Under 48

How do I even begin to describe Copenhagen? This remarkable city left a huge impact on me. Having spent less than 48 hours there I feel robbed of all the experiences I could have had, and therefore I must return.
I just did not have enough time to do everything Tompers wanted to do. Everyone kept telling me Copenhagen is expensive, pack your wallet... but I didn't find it any more expensive than Dublin. Europe is expensive you just have to figure out where to go if you want to save money. The city is so clean it's unreal. I did not see a single piece of trash anywhere, like the people actually care enough not to litter or there are magic fairies that come along and clean it up so fast it has barely touched the ground.
I am at a loss as how to further write about this experience, it was far to short to really even call it an experience. I'm glad I didn't jump the gun booking a bunch of weekend trips into Europe. I'm definitely doing a three night minimum from now on.. Also early morning arrivals are crucial. Lesson learned.

"Let's buy her some land"

I always forget to write about when I am at “home” it’s like it’s a part of me that doesn’t exist. I haven’t given Ireland the fair shake of things because I have always had one foot out the door. Today at work I realized this when Jim-Bob said that he didn’t want me to leave, and Cilly-B said “I know right, lets buy her some land and she can build a house” at which point Jim-Bob said “I meant tonight”, and we all burst out in a fit of giggles. It had become clear who likes me more, just saying.

It needs to be said that I love my job. Shuffle-ufugus drives me insane, and I hate that I can’t even deal with it without bitching like some crazy ex-girlfriend. I try so hard but I just can’t. It’s just soooooooooooooo frustrating, but I will put up with him to keep this job. Loving my job also makes it hard to try and plan bounce out trips. I have this sense of loyalty. The housemate tells me this is silly and I give them way too much, and I know she is right but I literally cannot help myself. This is who I am the overly loyal employee that feels taken advantage of in the end. But I really do love this job. Not enough to stay though, maybe it’s time I give the city a chance. I’ve lived here for 6 months and I haven’t done anything here. I need to start being a tourist here. I focus on getting out, maybe it’s time I focus on staying in…

Ahh I’ll wait till flights to Europe get more expensive. 

DUB >>> AMS

As the kaleidoscopes faded from the sky and awareness came back into my body, I felt the desire for the trip to be over. It wasn’t a bad trip, it did exactly as it was supposed to… Awaken my mind to a new reality. That reality was; this was my past, who I was, not who I am. I wanted to have my mind back firmly in my head where it belonged. I wanted to feel “normal” again. And slowly it was returning, but it felt like ages before I finally was myself again. The beautiful awakening and opening of the mind as promised, opened my mind to the realization that I have changed.

The Netherlands were such an amazing treat to my rain soaked soul. Finally a chance to dry the dampness from the deepest recesses of my mind. The sun was shining and it was thirty degrees centigrade, Tompers was elated so. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face, feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin. It had been so long since I actually needed my sunglasses. I never realized how much of a muddy rut the rain had caught me in. I was seriously depressed and I hadn’t even grasped how so, until the sun kissed my skin, dried my soul, and warmed my heart. Chasing the darkness from the innermost parts of me and filling them with light, happiness and hope.

In true tourist fashion we picked up a rental at the airport, Tompers was elated with the tiniest Toyota ever. It grew on me as well. I never would have imaged driving a car like that but now when I go home I totally want one. Home, that’s something to sort out…

Not wanting to miss anything I had an epic driving journey planned out. Part of which was one of National Geographic’s “Road Trips of a Lifetime”. Now I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit disappointed with the drive. It should be a cycling trip. Tompers had his head out the window in envy at every cyclist we past. I haven’t trained at all, but I’m sure I could manage a 60km bike ride in a day on flat ground, with Tompers attached to my handbars. I reckon my ass would hurt for a few days but really, would have been so worth it. However, no regrets!

We stopped at the world famous Keukenhof Gardens, it was soooo insanely busy taking photos was just not something I was interested in doing. That being said, the sun was shining, a break from the driving to get some sun was more than appreciated and well worth the entrance fee. (I pre-purchased online “to avoid the cue”, but there really wasn’t one even though the place was packed, just saying)

The biggest downfall to having a vehicle was there was literally no parking anywhere. We tried to stop in Den Haag for dinner but ended up spending an hour crawling along the beach, where the parking was, as there was none and everyone had the same idea. I was there on a holiday weekend after all. Which I of course did not know until after I had booked my flights… Note to self, look up national holidays before booking flights.

