I received Flickrmail a while ago informing me that two of my photos from last year’s adventure had been selected for inclusion in the Schmap guide for Cork and Paris.
Hmm…. 12 days till Paris!
Category Archives: Cork
Kinsale.
Robbie and I went to Kinsale yesterday. Being our 2nd last day in Cork, we thought it would be a good idea to visit another touristy spot. Unfortunately, we missed the 13:15 bus, and instead bought some souveniers, which we were forced to bring with us to Kinsale.
If you visit the Kinsale set on flickr, you can see more…. The bus was supposed to drop us off at the Esso station in town, but there is road work in the city so they dropped us at a parking lot outside of town. We walked in to town and it was very pretty! The buildings were many colours, and there were artisan galleries everywhere… my favourite was a ceramics shop where I found an amazing screenprinted calendar. The 2009 version is 50$ US but I want it sooo bad! Here is Robbie sitting in front of some neat shops.
We got lost trying to find the beach (no success there), and then found the Tourist Office where we picked up a village map. Kinsale has a ‘castle’ so we made our way up-hill towards it. Of course, it was closed, but I did manage to jump off the steps.
And there is also a very nice cemetary in Kinsale, at a church. We spent a good deal of the trip exploring the church yard.
Walking around the village, I noticed Mom’s car.. or a twin of Mom’s car, so we stalked it and captured it on film. This one came with a big fluffy dog inside!
By then, it was starting to get dark, so we decided to bid farewell to Kinsale (it was also a bit cold) and make our way back to Cork.
Today was spent packing up our room and tonight we’re having a taco dinner with some Canadian friends. Tomorrow we’re taking the train to Lurgan (near Belfast) where the next phase of our journey begins. 29 days till I come home!
The most wonderful thing about Ireland!
The other day the Irish Examiner was laying on the chair in the living room, and needing a place to sit, I picked it up and glanced at the front page. Plane wrecks, banking disasters, Obama, and snails.
Yes, snails. And not just snails, but slugs as well.
Apparently, these cute little guys are a big problem in Ireland. While searching online for the article (so you could read it in its entirety – alas I could not find it) I came across a few other similarly amusing articles about slugs and snails terrorizing the Irish people…
Snail epidemic may cause liver fluke disease in livestock to spiral (could be a problem!)
Stop in the name of slug: Road re-routed THE little known Kerry Slug has crawled its way into the spotlight following a recent decision to re-route a small section of a major new roadway linking Cork and Kerry. (heh… love it!)
Slap on some snail slime to turn back the time IF you really hate your wrinkles, try slapping on some snail slime. (sounds like something from Harry Potter!)
But are you ready for the gold? I’ve taken the liberty of including a few key quotes from the article…
Wet summer makes mail home to the snail
SNAIL mail has taken on a literal meaning in a Meath village where the tiny creatures are stopping post from being delivered.
“The snails and slugs have taken to living inside our postbox and if letters are there for more than a few hours any ink on the envelopes becomes illegible.”
No one knows if it is the silvery trails the sticky creatures leave behind them that have a chemical effect on the ink making it impossible to read, or if they just like to munch on the paper.
An Post confirmed they have to “evict” snails and slugs from the post box from time to time – “particularly after a wet summer we find snails both on and in the boxes.”
“One of the less pleasant duties of An Post staff is to clear out snails and slugs,” the spokeswoman added.
Did I tell you yet that this made the front page? Oh Ireland!
Forcing a Smile
What’s that saying… it takes a whole lot more muscles to frown than to smile, and smiling pumps endorphins into the body which makes people happier. Okay, obviously not in those words, but you get the point, and I know that you know which saying I’m talking about.
Today has been an awful day. It’s raining, it’s cold inside the house (and all my clothes are still damp from the dryer), I’ve been stuck working on personal experience statements, and I’m in a bit of an emotional mess all around. I’ve journaled my thoughts in Bella Donna, I’ve talked to my brother and Ashley, and I’m still in a funk. So i’m going to force myself to feel better by writing about happy things.
1) this Kale was on sale for less than 1,50 Euros. I enjoy Kale, and this was a beautiful bunch, lovely flavour, and I made a special peanut butter sauce for it. It’s nice to have access to the kitchen whenever I need something to eat!
2) a lot of people are ‘living vicariously through me,’ and I should feel lucky that I have this opportunity. I know I won’t have it again. And I know that it’s good that I have had the chance to live it out. Now I know that I do not want to work in a foreign country, far away from my family and friends. I know that if I move away, I need to make sure I know people where I am going, because I need that support system. I also know, more than ever, to stop fantasizing expectations for everything. The past has taught me that birthdays with expectations make for unhappy days; in my life, expectations for anything seem to set me up for a bit of failure. I need to stop dreaming about stuff like that.
