Meet me in Wexford

I am now in the home were I will be spending the next 2-3 weeks of my time in Ireland. It is located in the County of Wexford on the Hook Peninsula. The wind is blowing pretty roughly here, remnants of Hurricane Irene.
My host's name is Kate. She has a dog (a sweet german shepard) and a cat (undetermined breed). I am staying in a bedroom that is in another building on her property.
I am a bit tired from the bus ride from Dublin to Wexford this morning, so I'm going to keep the post short.
Most importantly, remembering September 11th, 2001 today on the tenth anniversary. Can't believe it has been ten years since one of the scariest days of my life. My thoughts are with the victims.

IRELAND!

I have decided not even to attempt to describe Wales. Any description of the scenery, or the kindness of the people, or the warmth I felt from the moment I left the train in Holyhead to when I boarded the ferry this morning bound for Ireland could not express the area. I walked to the ocean on the day I was there in foul weather and found that all the pictures I took on my camera could not do justice to the view and the sensations I was treated to. To experience Wales, I'm afraid you have to go there (which is pretty much true of all the places that I have been, but especially so with Wales).
Have you ever felt that you were in excatly the right place at the right time, as if you were destined to be in one certain spot at one specific time in you life? I may be playing it a bit dramatically, but that is how I felt about being on the coast of Wales high above the waves as they met the shore.
As I said, I have pictures, but they are completely inadequate.
I boarded the ferry early this afternoon, sad to be leaving Wales, the people, and even the livestock. After a wonderful lazy morning eating a tuna fish sandwich and drinking heavily sugared coffee in the Hostel talking to the owner and the cleaning lady about the weather and my impending trip to Ireland, I took a taxi to the Holyhead Port.
In the Port, the foot passengers, myself included, were bustled onto buses that would take us to the ferry (which was more like a cruise ship complete with resturants, shopping, movies, and lounges, than a ferry). I connected here with one of my fellow passenger, a middle aged, English woman by the name of Jace. We talked about my travels, her reasons for going to Ireland, and her daughter, who had attended the University of Tennesse for a year.
On the ship, I found a seat close to the windows overlooking the sea with no horizon (I sweat the ocean almost seemlessly melted into the clouds) reading from my Kindle (I have come to the conclusion that this was one of the best purchases I have made in my entire life).
We were again sheperded onto the buses to debark at Dublin Port, where I connected again with Jace. We went through customs (one of the most painless procedures of my life) and collected our bags.
Note to all current and future travellers: NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS. Here I am in Dublin Port, having no idea how to get to my hostel, only knowing it was called Generator Hostel and that it was located in Dublin at Smithfield Square. Jace comes up to me, and offers me a ride with her in her taxi. And as we have been talking I already know that she is late for a function (a televised ball, no less) and is meeting her husband for their 23rd Anniversary. She insists it will be no trouble for the taxi to let me off at my spot. I resest, telling her that I have no euros to pay her back and that I wouldn't want her to be any more late than she was. I must not have protested enough, because soon my huge backpack is being lifted into the boot of the taxi with her tiny suitcase.
I probably will never meet Jace again, and I don't even know her last name. But let me tell you, I will never, ever, ever, forget her. I was tired and hungry, and she took care of me for 20 minutes.
By the way, Dad, if you are freaking out, it was a registered taxi, completely safe. I, of course, checked before I got into the car.
This has not been my only experience with the kindness of strangers here in Europe. There was the woman who stopped me on the streets of Salisbury when I was lost and tired to ask if I was alright. When I told her I was, she simply told me to "remember that Jesus loves you." I have never been a religious person, but I was reminded that here people look out for each other.
Or even the kindness of people you know, like Mrs. Strohm who offered not only to let me crash with her for a couple of days in London, but as I was leaving also indicated that her door in London was always open to me. And that I was free to use it as spot for crash landing if I ever got tired of Ireland.
Or the the kindness of the  people in Holyhead, who, when I asked for directions, had no problems pointing me in the right direction. Especially, the kindness of the  people who walked me parts of the way to my destination, out of the way of theirs.
Or of the cleaning lady, who took 15 minutes of her time to  talk to me about my trip and calm me of my homesickness.
So, after all that blabbling, I just want to extend a huge "thank you" those who have helped me on this trip so far (and it's only been a week). I know that without the encouragement and the warm smiles (and the free rides!) that I would probably be packing up my bag right now and heading home.
Fortunately, I am too excited for all the people I'm going to meet to do that just yet.

