The Emerald Isle

So what with couchsurfing and leaving the house at the crack of dawn and coming back well past my normal bedtime, adding posts to this blog has been a teensy bit difficult...sorry!

Enough of these Canadian shenanigans now.

Ireland. The Emerald Isle. Home to faeries, leprechauns and Bram Stoker.

It was raining, of course, when I hopped off the plane to my new home. But the rain here has a playful side - it comes and goes, as if to remind you that you're in Ireland, where it "rains all the time". When it begins, people casually migrate to sheltered spots, wait it out with a knowing chuckle, then continue on their way once it stops. If you're in a stressed-out hurry here, you've got issues.

The main thing that stands out to me in Dublin, and Ireland in general (though I haven't seen nearly enough of it yet) is how old it is. As I was explaining to my host, Québec City is a mere 406 years old - half as old as Ireland's oldest pub (which I will be visiting, mark my words). You can smell it in the air and feel it in when you walk around the city. It isn't old in a decrepit way - it's old in an incredibly rich, majestic sort of way, and frankly, it's humbling.

My first few days in Dublin consisted of Vikings and medieval history. Jump right in with both, feet, right? I visited Dublinia, which is a fantastic museum and discovery center for Vikings and medieval Ireland. The tour of the museum ended in the Christ Church Cathedral, which is utterly gorgeous, and I spent over an hour in the crypt (obviously - if that surprises you, you clearly don't know me very well - *wink*). I don't follow any religion, but I am always left awestruck when I bear witness to what Man can create to honour a belief. I had to scrape my jaw up off the stone floor of Notre Dame in Paris, and I had to do the same here in Dublin. After my visit of the museum and cathedral, I proceeded to explore Dublin city center and just take it all in - the people, the buildings, the energy.

Yes, here follows a picspam ;)
Enjoy!

The archway from the museum (right) leading to Christ Church Cathedral, which is on the left but obviously hidden...

Viking woman 

Model of medieval Dublin

I have a weakness for stained glass windows. The daylight made it difficult to take photos that did them justice though.

Christ Church Cathedral (part of it)

More of the beautiful archway

From the crypt in Christ Church Cathedral

Jaw-dropping majesty - the amount of artistry, the quality of the work and the painstaking precision render me speechless every time I enter an impossibly old building like this. 

Hakuna matata ^_^

I'm going on an adventure!

At the beginning of February this year, I got a letter from my university confirming my acceptance to the International Exchange program. To me, that letter was exactly like the contract Bilbo signed before leaving the Shire. (You have permission to roll your eyes here.)

I've only ever traveled outside Canada once for more than a couple of weeks, and although it was a wonderful experience, I'm considerably more giddy this time around. Yes, location has something to do with it, but the fact that I'll be alone this time is forcing me to come out of my shell and explore - and learn. My schedule will be entirely my own and I won't have to rely on or consult with anyone before getting up and hopping out the door at the crack of dawn. 

I've heard so much good about Ireland from my friends that I feel like I'm taking a plane to Faery, and although I know that no place on Earth is utterly perfect, I rather like the feeling. I've purposely avoided scouring Pinterest and Google Images for photos or recommendations of places to see - I'm going blind, waiting to see everything for the first time with my own two eyes.  

One of the things that initially drew me to Ireland and the British Isles is my own Celtic heritage. My mother's side is a hearty blend of Scottish and Irish and my father's grandfather was an "off-the-boat" Scot. That, combined with my love of languages, mythology, history and fantasy, made the British Isles a location of choice.

It's difficult to muster the courage to leave your home alone and go a  little ways around the world to live for a while. But it's the thrill of facing that fear that's motivating me to do this. I'm a young debt-free student (I love you, Québec, for your inexpensive tuition!) and this is the time to see the world so that I can grow and learn - because there is just SO MUCH to learn. I already have an open mind, but I haven't seen a thing of this teensy beautiful planet we live on, and my goal for this year is to remedy that. I'll likely be bereft of money when I come back, but the cultural richness I know I'll acquire is worth more to me than a bunch of numbers. I never liked math anyway.

So in a short while, I'll be going on my very own adventure - hopefully without Orcs or necromancers, but I wouldn't say no to a dwarf or Wizard...

Hakuna matata!

Welcome!

So I suppose the best thing to write as a first blog post is the typical "welcome to my blog"...here goes.

Welcome to my blog!

What with my imminent departure to faraway lands (a.k.a. Ireland) for some utterly fascinating adventures and education, I figured I'd let those who are interested know what I'm up to. I've got loads of travel plans for the coming year, and I'm looking forward to sharing my experiences, good and bad.

Please keep in mind that the topic of this blog isn't solely traveling. I have other passions, you know, and I do intend on sharing some of them too. Poor things will feel left out.

I hope you enjoy what you read and see, and hopefully this will be a good way to keep in touch with my family and friends in Canada, eh.

Hakuna matata!