April in Paris

We totally got behind in the blog so this update will be up till about 10 days ago. Emily is working on the last 10 days! Should be up in the next few days


So we arrived in Marance, which is the name of the house in the dordonga. The home is outside of a small city called Thenon. The town is quant although we did not spend alot of time there. the drive to the house was filled with green rolling hills, others filled with yellow dandelions and tons of farms. Nada owns two homes right across from eachother with a swimming pool, a yurt and wonderful gardens. We had crummy weather on and off for the week that we were in Marance but that did not stop us from enjoying the area and the good company. Emily and I were the default chefs for the week. We would have a really nice, fresh lunch and dinner everyday including omelets, salads, roast veggies and stir frys. One night we made duck from a local farm and it was really good!


One day we went to Lascaux II, historical caves located in a town called Montignac. The story goes that in 1940, 4 boys were walking their dog and he slipped on some rocks and fell down into an area below the ground. The boys returned the next day with lanterns and were amazed with what they found. The next day a teacher over hear them talking about the caves and two years later they were open to the public. by 1955 and over 1000 visitors a day, the climate change in the caves was causing damage to the art so the caves were closed.


They created an exact replica of the caves so that they could still be admired but preserved. Hence why the caves were called "Lascaux II".


The caves contain some of the most well-known (Upper Paleolithic) art, dating back to somewhere around 14,000 BC. The art is mostly of realistic images of large animals, including aurochs and horses.


Through the percision and exactness of the art you can tell that the people who were doing it had much practice. There was perspective in almost all of them, showing movement in some and the artists used the shape of the rock to create the animal.


We had an awesome tour guide who was really passionate about the caves. He had done research on the origin of the people doing the art and on the art itself. This made the tour well worth it! It was insane to be in and see something that has so much history.


Both of the homes that Nada owns are so beautiful. They are old, renovated farm houses suroundef by flowers and nature They are filled with art and furniture from all over the world and are very cozy. Wood burning fireplace, big open kitchens and comfy couches (which we both took advantage of).


We helped Nada set up a polytunnel that she will use for veggies this summer. We shoveled out a compost pile that is 10 years old for the tunnel. We also spent alot of time in the house hanging out with Rosey and Joey and the puppies. They have three dogs, Poppy, Jamaica and Sigmund Freud. I love these animals. The three of them were adorable together and they were always down for a cuddle.

Since it rained alot we could not always get out to work. We read alot (I specifically finished two Game of Thrones books and Emily read Girl with the Dragon Tatoo series). We did so much laughing with them and they began to feel like family for us, which is nice when we are an ocean away from our own. Nada really helped is along with our travels and made our time with her family very special.


While there, Nadas friend Nadine came to visit from Paris for a weekend. She was so sweet to us and it was nice to have more company. We enjoyed a walk outside with the puppies and talked alot about life. She was so kind to offer us her place in Paris while she was on vacation in Marance.


Leaving was bitter-sweet because we knew we had alot of good stuff ahead of us. But we had spent so much time with the family we knew we were going to miss them.


So to Nada, Rosey, Joey, Emie and the puppies- thank you for being a home away from home in France and giving us memories we will never forget. So much love and laughter in your family, we were lucky to be a part of it. I think we are both convinced of going to Napal now or at least coming back to Marance (in the summertime!!) We love you all from France and back, come to the states soon.


We found a ride to Paris online with a guy named Philipe and it was half the price than the train. He was really cool and dropped us off at a metro station at the south end of the city. We took the metro to Nadines flat in Paris and met her kids there! She has a daughter Ariana, who is working and currently planning a scuba diving trip. Her son named Paul is in school studying Jazz and is in a band. They are 19 and 22 and just as nice as their mother. They made us feel at home and helped us get around the city. The apartment had been painted by Nada with pigment paint she had made herself and their home is filled with beautiful paintings and some buddhist art. If i had a place in Paris, i wish it could look like this place.


The first night we got in and it was around 10 pm so we decided just to stay in and get the rest of our travels settled. We got some wine and cheese from a local store and hung out for the evening. We also mapped out our two days in Paris. Thanks to Rosey, who gave us a huge list of places she loved, we had a packed few days.


We woke up and had a busy day ahead! We started at the Arc de Triumph and I just could not believe the size of it. Along with the detail and the colors, it is a magnificent site to see and a classic Paris spot. From there we walked to the Eiffel tower and the sun actually started to come out! Again, such a massive piece and an amazing site to see in Paris. The architecture is mesmerizing and complex and so very beautiful. The sky was blue with huge white clouds and made for a lovely backdrop. We sat looking at it for a while and i felt myself getting lost in the maze of metal. I loved mu first sight of it and i wish I could see everyday.


We then walked our way to Rue Clare. This is a road not far from the tower filled with cafés, markets, shops and bakeries. We had espresso then picked up a baguette, sauseson and went into a fromagarie to pick up some cheese. We decided on a chevré that was rolled in spices (spicy goat cheese ahhhhh), picked up some wine, of course, and chose a seat in a park where you could see the top of the louve and the gardens around it. We listened to Young The Giant, in preparation for the concert, enjoyed our snacks and the view. The sun was out so we got the frisbee out for a while.


We hopped on the metro and took it over to Notre Dame. It sits right on the siene river and is just as magnificent as I heard it was. The outside is so massive but then you go inside and you realize that it all of a sudden seems bigger. We were there when services were about to start which was cool and we sat in for a few hymns. The inside is breathtaking. Emily and I specifically loved the stained glass that covered part of the walls along with detail on the ceiling.


We left there and wondered back into some small streets to just explore. We found a placed called Cafe Delmas, a bar with mostly outdoor seats that faced a beautiful fountain. Emily got a hibiscus martini and I got wine!


We found another fromagarie on our way to the apartment, and fancied a young cheddar with irish stout. It was pretty to look out and even tastier to eat. We stopped at a market to pick up some veggies to make dinner with and we slowly made our way back to the apartment. We picked up some wine and hung out that night.


Bright and early we woke up and took the Metro to Marais, the Jewish quarter of Paris. We sat and had espresso while doing some solid people watching. After that we walked around the area, went into shops and just roamed around. We found this chocolate shop that we could not resist and got some treats.


We eventually found ourselves at the Pompidou, the modern art museum.


WARNING: SKIP DOWN IF YOU DONT CARE BOUT MY SEMI-CRUMMY DESCRIPTION OF THE ART I SAW

The entire grounds of the museum are a work if art, before you even go inside. I spent my time in the Contemporary art section (1940-present), the Matisse special exhibit and the Art Spiegelman exhibit.


I will only bore you with some of my thoughts of the art but I will give you list of Artists I think you should look up (if you are interested of course).


Peter Saul- Bewtiful and Stwong
Maryan- 7 dessins de la sarie Napoleon
Pascel Convert-Joseph Epstein


The Matiss exhibit was totally worth the wait! They had the bulk of his work there, but even cooler they had sketches from when he started to draw. The most interesting part, I thought Was the part they talked about an art show Matisse did in the December of 1945. The show was called "Henri Matisse: paintings, drawings and sculptures" and was held at Galerie Morght. The show only had a limited number of his paintings but what made it unique was that next to each finished piece were pictures of the life of the painting from beginning to end. Google it!! The Gallery was really beautiful and there was some controversy in the show.


I ended at the Art Spiegleman exhibit. The story of his work is long, and he has had his hand in many works in the USA and all over the world. He makes grown up comics and believes in the potential of comics going beyond juvenile pieces of art. He worked for The New Yorker as the cover artist until he published a controversial cover on Valentines day of a Jewish man kissing a Muslim women. I am not doing a good job of explaining the importance of his work and how powerful it is, so I think you should all look it up! You would be surprised that you will recognize some of his work. His comics are colorful, powerful and very honest.


