My Week with Mark

Hello everyone!  As a lot of you know, Mark was here two weeks ago and I would have had this post up sooner but I am in the middle of writing a ton of papers before I gear up to go to.....ROME for Easter break!

Warning: if you don't want to see a lot of pictures of Mark, you should probably leave now.

Mark got here on 14 March, which was a Friday.  He landed around 5 pm and since I don't have classes on Fridays, I was fortunate enough to be able to go pick him up from the airport.  When we first saw each other, we both had the biggest smiles on our faces and I swear we didn't speak for a solid 5 minutes because we were too busy hugging each other.  We had a little bit of time before we caught our bus back to Limerick, and we found a group of girls that actually go to the University of Minnesota...crazy small world, huh?!

The first weekend Mark was here, we did a lot of staying in Limerick and catching up.  There was a lot of going on walks, lying around the house, and of course, catching up with one another.  There was also a lot of laughing which was perfect.  I'm sure a lot of you are like, UGH BUT WHY AREN'T YOU TRAVELING. I promise, we're getting there.  We were blessed enough to have nearly 11 full days together...and as Mark said, it's not about traveling Ireland for him, it was about visiting me and spending time together.  However, I did ensure that he got a taste of the beautiful island (;

So while the weekend was lazy, we went on a cute date to Cafe Noir near campus.  It was really exciting when we both realized we could go on a date and drink wine together.  Not something we can do in the U.S. as we're only 20!  Monday, however, was pretty awesome.

We decided awhile ago that we were going to spend St. Patrick's Day in Dublin.  We wanted to spend as much time as we possibly could there, so we left at 8 a.m. Monday morning.  Mark and I also booked a B&B months ago so that we wouldn't have to worry about catching the bus back home, and we also wanted to explore Dublin without the craziness of the festivities and people everywhere.  Our B&B was in Milltown, which is just outside Dublin.  When we arrived in Dublin city centre, we thought we would go put our backpack with clothes and everything in our B&B, but because of the parade that was about to start, we had to hang onto it all day instead.  Compared to what happened a few hours later, this was not a big deal.

The parade was absolutely incredible.  Everything was bright and really whimsical, not like in America where you have some people waving out of a pickup truck while Miley Cyrus is playing on the stereo.   I thought it was so well done, but a few of my Irish friends said they thought it was very uninteresting and that usually the parade is better!  I was really surprised but, it doesn't matter because I enjoyed it so much.

We made sure to both wear green!

It was absolutely crazy - there were people EVERYWHERE.

Our day in Dublin after the parade was pretty casual, to be honest.  We walked all over the city and saw some pretty interesting characters.

Around 5pm we decided to go check into our B&B since the buses were running again.  We got there no problem; Google maps told us that it knew the name of the place we were staying and took us straight there.  We found ourselves in a really nice neighborhood that was very cute with a little stream and parks all over.  It was perfect.  Except for the fact that we couldn't seem to find our place; we were exactly where it said on the map and Google had taken us to the exact street and location it should have been.  Yet every time we asked someone for directions, they didn't know what we were talking about...hmmm.  Starting to get nervous over here.  Eventually, after walking quite a bit, we stopped to ask a very friendly old man.  After looking at our map on my phone, he too was very confused and had never heard of the place we were staying.  So, just as we were about to thank him and wander around once more, he says to us, "Well I live just a few houses away, why don't you come on inside and we can call the place for you."  Now.  Normally I would never go into a stranger's house but a) I feel like that's just how Irish hospitality works and b) I was with Mark, who is a solid 2x larger than this old man.   I felt pretty safe about it.

So we went into this man's house and he immediately made us tea and asked us what kind of Chinese food we wanted since he was about to get some for his wife and a foreign exchange student who was living with them.  Being Minnesotan to the T, obviously we declined numerous times but he was very persistent.  Meanwhile, I looked up the name of our B&B and its alleged address so we could find its phone number.  Apparently this house was older than the United States (not kidding) and cell reception doesn't work too well, so this couple called their daughter to come to the house to use her phone.  Eventually, we called the B&B to figure out their location, and as it turns out, this place is in Miltown just outside Kerry, nearly 5 hours from Dublin.  Why Google maps lead us to this very specific location in Dublin is still a complete mystery to us.  Anyway, it was obvious we were not going to be going to Kerry that night and as it was now nearly 8pm and dark outside, we prepared to go back to Limerick, despite the couple's numerous offers for us to stay in their house. (Seriously, so nice.)

