Oslo, Norway 9-12-14 to 9-16-14

    Stepping out into the streets of Oslo my expectations were null. Not knowing much about the city or what to truly expect I went in with a blank opinion, leaving with one full of positives, admiration, and a want to return. 

    Making my way via the Ruter# (Oslo's bus system) to the hostel, I dropped off my luggage and made my way into the streets to explore. Strolling downhill to the center of town the city had a great charm to it with art and sculptures ever present as well as most of the buildings maintaining their old neo classical architecture. With the city being on a peninsula, water is never far and making my way down to the harbour I was greeted with a spectacular view. As shoreline touched the waterline, tall masted ships filled my view as my gaze etended to the islands in the back. Akershus Castle rose to my left, with a commanding view over the bay, and to my right lay the rest of the city.

     My first afernoon in Oslo I stumbled across a food festival by the water, affording me the oppurtunity to sample some norwegian cuisine and try some norwegian beers. As the days went on I had the chance to see the Royal Palace, Parliament Building, the National Gallery (home to Edvard Munch's famous painting "The Scream of Nature" of just "The Scream"), City Hall, Museum of Cultural History, Viking Ship Museum with ships from 834 AD and ealier, as well as taking a ferry out to Hovedøya Island, home to an old Cistercian Monastery, off the coast of Oslo. 

    On my final day I decided to make the trek up to Frognerseteren, a location high above Oslo to the outskirts of the city. Passing by the Holmenkllen Olympic Ski jump, I pushed on to the top only to be rewarded with a magnificent view. As I looked out from the little cafe at the top all of Oslo lay below, the rich blue sky matched the waters as island after island extended on into the distance. A feeling of peace and solitude emanated from the strong Norwegian sun. A city of such uniqueness, a place I had never thought of going, became a location that I will always think about returning to, as one city in such a large and beautiful country as Norway only scratches the surface of travel.

 Food Festival

 Oslo City Harbour

Oslo Opera House

Frognersteran

En Route to Norway 9/11/2014

The end of another summer and the start of another year. As the plane soars over the Atlantic and a blanket of darkness consumes the view out my airplane window, I can’t help but reflect and dream. A summer of work, friendship, and lasting memories comes to an end only for me to progress forward in my life as a second year student at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. An overall successful first year (not without its troubles) can only foreshadow the wonderful year ahead. With plans of travel to France, London, Italy, and Germany, feelings of optimism run through me. More importantly, a feeling of being blessed by the opportunity that has been afforded to me. To have parents who from day one supported me when I first brought up school in Ireland is humbling. Even more so, as when I made mistakes, they were still two sets of hands reaching across the ocean to help pick me up and teach me the right way of doing things. Needless to say, as the wheels of the plane gently bounce onto the tarmac in Oslo, Norway and I take my first steps into what is another year of new discoveries, my mindset will be an open one, full of peace of mind and an undying feeling f gratitude towards all my friends, families, and those who have made me who I am today (well…tonight).

JFK Airport Terminal 1

Above Norway

Malahide: A Castle and a Beach 22-2-2014

    With my time being occupied by study, football(soccer), and a numerous amount of other things as of late, my posting frequency has been atrocious. No bother though! I now have a week off to write away...
 
    So, another weekend and another oppurtunity to gracefully leave the Maynooth Campus via the Dart, this time finding myself en route to Malahide, a seaside town similar to Bray.... well actually, not at all like Bray... more like a distinct town with its own little charms, a beautfiul beach, a castle stoked in history, and an airy feel of relaxation.
 
    Stepping out of the station I had no immediate plans. Unsure of my directon, and after glancing left, then right, I headed straight, following sign after sign to find myself entering the grounds of Malahide Castle. Dating back to the 12th Century, the castle was erected by the Talbots, an English family originally tasked with settling and protecting the harbor in Malahide. The Castle went from looking like a castle to more a country estate after Oliver Cromwell commandeered it during his time in Ireland, which, after regaining possesion, the Talbots took down its fortifications and remodeled. After touring the Castle itself, I stepped on out to explore the castle gardens.

    From the castle to the sea I went. Stepping onto the beach, the Irish sea was rolling out in front of me with an illuminating sun just breaking through the clouds. Simply setting myself down on the sand, it was easy to see where that feeling of relation was exuding from. The simple beauty of Ireland could be experienced easily whereever in the country one is and by spending my afternoon strolling along the beach, delving into a bit of history, and simply enjoying the wonderful situation afforded to me, I headed home content of heart.

