Cark!

Hello everyone!
I'm sure most of you are disappointed that it I'm writing instead of the ever-poetic Katie, but you'll have to deal with it until next time she writes :)

We had another great weekend, this time in Cork! We have been wanting to go to Scotland but the tickets are pretty expensive, so we decided to take a bus to the south of Ireland and go to the 2nd largest city in the Republic of Ireland (Belfast is 2nd largest on the whole island), Cork! We knew the accents were going to be pretty crazy down there, so I was nervous about understanding people because I still have trouble here in Galway! Last minute we found out that our friend, Mick, was going to Cork that weekend to visit his brother, Pat, who we had met last weekend in Ballinrobe. Mick offered to drive us so we were pretty excited about not having to take a bus! We got to Cork and checked into our hostel where we met this girl from Spain! She was from Madrid and didn't speak lots of English, so we got to use our Spanish which we always love. She is here in Ireland with her boyfriend looking for work and to improve their Spanish; they are even planning on living in separate apartments to force them to speak English! She was really sweet and it was nice to speak Spanish again.

We got ready pretty quickly and met Mick and Pat on Patrick's street in the city centre, which was conveniently located 5 minutes from our hostel. Pat took us to a bar called Scott's for dinner and drinks. I had a chicken fajita and it was DELICIOUS! I love real food from real restaurants... After that we went to a bar I can't remember the name of, but there was a band playing and they were really good! We had lots of pints (I just got paid on Friday for a whole month of work, so we were feeling pretty rich for the first time haha) and danced as much as we could because it was pretty crowded. As usual Kate requested a song after a couple pints, and as usual, they said they didn't know how to play it! She has the worst luck with that..

After that bar we went to another bar, which I also can't remember the name of, and had some more pints, followed by some fabulous french fries at the chipper. I was getting really annoyed because we had just bought all these fries and the guys were trying to tell us they were closing! Anyhow Mick and Pat walked us home and then in the morning we tried to decide if we should stay in Cork or drive back with them that day. It was rainy so we were leaning toward going home, but decided that we really wanted to see more of Cork than just the pubs (impressed??) so we decided to stay. We walked all around the shopping area of Cork and also got some great weather in the afternoon! We loved all the cafes and buildings: Cork is a strange but adorable mix of Dublin and Galway, and seems to cater less to the tourists. We both agreed that had we seen Cork in the beginning of our trip we would have chosen to live there instead of Galway, but we still love our cute little home-city!!

After losing Mick's car in the car park (don't get me started) we went to the hostel to book another night, but then decided we didn't want to pay so we'd leave that night. After NOT going to Shandon and climbing up a steeple to play the church bells, which would have been awesome, we began our drive home. All was going smoothly until the windshield wipers stopped working, which is about as dire a circumstance as if the entire car just wouldn't start because we absolutely could not drive. We would pull over and wait out the rain while Mick attempted to fix the wipers and almost became road kill a few times, and then drive as much as we could during the breaks. Took a little longer to get home but luckily there was wine waiting.

A bunch of people came over that night for some wine and David broke out the guitar as usual so we had a good time singing and chatting. I even discovered my secret musical talent: the tambourine!! I was very good at it, Dad would be proud :) Sunday everyone woke up massively hungry and of course we had a terrible time finding somewhere to eat: one place just simply had no bread that day! Finally we went to the old reliable Quays and had a fabulously filling and satisfying meal. We ended up staying for like 5 hours for coffee and beer even though I looked like crap! It was a really nice lazy Sunday filled with good friends and grocery shopping and lots of lounging :) A plan was hatched to convince our friend Lizzie to move to Chicago for a little while! Crossing our fingers for that...Sheila finally came back from her week-long trip so we caught up a bit last night and finally headed for bed. Today we'll hopefully get our EuroTrip 09 plans nailed down, though I'm completely terrified to travel ANYWHERE with this pig flu and will insist on wearing surgical masks while on planes, buses, or trains.

Katie sent her Georgetown deposit in so I'm also trying to come to terms with having my best friend (and current Siamese twin) living across the country, but I'm not liking this idea very much. We miss you all and can't wait for an amazing summer!!
-Erin

PS: updates on your life are encouraged!!

Conquering Croagh Patrick

This weekend started like any other. We went out on Friday night for Sheila's friend's 21st birthday. The big 2-1 is not quite as exciting in a county whose drinking age is 18, but we celebrated nonetheless. The night ended, as it usually does, at Charcoal Grill. I'm pretty sure those fries would be just as delicious at any other time of day, but I've never tested the theory.

We woke up Saturday morning intent on finding bagels. There is a great bagel vendor at Galway's Saturday street market, and we had made a date with Sheila the night before. It was the perfect morning- girl talk, sunshine, and bagels on the River Corrib. Little did we know, that it would not be a typical lazy weekend in Galway. 

