The Great Search for Sheep

I realize this is a bit late, but I have been really busy! (well, not really, I should have been really busy, but mostly I sat around watching movies) But the biggest thing that happened since my last post was that Mom and Dad came to visit me! It wasn't a surprise or anything, I knew when they were coming, but it was so great getting to show them Ireland! They arrived early in the morning, a Wednesday, and left early in the morning the following Tuesday. They got a rental car, so I was going to take advantage of the 'free lift' around the country, instead of paying for a bus. We went all over the country in the few short days they were here, and I had a great time!

'It's a bit cold!' The Cliffs of Moher 

They arrived on a day that I had class, but unfortunately it turned out to be the nicest day, weather wise, all week. They were jet-lagged and I wasn't around, so they stayed in their hotel room all day (it was, however, a nice hotel room :)) The next day I was in class too, so they went to the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren because I had already been there. I woke up that morning to the rain and wind whipping my window, and I knew it was going to be a rough day to be there. Despite the Cliffs being 700 ft above the water, on Irish windy days (meaning really windy), the spray from the ocean reaches the tops of the cliffs. Combine that with the rain from above, it makes for a miserable time. But the cliffs are still really pretty, and the Burren is unique, so they at least got to see some really beautiful sights...

Mom at the Burren

Trinity College, Dublin

After Thursday, I was on spring break (for the entire week, up through Easter and finally started classes again today). We decided that Friday would be the easiest day to go to Dublin, as it was on a Friday and we felt there would be less traffic. We were right about the traffic, we didn't have much of a problem (with others, anyways; at that point Dad was still getting the hang of driving on the left and shifting with the left hand haha). Unfortunately, though, it was raining buckets all day and we walked the most there. Mom had her rain poncho (which I think she got in France when we went more than ten years ago, but those things never go 'out of style': you pretty much get the one look and that's it) and Dad had his waterproof jacket, but I don't even own one. I have two umbrellas, but I didn't bring either of them with me to Dublin, which was probably for the best. Every single trash can we walked by on the streets was stuffed full of broken umbrellas, and on every corner there were a few spider-like shells of the umbrellas that had broken because of the wind. I wish I would have gotten a picture of one, but it was raining so much I didn't want to break my camera...it looked like a sad graveyard of umbrellas. Anyways, in Dublin we ate lunch to start off, then headed over to Trinity College, Ireland's oldest and most well known university. It was so pretty, but again with the rain, it kind of took away from the moment. We then headed to the Irish museum of Archeology. That was pretty cool; it was in a beautiful. old building, and there were a bunch of displays of artifacts discovered in Ireland. The things I found to be the most interesting were the 'bog bodies': the remains of individuals,  that date back to 300 B.C, that were discovered in various bogs throughout Ireland, that were remarkably well-preserved. After the museum, we headed over to Dublin Castle, but with our luck, it was closed for the day (some government event was being held there...lame), but we got to see the outside and the famous 'library', Chester Beatty Library, and saw the oldest surviving copy of Paul's letter to the Corinthians. Unfortunately, pictures weren't allowed, and we followed the rules so didn't get any pictures. After that, we headed out to find souvenirs. We eventually got to a mall in on the Dublin's suburbs (trying to find a Build-a-Bear Workshop for Katie and Morgan's gifts). The mall's directory was the coolest thing ever: it was a touch screen, you would find the place you were looking for, and it had a step-by-step map, from where you were to where you were going!

Dublin Castle

Rock of Cashel

The next day we headed to Cashel, to see the Rock of Cashel-an old castle that was eventually given to the church and converted into a cathedral, but is now in ruins. It was really beautiful, and sits on a hill that overlooks the town and the countryside. We got a lot of great pictures, and though it was chilly, it didn't rain, so that was a plus. My dad had stated that morning that he hadn't seen a single sheep since they had gotten there, and he was beginning to wonder if they were a myth. That morning, we still didn't see any sheep (any real ones anyway, there was a sign with one on it though), but as we were headed from Cashel to our next stop, Waterford, we came across an entire grove of them! Dad was so excited that he pulled over and got out to take a picture with them. When we got to Waterford, one of the oldest established towns in Ireland, we got to tour the Waterford Crystal Factory (well, not the original factory, as that had closed in 2008, but the new, smaller one in the town). Waterford crystal is known throughout the world, and it was amazing getting to see it actually cut and sculpted. We got to see a lot of cool pieces, some already completed and some still in progress: we saw the workers blowing the glass into shape, then cutting the grooves into it, and finally the bigger, sculpted pieces, some of which take months to complete. It is one of the coolest, most challenging arts I have ever seen: in order to make the Waterford crystal, the person must complete a 10 year long apprenticeship, and that is just in one discipline (blowing, cutting, or sculpting)! 

