachlan

A little “Turbulent”

allisonleigh — Sun, 31 May 2009 00:27:34 +0000

Hey All!

So I made it safe and sound and I am blogging to you straight from JFK airport here in New York.

The reason for the post title is that a) we encountered a load of turbulence on our tiny ass pedal pusher piece of crap plane and b) when we got here, my two friends hadn’t sent their luggage straight to Shannon, so they had to re-check it- which would be no problem, except for the fact that we don’t leave until 10:00 pm tonight and you can only check in 6 hours prior. SOooo they got locked downstairs for two hours- but its ok! We are waiting for them right now….

On another note, I am still not really “feelin’ it”…I still don’t feel like I am going to Ireland.

Another couple of things I would like to mention: Met some cool people from Ireland in the airport that gave us the scoop on some fabulous “hidden treasures” of a few surrounding places- really looking forward to that.

Also- the food in the airports costs MUCHO dollars- I bought a salad, fruit cup, and water and it was $15.89– to be expected though…

Lastly, I leave you with what we have been doing for a majority of the afternoon- actually, what they have been doing…

- I was too busy PEOPLEWATCHING

I will check back when I am in the green! (warning: it may not be for a day or two..)

Peace out Playas

“Born to be WIIIIILD!”: Steppenwolf

50 Pounds

allisonleigh — Fri, 29 May 2009 02:18:51 +0000

Soooooo, today I packed my life away- I am only leaving for a month but I think I packed for 5 months.

And before you start saying, “just pack what you need”….”when in doubt, leave it out”…. I have to tell you something:

I CAN’T!

I am the person who packs because a) I don’t want to be over there thinking, “…if I had brought my (fill in the blank) I would feel so much better” and b) I don’t want to buy any more clothes than I need/already have.

On that note, I should tell you that the airport has a 50 pound max on luggage without charging extra and my bag currently weighs…51 pounds. I plan on ditching the mouthwash and body wash I have for me and my roommates if it is over at the airport. And if all else fails I will move some pants or shoes or something over to my carry-on. I’m not worried, but I can’t believe I packed that much shit. (Oh, and I should tell you that I used space saver bags- they worked like a champ!)

Tomorrow, my roomie Cortney is coming to my house sometime after 1 or 2 and we will do whatever last minute stuff we have. After that I think we will just chill on the pier and soak in the last of the Wisconsin summer sun until July

I will be blogging from the airport (hopefully) so I will “see” you all soon!!!

Lata Playas

“So I quickly opened the wardrobe,
Pulled out some jeans and a T-Shirt that seemed clean,
Topped it off with a pair of old shoes”

-Paulo Nutini: New Shoes