The Irish Weather

As there is 365 days in year, there are also (at least) 365 different days in Ireland what comes to weather... At least in Finland meteorologists are often "blamed" if they told people a wrong weather forecast in the news so if the same effect takes place in Ireland, it's probably one of the most challenging job to handle. You want to know why, here's an example:

On Tuesday my dream collapsed: To have a total snow-free year. So as you can guess, it was snowing at that day a good sized snowflakes. Of course the snow melted down almost immediately but still at some places like on top the cars it was possible to recognize that it was an actual snow... On the other hand it was funny to follow some people reactions as they saw snow first time in their lives, the feeling that I just can't understand.

On Wednesday was one of the stormiest day in whole Ireland so far in this year. Winds were blowing like a force of a hurricane (well, I might overstate that a bit but still..) and according to Irish Times there were about 200 000 people without electricity (mostly in SW Ireland), several roads were blocked because of fallen trees and flooding.

On Thursday when I stepped out from the door at the morning to head up to college I almost slipped because of "black ice" on the streets. Obviously the rainfalls of previous storm and a cold night had caused the freezing effect so I was able to slide on asphalt almost a meter at some points. On the way to the college really needed to consider walking to avoid falling, for a moment I thought that I should have brought my ice skates with me :D

Same day at afternoon suddenly a hailstorm started (of course) with lovely winds which made it feel like someone would been throwing tiny stones on your face... The hailstorm didn't last more than 10-15 minutes but of course it was the time while I was walking from the College back to my house. That's a real Irish luck I guess...

Now when looking at headlines, "Another 'nasty' storm on the way tomorrow", so we'll see what comes next... 

Delicious Ending Of The Week

So what would be better way to end the week than having an international dinner on Saturday evening and when I'm talking about international dinner I don't mean to go out in restaurant to eat for example Chinese food with friends... This was the international dinner where a group of people from different countries gathered at a (warm) house enjoying cozy atmosphere in the kitchen or heat of fire in fireplace, but before arriving everyone had cooked something:

The Menu was set:
America: Quesadillas and self-made guacamole dip
Austria: Blunzengroestl (Something in Engilsh :D)
Brazil: Fish with potatoes

Denmark: "Phoney hare" (meatloaf)
Finland: Oven baked pancakes
French: Chocolate cake, Quiche lorraine, Madeleines
German: Potato salad, Chocolate cake, Canneloni, Toast Hawaii
Italy: Warm toasts with olive oil, tomatoes and herbs

Netherlands: Pancakes
Spanish: Tortilla des patatas,
Plus: There wasn't even all, I just cant remember all the things we had :P

As you might guess, everyone were full after tasting little bit of everything but what an mixture of tastes! Luckily that wasn't end of the evening since it continued with lots of laugh about different things but afterwards I think that everyone became a little bit smarter or could you answer for these questions, I can now ;)
- What's "the German finger"?
- How does the French do the macarena dance?
- How does sounds when Brazilian practices French?
- Is French only a romantic language or can you actually swear in French in a way that it actually sounds swearing?
- What happens when you give a spray cream to Italian
- Or what is the movie madagaskar theme song "I like to move it" in Finnish
- In which languages "pineapple" is actually "Ananas"




  

Another "Freshers Week"

So it was Monday, February 3rd which did mean only one thing: Start of the second semester --> Back to the reality!

Of course this week couldn't be compared to real freshers week in September but still it have been a good craic! As I have mentioned before it is not the places it is the people that creates the fun so primary plan for the week was: Get going and socialize with new Erasmus students.

Monday is Mantra day but because of it was a first day of semester it was widely known that all places are going to be packed of super-drunken students, we just ended up in O'Neills hanging around with old and new students... Obviously it would probably also been too huge cultural shock for people by starting their semester in Mantra...

Tuesday actually didn't happen anything but that's normal as it is known as "silent day of the town", but on Wednesday it was Brady's day so that became the destination for the evening. Before that international society did arrange quiz night, oh my gosh, last time I felt myself so stupid was... hmm actually I cant remember :D Our team kind of did win the quiz if the rankings would have been read from bottom to top but obviously that didn't happen so we were the last, go Funky Team go!

And Thursday, the day that everyone where heading to the roost!  And truly everyone was there, we went there a bit before 11pm and the queue was already like 10-15 meters.. Crazy, eh? Now halfway sleeping and tired for past few days I'm writing this blog text but still waiting for the evening to go check some nightlife in Dublin ;)

Still I have to admit that whole week wasn't just partying because the classes started also on this week. At first day I managed to "rest my eyes" during two classes out of three, such a great start.. But I think that during the first week is not that important since it looks like that people are still on their way to return to the reality of studying...  

Kingsbry226 On The Road, pt.4

Friday and the last day of our trip so we had a late morning, which means leaving at 10am. Only one of our days when we actually had a timetable because we needed to be in Trim at 11am. At our first day visit we heard about the tour that would take us into the castle grounds and provide a possibility to try medieval gears and clothes, we had so much fun!! Our tour guide was awesome with giving first introduction of medieval weaponry and living circumstances and then telling about the history of the Trim Castle while walking on the castle grounds. After the tour telling us some more about general history of Trim, few “unknown facts” what comes to the braveheart movie and giving us lot of advices about what to do next. Also the visitors centre cafeteria provided delicious homemade lunch and desserts to enjoy with great prize-quality value.