 Malahide Castle

Malahide Beach

Malahide Beach

Malahide Town

Malahide Castle Gardens

 +discoverireland +MalahideCastle 

Isle of Anglesey, Wales Remaining Days: Mt. Snowdon, Beaumaris Castle, and Caernarfon Castle

    Not letting rain isolate me to my hostel room, I continued to venture out day after day. Two days of cycling around the isle, and a big couple of days of making my way from Holyhead to Beaumaris and Caernarfon then finally to Llanberis to climb Mt.Snowdon.
    In a day consisting of six buses I managed to visist Beaumaris and Caernarfon Castle. Beaumaris Castle is considered one of the finest examples of a castle ever, built at a time when castle making was at its peak. Though never finished it remained a fine place to explore. Moving to Caernarfon, the castle was built by Edward the I (as was Beaumaris) and makes up part of his Iron Ring of Castles. Built mainly to prevent future uprisings in Wales, the Castle was of huge proportions and accompanied with torrential rains was quite a foreboding site.
   Moving on to the highlight of my trip: Mt.Snowdon. In order to climb this mountain, the highest in Wales and Britain, I ventured to the little mountain village of Llanberis...
    Crawling out of my bunk and donning layer after layer of clothing, I took my first steps out of the hostel into the fresh mountain air. Following the Llanberis trail, I scrambled through the windswept landscape, the fields illuminated a bright gold by the rising sun. As the path weaved into the mountain pass, the landscape began its gradual transformation. Each step taking me higher and higher, the ground turned from rock to snow and the visibility turned from good to bad. Trekking through a two feet of snow and unable to see more than a couple of meters in front of me, I could only hope the summit was close. By the time I reached the summit, I was rewarded with a breathtaking view: a panorama of white. Feeling no less accomplished, (okay, maybe a little) I began my descent down the snowy pass. Eventually emerging from the clouds, my sight was regained and was afforded views of the valley and glacial lake. Troughting into town, I plopped myself into the nearest cafe and had myself a well deserved breakfast of eggs, bacon, fried toast, hashbrowns, and tea. (and cake...) Feeling accomplished I burnt up the rest of the day by nestling myself in the shadow of Dolbadarn Castle with my book, serenaded by the quite lapping of the mounatain streams and a silence afforded only in nature.

Dolbadarn Castle, Llanberis

A Mountain Morning: Llanberis Trail

Mountain Ascension

The Start of the Snow

The Thick of the Snow

My Lovely Mountain View

Glacial Lake After Descent

Some Mountains

Glacial Lake

Lake...

Fields!

A View

My Post-Climb Breakfast (all for 3 pounds!)

Isle of Anglesey, Wales: Trip and Day 1

    After hours of studying and test taking the completion of finals finally came around. With that, NUIM granted all of us students a week and a half break before the start of the second semester. Taking advantage of that, with many thanks to my Grandma Ruth, I set off from Dublin Port on a ferry to Holyhead on the Isle of Anglesey. The Isle of Anglesey is an island off the north west coast of Wales and the largest Island in the Irish Sea. Arriving in Holyhead I made my way to my spacious hostel of Anglessey Outdoors and settled in for the night in preparation for the following day...

    Stepping out of my hostel in the early morning, the sun rising up from the windswept hills, I took in the fresh, crisp sea air and made my way up the road to the trail head; my day would consist of a 12-mile hike on a trail going in a circle around holyhead. Reaching the trailhead, (a wood ladder over a stonewall into a farmers field) I took my first steps onto the saturated, mucky, more water than grass trail which would define the first couple miles of my hike. Crosing field after field, running into horses, sheep, and cows, my trek began to take a vertical change. Ascending up Holyhead Mountain was when the real journey began. Gone was the sun, replaced with a sky of gravel grey. Not wanting to be caught at the top of the cliffs when the rain started, I quickened my pace. Alas, it was not meant to be. The sky opened up and rain showered down upon me for two hours, stopping for just my last bit of hiking. Turning the last corner of the trail, the sun broke through the clouds and I was glad to bear witness to the beautiful bay which marked the location of my hostel. Returning to my hostel I treated myself to a well deserved hot shower, ate a dinner of packed peanut butter sandwhiches and a welsh cake (really just a fancy scone), graciously given to me by the lady running the hostel. I write all this thinking my bed has never looked more appealing....

