Why Aren't You Watching the Road?! : Our First Impressions in Ireland

Ireland is wonderful, to sum things up simply and neatly. We were drawn to its lovely rolling hills and beautiful rocky coastline. People are genuinely friendly, and perhaps a cynic would insist that the friendliness is only because we were obviously tourists, but we never felt that way during our visit. Even Dublin, one of the larger cities in Ireland, has a very welcoming and comfortable feeling. You don’t feel like a stranger in Ireland- a visitor, yes, but never like an outsider. Perhaps our excellent experience can be highly attributed to our incomparable hosts, Erin and Terry.



Before I really get going, I have to say “thank you” so sincerely to them. They welcomed us to their home, put us on interesting paths to follow, and really made our vacation an incredible event. I hope we can return the favor one day.

To address the title of this post, I have to explain that one of the first things you are likely to do when you arrive in Ireland, is have to drive somewhere. Perhaps you will not be doing the driving (this is wise), but you will find yourself in some form of public transportation or a private car. Unless you are from Ireland, the UK, or Japan, you will probably feel nauseated for the duration of your time in this beautiful country. Of course, I’m referring to the driving- on the other side of the road. You might think it will not affect you, but I can only say that I, personally, was proven so wrong in this opinion. Because the Irish are used to driving on the wrong side of the road (har har har), they drive very fast and, in some cases, rather recklessly. You might consider saving your Dramamine for the ride upon landing, instead of wasting it on the plane ride. I am only looking out for your well-being.

Terry was kind enough to drive within a reasonable speed, and for that I thank him heartily. Still, every turn brought fear to my being- we were going the wrong way! It’s hard to teach your brain not to fear this reverse maneuvering. I gave up and just tried to watch the beautiful cities and country pass me by, instead of looking forward while in a moving vehicle.

Now I’ve gone and scared you off, eh? I can assure you that if you choose to visit any part of the Irish coast, your arrival at the sea will make the journey all worth while.



I love the ocean. Being able to stand next to the Atlantic and feel the salty breeze on my face was enough to make me want to pack up all of my belongings and leave my landlocked German home far behind.



Of course, we were able to recognize the very real aspects of daily life, which are not so different from life in the United States. Housing is similar, although decidedly more European in form. The country has several types of public transportation, and cars are smaller than in America but nearly as prevalent. Shopping may be done at small markets, in boutiques or department stores, or even in some large malls. English is spoken nearly always, but all signs include the Irish language. There is a blend of commerce similar to that seen in the United States, shoved together into a much smaller space. Google has a headquarters in Dublin, but you can buy hand-spun yarn from Irish sheep a few miles down the road at the Dun Laoghaire farmer’s market each Sunday. These aspects of life seem well-balanced and appealing.

In addition to the natural beauty of Ireland, there is an inherent charm and magic about the island. Somewhere within the fascinating history of Celtic culture and its modern counterparts, the lovely sound and look of the Gaelic language, the stoic stone architecture and the sincere inhabitants of the country, it is easy to become immersed in a permanent daydream. Tolkein wrote, “Not all who wander are lost.” I think those who wander in Ireland are happy to lose themselves, for a time.

Obviously I've been busy, or I would have updated this blog a week ago! After six long, painfully-unemployed months, I'm finally a member of the workforce once again. I'm making "individually handcrafted" drinks at the new coffee shop at the Enlisted Club. So far, so good! Mostly I'm thankful to be out of my apartment sometimes, to have a way to meet people and earn some extra money. Coffee is not my career choice, but it's kind of nice to know that I've developed a skill that can be a side job at any time in my life. Thanks to 7th Street Starbucks for my education. :o)

Along those lines, it looks like we'll be keeping Josh's Honda. It's going to be too much hassle for both of us to work with only one car. If his schedule were more average we could probably figure something out. As it stands, we need the car at conflicting times. The vicious cycle begins- you want a job, so you need a car, and then you need your job to keep the car. I hate cars so much. In the end, I hate being unemployed more, so we'll own two cars.

Like so many others, we've been enjoying various Olympic competitions. We have yet to catch the gymnastics! Mostly, we've watched water sports- swimming, diving, water polo, and lots of rowing. I caught some of the equestrian events; Germany took a gold medal in one division. We also saw that GREAT basketball game between the US and Spain! I've never been very interested in sports, so watching Kobe for the first time was really eye-opening for me. He is an incredible athlete! So fast! So good a slam dunking! Did I mention, fast?! I actually enjoyed that game, especially the first half, when the score was very close.