3) oops, something good. right. Robbie bought a straightener and so my hair is straight. And yesterday I wore my hair in clips again and it looked nice. And Robbie says it is longer than when we first got here.
4) I have met some really great people here, and have had the chance to improve my French.
5) I know that I can do it on my own. And be okay on my own. And navigate a foreign city on my own (without crying, even!)
6) I got a new cute umbrella (because I lost my blue one. That is sad.)
7) There are a lot of people at home who miss me. I miss them too.
8 ) I learned to knit. And drive on the opposite side of the road.
9) Erm… just to knit. I have only been in one car here, and I certainly wasn’t driving!
10) I have finally figured out how to use Skype and it is so very incredible! It only costs 2 pence a minute to call Canada! It’s 17 pence to call Ireland though – careful now! (Free if it’s Skype-to-Skype.)
11) Irish bacon is just as good as bacon in North America, but with less fat. Mmmm guilt-free bacon!
12) I didn’t vote in the election but this time I didn’t feel guilty for not voting!
13) I can’t think of anything else right now… can you?
Eating like an Irish Lass
In an attempt to use up my cabbage, I decided to try an Irish recipe I had heard about from another Art Trail volunteer, involving cabbage, bacon and potatoes. I ended up finding a Cabbage + Bacon Gratin recipe (with cheese, yum!) and altered a bit to reflect what I had on hand. The result?
It was good. It had cabbage and bacon and garlic and green onions on the bottom layer, then potatoes with egg and cheese on the top. And gosh, it was scrumptious!
and the best part is that bacon here has very little fat in it – I had to add olive oil in order to get the bacon to crispify! It was very filling and very delicious. And this was cooked in the ‘night kitchen’ (term borrowed from Emily), so please don’t be offended by the off yellow-toned colours!
In other news, I leave for France tomorrow, so wish me luck finding my hotel in Paris.
Bisses,
Jen
Turduckin.
Weird, I know, but did you know that it is actually something? Turduckin, that is. I learned of this creation the other day while at a pub with a few Americans on the Work in Ireland program. Turns out that a few other people know about it too, which means it’s real! Apparently, Turduckin is a small chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey. They are deboned and entirely scrumptious. To this I ask ‘Hey stalkermom (yeah, you Brigitte, who never leaves comments on my blog *sob!*), who is having Yule this year and can we have Turduckin to celebrate my return to Canada in time for the holidays?’
Now on another note, and thank you to those stalkers who stepped forward to reveal themselves (Shelly, Angela, Kristi and Jenn), I would like to rub all the other stalkers (that includes stalker-family (Jordan), staker-coworkers (Sally), and stalker-friends (Melissa)) noses in the fact that I saw Giraffes yesterday. Yes, f*@#$ing GIRAFFES in Ireland! Who would have thought?!
We took the train to Fota Wildlife Reserve, where the animals are free-range and apparently happy. Here are some photos:
Me (I seem to have Storm eyes.), Matt from Toronto, and Robbie on the Train Bridge on Fota Island. Matt is also doing the WII program. Except not doing it because he, like me, has decided to travel instead of work and then come home early.
This is a Giraffe. In Ireland.
In fact, there were about 20 of them!
These Llamas made me want to watch Emperor’s New Groove, which we did attempt to do upon returning home. It didn’t work. They also made me think fondly of the Llama-lovin’ Mercedes.
Two Canadian Females eat Ice Cream on Sticks while waiting for the ‘Cheetah Run’ Exhibition.
The Giraffes were cool, but my favourite was the Rabbit-Deers. We couldn’t figure out what type of creature this was in reality, but I named them Rabbit-Deers because that’s what they looked like. And I liked them. And Draker, please hug Bun for me because I miss him! (And Bernie too).
*Edit: Thanks to Red Mare on Flickr, I found out a bit more about these creatures: “aren’t these the strangest? rabbit, deer + guinea pig!! i saw them while i was in argentina. cool huh? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caviidae “
And this is me, being a Giraffe (refer to Giraffe photo above).
A Day at OXFAM
As mentioned earlier, I have started volunteering with OXFAM Ireland. I am working in the Fair Trade shoppe in the City Centre, and will be there Friday afternoons and any other time I am inspired to arrive. On Friday I spent the majority of the afternoon learning how to price inventory, and then pricing it. It’s quite the process. Nevertheless, I had a good time because let’s be honest here, I really like inventory, especially in a store.