My favorites of the exhibit
-Mauschwitz
-The Shadow of No Towers
-The Wild Party
-His work for The New Yorker


The best quote I got while in the museum was from Robert Marris "The Rationalist notion that art is an activity which results in a finished product is up for debate. Since what art has at it's disposal is a product that is forever evolving"


We left there feeling inspired but found a serious rainstorm outside. We ventured out anyways because we were on a mission: Wannajuice. Rosey had told us about this "build your own smoothie" place in Odeon, and eversince we were craving it. We found free wifi at a Mac Do and with the combination of our awesomeness and our map skills we found it! Emily got Ginger, coconut, mango and I got pineapple, orange, mango. It was scrumptious !


We walked around Odeon for a while, wishing we could go shopping and indulge in all the shoes and handbags Paris has to offer. The area was filled cafès, corner shops and lots of fashionable people. If I go back there I am leaving my hiking boots at home and investing in a good pair of wedges.


The last major monument we wanted to see in Paris was the La Basilique Du Secré-Ceur. It is a huge church sitting on the edge of Paris and is a unique white color. We walked the 360 steps up to it and found a nice spot to enjoy the sun. It has to be one of the bet views in Paris, because you can see almost the entire city from there. We enjoyed a few beers on the steps before heading back to the apartment.

When we got back we had to do surgery on my backpack because there was a rip happening near the main part of the bag. Emily got super crafty with super glue and some thread and needle and save it's life. It looks super ghetto but it no longer has a gaping hole. We bought some wine and set out to hit Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower. We got to St. Michel and planted ourselves to enjoy the city at night. Unfortunately we got there right at power hour so the lights went off soon after we got there. The metro was also closed early this night so we had no way to get to the tower. Either way Emily and I were enjoying being on the river, the reflection of the lights and the city actually being sort of quite. A guy came up to us to talk and he had a guitar in hand. We walked along the river with him and he showed us his favorite bridge to sing at. So for a while we spent our time singing, drinking wine and sharing stories with this French guy. We don't remember his name or where he was from but it was absolutely the best way to end our trip to Paris.


Something we both loved about Paris is that at almost every bar, cafè or restaurant, outside all of the chairs faced outward. Maybe it is my love for people watching, but it encouraged us to talk to our neighbors and really take in where we were.


Paris is April. I fell in love with the city and could have spent weeks more exploring. I just loved
The architecture, the food, the wine and the culture. I loved how many grassy areas there were and places for people to relax and take their 2 hour lunch break. Paris gets a bad rep and I am sure there are some angry, proud Parisians out there but I did not meet many. There were a few places I did not see, so I will just have to go back.


Our trip to the Ryan Air airport was out of a TV show. We were on the metro during the rush hour to work so every train was packed. Emily and I have the largest bags on our backs and I can't stop laughing. Lucky the trip was only 8 metro stops away but it was entertaining to see us struggle through the crowds of parisians.


After this we flew to Italy! Went to Florence, Germany, back to Florence then Rome! Emily is going to post that really soon so look out for the read.


The adventure continues on and we are still enjoying eachothers company, more than ever actually. We have met so many people saying they would kill their best friend on this type of trip. This makes me so grateful to have Emily by my side to laugh with and explore down this road ( an I hope she feels the same way!).

Cheese, cheese and some more cheese

ok italy is not letting the formatting happen, so until we can figure it out. sowwwwwy

Since arriving in France, we have been doing some serious cooking (besides the few delicious meals we have had out). We have also been indulging in the vast amount of the most delicious cheese (I mean come on, we're in France). Why not sneak a little chevre with herbs into the salad?? I'll highlight our favorite meals and snacks that we either enjoyed out or cooked ourselves!

 Toulouse
*Restaurant: La P'tite Gouaille Jackie: grilled meat platter with duck, saucisson, steak and ratatouille Emily: roasted duck with olives in a tomato sauce
*Crepes with homemade orange marmalade (compliments to Emie!)
*Pounds of baguette with camenbert, sausage and raspberry jam (and red wine of course)
*Fresh spring rolls with rice noodles, avocado, carrots, basil, corriander and peanuts with a Thai peanut dipping sauce


Barcelona
*Tapas at Piscolabis: fried brie covered in sesame seeds with tomato jam, catalonian ham, asparagus with brie and truffle oil, patatas bravas
*Lunch at Rincon de Galica: Appetizers of roasted artichoke with red pepper sauce Jackie: roasted fish Emily: meatballs in a tomato sauce Dessert: chocolate cake with orange sauce
*More tapas at La Tramoila: Mushrooms with garlic, onion and olive oil, escalaridas (roasted eggplant, red peppers and onions topped with goat cheese), and patatas bravas
*Sangria!


Saturno
In this little dream house in the Spanish Pyrenees, we had meat-free homecooked meals by a lovely Spanish woman named Carol for 6 days mostly consisting of grains and veggies and always delicious.
*Typical breakfast: museli with raisins, apricots and chopped almonds from the almond trees outside of the house, yogurt with honey, brown bread with fig jam and cheese
*Lunches and dinners: Curry stirfry with rice, veggies and seitan Lentil stew Homemade hummus Pumpkin soup with toasted sesame seeds
*Sweets: Membrillo (a sweet paste made from quince and typically served with cheese) Cake with sweet chestnut spread Marance This is where Jacklyn and I played chef for 10 days and we loved every minute of it. We utilized all sorts of veggies and took advantage of the vast variety of French cheese in the market. With lunch we typically had delicious fresh salads and used lemon and olive oil as a refreshing dressing.
*Crepe party with a crepe machine: we made two different batters since Nada is gluten-free. We raided the fridge for anything that could possibly go in a crepe. Savory items included roasted peppers, smoked salmon, cheese and tomatoes and the sweet filling included raisins, honey, strawberry jam, and lemon (my personal favorite being the goat cheese with honey and lemon).
*Morrocan chicken with tomato, raisins, chickpeas, onion, carrot, cumin, cayenne, cinnamon served over spiced cousin cous.
*Beet and cucumber salad with goat cheese and a balsamic Dijon dressing
*Confit de carne (duck) with an orange brown sugar glaze with roasted carrots and potatoes
*Spanish omelet (complements to Rosey) with potatoes, eggs and onion
*Lemon penne with roasted red pepper and poached egg


Paris
We did not eat many sit down meals here..but rather did our fair share of picnicing and light meals. My favorite was a picnic near the Eiffel Tower consisting of goodies that we picked up on Rue Cler (a small street with tons of shops and cafes). We enjoyed a baguette, saucisson, spicy chevre and a good bottle of Bordeaux. For another meal we stopped at a market and made a mango avocado salad with onion, olive oil, and hot sauce of course. And for dinner one evening we shared a panini and quiche Lorraine. We found ourselves gravitating towards the cheese shops (fromageries) and picked up a young cheddar infused with Irish porter.

We will be posting about our time in Italy and Germany soon!

Literally between the olive and almond trees

*this will be another entry on a French computer, so sorry for the massive amount of spelling mistakes


So we are going to try and do shorter entries more often so that people don't think we have fallen off the face of the earth


Last time we spoke, Emily and I were enjoying Toulouse and having a relaxing week. We spent a few more days exploring the city, relaxing by the river and watching the sunrise from Joey's balcony. A part of the French culture that I wish we could take back to the states is the importance of taking a break mid-day to rest. From 12-2 everyday the city gets packed with people from school and work on their break. People fill up the parts by the river, the cafes and enjoy 2 hours to have wine, eat and relax before they go to finish their work day. I think I would have been much more willing to do school work if I did not have 8 hours of class in a row. 