Cutting the vase: flawlessly

'Where are all the sheep? I haven't seen a single one!'

'Here they are!' Mom and Dad's first Irish sheep sighting

Sunday consisted of a lot of driving. We started the day off with mass, of course, as it was Palm

Dingle Peninsula

Sunday, but then headed out to the Dingle Peninsula for the day. Dingle is a tiny, vacation (or 'holiday' as they call it here) town, so is very quiet in the off-season, and even more quiet on a Sunday. The peninsula is exactly what it sounds like, though, and you go there not for the activities but to see the landscape. It was beautiful: we drove along the coast and saw the ocean. We stopped to take a picture of the beach, but we didn't actually touch the water, it was too cold for that. After Dingle, we headed back west towards Limerick, but we first wanted to stop in County Cork to at least see where our family came from. This was good in theory, but made for an...interesting...adventure. We programmed in Enniskean, the town where our Faricy ancestors were known to be from, into the GPS, but the problem arose when the GPS took us on the TINIEST, out of the way. middle of nowhere, backroads. It didn't help that it was dark out, so was extremely stressful. We eventually found the town, took a picture with the sign, and then headed back to Limerick (which took us a while, as the GPS kept taking us on back roads when we wanted to stay on the main ones).

Enniskean, where the Faricys are from!

Mom and Dad on 'The Living Bridge', University of Limerick

Monday was the last day, and one of the nicest ones of their stay, as it was sunny at least. It was still windy and cold, but it was better than rain! We spent the morning walking around campus, which is rather large and sits on what used to be a family's farm, so is beautiful. We then went to Galway, which is the most 'college town' you get in Ireland, just filled with students. We wanted to see it, as it is rather well known,  but I also wanted a Claddagh ring for my birthday present (you aren't supposed to buy them for yourself, so this was my compromise :)). For those who don't know what a Claddagh ring is, it is a very old, traditional ring that consists of hands holding a heart with a crown on the top of it. It is supposed to symbolize loyalty or friendship, and is sometimes even used as an engagement ring. They are really pretty and unique to Ireland. We went back to the hotel, and Mom and Dad finally tasted their first Guinness (neither were big fans: they ordered one for the both of them, and took all of 5 sips altogether...) That night we said our goodbyes, :(, as they were leaving very early in the morning. I watched as my mom tried to stuff all the souvenirs that she had bought into her one, smallish suitcase, backpack, and purse (she did eventually get it all in, I was really impressed). 

My Claddagh ring! I love it so much!

That was pretty much how much Guinness was left when they were finished...

The rest of my spring break was very boring, but relaxing. Most of my friends were traveling for the week, so I was by myself. Orla, my Irish roommate down the hall, was actually here all week as well, but she spent most of it at the library (she is a fourth year, and studies all the time), so it was extremely quiet. I watched all the Harry Potter movies and countless other movies and TV shows online. On Saturday, I skyped with my aunt and godmother, Tina, and my family was there (looking at the house Grandma Maki wants to buy). Easter Sunday, I got to skype with my family again during dinner. It was fun getting to talk to cousins and Grandma and Grandpa Faricy. Dad even put the web cam up in the dining room while they ate (I got to 'sit' at the adult table, which doesn't always happen when I am home for holidays). It was one of the most relaxing holidays ever. Today was my first day back to classes, as I said before, but it really doesn't count because I only had one class. I worked out my finals schedule, and it turns out I only have to take two finals (yay!). But between then and now, I have a few papers to write and reading to do. I have about 6 weeks left before I head back to the good old USA, but I have so much more to do still! This weekend I am going to Barcelona, then the following weekend is Finland! So excited for both of them!

P.S. I got two pieces of mail today: one from Grandma and Grandpa Faricy, one from Mrs. Ortiz. Thanks so much, I get so happy whenever I get mail :)

This pretty much sums up Dad's experiences in Ireland :P