Detouring to go to de Hoge Veluwe National Park was a bit of a disappointment. All of the famous white bikes had be taken so we had to drive it. Driving a National Park did remind me of home, as that is how I have seen most of them, but it was not what I had imagined when I made the detour. There were lots of pullover spots to do walks and we had a few small adventures before getting back on the road. I was definitely more disappointed with myself for having slept in and missed out on the bikes. This is a park I would recommend pre-purchasing an entry ticket as there was an unnecessarily long entry cue. I wished I had given myself a whole day, a bicycle, and a picnic. Alas I did not and there were no bikes, so it was a short and sweet before getting back on the road.

I don’t know what I expected from Rotterdam, but I can’t get that faking song out of my head. All I have to say is Belgium Bachelor Party. Such a fun city. I somehow ended up with yet another pair of white sunglasses…

Oh Amsterdam… I spend my entire time there in the park. I’m sure the grocery store thought I was casing the place. I was in three times a day. I didn’t actually think I would spend all day in the park every day… but I couldn’t even help myself. I would also like to mention, my scarf everyone made fun of years ago, was in fact an awesome picnic blanket. #winning

How do you cross a place off your bucket list when you’re dying to

go back before you even leave?

The Belfast Beat

Tompers and I have returned from our second trip to Belfast and I can proudly report I have been to every google recommended drinking establishment in Belfast and I am certain I could provide a very excellent pub crawl in the city, but for research purposes and nothing to do with your man I should probably make a return trip to suss out more ventures. That being said, I would highly recommend making at least a weekend out of it, and of course my rules apply of only one drink per establishment, and best to start out drinking as much Guinness as you can handle before switching to something else. (Guinness is low in alcohol and calories #bonus) Also crucial, drink water! I always seem to forget that over here, however I am smart enough to keep a couple of litres of water beside the bed. Evian has these great lids so if you’re dealthly hungover you can sort of prop the water bottle on a pillow next to you and it acts like a hamster water feeder. 

Tompers came up with this innovation (he holds the bottle on the pillow for me, although I’m sure you could make it work without him) and it’s brilliant. No need to lift your head.

Here is a list of my recommendations for the Belfast Bar Blitz:

·         Bittles Bar *

·         Cosgroves Bar

·         Duke of York *

·         Filthy McNasty’s *

·         Lavery’s

·         Morrison’s Bar

·         Pavilion

·         Robson’s

·         Fibber Magee’s

·         The Basement Grill

·         The Belfast Empire Music Hall *

·         The Crown Liquor Saloon *

·         The Eglantine

·         The Garrick

·         The Hatfield House

·         The John Hewitt

Of the establishments that I’ve visited in the 4 days I have spent in Belfast these are the ones I recommend checking out. I’ve gone to the trouble of putting an asterisk next to the MUST SEE’s as Tompers has reminded me not everyone can drink as much as me, or would want to. Also now that I think of it there are places I still want to check out there. I guess another trip is going to have to happen.  After all I would love to dine at EIPIC.

Now for the story of Belfast… As you might have read I met a man when I was up in Belfast the first time, for Good Friday. You see after Tompers and I had adventured all over the city, I returned him to the hostel at half four for his nap because he was exhausted and touristed out. Craving a pint of Guinness I decided I should head out to the first stop on my list of places I wanted to see. This being The Crown Liquor Saloon. A tourists must see bar. Also the most overwhelming mess of stained glass, and patterned tiles the world has ever seen. (Okay maybe not the world, but it was enough to make me cringe a little) Standing at the bar drinking a pint of Guinness this English Bloke started chatting me up. We ended up getting on rather decently so I told him I was going to head to get something to eat, and he asked if he could join me. Seeing as I didn’t know anyone in Belfast I figured having a new friend along could be fun, so off we went. I ended up spending the evening bar hopping with him and he was decent company. A bit odd, but aren’t we all, and he was paying for everything (bonus). The next day he met up with me to do some more bar hopping, and I decided I wanted to catch an earlier bus home as my original ticket was for half eight but I decided I wanted to catch the bus at half five to get home a bit early and avoid having to wait around in Dublin for an additional hour for the bus to Galway.

Well the last place on my stop was Robson’s, and the man behind the bar had the most amazing accent. I always forget how much I love the Northern Ireland accent until I spend an entire day listening to some bloke with a posh English accent. Tompers little ears sure perked up. Some shameless flirting may have occurred, the English lad went out for a smoke and the barman took the opportunity to ask me for my number.

Oh and I missed all the earlier busses. I took the bus at half eight. Tompers made me or I probably would have sat at that bar all night.