One of the nights, Toulouse was celebrating their version of Carnival so when Emie got out of class we took the metro into the city. We bought a few bottles of beer and wine and walked up to where the parade was going to happen. The first part of the parade was a massive head made out of wood with an open mouth a a huge CARNIVAL sight on the front. This followed many different caravans of people and different floats: lots of music, old people wearing pink and banging on drums, dancers, children and even a big yellow school bus filled with people doing nothing. In the middle of the march we snuck in with a group that was dancing down to the river and we joined them. We danced all through the city till we got to the bridge over the river. Everyone was celebrating in the streets and gathering by the river. Although we did not make it, there was a massive bonfire at the end where they light that huge head plus anything else they could find. When we woke up the next morning there was confetti on our bed, in our hair and all over the apartment. Later that day we cooked dinner for the boys, shared wine and again enjoyed the warm sun on the balcony.




On the weekend, Nada and her daughter Rose arrived with one of their puppies that we called popcorn, poppy or poptart. A little terrier with long hair and the cutest face. We had beers in Centra Square then found a place for dinner. We went back to the apartment that night, chilled out, laughed and shared stories. 




I think this might have been the first time I was homesick. Seeing the kids laughing and being with their mom made me miss my sister and my parents. At the same time it was comforting to be with such a loving family. Not to mention this family has lived and traveled all over the world and kept us cracking up with some hilarious stories. The homesickness was short lived and the next day, Nada, Emily and I were off to Spain! 




We had a 4 hour drive, in Picasso as they call their car, into Barcelona. We found a super cheap hostel, thanks to Emily and her Kindle Fire magic. We checked in and went right out into the city for Tapas. We found a cool place off the main drag and ordered some brie, potatoes and a specialty of Spain called jamon: very thinly slices of smoked ham that is to die for. We had wine then moved onto another place. We made the  mistake of going to the Ramblas (super touristy) to find a place and ended up with oil soaked bread, nasty wine and fried sausage. We left there and headed back to the hostel to sleep since the next day was our only full day in the city. We were sharing a room with some over enthused Canadians that talked a little bit too loud for our liking but they did not bother us too much, that night at least.




We woke up to some rain, which was a bummer but we were not going to let it ruin our day! We went out into the city to head to the Picasso Museum. Nada did her dissertation on the artist so I walked around with her so I got some extra commentary. The progression of his art is really amazing; to see in front of you how he started to paint, and see what his inspirations were. You could see the change in his art style from when he started, to when he spent time in Paris and the reflection of his artist friends on his own art. The end of the museum had some of the 58 paintings of his Las Meninas Series, an interpretation of a Velazquez original. This was my favorite part of the museum for sure, and a great way to end it. The building itself was super beautiful as well! It was recently renovated and it is comprised of 5 townhouses that were built between the 13th and 15 centuries.


After that we went to see La Sagrada Familia, which is a church in Barcelona that begun its construction in 1882 and is still being worked on today. The church is in the center of Barcelona and has become sort of the face of the city. Gaudi was the main artist working on it, till the day he died in 1926 and has left his mark on the city in other places as well. His style is unique and unlike anything I have seen. You really need to look at pictures to understand the way he presented his art. The side of the building he had worked on almost looks like a sand castle, with all the figures perfectly intertwined together, yet on the verge of melting off. Look it up, go there, stare at for hours and try to imagine how someone thought it up in their brain.




We walked back the long way so that we could see more of Gaudi's work. There were two buildings we saw that again were more unique and colorful than anything else in the city. That was one of my favorite parts of Barcelona. The entire city is not a bunch of big "little boxes on a hillside" with everything looking the same. It has been through many different architectural time periods and the city has much to show for that: very colorful and very alive.




While in Barcelona I also picked up a journal/sketch book. I decided I wanted to try drawing, especially since I had Nada by my side. I did some blind drawing and it came out okay. It all still sort of looks like mish mosh but I am happy that I am trying. My sister is such a talented artist so I have to have some sort of it running in my blood. 




We settled for more tapas that night at a place that had yummy sangria and candle light to set the mood. We sat there for a while, drawing, talking about food, cooking and art. Then we went on an adventure to find a Rainforest bar Emily had gone to while she was abroad a few years ago and her memory was pristine! The place was covered in these amazing origami when you first walked in then there were actual insect noises, and huge canopies of fake trees and leafs and even a waterfall. More sangria, more drawing and more talking. We walked back to the hostel and chatted with the attractive ginger who manages the place. We got a crappy nights rest, but we all got a shower in the AM and headed off for a 3 hour drive into the Pyrenees!




It is hard to explain what pure, natural beauty looks like. But I would like to believe these Mountains explain it. Once we were off the highway, we had miles of mountain range, driving around the hills, through a valley and alongside a river that was aqua blue. The size was overwhelming of the mountains and a landscape that was totally new to me. We pulled into "Saturno" which is where the Art workshop was being help that Nada was leading, and where Emily and I would be working for the next 5 days. Nada had told us that the house was inbetween the olive and almond trees, and she was not joking. We had almonds every morning with our yogurt and to snack on right from the trees. Again, the view and the home was unreal. The women running the place, Mercedes, is a devout Buddhist and spends alot of her time reading and studying the Buddha. Her home is made of  mostly stone and sits on the side of a mountain that over looks the Pyrenees.  We could see at least 6 small towns in the distant, the river and the snow top mountains at least 100 miles away. It was breath taking and there was not one day there that I was not in awe of the view. The house was in shambles when Mercedes first started renting it, but she has redone and fixed up the entire place herself. It was very cozy, with art all over, the Buddha in every corner and had an eclectic collection of furniture making the house very unique. Emily and I were set up in a bedroom upstairs in a loft area with a small window over looking the backyard.




We made lunch and set the house up a little bit before all of the students came. For our time in Saturno, our days were spent working on an old storage room that Mercedes wanted to turn into a workshop for herself. We ended up getting the work finished earlier than we thought, so we got some extra time in the art room.




I wont go into great detail about the class going on, but I will give you an idea of the group. Over the weekend there were 10-15 students who have been working with Nada over the past 3 years and they return twice a year for the workshop. They work on these specific Buddhist symbols, that have heavy meanings behind them and are said to help transform your life.




I had my own experience in the art room and it ended up being a huge obstacle for me. I have never done any sort of art like this and I had always left it to my sister to handle it if it came about. I was avoiding it some days and would go read in the garden instead. But Nada sat me down and really helped me find my place in the art and get through it. So from step one, I drew the symbol that I chose, traced it onto good painting paper and slowly the drawing came to life. It felt good to get over my fear and work through something like this. It may not have looked amazing, but it was my work and I felt really good about it. My sister would be proud. Emily has done some art before and made such a beautiful painting. There were aspects of her drawing that might take people days to draw and Emily finished her first sketch in one day. Her colors were intense and the lines near perfect. Everyone in the class was really proud of both of us for finishing in such a short amount of time! We both want to continue on with the symbols and finish all 8 some day.




The students, mostly women, came from all over Spain and were so kind hearted to us. We all sat in the living room together, huddled around 2 small tables for our meals, eating the food from the chef for the weekend who went by Carol. A spunky women, who spoke very good English and was cooking us the most wonderful vegetarian meals. Everyone was so kind to Emily and I and I feel like I have some new friends in Spain. The community that the group was really beautiful and we both felt lucky to have been apart of it. We got to work on my Spanish while we was there, but lucky for us most people spoke English. We went on walks behind her house that led to more beautiful views of the far away snow capped mountains. We also spent alot of time reading outside and enjoying some of the sun that came out. Nada had told us that in Spain, it was going to be hot and sunny, so Emily and I packed shorts and tshirts with the exception on one pair of leggings and a zip up hoodie. This might have been the only major fail of our trip that we were ill prepared for the cold that would come when we went into the mountains. Apparently at the same time each year there is a cold front with rain that we got caught in. Perfect. We managed though!! And the last day there was warm with the sun!!