Speaking of the Olympics, my little brother (Tim) looks like Phelps!

Phelps

My brother.

Well, I swear he looks more like Phelps than this picture makes it seem. They have very different noses, but Tim tends to let his hair get all messy, and he looks older now (the photo of him is from last December).

Maggie is finally getting to run free over here, thanks to a few friends with backyards. She's also getting to be more socialized with other dogs. It's so great to see her running around at full speed (and gosh, is she fast!), chasing sticks and digging holes and being a hound. She's also much more vocal about things now; she's been barking on and off the entire time I've been typing. She doesn't get the "mom's working" concept. It's all about her, all the time. :o)
Here, she's getting some help before a walk. We've also discovered that she HATES to be wet, and I don't just mean after a bath. She and I have been stuck in a few rain showers during walks, and I've never seen her so angry with me! Being wet is obviously not cool.

I can't think of anything else to write, so I'll stop. If Josh has something to share, he'll do it soon. Take care!

France: A First Impression

First impressions are the most important, and I’d have to sum up our opinion of France in one word: Fabulous.

We put a full day-off to good use, doing our sightseeing in Strasbourg on a Wednesday. Matt and Katie joined us. It’s nice to have weekdays off, because things are actually open when you visit a new city. Strasbourg is just under two hours away from our home town, almost directly south. The trouble is, driving directly south would take us through the very narrow, hilly roads that mark the boarder between Germany and France (in this area, at least); we opted to take the longer, flatter, faster drive via autobahns. Josh certainly got to test the car’s abilities on the no-speed-limit sections.

When we crossed the boarder, there was no one there to check anything! I was a little bit bummed out; I’d hoped to get a stamp on my passport. It seems that they only check in eastern European countries by road, or if you are on a train. Oh well.


Frank Krahmer/Getty Images

The French countryside did look a little bit different from our area of Germany. It had more gently rolling hills, and there were many fields growing corn. In the distance, we saw the Jura mountain range, which is just north of the Alps. When we reached the city limits, we noticed more differences. The French use transformer towers, much like you’d see in the United States. There were entire fenced-in areas of power plants. In Germany, we usually see windmills. Also, we drove past about one mile of car sales lots. We felt we had been transported to the states!

We found a parking garage with minimal issue (although we did get to drive the wrong way on a one-way street for a little while…) and set out to explore the oldest parts of Strasbourg, which is in the French state of Alsace. This area of France has a varied cultural history, since it was frequently traded between countries. Strasbourg maintains a French identity with lots of Germanic influence. We noticed this most in the foods native to the region- but more on food later! The old town is situated between the branches of the River Ill- a tributary of the Rhine- and a mini-island is formed. So many buildings are crammed into this relatively small area! We began at the south-western part of the old city, known as Petit France. The name is misleading; it was given in reference to the clinics there, which used to treat the “French disease”- syphilis! ** Luckily, it’s all shops and homes today.

We made our way through many chic clothing shops. In my estimation, even French in the countryside have better fashion taste than the Germans from my area! We stumbled upon several of the churches that dot the old city, each seeming older and grander than the last. Winding through the city streets is a modern tram system. It looked very nice, but we chose to keep to the sidewalks instead. Don’t let that statement fool you- everyone in Strasbourg jay walks constantly. There were more people in the streets, than cars! We found a bakery that sold Ben and Jerry’s by the scoop… and were drawn in. I had my first experience trying to order food in French. It was silly. First of all, I really only knew how to say numbers… as in “un” paired with vigorous pointing. I couldn’t remember how to say “thank you,” and instead said “please” several times. But after all was finished, we ended up with our baguettes and ice cream, and we enjoyed them in Place Kleber.



We continued through the pedestrian zone, finding a Sephora along the way. I have to make a note- Sephora in France just isn’t as good as Sephora in the states. I expected some fancy stuff, more high-end than you could find in the US due to the huge fashion scene in France. I was let down. They actually carried L’Oreal Paris in the Sephora! Surprised- an understatement!