So upon realizing it was time for me to leave and the English bloke still had not returned (I had been using his charging cube) I fired him a text message saying I had to go, and that I was leaving it with the barman for him. He proceeded to tell me he was in the hospital and had been hit by a car…

…the universe hit him with a car so the barman could pick me up?

                …Or did he throw himself in front of a car after spending two days trying to pick me up completely unsuccessfully and see me instantly lust after a man serving us drinks…

I’m still not even sure what happened with yer-man... Did he even get hit by a car?  Do I care? No, not really. 

your man, from Belfast...

So I’ve been living in this amazing little city, which really feels like a town. I know I have been bad about keeping up with my blog so I figured tonight with the house to myself and an epic hangover (I’ll explain later) it is time to sit down with a glass of vino and do some writing. That and a lovely American couple seemed genuinely interested in my life and asked about our blog. Tompers, always one for spotlight, is stoked.

There are five things I now know to be true…

-The isles are emerald because it never stops raining

-It only takes four Guinness to get drunk (because that is the number before I switch to hard liquor, or stronger beer)

-The sun shines in the morning at about half seven for approximately long enough to get me out the door for a run before it starts raining

-The tiny hill by my house is “massive” and my running up it is insanity

-Belfast has the best accent, Donegal isn’t far behind, the people in Galway now sound normal

So much has happened here I’m not sure where to start, Tompers is SUPER excited about the sheep we saw at Father Ted’s house. (It’s a show, you should look it up because it’s class)

 So we’ve been to the Burren, Aran Islands, Connemara, and Belfast. I know Belfast is a different country, but it really shouldn’t be. The little trips I have started taking have really made a big difference on my mental state. Belfast was a game changer because I realized there is no reason why I can’t use my days off to travel somewhere everything is SOOO close… And in all honesty I went up to Belfast because I had Good Friday and Saturday off, and they do not serve or sell alcohol in the Republic of Ireland on Good Friday… and you see Belfast is in the United Kingdom. Why wouldn’t I go there?

Tompers is demanding I explain why Belfast enchanted me. Other than the fact this English bloke paid for pretty much everything, then when he saw I was into the barman (at the pub we were at for a pint because it was close to the bus station and I wanted to catch an earlier bus cause he was clearly going to be tagging along and was starting to annoy me a bit) told me he got hit by a car.. I wasn’t into him that way anyway and I did try to by rounds and he said he didn’t care. Why am I defending myself? Some English bloke paid for everything, cause I’m fucking fun to be around.. #winning. Period.

Tompers agrees…

Oh right, back to Ireland… So the Burren… Father Ted’s house (which was based on the Aran Islands (allegedly) but is actually in the Burren). We went down for the day to do this 6km hike. The tourist website said to pack food, water and a compass. Thank god I didn’t listen to it because at the turn around point of the hike I could still see the car… the faking car was still visible because we had to drive it to the actual start point because the road was flooded out. Sure wish I had a picture so, because it was unbelievable.  All in all it was a bit shite, but I got to cross ‘er off the ol’ bucket list. I should mention all we wanted after our freezing cold rainy hike was some soup and NOTHING was open. Ended up at some thatched roof pub, which wasn’t all that warm, eating sub-par soup that wasn’t even hot…

Aran Islands of which we did Inishmore, might be worth another trip out to do the other two, we had this fantastic day at the beach…

I had some friends from Canada who happen to be in Galway one night, which thankfully I was not working and we were able to meet up and I took them on a tour of my lovely little city (love that I can call this place home). Turns out this city is so much fun. Having them with me made me realize I actually do live in this crazy city which feels like a small town and there is always craic to be had.  

I guess we’re back to my epic hangover. Your man from Belfast came down, you know the bar man. Cause turns out I’m that pretty, and Tompers left quite the impression as well. You know what I love about this place, is I feel like I don’t know anybody, then I’m out with somebody and turns out I know everybody. I feel like that should be song lyrics. Maybe I’ll write a song, my housemate did buy a piano and she’s way better than she thinks she is.

This is all I have to sum up many months, but it has made me realize it is time to start living here. A
little bit of roots wouldn’t be so bad… would it? As for your man from Belfast only time will tell. Tompers is keen on GTFO-ing Ireland, but he loves the sunshine more than me. And there is none of that here. Have I mentioned for the first time in my ENTIRE LIFE (well at least the life I remember) I have NO tan lines… I reckon my parents were class enough to keep me out of the sun as a babe so.