On our last day there Emily, Mercedes, Carol and I took the day to drive to a temple called Dag Shang Kaygo and it was about an hour away from Saturno. Pulling in you notice the hundreds of Stupas (a piece of art that is used in worshiping in Buddhism) that are painted beautiful colors all around with statues and a temple in the center. There was a monk speaking that day at the temple, so we joined about 200 other people on the floor to listen. The energy was really intense in the room and the monk was talking about some really heavy topics having to do with how we treat people around us, what we perceive as beautiful to the sort of praise we are giving everyday. After the 2 hour session we walked around the beautiful property, also on the side of a mountain with a magnificent view. We went into the near by town called Grause and had a little bit of tapas for lunch at Rokola. I got a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice and we sat outside and enjoyed the sun. We had a good talk over the tapas and headed back to Saturno for our last night all together. 




We enjoyed herb tea made right from the garden, whole baked apples and some treats that Mercedes made for us. We stayed by the fire laughing and making jokes until the coals died and we went to bed. The view at night from this place is just as spectacular as it is during the day. All of the small towns light up, the moon is shining really bright and there is a reflection off the river. We were sad to leave the group of people and this beautiful place. But the next day we got up, packed the car and headed back to Toulouse. 




We have the rest of our trip all planned out for the most part just need to tie a few more loose ends. Money is getting tight but I think we should make it through May. I am glad we both have return tickets home ha. Although I find it very hard to think of myself in Maryland in those suburbs...




Well that is all for now. We will have another update soon that takes us to where we are now, but we at least wanted to get this part up!


thank you for reading! 


J and E

The plush green grass and BONJOUR from France!

Sorry for the Delay in blog entry! We tried to post before we left Ireland but we  just did not have the time. Lots of traveling, and we reach you now from Toulouse, France! Also, ther e is not English Spell check on this computer, so sorry for the mistakes.

We have loads to catch you up on, so no time to waste! Last time we wrote we were talking about  leaving the farm and going to Dublin early, which is exactly what we did.


Our time on the farm was really relaxing and Emily and I agree that we would do it again. Maybe in a different place but we enjoyed the mutual exchange of the WWOOF program. County Clare was beautiful and difinetly somewhere we want to return to. But we were ready to be on our way so we hopped on the bus in Ennistymon, then caught the train in Ennis and landed in Dublin by the early afternoon. Our hosts, Mary and Tommy O'Brien picked us up from the Luas and brought us to their home, right outside of the city in a place called Knocklyon.  We chilled out friday night, had pizza and hung with the family. There are three kids, aged 15 (Kevin), 12(Aine) and 9(Ammon) and an exchange student who was 15 from the Cannary Islands.


We took the bus in with Tommy to town on Saturday and entered the crazieness of St. Paddy's Day. We got in around 11 and started our day at the parade, which was hard to see over the thousands of people rocking crazy hats, outfits and loads of green. After that we  just hopped from bar to bar, meeting people and drinking Guinness of course. It was like 4th of July in DC, but much louder, a bit more drinking and rather than a sea of red white and blue, you could see green for miles. We hung around an area called Temple Bar for most of the day. We took a dance break at a place called The Grand Social, which is where Tommy works and there were local DJs playing. The rest of the day had more Guiness, Indian food and chatting with just about everyone we found that spoke English.


We made it back that night and had a good long rest! The next day was Mothers Day in Europe, so we decided, with the daughter, to clean up the house a bit and make dinner! I felt like Mary was my sudo mother for the week, so I felt the need to celebrate! We may have made way too much of it, but we had pasta, chicken and some veg (that lasted us days).


We woke up and went off to hike sugarloaf mountain in county Wicklow about 20 minutes outside of Knocklyon. The family went to set up their summer mobile home while Emily, Kevin and I went to conquer the mountain. It was a bank holiday so there was tons of people and from a far it did not look that hard. But once we started to hike upwards we were having to grab onto rocks to pull up our bodies up. The rough trip up was worth the view because you could see Dublin from up top and over to the water. We took the long way down, where there was a path but not any people. We had gotten a bit lost but we found our way eventually. A little walk on the road, through a neighborhood and we found our way to the town for some tea before heading home.


Our next day in Dublin was spent mostly at the Guinness factory. It may have been the most touristy thing we did in Dublin but well worth it because the storehouse was very well put together, visual and interesting. There were also beer stops on the way, so that kept the tour going for sure. After starting in a room where they go through all the ingredients, you moved up and about into how the creamy stout is made, all of the old and new machines that do it and how technology has influenced the beer. There was a cool exhibit on how the classic wood barrels that the guinness used to be delievered in were made and the massive work that went into to. Near the end there was an area that went through all the famous adertising through the years highlighting all the different symbols and animals that became the face of Guinness. Near the end we entered a room where we could pour our own Guinness! Then we went upstairs to the 7th floor to the Gravity bar to enjoy our beers. People in the city say that it is the best view of Dublin, since it is one of the tallest buildings. We could see all the way to Sugarloaf Mountain, to some of the Irish Isles and the entire city. Had a chat with some folk from London, enhoyed another beer and the view for a while. The Guinness story really is a hero story, in the beer making world at least.

We had a nosh after then walked back into the city center and walked through the Dublin Castle. Unfortunetly most of it has been rebuilt because of different fires and attacts, but it was still a cool monument of history for Dublin. To this day it is still used for government purposes and has facilities for dinners and meetings in it. We chose not to do the 15 euro tour, it looked cool enough from the outside. After that we headed home and had dinner and a movie with the family.

The next day we took the bus into town again but took it past the city center to the Botanic Gardens. The flowers were just coming into bloom, the homes, green houses and fountains on the property were so beautiful. Inside each green house was a different type of climate with all the different vegetation  from that area. Tropical habiscus flowers, bamboo, a cactus room (which was questionable). There was a river that ran through the gardens that had swans and ducks living in them and some beautiful birds as well. Being in all that nature really brings you back down to earth and reminds you how important it is to take care of what is around you and not abuse this earth we will live on.




We stopped in the tea room after to warm up a bit then we walked back into town. We stopped into the famous Trinity College, where all the kids don't wear sweatpants to class and the buildings are older than our country. We stopped into to see The Book of Kells, which are a manuscript of four Gospels of the new testiment written in the 8th century. Most likely on the Isle of Iona to honor St. Columba (but there are at least 3 other major theories of where it was created and its journey to Ireland).

Another museum that was extremely well put together. They wet through the four famous books that make up the Kells and showed examples of other bible type books simular to that time period. They showed how the books were made, from over 145 calf skins and carefully lined with a dull knife before written on. There were four different authors of the book, and although they don't know their names they can be distinguished by their different styles. One used gold, one used fancy letters at the begining of each sentence, one used color to emphasize different letters and the other for the full page art pieces throughout the book. They went through all the synbolism found in the book and how each picture has their very own specific meaning in the new testiment. We finally got to enter the room with the books displayed. In 1953, the manuscrip was split into 4 parts, and every few weeks they turn the page on these books. The detail, pricision and the color were insane and it was hard to believe how old they were. Emily and I had a moment where we tried to imagine the journey of the book through all these years and all the people who helped it get here. Insane in the membraneeee.