About a half hour into our bagel date, we got a phone call from our friend Mick. Erin answered, and Sheila and I heard, "You're what? You're climbing a... he's climbing a mountain! Well, yeah, that's great Mick. Have a great time. [pause] Oh, you what? You want us to come with?" After convincing Sheila to blow off her 10-page paper, which was due Monday, we agreed to go.

And so began our adventure. Mick drove 45 minutes from Mayo to pick us up and 2 hours later we were at the base of Croagh Patrick. It is the mountain where Saint Patrick spent 40 days and is scaled on a regular basis by reverent Catholics in their bare feet. Being less devout than most Catholics and more willing to torture our feet with heels than jagged rocks, we opted for gym shoes. 

The whole climb took about 3 hours. It was very steep at parts, as evidenced by the large bruises and scrapes on Sheila's backside. Each person that passed us on their way down assured us that "this was the hardest part." One woman even offered us fruit (in our haste, we had forgotten quite a few things, including food.) Turns out, the whole mountain was the hardest part. When we finally made it to the top, it was well worth the trek. The view was magnificent. We had started our climb relatively late, so we shared the peak only with a few sheep. As we stared over the ocean, it was impossible not to feel insignificant. The sun was just setting behind mountains in the distance, and the water looked like a blanket of silk. What struck me most was the absolute quiet- the kind of consuming silence that you can only find in a place like that.

Our love of Croagh Patrick quickly dwindled as we made our way back down. The steep mountainside seemed even steeper, and it was starting to get cold. When we had almost reached the base, we came across three women huddled together on a rock. One had broken her ankle and they were somewhat stranded. Mick gave them his sweater and phone number. When we made it back down, he arranged for a "mountain rescue." They called him the next day to say they were ok and would mail him his sweater back.

That night, we stayed in Ballinrobe at Mick's house. Our roommate David and friends Lenny, Dermot, and Lizzy are also from Ballinrobe. It's a very small town where everyone knows everyone. We went to a nice dinner (dressed in our sweatpants and t-shirts) and then out to the bars. We met Mick's twin brother and sister and a bunch of their friends. The night ended at a night club called the Valk (I think- they just laugh every time we try to pronounce it). 

On Sunday, Mick gave us a mini-tour of the area, and we made a stop at Ashford Castle. Erin had been there once before, but it was the first time for Sheila and me. It was gorgeous- you can check out a few pictures in the last album. We made it back to Galway late in the afternoon. Sheila scrambled to the library to get her paper done. I'm pretty sure she was up all night. 

It was an action-packed weekend, but one of the best so far. 

Yesterday, Erin and I finally figured out our travel plans. Drum roll please... we'll be in Europe until June 5! After a few hectic phone calls and being informed that the good ol' CPD had lost my application for the third time this year, we were told that we didn't have to be home until mid-June. We discussed our options and our intense feelings of guilt for extending the trip and decided to book new tickets home. Erin was thrilled because that meant we could meet her Aunt, Uncle, and cousins in Salzburg. Her Uncle is from Austria, so we'll have our very own tour guide! The tentative plan is to quit our jobs on May 15, do a week in Spain, a week traveling other parts of Europe, and then a few days in Munich and Salzburg with Erin's family. We're both really excited!! We'll keep you updated as the plan develops. 

Stay tuned for some cool pictures!

Katie

Easter Weekend

Happy Easter! Today is a Bank Holiday in Ireland, so most things are closed, and I have the day off. Last week was River Island's mid-season sale, so I had to work 10 hours most days. It was complete chaos. I was ringing people up non-stop, and the queue was at least 10 people long for most of the day. They talk a lot about the recession here, but I'm not so sure...

Erin and I had a great weekend. Good Friday is one of two days when the entire country shuts down (the other is Christmas). Pubs and bars were closed, so we were forced to stay in. My friend Jameson sent us West Wing, Season One (my all-time favorite show), so we watched a few episodes and went to bed. 

Saturdays in Galway are great. We had wonderful weather and spent the day wandering the city. Erin bought red heels for 8 euro at a street market, and I bought Romeo and Juliet (the one with Leonardo DiCaprio) on VHS for 2 euro! We were both very excited about our purchases. 

We finally made it to the grocery store on Saturday afternoon. We had been living on peanut butter sandwiches for about a week because we hadn't had time to go shopping. We're still staying pretty true to our 6 euro/day budget (as long as we don't count beer or coffee).

On Saturday night, we did a little Galway pub crawl, red heels and all. I didn't want to feel left out, so I broke out the pumps and skinny jeans. I think we made it to about 5 bars, after which that eight euro heel purchase didn't seem so great. Walking on these cobblestone streets is hard enough as it is, but when you try balancing on three inch torture devices, it becomes a lot more difficult. Needless to say, my heels have gone back into retirement, and I've reaffirmed my commitment to Converse.

After sleeping unreasonably late on Sunday, we laid on the couch, ate ice cream and Easter candy, and watched the West Wing for hours. Luckily, our friend Dermot, who lives down the street,  saved us from a day of complete uselessness. He invited us over for a game of Monopoly, which lasted about 4 hours and got pretty heated. I think I'm the only person in the history of the game to own both Park Place and Boardwalk and still lose. By the end of the game, it was 1 AM and Sheila had more money than the bank. 