After a really long day, we had a bit of a sleepy bus ride home and upon our arrival back at UL, promptly passed out.

Tuesday, the next day, was a bit of a question mark for us as we hadn't planned anything.  However, I was determined to get Mark to see the Cliffs of Moher, so that is what we did that day through a travel company in Limerick.

 

First up with a trip on the Burren coastline.  We stopped in a different place than we had been when I went on the trip with my school, and I liked this spot much better.

 

For lunch, we stopped a pub in Doolin and Mark and I had the best seafood chowder of our lives (we're now obsessed and decided we must learn how to make it).

I forgot how much he makes me laugh (:

Just another beautiful day in Ireland!

After the Cliffs, we headed back into Limerick.  First, though, we stopped at Bunratty Castle where we stretched our legs and had about 15 minutes to hang out.  Obviously Mark and I utilized this time to get the best hot chocolate I have ever tasted (as previously consumed last time I was here).  

I don't wish to propel any stereotypes, but a rather elderly woman offered to take a photo of us on my iPhone.  This awkward picture is the result of her not really understanding the whole touch screen thing.

After Bunratty, we headed back into Limerick, where Mark and I ate dinner and had a night in.  The following day, Wednesday, we headed into Limerick city centre to explore King John's Castle!

The tour starts in a small exhibit in a separate building, where you learn all kinds of history about the castle and the battles it was involved in.  It's actually about 700 years old. WHAT.

I think I make a rather photogenic Viking.

But Mark looks more Viking-y.

The museum curators found a bunch of abandoned servants quarters beneath the castle in the 1990s..which is shown here.  It was dark and very spooky.  So quiet it freaked me out.

I hadn't realized until Mark explained, but the reason for the tapering of all the windows in many of the castles I've been to is so that archers can easily draw their bows and hit their targets without getting pressed against walls or having to worry about having shots returned.

The view though.

Looking towards the city centre on the River Shannon

Pictured: the fabulous earrings Mark got me for my birthday!

Before heading back to UL, we stopped for (obviously) hot chocolate and dessert.  Overall it was a very long day and like real adults we decided to (yet again) stay in for the night.

Thursday was a very big day because it was Mark and I's one year anniversary!  It is crazy that we have been together for just a full year because it feels like we have been together for eons.  Sadly, this was the only day that I was required to go to class; thankfully it was just one and for one hour.  The downside was that it was from 1-2pm.  Immediately following my class, we rushed to the bus stop and headed for the train station. Destination? Cobh in county Cork.

We chose Cork because I had been there once before on a school trip and I really liked the whole feel, plus the fact that it was near Blarney Castle and Mark needed to kiss the stone made for a very good location.  We found a really beautiful hotel in Cobh (pronounced Cove) which was a short train ride from the city so it seemed quite perfect for exploring Cork.

However, that's not how it turned out.  After about 2.5-3 hours on our train, we arrived in Cobh just before sunset and got to see the city in gorgeous light.  It reminded me a lot of the way Italy looks in pictures, with little houses all lined together with bright colors.  Also, Winter Park, FL: filled with the elderly.  As we checked into our hotel, we realized that this hotel has been around for 150 years and has as much history as the town itself.  Within about 30 minutes of being in the city, Mark and I both knew we were going to spend much more time in Cobh than in Cork.

You walk outside our hotel and see this.

I'm sorry can I live here?!

Since it was our anniversary, celebration was in order.  Mark and I headed out to a steakhouse near our hotel for a date.  At this point it was nearly 7pm and we had both accepted the fact that we would probably have to wait for a table, which was fine with us.  However, upon our arrival we were stunned to find that we were literally the only people in the place.  Then, we were handed an "early bird" menu. What.  Chuckling about this, we had ordered wine and our appetizer when a couple in their 70s (not kidding) showed up and we felt like we had missed something.  Apparently our mental age is 75. Ok.  Anyway, we had the most amazing dinner; Mark got a burger (supposedly the best he has ever had in his life, which is a huge feat) and I got steak (which was not a normal pick for me but was equally as fantastic).

Gorgeous dessert.  I nearly cried it was so fabulous.

All in all, it was a fabulous first night.  After dinner we took a walk along the coast and spent the rest of the night just talking.  It feels like we never run out of things to say.

The next day, Friday, I woke up with the realization that in just 3 days, Mark would be headed back to Minnesota and this was the worst feeling because I felt like he had just gotten there.  Regardless, I shoved the thought aside and we started to plan our day.  