Eventually, all of our minimal-direction walking landed us at the front of the amazing cathedral of Strasbourg. Until Cologne and Ulm took the spotlight, Strasbourg had the tallest cathedral in the entirety of Catholicism. I’ve seen the cathedral at Cologne, and while it is massively impressive, I think that the Strasbourg cathedral is more beautiful. See for yourself!





We walked through to observe the massive organ, stunning rose window, and incredible stained glass. There was a stone-carved depiction of the Garden of Gethsemane, as well as a really detailed astronomical clock. Sadly, the clock only “goes off” (cuckoo-style apocalyptic judgment scenes) at noon, so we missed it for the day. Katie noticed a carved placard near the clock, which was a monument of thanks to the American soldiers who had fought for the region’s independence from German rule during the Second World War. It was touching.

Next stop (after a very busy but FREE public bathroom) was the Palais Rohan. This palace sits between the cathedral and one of the canals of the Ill River.



It is a beautiful building, which was built for the Rohan family. They played important roles in both religious and secular life in Strasbourg, and therefore had enough money and influence to create a grand palace in an excellent location. The Palais Rohan now houses three museums- an archaeology museum, a decorative arts museum, and the Musée des Beaux-Arts. We four visited the fine art museum and viewed works by el Greco, Goya, Monet, van Dyck, Rubens, and others. It was mostly medieval art, which doesn’t exactly float my boat, but there were some nice pieces.

By the time we finished viewing fine art, we had large appetites to fill. We wandered (again) into a little alley near the Ill and found several small restaurants and cafes all pushed together into a plaza-like outdoor seating area. After purchasing some jewelry from Asia (I got a great enameled bangle), we decided to eat at the Café Rohan. The boys chose the classic European standby- oven-fired pizzas. Katie had this fantastic-looking pasta dish with penne, roasted veggies, and cheese. I wanted to try something specific to Alsace-Lorraine, but foie gras (which originated there) and sauerkraut (which is très populaire) didn’t sound overly appetizing. I chose a local specialty, les pommes de terre avec le fromage de chèvre. Yes, I’ll explain. It was potatoes cooked in an onion-cream sauce with goat cheese and bits of bacon. I chose a glass of champagne to accompany. Having some true champagne at an outdoor restaurant in France was a fun experience. My meal was absolutely fabulous!

To finish our evening, we went on a search for specific souvenirs, and some crêpes. We failed in the crêpe department, mostly because we walked past too many shops, expecting more options… and there were no more. Next trip! I did find an embroidered “France” patch- I collect those from every country I visit. We chose not to purchase any of the renowned Alsacean pottery on this trip, but if you ever visit you should check it out- it’s quite beautiful.

Overall, Strasbourg was a charming city, and had a very different feeling from many German towns, which made us feel as though we’d really experienced a different culture. We cannot wait to see more of France! Don’t forget that more photos are available on our piacasa page. Sadly, Josh’s camera battery died, so we have limited photos of this trip. Thanks for tuning in! Visit France, you’ll have fun!


**Note: In Germany and Italy, syphilis was called the French disease. In France, they called it the Italian disease. Go figure!

Short Updates

Hello all, just a few notes since we haven't written in over a week, I believe.

~ Our car is confirmed as "in transit," which means it's somewhere on the Atlantic, most likely.

~ We may take our trip to Ikea tomorrow, although it's hard to go through with it because the exchange rate is so awful.

~ We are doing another 5K this Saturday! Hopefully we will each improve upon our times.

~ There is only one cardboard box left in our apartment. There are lots of things strewn about the floors, however. This is mostly the case in the red room. The trip to Ikea will fix the problem.

~ Auto insurance is a huge rip-off over here. You have to insure your vehicle for over 2 million EURO. Nuts!

~ Josh improved his qualification score at the latest range, so kudos to him! He also got this (funny-looking) new badge for his uniform because he's been doing his job for a while, or something. Either way, two new things for the uni, sweet. Way to go, babe!

~ I (Becky) am headed back the the states in just a few weeks. I'll be in IL, PA, NJ, MD, and possibly OH. This will be for a good portion of the month of June. Let me know if you are around so I can visit you!

I think that's all for now. Of course I'll put any photos from our second 5K on our page. Who knows, if we get our act together on this set off (Josh's days off) we might even set up our master web page, with links to all of these other pages. It will probably be easier to just remember one page to visit, instead of multiple things. Don't you think?