I was also working with another person, Cathill (CAW-HUL), a 19 year old Irish violinist. He is a street performer sometimes, and is volunteering to get some work experience. He was quite fun, unique (i learned from him that the combination of VERY + UNIQUE is not appropriate, as unique already expresses that something is one of a kind)
That is Cathill et moi in the inventory room. And that is my OXFAM experience, except that I accomplished some Yule shopping!
xoxo Jen
p.s. the next post will either be about knitting or our trip to Fota Wildlife Reserve.
Our first care package!
Yesterday we were in the living room waiting for Robbie’s co-worker (Candice) to meet her, and the door was open so when the post lady came with our package, Robbie received it right in her hands.
I think i was more excited than Robbie, but that’s okay because it was addressed to me first. And surprise surprise, our first package came not from someone that we have known our whole lives or even have met in person, but one of my online chums, Teeni!
Teeni has been closely following my travel journey, and she even leaves comments on this blog after reading the entries (ahem, a note to all you stalkers… maybe you should make your presence known by leaving a comment! I do really enjoy reading them and appreciate them immenseley.)
Anyway, Teeni sent us some candy and I started eating it last night while watching ‘Cloverfield’… by myself. This is the package-opening process:
If you’d like your very own package-opening photo dedicated to you, please send me something to 34… hehe… just kidding! What I really want is you to wire some money to my bank account. Ohho, just joking again! Thanks for the goodies, Teeni!
Next up: First day at OXFAM.
To Market, to Market to buy me some bread.
The English Market, that is, in the City Centre. The Market is inside a building with a good number of stalls offering everything from tupperware to fish to fruit, and there is even a yarn store!
One of the organic shops had fruit for sale, and please mind that this is the same across all shops here… look at the measly size of the fruit, and the grande size of the price!
I find it ridiculous that blackberries are sold for 3.99 Euros a half-pint, when they grow wild all over this country. I pass three bushes on my way to/around the Lough. Silly! My roommate came home last night and had purchased a half-pint of blueberries for 1.99 Euros, which was a good price, she said. She was floored when I told her how much we pay at Pardo’s for a bucket… 12$ Canadian is equivalent to 8 Euros.
I ended up buying a loaf of bread, an extra-large artichoke, two heads of broccoli, and some mushrooms. This is sticking to my 101 task of buying local (at a market). I hope to continue with this when I return home. Is there any markets open in Chatham year round, within the city, or will I have to go to the new market on 40 highway?
As an afterthought, here is some evidence of how very narrow the streets are in Ireland. You’ll notice that the cars on the left are on the sidewalk in order to let the cars on the right pass. This road is actually much wider than most, as it is one of the main streets in Cork. The strangest part is how fast people drive down these skinny roads… at least 70 km/h, which is dangerous, if you ask me!
Next post: We lurve Candy!!! (An ode to Teeni)
Being in Cork.
Today I was thinking about the things I’d change about this trip if I could. This is what I’ve come up with:
- Shorten the length of the trip.
- Not go through the SWAP program, since I’m not working anyway.
- Stay in Dublin, not Cork. (Dublin is the center of all transportation. Cork isn’t. Not good for exploring the country).
- There’s something else, but I can’t remember what.
What I’ve also come up with, though, is the realization that i can’t change these decisions. They’ve been made, and I have to be okay with where I am now. This is a continued lesson in living in the present, not the past or waiting for the future to happen. So despite the fact that I’m not thrilled with my current situation, I do plan to make the most of it. Today, for example, was good, even though I just stayed in Cork.
Last night we went to a pub called Clancy’s, which appeared to be a tourist bar, but whatever, with another SWAP participant Matt and his friend Ian from California. They thought we were 22. Oh-ho! The pub played trad music and even taught some Irish dancing, but i didn’t join the lessons as there was absolutely no room on the floor. This morning I went for a run at noon, and them met Guillaume at the Fair Trade OXFAM store to submit my volunteer application. I will start training on Friday afternoon, and he doesn’t seem to mind that I will be gone more often than not, as they apparently are in desperate need of volunteers.
This is one of the outer streets of Cork’s city centre:
And so I thought I’d take you on a tour of my walk home today. After I cross the bridge next to the Beaming brewery, I come to a fork in the road. Should I take the shorter, dirtier street (left), or the longer but cleaner road (right)? Which would you chose?
Well i chose the street that was cleaner and more residential than scuzzy. And I walk by parks instead of off-license shops (liquor stores), countless closed shopfronts, and Utopianation, a combination “indoor gardening centre”, pole dancing studio, and hydroponics shoppe.
Smart choice, right?
Jen