Originally we had planned to spend the day in Cork city but after seeing how beautiful Cobh was, we decided to stay and explore there.  I am so glad we did because it was probably the most fun day I have had since I got to Ireland.

First, we had breakfast in our hotel, which was nothing special but a buffet so obviously we stuffed our faces for the sake of stuffing our faces.   It was at this point that we realized, surrounded by senior citizens, that we were the only people under 50 in our hotel.  It was very strange until we realized that most people our age stay in hostels, not hotels.  

Our first stop on our city exploration was to St. Colman's Cathedral, which appears to take up nearly half of the landscape.  It is perched precariously on the steepest street I have ever encountered and is enormous.

On our way up the hill!

Looking up

Looking down

The view from the balcony near the cathedral.

So there are palm trees here.  Is this Florida or what?!

Enough of outside, finally in St Colman's.

These mosaics were incredible. SO MUCH detail.  I cannot imagine the patience it must have taken.

How are you liking this architecture, Grammie?!

Still unsure if I was allowed to even take pictures in here, but I did it anyway. #rebel

After the cathedral, we decided to check out the Cobh Heritage Centre which we saw on our way into town.  Cobh has been a harbor town (hence its name) since its birth so there are still a lot of cool ships all over.

Before we experienced the museum, we proceeded to buy everything in sight at the gift shop, mostly for souvenirs for our friends but also some things for ourselves.  We bought so much stuff that we got a free box of chocolates.  Pretty much explains my life.

The way into the heritage centre

Someone made a quilt of all the people from Cobh who perished in the sinking of the Titanic.  If you didn't know, the Titanic left from Belfast, then made a stop in Cobh before setting sail for America.  Because of this, prepare to see a lot of stuff about the Titanic and other luxury cruise ships.

There were a bunch of these clay figures to narrate the story of Cobh, and to be honest it was very unsettling.  I kept expecting one to move and it freaked me out.

Pictured is a message in a bottle from one of the Titanic victims, found in Cobh harbor about 2 years after the ship sank.  It held a goodbye message to this man's family; super tragic stuff.

Fun fact: this is a replica of our hotel.  The people here are supposed to be upset about the Lustania and gathered in the hotel to deal with the tragedy as a community. (See below)

Also: phone booth.

Explained so much.

Our hotel was pretty swanky back in the day.

More about our hotel! We had no idea it was so famous until we got here.

Annie Moore is a big deal here because she was the very first immigrant processed at Ellis Island and was a Cobh native.

Like I said, it's a cool harbor.

The Annie Moore statue, just outside the Cobh Heritage Centre

By this time, it was getting to be dinner time.  We spent a bit in our hotel room unwinding from the day and trying to find a place to eat; we decided on an Italian restaurant and left the hotel  just as the sun was setting. 

The restaurant was called That's Amore and Mark and I had the best pizza (arguably) of our lives along with really great wine and gelato.  On our way back, we saw the cathedral in green lights for St. Paddy's Day:

The following day was Saturday and our final day in Cobh.  After eating another awesome breakfast, we packed up and said goodbye to the city.  It truly is my favorite place in Ireland now.  Since our train for Blarney Castle didn't leave for another hour after checkout time, we had (what else) hot chocolate while we waited.

IT CAME WITH A COOKIE I DON'T THINK YOU UNDERSTAND MY LOVE AFFAIR

Not his best day.

JFK Park; you can see our hotel in the background.  It was right on the water, so perfect.

Bye, Cobh ):

The train ride to Cork city centre was pretty quiet as Mark and I were both sad to leave Cobh and were both thinking of the fact that we only had two more days together.  Time really flew and it was almost cruel how fleeting our time together was.

After we got to Cork, we had to get on a bus to Blarney Castle, which turned out to be pretty easy despite the fact that we had our suitcase with us.  The bus ride only took about 20 minutes and winded all over Cork.  It's still a cool place but has been replaced by Cobh as my favorite.

Once we got to the castle, we ditched the luggage in the hotel onsite and headed for the castle grounds.  It was a much nicer day than the one I had experienced before, as there was not a drop of rain.

Inside the cave.

We explored so many parts of the grounds that I hadn't had time to see when I had gone the first time.  It was so nice because I was not bored at all; it wasn't like, "oh, I've been here, seen that, it's whatever." Not that I could do that anyway because I'M IN IRELAND??!?!?!