Erin is working today, but she's off at 4. It's been raining off and on, but it's so warm out the rain doesn't even bother me.

Quick law school update: I have to make a commitment in the next two weeks. I'm still leaning toward Georgetown, but Berkeley keeps creeping back into my head; it's hard to pass up that California weather. I've yet to hear from Stanford or Harvard, which I can nearly guarantee will be no's. I'll let you know when I decide (if I don't completely lose my mind first)!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Katie

Galway Gossip

Hey everyone!
Of course the weather is gross again, but that's OK because yesterday was beautiful! My friend Anne came in to visit on Sunday from around St. Louis (different Anne, obviously) and she had 2 beautiful days in Galway. Kate works a ton of hours and is usually exhausted by the time she gets home which stinks, it'll be good money but I think she is going to start taking less hours. Work for me is good, I finally feel like I really work there because I am wearing the store's clothes! The past 2 weeks I had to dress all in black so I kind of stood out.

So in Galway there is this comedian named Tommy Tiernan who is supposed to be really good. I was going to go see him one night in one of the clubs but then I couldn't justify PAYING for Irish humor...Anyhow, this weekend he is trying to set a world record for longest stand up comedy act, he will go for 36 hours! He wants to donate all the money that is raised from tickets to an organization here in Galway that helps homeless youth. This is big news right now in Galway: the higher ups in the organization are refusing to accept the money because Tommy's set runs from Good Friday until dawn on Easter Sunday. They said Good Friday is the most solemn day of the year and they can't accept money raised from a comedy act on Good Friday. It's pretty unbelievable to me, but the radio DJs are having a field day, they are urging everyone to come out and support it and buy tickets because apparently Tommy Tiernan is still hell bent on getting the money to the org. I realize the significance of Good Friday but this is really hard for me to understand. Anyhow, just thought I'd let you in on some of the Galway gossip :)

Last night we went to The Quays and there was a pretty good band playing. This woman from Belgium grabbed Kate to dance and later she was talking to me very intently. Apparently her son is studying in Galway so she demanded my phone number but asked me to please not fall in love with him. She said I would be a lovely daughter in law, but America is just too far away. When I asked if she spoke French or Flemish she made a face like she just smelled rotting eggs and waved her hand at the thought of the Flemish haha

Travel plans are still up in the air; no matter what we're going to go to Spain for one week and are really hoping to make it to Scotland. If we stay as long as we possibly can then we'll be taking a train through Spain, then to Milan, Zurich, Munich, Vienna, and finally meeting up Aunt, Uncle, Julie, Charlie, Jill, and Mike in Salzburg! That would be amazing, but right now we're waiting to hear when we have to be home in order to keep our summer jobs, which Chase Bank knows we need! That's about it from us I think, I am going to take a much needed nap!
Hasta pronto!
-Erin

A Beautiful Day in Galway

Hi everyone!
Not too much report, although the weather is definitely worthy of mentioning, it's gorgeous today! We're hoping it stays but our fellow Galwegians (?) are skeptical. We're enjoying it while it lasts anyway. We went to Salthill and got some ice cream and picked up my pay check from Coco (yay money!) I am even more in love with Galway when the sun is out :)


Tonite Katie and I are going to Sheila's because her apartment is actually clean! We're going to play a little flippy cup and beer pong, bring some America to Ireland :) After that we'll go out and find a bar. I've been feeling very nostalgic lately so I'm going to consider tonite a small pity party. I am just realizing again that there is no college to go back to when I come home. I don't like to think about it often but at this new job of mine I don't talk to anyone during the day which allows me way too much time to think! I was looking at some old pictures on Facebook and just really miss my apartment and ISU and friends...O well.

This week at work was apparently Charity Week, so Tuesday night I DRAGGED Katie to a "table quiz" at this really cool bar called Busker Brown's. My work was sponsoring this quiz, which is basically teams of 3-5 people answering trivia questions and there are prizes. It's 5 euro per person so that's where the money came from. It actually turned out to be a lot of fun! We knew all the American trivia questions (names of Obama's kids...) and our team kept saying "Thank God for the Yanks! We actually came in 2nd place! We got a 20 euro voucher to "Be A Diva" which the rest of the team just gave to us since we were visitors! These girls were so nice, I really love the girls I work with. Friday was supposed to be Pajama Day at work, which apparently is mortifying to the girls I work with, though Kate and I thought it was a great idea, as any Resite would agree with I'm sure :) Turns out I left work Thursday fully planning on wearing PJs the next day but ran into a girl from work that afternoon and mentioned it, and she told me it was cancelled! I would have been the only one there in pajamas...which, to be honest, I actually would not have minded haha

I just found out Col got into Northeaster, YAY!!!! I'm so excited for her...

Keep your fingers crossed for this weather to stay! I love you all, and miss you more than you know!!
Lots of love,
-Erin

Keep your fingers crossed for our weather to stay