After that, we went to The Douglas Hyde Gallery that is attached to the college and saw the exhibit of Howard Finster and onlt about 20 of his message paintings. I will now site and quote The Douglas Howard Art Gallery (2012, Dublin, Ireland, www.douglashydegallery.com)


 "The American artist Howard Finster, believing that he was inspired by God to spread the Gospel, built an extraordinary Paradise Garden in Georgia, and produced tens of thousands of works of art. He first came to prominence in the 1980s, when his work was used on record covers by R.E.M. and Talking Heads. He is now probably the best-known 'outsider' artist of recent times"

That was the best way to describe the artist and I did not want to steal material (I can thank freshman year 301 for that). Look him up and check out his work. He was really talented and I have a feeling a little bit crazy. After that, we met a friend of Emilys at a place called The Porterhouse, one of the only microbreweries we had found in Europe so far. The beer was delish and I got hot wings so I was a happy camper since I have not really seen anything besides the Indian food with hot stuff here. After that we wet onto a place called Diceys where drinks were cheep in the beergarden and there was no shortage of 90s pop music to dance to. Got a cab home late, Emily slept in her jeans and all was gravy. We slept in and made our way to Jonnie Foxes, a famous bar in Dublin up inthe hills. It is hard to explain the very cool decor in this place to check out the website to see for yourself! http://www.jfp.ie/ We explored the place for a bit before sitting down for some stew by a fire inside. We had a great day with Tommy and Mary, who if I cant say enough are the most wonderful company!!

We then went to see THE HUNGER GAMES!!!!! There was no way that Emily and I could resist. We had both read the books in about 5 days and I had actuallly started to have dreams about them before I had finished. Again, we had been AWESOME at using the Dublin bus system and made our way to the movie theater. Of course there were little 13 year olds slurping on their slurpies so Emily and I had to move seats but otherwise it was well worth the 8 euro. I am sort of ready to see it again..or at least re-read the series. Anyways we chilled out that night and had pizza with the kids and started to pack since we had to get into town early to catch the bus the next day.


The O'Brien family was another perfect example of the kindness in Ireland. They really treated us as their own and took us in for the week we were there. All the kids had no problem treating us like siblings, making fun of our use of "awesome" and informing us on everything we needed to know about football. The daughter was also a great baker so we had some yummy desserts while we were there!. They were absolutely lovey and I feel like I have a new family in Ireland. See you in NYC O'Brien family! Thank you for the laughs and the hospitality. I am so happy that Uncle Jeff took  you in 30  years ago Tommy, what a pleasure to meet you guys.


We said our goodbyes in the monring and got the bus into town to get to Athlone. The day was absolutly beautiful! We have been so lucky with the weather and maybe I should not jinx it but we have not had much rain at all, a handful of sunny days and the trip that day felt like the first day of spring.

We took a bus into Athlone and the Big Dawg, Aidan Riley and his mum picked us up. We got back to his house, right off the main drag in the city. The house is really beautiful, with a nice backyard and a view of the country side. His sweet mum made us tea and eggs and we settled in.  We went  to Clonmacnyse, about 20 minutes drive outside of the city. The area sits on the River Shannon, which runs through 12 counties in Ireland, one of which is Westmeath.  The area was really beautiful, with old ruins of a church, momuments of local heros and we even had sunshine. It might have been the first time I did not need my jacket thus far. We played frisbee for a bit before heading home.

A beautiful stew for dinner with homemade brown bread made by his mum. His dad joined us withyummy wine and good conversation.  Then we got into some serious Athlone shinangins. That night some of Aidan’s friends came over for some beers before we went out dancing. Not many more details of the night are important besides the fact that this place was a hidden jem and the dancing was endless.

We woke up, not exactly on our A game so we jut chilled out all day, played bananagrms and laughed a whole lot.  This is why I enjoy Aidans company so much! Lots of laughing and a never ending amount of banter. His mum made us practically an entire thanksgiving dinner with chicken, gravy, mashed potatoes, gravy and all of the fixings! It was perfect. We watched the inbetweeners with Aidos friend (who are also filled with funnies),and I suggest  everyone finds the movie and watches it. It was really really funny! We also had the franchise taste of dominos for dinner. A short rest then early rising for a 9 am bus back into the city  to catch our flight.

The hospitality in Ireland has been prime and we really are grateful for all of our hosts. I know we have not met every person in Ireland, but everyone we have has been super nice. Not to mention the diversity in all the different places we went and the endless, beautiful plush green grass I had been waiting to see (and play frisbee on).  I really enjoyed Ireland and was sad to leave.

We landed safe and manages to make it to our hosts home with the short directions given by Nada (our latter host when we make it to spain).

Our hosts in Toulouse are Nada's son Joey, his roommate and friend since they were 16 Emile. They have a cool apartment only 20 minute walk from the city center covered in their art and cool tapestries. They have ben wonderful company so far and great hosts. Giving us maps of the city and suggestions on where to go and such. We have had nice dinners and afternoons enjoying the sun with a side of cheese and wine.

Our first day here was  relaxed. We just hung out in a park along the river, Garonne and layed out , listened to music, and played around  with the frisbee (not to mention enjoy the 26 degree weather, not exactly sure of the ferenheigt conversion but it is inthe high  70's). We met Emile for lunch to get kebabs and eat on the river. We picked up some french dictionaries and spent some more time working on the blog. We came back, picked up some cheese, bread and wine (a common activity?yes) and sat on the patio for the last bit of sun of the day. Emily and I made dinner and we played music and sang for a bit. I like france.

As we were Sitting by the river, people watching a bit I saw a group of young people drinking wine and socializing. They are all speaking in French, Spanish and English simultaneously and it's really amazing. Our first full few days here have been grand but I feel a bit disconnected from the people because of the language. I wish I had learned a bit more before I came but I also wish there was more of a damand to learn a language as a grew up. I took 3 years of Spanish and I can't remember a thing. I remember a crush I had on a boy in my class and I believe my name was Rosa.

Anyways day number two went better with the French Speaking, witht he book plus an extra study of a podcast i downloaded I was able to order coffee and get around wth a few new words. I walked around the city today on my own. I walked through an art gallery, sat by the river again and wandered town. It is a very cool and compact city with alot of different cultures in the mix. Good food everywhere, cool shops  and cafes.

We have a few more days here before Nada comes through to take us to Barcelona. Emily and I are both happy to be with some people our age and just enjoy exactly where we are, right now.

That is all for now!  Salut!!!


J and

A strange place to be going, Ennistimon!

Reporting in from the farm in Ireland!! I will start where we left off...



Leaving Scotland. For me it was hard to leave. When I got there all my nerves disappeared because I had finally been on my way! But after spending a month in one place I felt settled and it was hard to not feel as if I was about to go home from a holiday. It was also so special to spend that time with Emma, who I have a skype friendship with outside of camp. Keeping in touch with college friends is hard enough, but then to have to deal with an entire ocean between adds a new obstacle. While I was there we talked a lot about life, who we are and who we want to be. She helped me get through some tough stuff that had been hanging on with me, and I am in debt to her for her advice and for her time. So leaving my routine there was tough, but having Emily arrive was perfect timing in realizing our adventure was really just about to begin. Not to mention the three of us had so much fun over the week we spent together in Scotland.



And so we are off!  One last cup of tea and Emma took us to the Edinburgh airport. A quite drive, as Emily and I took in the last bit of Scotland and prepared for our trip to the Emerald Isle. Our flight was a bit delayed, so that gave Emily and I an excuse for beers and writing down all the places we wanted to go in Europe. The list was long but I think we narrowed down exactly what we want for the trip (and that list will be for our eyes only!)



We landed in Shannon airport and took a bus into Ennistimon where the farm we are working on is located. I took the window seat and listening to some DMB while watching the miles of green fields, beautiful old and new homes and old stone "fences" that lined the roads. The trip was at sunset so the sky was bright and I felt mesmerized by the sights. As we pulled into the small town, the bus driver said goodbye and told us "A strange place to be going, Ennistimon!" We had a good laugh and hopped in the car of our hosts. With no idea what to expect we pulled up to a beautiful light blue home in the middle of a massive field. We were greeted by two french boys who are also WWOOFing here and they had made dinner. We had not eaten since our beers this morning to some homemade curry and pork sausage was welcomed.



