Month: June 2019

All in a Day’s worth

Since I was staying in Dublin, I booked a day excursion so that I could see Galway and the Cliffs of Moher.

Galway

Although I was only in Galway, a harbor city located on Ireland’s west coast, for only an hour, I loved it. You could walk the streets where Irish folk musicians and dancers would entertain. You could explore the seemingly endless supply of traditional pubs and shops. You could observe some of the city’s maintenance of medieval city walls. On this bus tour, I even met a Study Abroad advisor Ally and a couple from Texas. It was interesting to see other Americans abroad, as for most of the semester, the amount of Americans in Clermont-Ferrand were sparse.

Cliffs of Moher

Next, I was off to the Cliffs of Moher– Ireland’s most visited attraction, and of course the site of the caves used in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. For some context, ‘Mothar’ (meaning ‘the ruin of a fort’ in old Gaelic) was a ruined fort razed during the Napoleonic Wars (in the early 1800s) to make a signal tower at Hag’s Head. Hag’s Head, located at the southern point of the Cliffs, was strategic because of its peculiar rock formation. The rock formation resembles a woman’s head looking out to sea, thus providing a useful vantage over much of the cliffs.

Walking some of the 5 miles (or 8km as the crow flies) that the Cliffs stretched upon, I could only describe seeing the Cliffs of Moher as witnessing pure beauty unfold before me.

The Cliffs of Moher’s highest point reaches 702 feet (214 m). So it was no surprise that I could see collections of islands and mountains in the distance. Though, I must caution that if you plan to visit the Cliffs, not to get too close to the edge. The Tragic Reality of Deaths at the Cliffs of Moher puts into perspective the dangers that coexist with the breathtaking nature of the Cliffs.

The Irish adore Barack Obama

On the walking tour, I learned about Irish history and their fascination with former President Barack Obama. Obama had only come to Ireland for a day, but 12 hours was all it took. Unsurprisingly, Obama’s ancestry, like most Americans, had been traced back to Ireland. So he traveled up to his distant Irish cousin to share a pint of Guinness.

But this trip would live on beyond the day Obama spent there. On the ride back to Dublin from the Moher cliffs, the day excursion I took stopped at the Barack Obama Plaza in Moneygall who dub themselves the ancestral home of Barack Obama.

The Plaza had authentic Irish food, Michelle and Barack Obama cardboard cutouts, and a museum dedicated to Obama’s visit (complete with the glass of Guinness he drank out of). Finally, my understanding of Ireland’s fascination with Obama had come full circle. Obama, like previously adored US presidents with Irish ancestral roots like JFK and Bill Clinton, were symbols of a Democratic party, strong with immigrant party ideals. But, do those other presidents have such a glorious folk song written about them by the Irish themselves: There’s No One As Irish As Barack O’Bama?

Howth, Ireland

Howth was a cool opportunity to see a bustling fishing village. While there, I walked the Howth Cliff Walk Loop where I saw Howth Summit and Bailey lighthouse. Then I ended the visit with the best fish and chips I’d ever had in a nearby park where several people were doing the same. Just watch out for seabirds like this European herring gull. Albeit being a delight to see, these birds will steal your fish and chips if given the opportunity.

Getting Around All this Time

As a final word, I got the LEAP visitor card when I arrived in Dublin. The LEAP visitor card includes unlimited travel on the DART (train), Dublin Bus, Airlink (to and from the airport), Commuter Rail, Luas, and Go-Ahead Ireland routes in Dublin. The LEAP visitor card is an excellent option if you prefer not to rent a car.

Landing in Amsterdam, I was surprised to learn that navigating was reasonably straightforward. I knew what to do, and getting lost was a thing of the past.

We took a canal cruise, walking tour, and time to eat their famous dutch pancakes (and fries)! To do something out of the ordinary, we bought tickets for the Amsterdam Dungeon.

The Amsterdam Dungeon provided a fun way to learn about a city’s dark past. The guide took the group through a series of rooms where strange characters exhibited what it would be like in that time in history for that city in a scarily fun manner.

Copenhagen, Denmark

Earlier in June, we stayed with our cousin Micol. This time, we stayed with Micol’s half-brother, who was also our cousin Kim. He picked us up from the airport, and we stayed the night. The next morning we were able to properly meet his wife and kids at breakfast full of Danish pastries. They were kind and intelligent. Although they were Danish, they could speak English and German fluently.

We spent the day exploring different parts of Copenhagen, which were bustling with a steady stream of bicycles at all times. We enjoyed a fresh lunch, ice cream, and beautiful summer weather. I was also able to meet up with my friend Sara who traveled down from Aalborg to see me one last time before I left this side of the world. Before we knew it, Kim was driving us to the airport for our flight to Amsterdam.