Bath and Wales

So... It has been two days since I last posted, and since then I have left London, explored Bath, and entered Wales. Ah, posting is getting away from me. Let me attempt to catch you up.
The train ride from London to Bath was uneventful. A little less than an hour and a half from boarding the train in Paddington Station to debarking at Bath Spa Station, which is basically situated at the heart of Bath.
Of course, somewhere during my trip from the Station to my hostel it started pouring rain. Getting off the train I trudged up High Street in Bath (the UK equivalent of Main Street) which eventually took me to my hostel above a bar called Belushi's on Green Street. Shout out to St. Christopher's Inn in Bath, which was a great place to meet people.
When the rain let up I let myself explore Bath by simply wandering about the city. I found King's Circus and Victoria Park and found that the architerture in Bath was both beautiful and historical.
Then I went back to the hostel where I met my roomates for the night, Rachel from England and Maggie and Helena from Germany. They were wonderful. We headed up to the "Chill Out" room to watch Juno, were we met several other people spending the night in Bath. It was a informal meeting of cultures as we contrasted and compared politics, social programs, currency, and education in our various countries (United States, Canada, Germany, UK).
A couple of hours of games later, I crashed in bed. Excited for my second day in Bath.
My second day in Bath started with free breakfast in the bar downstairs. Afterwards, I headed towards Bath Abbey for a walking tour of the city. We hit the Roman Baths, Bath Abbey, the Guild Building, Bridge, King's Circus, the Royal Cresent, Victoria Park, the Assembly Rooms, the main Theatre, the Royal National Hospital for Rheuthmic Diseases, and back to the Baths in a 2 and a half hour tour. Back at the baths I had a glass of the natural hot spring water (it tasted fine to me, but a little warm). I then set off on my own expedition to find Jane Austen's house (or at least the house she lived in for the majority of her time in Bath). Heading down Bridge, I found her house after turning the corner. Unfortunately, I didn't spend too much time there as the owners of the house actually live there.
Now, the reason I planned on going to Bath in the first place was that I always wanted to dramatically "take in the waters" like Jane Austen, or the Romans, did. So it was imperative on this trip to bathe in the waters. Returning to the hostel to pick up my towel, I headed to Thermae Spa which is located right accross the street from the pump room where Jane Austen got the hot spring water that she drank.
2 hours later I was prune-y. But let me tell you, there is something purely wonderful about soaking in hot water, lazing about in a huge scented sauna, being dowsed alternatively by hot and cold water, or swimming in hot water on the rooftop of the building in freezing rain. It is invigorating. Just like the Romans planned.
I grabbed some fish & chips (cod) and went back to the hostel for a late dinner, called the parents, and settled down in my dorm with my Kindle.
I woke up this morning and got on the train headed for Salisbury. There I joined a tour to Stonehenge, were I bumped into Maggie and Helena from the hostel in Bath (this was not planned, and was completely unexpected as they had left the hostel a day before I did). Spent an hour at Stonehenge circling rocks (very prestigious, heavy, beautiful rocks) and listening to an audio tour with them. Hopped back on the bus to the train station and stopped in Old Sacrum to see King Henry I's castle ruins. Back to the train station, for a hour ride to Bristol Temple Meads, to switch trains for an hour ride to Newport in South Wales (where all the signs are in both English and Celtic. Very cool!), to switch trains for a four hour journey to Holyhead, Wales.
After asking multiple people (a couple walking across the bridge, and a waitress and a tipsy woman outside a bar having a smoke) for directions to the closest place to get a taxi, I pocured a taxi to my hostel for the night, Anglesey Outdoor.
Now, I'm tuckered out, and am going to bed. Hopefully I will post this and subsequent blogs when I get more internet service.

Last Day in London

For those of you who don’t know, or simply are not in the know, Hyde Park is the place to see and be seen… or at least is was during the British Regency Area (think late George III who died in 1820). So there I went to hang out in the Park with the ghosts of England’s high society. 

After about a few hours of dreaming about the past and eating lunch, I took the Underground from Leicester Square to Covet Garden were I visited the open market. Haggling in the market was a new experience for me, but worth it as I saved a couple of pounds on old souvenirs (think late 1980’s).

Met up with Carlyn for a good-bye. Had Snog (think Red Mango or Pinkberry), then fought my way back into the Underground to take the Central line back to the Jubilee line, back to Ms. Strohm’s apartment.

Leaving for Bath in the morning, and will hopefully post from the train.

One more day in London

Spent the day with Carlyn shopping at outdoor markets and London shops. Had a blast, and thankfully didn’t spend too much money.

Then Carlyn and I met up with our college guidance counselor (Mrs. Strohm) from high school for some good Indian Food! So great to see her and catch up! Am going to stay with her for a couple of days until I leave for Bath.

Here are the pictures I took yesterday around the tourist-y parts of London (if your my friend on Facebook, they are pretty much the same). Unfortunately, I can’t quite figure out how Flickr works, so a lot of these are repeats and some are just bad pictures… but still, Enjoy!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/67127526@N06/6109748032/in/photostream/

London's Calling...

… and we answered!

Today, Carlyn and I visited London Bridge, Tower Bridge, London Tower, the Monument commemorating the Great Fire of London of 1666, Buckingham Palace, Green Park, Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Arch, and Harrod’s! And then a London Pub Crawl (still can’t believe Carlyn got carded, but I didn’t)!

Fun Fact #1:

This is not the London Bridge:

This is London Bridge:

Will update with pictures tomorrow!

Night out in Islington

Carlyn (my sister) treated me to dinner with her friends on Upper Street in Islington. A great Turkish restaurant called Gallipoli. I got to meet some of her friends from her time here, which is always fun.

After stuffing myself with hummus and pita, and various other treats, we walked back to Carlyn’s apartment. Since we live so far apart, its rare that Carlyn and I get to talk in person about our lives. So it is always nice to have a heart to heart. Added bonus that it happens to be on the streets of London.

Plans for tomorrow: Tea at Harrod’s!!