Cobh

Whitney, Rob, and I took the train to Cobh (pronounced Cove), which is where the Titanic stopped the last time before setting sail across the Atlantic. There is a museum there that has lots of fascinating information about emigration from Ireland in 19th and 20th centuries. We spotted a really cool cathedral up on the hill that we wandered up to later in the day to walk off our lunch before heading back to Cork.

St. Colman's Cathedral


The inside of St. Coleman's

Galway Girls

Happy New Year! I've been neglecting my blogging lately, but not due to any lack of material. The new year has been a busy one so far and it doesn't appear that it will slow down any time soon. Two of my friends from Missoula are visiting me in Cork right now and they want to see everything they can, and I want to do it with them AND somehow balance school in with it all. I haven't had to be in school in January for the past 3 years and it's wild to be in my second week of the third quarter!

I recently took the girls to Kinsale, Blarney, and Galway, but I'm going to skip the blog of Kinsale and Blarney for now since I've already been there and you've already seen photos, but here's Galway!

The Burren Area (limestone)

We found loads of snails hanging out in the Burren.

Be Careful - Cliffs of Moher

There were loads and loads of fossils in the stones used to build the stairs around the cliffs. We probably looked like fools taking pictures of the stairs, but there was some really interesting fossils in them!

The Cliffs of Moher

A Swedish Christmas Festivus

I went to Stockholm for Christmas, where it was unusually windy, warm, and snow-free, to see Hannes and his extended family. I didn't take a lot of pictures because I was mostly hanging around the house with everybody eating, drinking, and being merry. Their family is absolutely amazing. The food we ate was delicious, and there was always enough food to feed a medium-sized army. I tried eel and a type of deer that is only in Europe but I was only told the name in Swedish and I can't remember it now (maybe red deer??). All of it was tasty! On my last day, I finally made it out and about to a museum in the palace and took a long walk around the city before flying out.

The table set for Christmas Dinner

Beautiful sunset views from the top floor of the apartment building. The sun sets around 3 o'clock this time of year - very strange.

Hannes as Santa Claus

Stockholm

The Palace

The Trek to Northern Ireland

My friend Erin arrived in Ireland last week so we whisked her up to Northern Ireland with a one night stop in Dublin. We took a tour bus through the glens of Antrim to Giant's Causeway and then to the Bushmills Distillery and back. It was a beautiful sunny day. The trip was quick but fun!
Carrikfergus Castle

Boats in the marina

Near Carrick a Rede

Stunning coastline

A little cave we found while exploring at one of the tour stops

Giant's Causeway!!!

Big ol' basalt columns

HUGE wave and LOTS of wind

Wall of basalt columns

School of BEES (Biological, Earth, & Environmental Sciences) Christmas Party

The geology graduate students and Ed organised this fun little event. The party was held at a pub just down the street from my apartment, so that was convenient. There was DJ, mulled wine, all sorts of silly prizes, and lots of dancing and fun.

Ellie, our professor Ken, Sarah, and Me.

Eithne and her gingerbread house prize

The TRUE Christmas spirit - Eithne and Baptiste

Christmas Time in Cork

The Cork Christmas Market opened last weekend and I finally had the chance to go. It's really small, but there are a lot of really delicious food stalls. Lots of cookies and cakes, roasted chestnuts, burgers, brats, and even a chocolate fountain! Next to the Christmas Market, there is a small park that is closed for the month of December except for after dark during the Christmas Market, and it's decorated really cutesy.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas (I think) in Gaelic.

The gingerbread people

Lights!

For a country that doesn't get much snow, this is what they can produce from memory.

The traditional Christmas . . . . mushrooms?

My letter is on the way :)
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