Monday, April 4, 2011

Cork! Part 1!

I know this post is crazy, crazy late, but at least it's here, right? Maybe?

Anyway.

Even though it looks like it must have been raining the whole time in Cork City based on my pictures, it was really only raining the first few hours. The rest of the time, it was more beautiful than I know how to say. Really. Just wait until I post the sunny-day pictures tomorrow!


Of course, even in the rain, Cork was extremely pretty.




And everyone was really cheerful. That's not something you get so much in Dublin-- at least not during the daytime. People always seem to be in a wicked hurry there, so the change was kind of awesome and refreshing. More than that, really. I adored it. It was more homey. And, actually, parts of Cork reminded me of Vermont, one of my homes. People wore more colorful coats, and half of everyone wore jeans, instead of just leggings or sweatpants. There were a lot of organic and outdoors-themed shops, and tons of mini farmers markets. It was really cute.


Look at the size of the nutella! That would last me, like, a week! (I swear, you guys, that really would last me lots longer than a week. Um.)


Cork seemed to have more of a sense of humor than Dublin.

I mean, how fantastically, well, awesome and stupid, is this?

Ok. Story time. That store reminds me of this cabbage patch doll I used to have when I was a little kid. You know how they always come with their own name pre-written on their birth certificates? Well, mine came named, Tempest Rina. No lie. So, of course, I ended up calling her, "Tempted Rino," just because. I was like eight. Ok. That was a pretty lame story, wasn't it?

Anyway!


I think this is my favorite Cork City picture. It makes me laugh whenever I see it. The old lady just makes it.

Another thing about Cork? There are hills! Really high ones. Actually, ones much higher than the Burlington hills, even . Ones so high that instead of walking up the streets, you have the choice of taking stairs. Really steep ones that climb up concrete cliffs in two flights.

That, up the cliffs, up the stairs, was where most of the houses seemed to be. So, if you lived in Cork City, chances are that you would actually live high above the city. It's pretty neat.

At night, it's even more than that, more than just cool. The view crossing the River Lee to city center at night, is one of the most beautiful city sights I've ever seen. The hills are all around you-- to the side of you and behind you-- in the distance, and they're all full with tiny golden lights like fairies, and reflecting on the river below. Just gorgeous.

This was the best picture of any sort of hill I could find in my albums, and it's not a very steep one. My excuse is that my camera was being wicked lame. Technology really doesn't like me. Too bad I like it. Well, sort of. Sometimes. Sort of sometimes.

*

I was mostly on my own the first two days. I made a kind of stupid mistake planning for my trip; I shouldn't have left on a Saturday, and especially not so late on one. Because when I got to my hostel, no one was hanging out either in my bedroom or the common room. No one was around to meet. So, I ended up going to the pubs on my own. I'd never done that before, and I'd rather not do it again. It's not that it was unsafe-- I felt very safe-- but it was awkward, walking into a pub and not knowing anyone. In that sort of situation, without your friends, or at least someone, it can be hard to know how to act, and that's something I'd just never thought of before. It's just so much easier and nicer knowing people. Though, I did end up having a fun night.

Actually, the first couple days were kind of lonely. I hadn't anticipated that it all, but I really was kind of alone. I didn't know anyone, and I couldn't text anyone because I was pretty much the only Champlain kid still in Ireland. After a day of that, it felt like I hadn't talked to anyone in ages, which was kind of hard.

At the same time-- I know, this is so conflicting-- I wouldn't change it. Because I did meet more people, awesome people, later, and even while I didn't know anyone, it was fun. Freeing. I didn't have to be anywhere or do anything. I could just run around the city, explore whatever I wanted, and get lost. I like getting lost.


1 comment:

  1. awwww im so glad you had fun sweetie <3 it looks amazing. wish i could have been there with you!

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