In the morning, we really got to see the place and it is stunning. The rolling hills and farm land mixed with the bright colored home is picturesque. We have been weeding, gathering eggs and feeding the chickens, cleaning up their poly tunnel and helping around the house. A good amount of cooking has been done as well! My culinary school friends would be proud to know that I broke down two chickens in preparation for our dinner of Poulet Basquaise, and the chickens were fresh from the farm! We are eating well here since then but Emily will write more about this in the food blog, which you should TOTALLY check out. truelifeimafoodie.blogspot.com

Our Farm Home

The farm has cows, donkeys, sheep, chickens, one dog and 3 cats. The cats and dogs don't have collars and they roam the farms all day! They even keep us company while we work, faithfully following us if we get up to dump weeds into the compost or go inside for lunch.



The actual town of Ennistimon is about 3 miles out from the house and is only a few blocks long filled with pubs, local shops and cafes. The best find in the town, as we can tell is Eugenes. This is the pub where Emily and I had our first Guinness in Ireland and I am not sure we could find a better place for it. Eugene himself is the only bar tender and he opened it in 1993 and has worked almost everyday himself. He made us feel at home, surrounded by all the locals and has filled our nights there with good banter and some dirty stories of the 80's and his time spent in London. The bar is decorated with with cards and pictures of everyone who has ever visited the place, and this includes a note from us! I also learned to pour a Guinness from the tap and Eugene said I can come back whenever I want to pour one for myself.  Not to mention, after Emily and I calculated, he has poured over 350,000 Guinness in his bar plus the other 3 taps he has, PLUS the 10 years he owned bars in London. Over a million beers poured and he is sort of my hero. So if you ever go through to see the Cliffs in Ireland, we insist you stop in for a drink. Tell him we sent you.

Our Man, Eugene

The amazing thing about this town is how everyone knows everyone, and all of their business. The cab driver who drove us home from Eugenes is our hosts second cousin and the men at the bar can dictate when their friends will arrive and exactly what they will drink. People talk about "reputations" in the town, loyalty of their family and how their ancestors killed for their land. We don't have this type of community in Columbia, we have our own type which in my case is usually revolved around the Jewish community. It is just a different world out here and I have alot of respect for it. Most people out here also care alot



Anyways we got the bus into Galway last minute over the weekend, not really sure what to expect of the village/town/city (we literally had nice idea what was there). We went to meet up with 3 friends of mine from camp, we had hopes of coffee (or Guinness) to cure our hangovers. We were pleasantly surprised by an energy filled town with lots of shopping, a local market with fresh food and trade, a beautiful view on the water and of course, pints upon pints of Guinness. There was tons of music being played on the streets and town had a homeyness to it. We had a near perfect day, with our local tour guide Aidan taking us around. Michael, Ronnie, Emily, Aidan and I spent the day on Salt Hill walking along the shore, drinking beers and laughing (maybe a little too much). We ended the day at a small pub right in Galway and said our "see your soons!" We hope to visit all of them on our journey. If they are reading this we send them a big "ELLO!"



Emily and I both have discussed how we are laughing a bit harder and smiling a little more on this trip. This was a day where my stomach was hurting from laughing. Perfection.



Sunday we had plans to get a bus to see the great Cliffs of Moher. The walk into town is about 45 minutes so we left an hour before our ETA.  I decided to go the wrong or long way you could say, into the town. Although the walk was nice and it was a great day for it, at the end of the road, we ended up about a little over a mile outside the town with just under 20 minutes to spare. Fore the first time, Emily and I stuck our thumbs out and hoped someone would stop and give us a ride. For whatever reason, Emily and I are not hitchhiking material and we ended up running into town and just making the bus. It made for an adventure and a good laugh but I had not run that fast since spring time frisbee around red square.



When we arrived at the Cliffs there is a man playing the flute to set the mood and then the jaw dropping begins. The fog was just rolling out for effect and the only words coming out of my mouth were "ohhhhh my goodness". The size is breathtaking enough, but the the green of the moss, blue of the ocean and all the white birds hiding in the cliffs really make the view magnificent. We walk past the 'no tresspassing' sign as many others have and walk up the coast of the cliffs and we don't talk much. We pose for a few pictures to appease the parentals but mostly I cant keep my eyes out of my binoculars. I try and imagine how something like this was created or how it formed and I cant come to grips with anything. So we find a cliff that seems sturdy and we sit for a while taking in the ocean air and sit. It is hard to make the cliffs seem less poetic but it really was something to write about. You have to go. Take the two hour walk we did and see them from every angle and you will still never take one picture that truly captures it. We came back to town, stopping into Eugenes for a few pints and a hot fire to warm up, then return to the farm for dinner.

The Cliffs of Moher

This week we have worked hard to clean up some farming spots for the spring, clear a path through the fields and keep up with the chickens. We also planted a bunch of flowers including broccoli and cauliflower which will be planted outside when it gets a little bit warmer.


Our time at the farm will end sooner than we thought though. This weekend we will head to Dublin for St. Paddys day and then stay the rest of the week! One of my uncles good friends has family in Ireland and has offered to kindly to host us. We are pretty excited for the weekend of festivities...



The trip continues to be exactly what Emily and I want and I am grateful for her to be my travel companion. We have both decided that if something is not working then we will move on. This is not a trip where you grit your teeth and wait for the storm to subside. We will move on to greener pastures and I believe Dublin will have them...


Also to add to the excitement, we booked our flights to France! So that will be our official next destination. Here more specifically... http://www.marance.net/

I hope all is well in whatever place you are reading this from. Thank you for all the love...

Out and Out

J&E

Emily Ginsberg FINALLY Posts!

I have finally joined Jacklyn in Scotland and my time here has been nothing less than amazing. I have only been here for 6 days but it feels like I’ve been here for weeks.

My journey across the pond went smoothly besides the minor security issue in DC and leaving my glasses on the plane when I arrived in Glasgow. Because of my excitement, sleeping on the plane and during my layover in Amsterdam was not in my path. I ended up reading an entire book and roaming around the Amsterdam airport. When I finally gathered my bags in Glasgow and headed outside, I was greeted (well more like attacked in a friendly way) by Jackie and Emma. Giddy, we collected my bags, got in the car, and went right to downtown Glasgow.

i thought I would be more exhausted but my adrenaline was pumping from having made it to Scotland and I had a burst of energy. We got some coffee and chatted for a while and then met Emma's friend Ben for dinner at Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurant, called Jamie's. After dinner the four of us wandered to a pub to indulge in some Guiness and Tennents. Later that evening we met more friends, including Emma's good friend Samantha, for drinks at a different pub. After good beer and some good conversation, it was time to head to Dundee. I slept during the 1.5 hour ride home and then another 12 hours when I hit the bed.

On Friday after finally waking from my 12 hour nap, I got to see Emma's neighborhood and the view from her backyard. Her house sits on the Tay river (which leads to the North Sea) and it is beautiful. We enjoyed some hot tea, which I quickly discovered would be a tri-daily activity, and headed out for the day. We stopped to get lunch at a farm that has a restaurant on its grounds. The farm sat on fields of green grass with sheep and highland cows, which are brown cows with long hair and horns. We enjoyed sandwiches, looked around the farms store, and continued on our way to St. Andrews.

Highland cows lounging on a farm near Dundee

St. Andrews, a university town with the oldest university in Scotland, sits right on the North Sea. We walked around the town and saw the remains of the oldest medieval cathedral in Scotland which was constructed in the 12th century. That evening Emma cooked traditional haggis with neeps and tatties (haggis with turnip and mashed potatoes). I was a bit wary but excited to try something new. And it ended up being quite delicious! 