After spending four hours in Trim it was anyway time to move on. Sky was blue and sun was shining, even that according the weather forecast it was supposed to be the most rainy day during our road trip (weird Irish weather), we drove to megalith tombs of Loughcrew (similar than New Grange) which are located at the highest point in County Meath, spectacular views! Especially when being there at the time of sunset was the best possible ending of our road trip to imagine.

Or to be honest, it wasn’t over yet, after arriving Maynooth it was time for Friday evening “family shopping” in Tesco since we had a car on use it was handy to buy all kinds of household stuff (or whatever everyone personally were in need of). 1,5 hours in Tesco, that was my record (show far)!

During those four days we drove about 1200 kilometres and discovered approx. 9000 years of Irish history having such a great time. And “the buggie” showed its power on the narrow streets while driving on countryside or when sprinting to the highway with its 1.2l engine. Still it didn’t let us down and it was a pity to return it and start to live without a car again… But we’ll see when is the next time to go back on the road again ;) 

Kingsbry226 On The Road, pt.3

Two days behind, two more to go!

This time we had a merciful morning, leaving at 8.30am but still effect was the same – sleeping in the car but why not there’s anyway not much to see in highways. That highway led us SW towards Cork... First destination was the Rock of Cashel, which is also known as St. Patrick’s Rock. Once a place where Irish High King of Munster had its throne but later gifted to the church which made them to build a cathedral and a house of a bishop. Must have been a magnificent place on its time, unfortunately the combination of Irish weather and around 900 years old building on the top of the hill in the middle of the lowland won’t provide the most comfortable living conditions for example because of the wind... 

Up from the hill we saw another ruins of monastery in the middle of the fields and yes why not to go there. Of course after raining days walking over the grass fields are necessarily not the best possible idea but girls wanted to be “adventurous” ending up to monastery with wet and muddy feet. I decided to walk by myself a bit longer route along the road to gateway where was a stoned path leading to the monastery and I actually was there before the girls with dry & clean feet.. But hey, who would listen to the man’s logic?

After that “adventurous walk” we packed ourselves back in the car and started to drive towards North. Our second destination was Clonmacnoise, the earliest Christian settlement in Ireland based in 6^th century that also became known of the original old high crosses that still exists on the site. Strategic location on the crossroad of the river and route from east to west coast made it important place for merchants, pilgrims etc. to have a rest which also brought wealthy to monastery. The story doesn’t end happily because many others during the times noticed the same thing so the monastery was raided many times by Vikings, Normans etc. but the monks always started their work all over until English came in 16^th century and basically plundered every single item they were able to get their hands on leaving it more or less in the way it is these days.

Kingsbry226 On The Road, pt.2

Second day the road led us to SE of Ireland in to the county Wexford. It was an "early morning" which meant starting the car at 8am ... So not even after few miles backseat travelers covered themselves with blankets and fell asleep but after they woke up we all were ready to discover throughout 9000 years of Irish history in the Irish National Heritage Park. There we walked a path from stone-age until the time of early Normans. Great place to visit with many things to see and do, for example trying to push forward a stone on weight of 2 tons and I did manage to do that. Although guess I have to mention that it was on the rolls which obviously made it a bit easier but still I wouldn't start to build a monument with those stones...

When our "walk throughout history" was over, we turned the wheels toward coast place called Hooks Head. And why? There is located the world oldest lighthouse which is still operating. Listening the tour and climbing up the lighthouse was worth, such a great view over the sea and along the coast.

Last but not least on the way back to Maynooth we stopped in New Ross, "the emigrant town of Ireland" where during 19th century lots of people have gone on their way to reach United States, including John F Kennedy's Great Grandfather in 1849.

Kingsbry226 On The Road, pt.1

One week for the start of a second semester and "studies", so what to do? Chill out at home, stare out of the window and do nothing --> No way! Or then with my housemates Julia, Mélissa and Laura we came up with an idea to rent a car for 4 days and discover some Ireland --> Sounds much better!

 

First I have to admit that I was a bit excited about driving on the wrong side of the road because for some reasons Irish and British have decided that they want to be different than other Europe by driving on the wrong side (and by saying wrong I mean left side). The car we had was a black Opel Corsa, which I decide to name "the buggie" because the car looked small and somehow the name just did fit for it. :D

On the first day we did head up for to direction NE from Maynooth, first to the site "Battle of the Boyne", the place where armies of King Willian & King James fought against each other in the year of 1690. Over 50 000 men deployed on the battlefield which makes the largest number on troops ever deployed on an Irish battlefield and there we were, just walking over the same field which was once covered in the smell of gunpowder. On the way back to Maynooth we stopped in the town named Trim to see "the legendary braveheart castle", but after a quick visit we decided to arrive back there again on Friday for one special reason...