Alghero, Italia

Italy...what else can I say. It is truly as amazing as everyone makes it out to be. And not only did I venture off to Italy this past weekend...I went to the southern Italian island of Sardinia, to a city called Alghero. This place was so beautiful...and the 75-degree sun-shining weather was a nice break from chilly Dublin.

Katie and I went to Alghero together, not knowing what to expect. Our plane landed, and we walked out of the tiny airport to a warm evening breeze. Amongst all of the palm trees and Italians in black leather jackets lighting up their cigs, we found a taxi to take us to our Bed and Breakfast. Everything was going perfectly...I mean for the fact that the man who was driving us drove like a weathered Italian...until the taxi came to a sudden stop to allow a woman to cross the street and we get hit by the car behind us. Yes, that's right folks, I got into a car accident in Italy before I even unpacked my bags. It probably sounds more serious than it is though...Katie and I spent the entire rest of the taxi ride trying not to laugh.

We arrived at our Bed and Breakfast, which is on the top floor of older Italian villa-looking building (the sixth floor, since none of the building there were more than around six floors). The owner was so friendly and spoke great English, which was nice, because virtually NOBODY in Alghero spoke English (and my Italian was limited to Ciao). We got to our room...which turned out to be the penthouse honeymoon suite! In our suite was a beautifully decorated bedroom with a king sized bed, a fridge stocked full of Italian breakfast foods and cookies, a hallway with a dining table, a lovely bathroom and a private balcony which looked over the entire city all the way to the ocean. Katie and I were shocked, and just jumped up and down a few times on the bed.

The rest of our four day trip to Alghero consisted of eating amazing Sardinian food, which specializes in Seafood, lying on the white sandy beaches, drinking wine, cappuccino and limoncello at small Italian cafes and renting bicycles to ride along the coast. It was amazing, and the pictures will speak for themselves.

Next weekend, I am going to Paris! So, here are the pictures from Italy...again, thank you Mom and Dad for making this all possible.

Northern Ireland

I knew little about the conflicts in Ireland until I arrived in Dublin. Yes, I had heard about the IRA and even wikipedia'd some information, but I never knew the magnitude of the conflicts which so recently took place in Northern Ireland. Taking a trip to Belfast and Derry really opened my eyes to so many events and so much history I would have been ignorant to otherwise.

In Belfast, the feel of the place was so uncomfortable. There were murals everywhere which sent messages of two sides of a past conflict; a conflict which still divided Belfast physically with a wall in the middle of the city dividing the Loyalist and Republican parts of the city.

Derry was amazing. Not only did I learn so much about the civil rights movements there as well as the tragic Bloody Sunday, but we got to have a question and answer session with the sister of a victim of Bloody Sunday who was murdered by British Paratroopers. Seeing video and hearing audio from Bloody Sunday really made the whole experience come alive for me, and moved me in a way. Not so long ago were people suffering, and still people were divided.

I did love the town of Derry though. It was one of those small comfortable places that you just automatically feel at home in. If I could recommend any town in Ireland to visit, it would be Derry.

We also did some sight seeing, which you will see pictures below.

I am also happy to say that Obama has won the presidency! This event has meaning of such magnitude I can barely wrap my mind around it. Who would have thought that my generation could have the strength to make real change. It was my first presidential election as well, and getting to see results I favor is wonderful.

This weekend I am going to Alghero, which is on the Island of Sardinia in Italy. I'm so excited, so stay tuned for a great blog entry!

Here are pictures from the weekend in Northern Ireland, including Halloween!

Above: One of the 8 Geological Wonders of the World in Ireland: "Giant's Causeway"

Below: Me after crossing the rope bridge

Above: In Northern Ireland, and just past the ocean is the border of Scotland!

Below: There were so many people dressed up as Joker!

Above: My halloween costume: grrrrr.

Below: Don, placing his hand next to the bullet holes that were left in a wall in Derry...similar to those used on Bloody Sunday by paratroopers.

Above and Below: A monastery and a church, both in Northern Ireland.

Above: A cool painting of the Beatles in Belfast.

Below: In Derry, the Irish flag.

Above: Me crossing the Rope Bridge in Derry

Below: Me and friends at Giant's Causeway

Above: Me on the middle of the rope bridge!