Athens, Greece

Before setting foot in Greece, I thought back to when I was in 3rd grade when we were asked if we could visit anywhere in the world where we would go? I’d made a detailed pop-up book about Greece without hesitation. It was my first conception that there was actually a world beyond where I lived and my own life. Thinking back to this memory made coming to Greece that much more surreal.

I’d also grown up on the Percy Jackson books, and it’s spin-offs. These coupled with my constant interest in Greek mythology and how philosophers would gather at the Roman Agora to learn from each other and teach, as well as marking the birthplace of democracy, made coming to Greece that much more surreal.

The walking tour I got to go on was the best walking tour of the entire trip. Walking through the history and culture dense Athens, I was blown away by the rich history of the city, most of which I proudly already knew, thus skyrocketing my level of appreciation and awe for Athens.

A caveat. Our tour guide pointed out many pickpocketers she’d put in jail who looked more like tourists than I did. We also saw many people running after people who’d pickpocketed them.

Mykonos, Greece

Known as a party island, I don’t think my cousin and I lived up to Mykonos namesake. After traveling nonstop for most of the trip hitherto, it was nice to watch the sunset, relax, and finally get more sleep. Though, we did stay at a hostel. Coincidentally, we ended up in a shared dorm with six other American girls, many of which were solo travelers.

Varese, Italy

We stayed with one of our cousins Micol near Varese, Italy. We’d never met her before, but I’m glad we got to stay with her. I admire that she was kind-hearted and outspoken.

Varese, Italy bordered Switzerland, was equipped with lakes and mountains and had a rich variety of culture and food. We go to line dance with Micol and her friends, eat pizza from a local pizzeria, get gelato and cappuccinos, walk through the local markets, and marvel at Lake Varese’s beauty. 

Milan, Italy

In our day in Milan, we mostly took in the upscaled fashion scene with wide eyes. Though we did buy tickets to go inside the Milan Cathedral, we ended up spending half the day waiting in line. We still had a fun time exploring the crypt, rooftops, and inside, but we wished we’d been able to see more of Milan.

Rome, Italy

Next, we took a train to find ourselves in the beautiful, yet the congested city of Rome. A city of monumental history and architecture. We went on a walking tour where we go to see the Spanish steps, Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum. The next day, we checked out the Vatican City and its museum.

But don’t be mistaken. There were con artists to count, overpriced food, rampant theft on the trams and metros, and unbearable heat. Still, I had the best time in Rome and truly enjoyed everything I got to see and do.

Another Side of Rome

Walking to the bus shuttle to Rome’s airport at 4 am experience wasn’t the best idea. We took a taxi from our Airbnb since public transportation didn’t run until 5:30 am. Since our taxi had dropped us off on the opposite side of where we needed to be, we walked through rows of homeless people that lined every free space of the Roma Termini Train station.

Across the street, the glow of everlasting parties shone in stark contrast to the beaten-down people sleeping soundly, packed like sardines without enough space between them. Just before we made it to the bus station, we came across two guys dragging another guy. Quickly, we rushed to the bus station where we realized the guy being dragged was being mugged in the wee hours of the morning.

In June my cousin, Matt, met me in Spain to travel around countries in Western Europe. So after taking finals and moving out, I took a 14-hour FlixBus stretching from the early evening of June 4th to the morning of June 5th to take me from Clermont-Ferrand, France to Lyon, France, then from Lyon, France to Barcelona, Spain. I was so tired that I forgot my S’well Water Bottle on the bus. RIP. 

From there, I followed Google Map’s walking directions to the city center (Plaça de Catalunya), where my cousin’s airport shuttle bus would drop him off in the evening. To pass the time, I took my time getting there and exploring the center but often stopped so that I could have a break from the backpack on my shoulders.

From the get-go, we were off to a rough start. The next day when we walked close to 20 miles out of excitement (and our Airbnb being located far away from things we wanted to do coupled with getting lost), my feet felt broken for the first two weeks of June to the point where I’d gotten crutches because I couldn’t take a step without a severe limp and pain shooting up my leg. Not the best look to be sporting as a tourist. 

Takeaways from the above experience

• Invest in good shoes
• Don’t walk so much
• Take a free walking tour where you can decide what you pay, explore a city in a group setting, and not get lost for a few hours (bonus: now, you’ll know how to get around)
• It’s probably worth it to spend more money on closer accommodation
• Random note related to the picture below: pay attention to the prices because the prices at the market we went to were incredulously high

Unlike the other places we visited throughout June, our experience in Barcelona was tainted by foot pain and related consequences of other travel mishaps. Therefore, I don’t think I was able to fully appreciate Barcelona. Nonetheless, Barcelona was a beautiful place with amazing beaches, architecture, and sights to see.