I could not leave Dublin without getting a photo of this place. It's situated on the big main street of Dublin City Centre, O'Connell Avenue. Walking down to grab a taxi after a night out, I always looked for the Happy Ring House--there's something wondrously tacky about this place. The neon lights advertising a place to buy a token of eternal affection combined with a tendency for one of the happy couple to be unlit, as is with the groom in this photo, just really screams elegance, class and the sanctity of matrimony. You just have to love it. :)
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I took this on my last night in Dublin after Phil and I returned from a perfect trip in Killarney. I am really happy with this photo--however, looking at it makes me miss Dublin insane amounts. In such a short amount of time Dublin became a home as I'd never imagined it could.
Upon arriving in City Centre an hour early (with hungry tummies as well) we bought some chips to snack upon and revisited some of favorite places in Dublin, including as pictured here, the Spire. This photo however, is not from this trip actually, but was really taken in my first photo trip to the City Centre in January.
After we were chased out of the Botanic Gardens by a man in a golf cart and incessant bell ringing, Phil and I continued down to City Centre for dinner at Thai Orchid (guess what genre of food they serve) while Robert and Helene returned home. While waiting for our bus we stood in front of a house with this fantastic teal door that I just sort of fell in love with. All of Dublin has fantastically colored doors--the story behind it is that after too many husbands wandered home drunk through the wrong door, the Dublin women painted their doors different colors so that their husbands would find their way home after a long night in Temple Bar. I must say, if I were drunk, I'd want to wander in through this lovely shade of teal.
This bridge in the botanic gardens leads to the rose gardens. I was so excited to revisit this garden having seen roses blossoming in front yards on Collins Avenue. However, upon arriving there, we found about three roses only--very disappointing indeed. But the little green bridge was covered in these wonderfully smelling lavender flowers, the name of which Helene told me, but escapes me now.
Amongst all the parade marchers and floats that rolled down the street, came this lovely little owl floating by. I adored his color and couldn't help but snap a shot of him flying by.
People awaiting the start of the St. Patty's day parade. All of O'Connell street was blockaded off for the parade. It was insanity trying to navigate through these crowds and find a spot to watch.
Oh the lovely green colored crap that one may buy in Dublin on St. Patty's day. A green cowboy hat is just what everyone needs.
This was one of the shops in Camden Lock. I thought it was the most appropriate (and hilarious) name for a children's clothing shop ever. Really reflects well upon the whole childrearing experience.
We wandered all through out the area trying samples before we finally settled on food choices. Tom opted for the African food, Kelly choose an Asian dish and I went for spicy Venezuelan food. Very tasty and the first spicy food I'd had across the pond. We bought mulled wine to wash it all down from one of the vendors in this photo.
Once again I fail at updating consistently. I'm sorry--between finals and traveling, I got a little bit distracted. I'm currently back in the US and am working on putting together photos for a photo book. I've been trying to edit old photos (I'm lame unlike someone I know who already processed all his photos while in Dublin, jerk) and as of such, it's time to post some photos from places that we may have already visited on here. :) Hope you'll enjoy--they aren't the usual caliber (most are just documentary type photos for the book) so don't judge to hard.
Camden Lock, London, England
This is a street market that Kelly, Tom and I went to while in London. It was very lively and had far too many choices for food. So many regions and countries represented at food booths--even Mexico with some slightly suspicious looking fajitas. The mulled wine was fantastic there especially.
Camden Lock, London, England
This is a street market that Kelly, Tom and I went to while in London. It was very lively and had far too many choices for food. So many regions and countries represented at food booths--even Mexico with some slightly suspicious looking fajitas. The mulled wine was fantastic there especially.
For our first lunch in Krakow, Robert, Helene and I went to this wonderful little restaurant and ordered pierogis. For those of you who know my family well, pierogis are pretty much one of the few Polish things that have been passed down. My mom and I make them for Christmas from her grandmother's recipe and they're pretty much amazing. This ones were the type that we make at home--a cottage cheese + sugar filling. One thing different than at home though--we tend to mix in salt/pepper and lemon juice to give it a bit of a sour edge to the sweet which is a nice finish--these ones didn't have that, but instead had a vanilla finish to them. It was a very nice touch and something I'll have to throw in for future Christmases possibly.
Since I got a request to photo a photo of me or two in my travels, here is one of me at the lovely park in the city centre of Krakow, Poland. I loved this park so much (you'll likely see more photos from it)--people were everywhere just enjoying spring time--sitting relaxing, riding bikes, teaching kids to roller-blade, everything. It was so full of life and yet so peaceful I never wanted to leave.
During the trip to Poland, Helene, Robert and I took a trip to the salt mines outside of Krakow. Inside these mines, miners had carved many fantastic things out of the salt rock. A dangerous career path, the miners were highly religious and created several chapels within the mine structure. One of them is an enormous and highly decorated and detailed structure. This photo is of one of the handcrafted chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The crystal beading on it is made of the purest salt crystal that can be mined.