Fun fact I slipped on the way down. #classic

So then we found a waterfall (surprisingly the first of many)

The trees are so tall it seems like they go on forever.

Leprechaun chair!

Suddenly, jungle.

Casual boulder. 

The Blarney house, not to be confused with the Blarney Castle.  Sadly, it doesn't open until June so we didn't get to go inside.

Inside the castle.  Mark's shoulders were so wide he had to turn sideways to get through the narrow stairways.

THE STONE WAS KISSED.

Achievement unlocked: gift of gab

Mark loved these gnarled trees.  They reminded us both of Harry Potter, especially the Whomping Willow.

Waterfall, part 2.

Waterfall, take 3

These were the wishing steps.  According to legend, if someone walks up the stairs and back down with their eyes shut, thinking of a wish and only their wish, it should come true within a year.

Of course, both of us did it.

Looking down; it was a long way up! I'd guess about 20 -30 steps

Fun fact, Mark loves this photo.

The witch's cave.  According to legends, a witch lives on the grounds here and if you come early enough in the morning, you'll see smoke rising from her kitchen.

After we had had our fill of the grounds, we realized how hungry we were getting as it was nearly 4 and we hadn't eaten lunch.  Reluctant to leave the beautiful grounds, we headed back into the village to eat at the restaurant there.  Unfortunately the grill was closed and we were unable to have our beloved fish and chips so we instead got more seafood chowder (yay!) and shared a bag of crisps.

After eating, we retrieved our luggage from the hotel and waited for the bus back into Cork.  We had looked up the times for our train back to Limerick and saw that the last one was at 8:30.  Since it was only 5 we figured we had plenty of time and that we would catch one earlier than that.  We were quite wrong.

Upon our arrival back at the train station (now nearly 6 at this point) we discovered that the next train was in fact, the last train.  Since we had so much stuff, we didn't want to go back into the city and have to cart it around, so we waited at the station and played 20 questions and just laughed at each other.  Despite how boring it sounds, it's the little things about Mark and I's relationship that I completely adore.

Once we got on the 8:30 train, we had to make a transfer.  Of course, with our luck, it was an hour and a half long layover.  Time was spent with more talking and finishing off peanut butter tortillas and apples just like we did when we went camping in Itasca last summer.  We are really good at doing nothing together.

Eventually, our train came and we arrived back in Limerick city around 11 pm.  Google maps told us that a bus back to UL would pick us up near the station at 11:20.  Well, 11:20 came and went.  Then 11:45 came and went.  As we crossed the street to pick up a cab, the bus flew on by despite our frantic waving.  Ugh.  Regardless, we got back to my house safely and ate midnight buttered toast, basically my new favorite thing.

The following day was Sunday, which also happened to be my birthday.  I know what you're thinking; Mark could not have picked a better week to be here.  I completely agree.  Shout out to UMN for picking their spring break to be that week.

Despite the fact that I had just entered by 20s, I could not help but think about the fact that Mark would be leaving the next day and I know he was thinking about it too.  Since it was a Sunday, there wasn't much for us to do around town and so we spent the day on campus.  We watched the sunset, ate pizza with my roommates, and my wonderful friends even bought me a cake!  It was a really nice day and I enjoyed spending it surrounded by people who love me.

Monday was the hardest day I have had since I have been here and I think saying goodbye to Mark was the hardest thing I have ever done.  We got to the airport early so he could get all checked in, but it was really so we could spend a ton of time saying goodbye.  There were so many hugs and I was essentially a human faucet.  Leaving him at MSP the first time was hard enough, but now that he has been here, it was so difficult to imagine Ireland without him.  Also, the worst part was that the second half of my time here is longer than the first, so I have to wait even longer than I waited the first time to see him again.  Regardless of all the sadness, I am still so glad we got to spend so much time together.  Mark even spent an 8 hour layover in Toronto just so that he could spend as much time as possible with me and not leave on my birthday.  He is a super stellar guy and I'm so lucky to have him.

So, with a ridiculous amount of tears and "okay, I'm leaving now...." (only to spend another 10 minutes together) Mark headed home to Minnesota and I took a bus back to Limerick.  All our memories of Ireland together have been enough to keep me sane these past few days and I'm so excited to come back again with Mark in a number of years from now.

Sorry about my emotional entry here but I'm actually not really sorry at all.  I've been super stressed about papers so here it all is!

My next post will likely be in a few weeks after I go off to Rome and tour the Amalfi Coast with my friends over Easter Break!

Stay tuned.

Slainte!

Caroline