The Starting Point of My Long Hike: A wooden ladder into a farmers horse field

Porth Dafarch Bay

Holyhead Ferry Port

Stairs Descending to South Stack Lighthouse

South Stack Lighthouse

Galway! (Part 2 of 2)

    Busy, Busy, Busy. With the semester coming to a close I have had paper after paper occupying my time and the time not spent on papers... sleep! (and a little bit of soccer!).  So, in lieu of that my blog posting has simmered down... but I thought I should post after such a hiatus!
    Referring back to my trip to Galway.... so long ago! How I miss the west coast! Anyways, my second day in Galway consisted of a trip through the Burren, one of the largest areas of limestone rock in Western Europe, and the spectacular Cliffs of Moher! Travelling into the Burren, I witnessed another different landscape in two days. (other being Connemara) The limestone rising up everywhere, and with pouring rain making disappearing lakes come up in the fields. After a short stop at Poulnabrone Dolmen, an ancient megalithic tomb from 2500 BC, I made my way to the Cliffs of Moher with the beautiful Clare coastline unfolding before me and a willful sun breaking through a rain sodden day. Walking towards the cliffs edge the beauty of the cliffs were breathtaking. With a strong wind behind me I embarked upon a walk along the massive, emerald covered cliffs, experiencing I feeling I know I will only have in Ireland. Maybe the pure beauty I find in the landscapes combined with a rich sense of simple appreciation for where I am, how I got here, what I left, and whats in the future give me this new feeling. Regardless of what it is, I know as I walked away from the cliffs and the lively gem of Galway City with a feeling of pure content.

 Eyre Square-Galway City

 Galway City Harbour

 Galway City to Salthill

 The Burren-Limestone Landscape

 Cliffs of Moher

 DunGuaire Castle

 Cliffs of Moher

 Poulnabrone Dolmen Megalithic Tomb

Cliffs of Moher

Galway! Part 1 of 2

     Back to posting! After a tumultuous two weeks consisting of one week of tonsillitis and a second week consisting of a trip to Galway and lots of studying, I finally have time to post. (Sort of!) I will be breaking my Galway trip into two parts: 1.Connemara and Kylemore Abbey 2. The Burren, Ciffs of Moher, and Galway City.

     Here in Ireland we are given a study week halfway through our first semester as a way to give students time to prepare for midterms and basically equals America's Thanksgiving Break. Taking the first weekend of the break I booked and planned a trip to Co. Galway on the west coast of Ireland.

     Making my way to Galway via impressive public transportation I arrived on Thursday evening, making residence in Barnacles Hostel on Quay Street (The street where all the pubs are!). Waking up to a foggy morning, unsurprised by this of course, I took a bus to the small town of Letterfrack. On the bus was just me and two old Irish fisherman who told me they had never left Co.Galway in their lives and had no intention of doing so. Arriving in Letterfrack I made my way into Connemara National Park. As it is the off season for Tourists, I was the only one! Walking into the beautiful rugged landscape of Connemara, seemingly isolated from the world, I set off on my hike.

    Climbing up the mountains slippery stone paths consisted of rain, being cloaked in fogged, and a strange encounter with a sheep at almost the summit. Reaching the top I was greeted by a magnificent view of Leterfrack Bay and behind e the sweeping Connemara landscape. Descending the mountain I trotted back into Letterfrack with time to spare. Taking a chance I thought I would walk to Kylmeore Abbey. Close to Letterfrack but not close enough to walk I made it about halfway until I decided to stick out my thumb. To my surprise and elderly lady stopped, picked me up, and brought me all the way to Kylemore, even offering to wait to take me back! Telling her it was no need I made my way to the abbey and into its expansive walled Victorian garden. Greeted by more pouring rain, I never had a closer friend than my rain coat at this time. Walking back from Kylemore and into Letterfrack I boarded the bus and returned to Galway an extremely soaked, hungry, yet fulfilled individual.

Galyway City Center, Eyre Square

Connemara National Park, Letterfrack Co.Galway

Rugged Connemara

 

My Climbing Buddy

Kylemore Abbey

 

 Kylemore Abbey Lough

 

Connemara