Sorry for the long absence. I have been caught in a whirlwind of papers and travel for the past few weeks and now will be moving into a whirlwind of exams and packing. I have just returned from trips to the Czech Republic, Poland and Austria and now have to prep for finals. Before that, I wrote three papers in about a week and a half. Not fun at all. I'll be attempting to catch up, but it shall be a slow process I'm sure. Until then, here's a little bit of Poland for everyone. I thought she was too cute not to photograph.
If ABC News Covered the First Presidential Debate: LIBERTY HALL, Philadelphia, 1796. Welcome to this ABC News presentation of Vote 96, the first contested presidential election in American history. In 1788 and 1792, the Electoral College unanimously chose George Washington. Now John Adams and Thomas Jefferson are top contenders for the presidency, though, of course, there is a Clinton in the race, New York Governor George Clinton. Adams and Jefferson will be questioned by Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos.
GIBSON: Mr. Jefferson, isn't it true that you once ate at the same tavern table as a Tory sympathizer who 38 years previously might have believed in the overthrow of the United States government?
JEFFERSON: Though I reject the Tory cause, I would defend to the death a man's right to advocate it. What has your question to do with anything?
STEPHANOPOULOS: Vice President Adams, recently you told a closed-door meeting of fundraisers the Whiskey Rebellion began because backwoods Pennsylvania citizens are "bitter" and "cling to muskets and Methodism." Doesn't this statement prove you are an elitist, a phony, can't win and also are nowhere near as smart as me?
ADAMS: Voters wish to know about the French Revolution, state's rights, relations with Upper Canada, the controversy over the First Bank, the rumors of discovery of a smallpox vaccine. Prithee question me on any such matter of importance, sir.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Mr. Jefferson, you said that during the French and Indian War, you visited the site of the Battle of Ticonderoga, and "there were arrows whizzing all around my head." YouTube videos surfaced showing that on the date in question, you were actually attending class at the College of William and Mary. Though you have already apologized for this mistake 700 times, please apologize again. Be sure to grovel, and please make some tiny slip-up in choice of words so we have fresh material to obsess over.
JEFFERSON: What is YouTube?
GIBSON: Mr. Adams, you said you were in the family pew at your Unitarian church when your pastor advocated abolitionism. Then when pandering to voters in South Carolina, you said you were not in church that day. Isn't this the seeming appearance of the possibility of a pattern of contradictions?
ADAMS: Good sir, I prefer to speak of the issues, such as the John Treaty. Excuse me, I meant the Jay Treaty.
STEPHANOPOULOS & GIBSON TOGETHER: Gaffe! Gaffe! [They high-five each other.]
GIBSON: Mr. Jefferson, previously you opposed the Second Amendment, and you have cut verses out of your personal Bible because you don't believe in miracles. Now your leaflets say you love guns and God so much that you shoot firearms in church. When was the last time you actually fired a gun?
JEFFERSON: I do not see that as relevant.
GIBSON: [Pulls out a musket] Here is a musket. When loading, which do you force down the barrel first, the wadding or the powder? Anyone who often fires a gun can answer that.
JEFFERSON: He threatens us with a flintlock -- attack him! [Audience charges the stage.]
GIBSON: Oh -- the crowd is turning on me.
Love it--two of my favorite American historical figures (now that's a top ten list I should compile one day while bored). Not only is it highly amusing and historically nerdy, it also gives me a reason to use a 1776 icon. My only complaints however are the association with Obama as Adams and Clinton with Jefferson. It seems like it should be the other way around. Jefferson is the lofty idealist who could inspire as he did in the Declaration of Independence--this is closer to the 'rock star' image of Obama. Adams on the other hand, while not a personally charming individual, was an incredibly tough and dedicated fighter, much more policy orientated like Clinton. The point however still stands--posterity isn't going to care about some guy Obama chaired a charity organization with--it's going to care what he saw as America's problems and how he attempted to fix them--not whether he was wearing a flag pin on his lapel while he did it.
And with that, I shall leave you with this magnificent quote from 1776 to ponder:
Ben Franklin: Don't worry, John. The history books will clean it up.
John Adams: It doesn't matter. I won't be in the history books anyway, only you. Franklin did this and Franklin did that and Franklin did some other damn thing. Franklin smote the ground and out sprang George Washington, fully grown and on his horse. Franklin then electrified him with his miraculous lightning rod and the three of them- Franklin, Washington, and the horse- conducted the entire revolution by themselves.
[ pause]
Franklin: I like it.
I took this in City Centre in March and just never wanted to work on it due to an issue with the sky. Phil suggested I crop it and I am very glad indeed that I took his advice because I'm rather pleased with the end result. I wish the sky was as beautiful today--unfortunately it's been rather cold, gray and rainy as of late.
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