St. Andrews Cathedral

 The next morning we got moving earlier than usual because we had pandas to see! Yes, the zoo in Edinburgh just recently got pandas and it has been so popular we had to get tickets for a specific time weeks in advance. The zoo in Edinburgh is the only zoo in the UK with pandas! Of course with the traffic and parking we were a few minutes late for our "appointment" and ended up running through the zoo, which is by no means flat, to get to the pandas in time. The lady letting in the different tours seemed sympathetic to Jackie's story that we came all the way from the US to see the pandas, and she let us in.

After hiking around the zoo for a few hours we went into downtown Edinburgh to get lunch and do a city bus tour. The bus tour was definitely worth while for us because time was limited in Edinburgh and we were able to see so much more than we would have by just walking. The old stone buildings were breathtaking, as were the Edinburgh castle and the perfectly timed rainbow that appeared over the hills surrounding the city. 

Self-explanatory

Edinburgh City Bus Tour

On Sunday, we explored Dundee while Emma worked and later came home for tea and a nap. For dinner we went into Dundee to have burgers at a restaurant called Ketchup. The food was delicious, and they even make their own ketchup! Afterwards we had drinks at the Dundee Contemporary Arts museum which doubles as a restaurant and bar.

On Monday we were able to sleep in a bit, and then finally got ready to go to Perth. We hiked up Kinnoull hill, home to the Kinnoull tower built in the 18th century as well as a beautiful view of the tay river. When we made it to the top of the hill, we enjoyed a short nap in the sunshine and eventually made our way back down to pick up Samantha and another friend, Craig, from the train station. The five of us went to Gloagburn farm in Perth for tea and scones. We played with the friendly pigs and goats outside and then went into the farm shop for our tea. Craig then suggested a French restaurant for dinner, called Breizh. After being nice and full, we said our goodbyes to Craig and Samantha and headed back to Dundee. We were greeted by Phillip and hot tea and played a few rounds of bananagrams before heading to bed.

Panoramic of the view from the top of Kinnoull Hill

Today we explored Dundee again while Emma worked and then stopped to pick up food for dinner. Tonight Jackie and I decided to cook some of our favorite things for Emma, Phillip and their mum because they have been so kind for hosting us. We made Jackie's famous broccoli casserole, potato latkes, and chicken. Everything was a hit! After dinner we got our bags together because we are leaving for Ireland tomorrow!

So now we are all caught up. Scotland has been more than amazing, as has spending time with Emma and her mum. Everyone here has been so friendly, the scenery so beautiful, and the cities so full of history. I was both nervous and excited before I came, but after being in Scotland for only a few hours, the nervousness faded and now all that's left is the excitement and anticipation of what the future of our trip holds. Tomorrow we finally go to the farm in Ireland and neither of us has any idea what to expect. We found out the other day that there will be other people staying there with us and we cant wait to meet them and start working!

Until next time...

A fortnight plus a weeks time

Well another week goes by, and I can’t believe I have been here for 3 weeks. I have settled in well and continue to enjoy my time here. At this point I am thinking it might good place to live for a year or so...But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.

An exciting point that I can’t wait to write about till the end is that this is the week Emily Lauren Ginsberg lands in Glasgow. In fact, Emma and I will pick her up TOMORROW from the airport. I am so ready to share the excitement of our travels together, and not just over texting. And not to mention I was getting used to seeing her every day before this and I am having some withdraws.

Anyways to pick up from where I left off

Emma and I started out the week by going to the Dundee History Museum and Art Gallery in the city. It showed the history of the city while simultaneously showing art during that time period coming from the area. We learned about the wildlife from hundreds of years ago to the Dundee football team jersey from the 50’s. They showed the importance of boat building had on the town and the other major industries that belongs to Dundee. For a few fun facts, the man who invented the concept of stamps on letters came from Dundee and the town was known for “Juke, Jam and Journalism”.  We had lunch at the museums cafe along with some tea (per usual).

The next day we woke up and were off to see The Discovery! The boat sits docked in Dundee where it was built and set sail in 1901 to explore the Antarctic, which at the time was an unknown land to the world. 40 men set sail, led by Capitan Scott, on the boat on its first expedition and did research of the land and wildlife. The exploration brought back major scientific breakthroughs that spread rapid around the world. The museum was really cool and had a bunch of interactive activities (most likely for children but we enjoyed them) and some “re-enactment” videos which were quit entertaining.  They had an exhibit showing how the boat was made and what new innovations they created for this type of journey. They showed all the food that went in the boat, all the local companies that donates non-perishable items and the meal plane  to last the planned, 2 year journey. The exhibit mentions that along with all the food they brought, there was a small amount of fishing done, including penguin which tasted like rotten fish. This was a disappointment because A. How would anyone ever eat a penguin?? B. If I did, I would imagine they would taste delicious.  Anyways, it was freezing outside but we went into the ship.  It had been cleaned up and restored over the years but it still gave you a good idea of what it was like to work and live on it. I would not mind the Captions cabin...much nicer than the men who were working in the coal room.

If you are interested, check out the website! http://www.rrsdiscovery.com/index.php?pageID=54 at least to see some pictures of the boat.

The Discovery!

Philip made us pancakes, on account of Shrove Tuesday. Check out my food blog for more details of the occasion!! truelifeimafoodie.blogspot.com

Thursday night we took the drive into Glasgow and walked around town to do a bit of shopping.  Specifically the time was spent in Primark, which is similar to Forever 21 but 3 times the size, cheaper and more organized. Quality is not at its best but it is a dream land of clothing under £15. After a coffee and a much needed nap Emma and I met her friends Sam and Ben at an Old Mans Whiskey Bar in the city and stayed for a few drinks.

The Pot Still- Whiskey Pub

Friday up and early to meet Ben for breakfast right near George Square where we were getting the Glasgow Bus tour! It really was the best way to see the city in a short period of time. We sat on the open top to get the best view and they had earphones so that we could get a proper history lesson while on the tour! We travelled from the East, down the River Clyde, passed the Glasgow Cathedral, Glasgow Green, the squinty bridge then right by where Emma and Phil will be going to University next year! I had no idea how huge the city was and became very impressed by the cities character. A huge amount of Historic buildings mixed with more modern and up to date architecture. Next to the churches, 100 year old brewery and historic homes were art galleries, music venues a science museum.

Emma and Phil's College (or part of Hogwarts??)

Although the bus tour was a wee bit cold it was the perfect way to see the entire city. I can already see my apartment in the west end above a coffee shop...Anyways we hopped off in the west end, which is a young part of town with lots of shops, culture and of course food. We had a late lunch and a pint before heading back to Bens place in Pollaksheilds. The area has less hustle and bustle and one of the more diverse areas of the city. There is really great food from all over the world in his neighbourhood, which we took full advantage of.  Ben had a lovely flat with two other girls, and was a wonderful host!

After some nap time and a shower we got ready for a night on the town! Ben took us to all his favourite spots for drinks then we ended at Polo/ Club X, a bar in the Merchant city. There was loads of dancing, face painting and drinks that came in buckets to share. The night ended at four AM with a subway, leftover naan bread from dinner, loads of laughing and passing out in sleeping bags on Ben’s couch.

our bucket to share

We picked up Emma’s friend Katie the next morning, feeling a wee rough and made it to a late breakfast. We all drove back to Kingoodie for lots of tea, talking and an early night to bed.

Yesterday while Emma and Phil slept in, their mum took me out for a treat to Abernite for some coffee. The view of the drive is unbelievable since they are in this valley, so everywhere you go is surrounded by rolling hills, farms of SHEEP and old farm houses. We got coffee at a cafe in an antique shop and looked around a bit. Had scones as well that came with whipped cream, which was odd but I was not going to complain, I love whipped cream.  She also took me on a drive through a few farms to get the best view of the area, and it was truly breathtaking.

Yesterday we went into Fife, across the Tay to get my first real Fish and Chips! You can also read about this on my food blog! Truelifeimafoodie.blogspot.

Adventures this week were great! I am mostly looking forward to my other EG getting here so we can start our chapter of the adventure. We booked our flights to Ireland, and are leaving on Tuesday to Ennisymon to start working on the farm!

I was able to talk to a bunch of my family this week which was really nice. My uncle told me that when  he was on his post-college Eurotrip he only got to phone home once every 3 weeks or so. Although it feels like weeks since I have spoken to them I am glad that I have the internet and the phone to be in contact with them to share about my time here! I feel a little selfish in my conversations with people from home. It is not that I don’t care about what is going on in my friends life, I just feel very engulfed in my experience. I think that is a good thing though.

I also need to take a moment to talk about how wonderful the company has been since I have been in Scotland. I sort of feel like the Gentleman’s third daughter and part of the family. We have dinner together, talk about politics and have banter over drinks. It has been great. I am also really grateful that Emma has such good friends that have made me feel comfortable  here. Ben and Sam have welcomed me into their homes, fed me and most of all made me laugh loads!  Audrey Hepburn said it well  “I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It's probably the most important thing in a person” I could not agree more.  Surrounding myself with people who make me laugh and whom I can laugh with is really important. Without knowing it, it heals you and brings you back down to earth when you get caught up in the dramas of life. Anyways, they were not just nice to me I really became their friends, which is even more special.

Life is good here. Really really good.

Emma works for a bit today, so I am sitting in Henrys having a french press, listening to Ed Sheeran and working on some work for this summer. I can’t really imagine being at camp at the moment, but I am excited about the work I have done for it. My time in BBYO has proven to help me plan for this summer which is great. I never thought I would plan an induction for anything ever again...no candles this time though.

Ok so now an even briefer Scottish Dictionary Lesson

Tea-Tea
Tea-Dinner
Dinner-Lunch
Mint-Cool, awesome
Aye-Yes, Sure

Well the Countdown clock for Emily can finally be at 1!

I am so grateful to be here. So grateful for the love I am getting from my friends in the states and the support for my adventure! It has only just begun...

Jacklyn

Haggis and Loads of buildings older than my country

 Well 10 days in and I think I could stay here for my entire trip. Although the rest of Europe is calling my name, I am really enjoying Scotland. The history around me is overwhelming and the landscape is breathtaking. Even just driving into town I feel like I am in the Rockies compared to the view I get on 95. Before I start on all of my destinations thus far I have a few important points to make.

#1- The Gentlemans. They have been my hosts thus far in Scotland and have made my time here so enjoyable. Having a warm shower, food to eat and tea 6 times a day makes any part of being away from home easy. Their mum has treated me as her own and as usual the company of Emma and Phil is great. Their home is lovely and it has been nice to have a base that feels like home, in Scotland at least.

-The Gentleman Siblings in Edinburg

#2- Scotland seems to be more green than America. Not just in the vast amounts of farm fields you can’t avoid but the way they look at the environment. Most houses have compost bins sitting near their sink and recycle bins are everywhere. Their drying machines can sense when the wash is dry and shuts off automatically and many toilets have a #1 and #2 choice so that you use less water. We might have some of these in the states but I have been noticing it much more here.

#3- Accents. Some people have been asking me if I understand what is going on over here and the answer is yes, mostly. You can drive about an hour and people sound different wherever you go, so it all depends. Lucky for me I can understand my friends and they are doing a great job of translating the people who I can only get one or two words out of their sentences.

Safe and Sound

Well, I made it in one piece!

My adventure started at Dulles international and getting through security was easy enough.  The flight left on time at 6:10 and I managed to sit in a row of four seats with only one other person. The flight attendants on KLM were actually the loveliest people and made the flight enjoyable. As did the free wine and unlimited movie section. I watched Horrible Bosses and after a few glasses of wine I managed to sleep for almost 3 hours. Soon enough I was landing in Amsterdam ready to start my 6 hour layover. I landed at 7:45 in the AM and was giddy that I had landed in Europe. As I wondered through the Schipol Airport I sort felt like I was walking through a fancy mall with massive amounts of tax-free alcohol and instant spas. I decided to plant myself in a “children’s play area” that had some chairs low on the ground that were covered in cushions. I laid down, clutching my things and got in a 2 hour nap.

I woke up needing coffee and a snack. I stumbled over a place called the Dutch Kitchen that looked like a better version of Le Madelines. I went up to a cooking station and ordered some mini pancakes that came with butter and honey on them. Absolutely divine is the only way I can describe them. Crispy on the outside and soft in the inside. I got tea and sat on these oversized benches and explored some new music I had on my iPod for an hour or so. The next three hours were spent napping in various places, more tea and waiting. Finally on the plane and 45 minutes later I was in Glasgow!

Greeting me was an eager woman in Customs making sure I was going to return to the states and not plan on causing problems in Europe. This woman was not exactly sure what “summer camp” was and why people from Europe would be doing it in the states and how I would know them. After that was over I was then greeted properly by Emma, my Scottish friend I met at camp this summer that has been so kind to host me for the first 3 weeks of my trip. The first thing we did was meet her good friend Samantha who lives with her boyfriend in Glasgow and had lovely snack of chorizo and tomato salad (not to mention they were both lovely company!). She lives in a lovely flat with high ceilings and nice color walls.

We walked around Glasgow City Centre for a bit and met her other good friend Ben at a place called Lucky Number 7. I ordered meat pie with creamy mash and peas and was pleased! The meat pie is a classic British dish and I got it with steak and onions. Dessert was even better, called Eton Mess which consists of meringue, fruit and ice cream.   We had beers and wine at a pub in town that was doing a trivia night and playing America’s top 100 but all dance remixes.

I slept like a baby and Emma’s home in Dundee last night and woke up to blueberry pancakes and a French press. So far Emma and her mum have made me feel just at home and we have some great things on the board for my trip!

I am so relived and grateful to finally be here and I know there is so much to come. At the moment I am thinking about having a side blog about all the food we are going to eat on the trip, what do you all think? I am a food fanatic and I feel like half of these posts might be filled with the details of my meals.

Anyways signing out! Emma is cooking dinner and we are watching some “Scottish Cult” TV show called Eastenders and laying low while I get rid of some of this jetlag.

Jackie

COUNTOWN
Emily: 19 days !!!!!

0

Well my Countdown clock is down to zero folks and Emily leaves in 20 days to follow.

I have this excitement that I felt my freshman year of college. So many new experiences ahead, people to meet and discoveries to make. The difference is I am more prepared this time around for what is to come. Now, "what is to come" I cannot exactly say, but I know it will be an adventure and I have never felt more ready for a change in pace.

My dad called me and asked me if I was doing ok because I was sounding a bit melancholy that day. I always felt as if that word was pretty dramatic anyways, but it could not be more wrong. He said I would usually be more excited leading up to a trip, but this is not me going to camp for 2 weeks in Wisconsin or visiting friends in NYC. This is a trip I have been dreaming about for a long time and it is so much more than a vacation. I have been ready for a few weeks now and maybe it is just the calm before the storm (a good kind of storm haha).

And on the other hand I think Emily and I were squealing last night when we were saying our goodbyes. "See you in Scotland"!

Who says that?!?! WE DO!


Anyways my bags are packed, ipod loaded and I am so ready to go. Very ready to leave a few things behind in good old Clarksville and ready to discover whatever is out there for me.

Thank you all for the love the past week! I am lucky to have the circle of people that I do. You are all wonderful!

Peace out USA. See you in May.

Jacklyn