Picture Post 3 -- Around the City

Since I have arrived the weather has been amazingly beautiful. We have only had rain once and it was light rain for just a few hours. These pictures are from my first few trips around town. I am trying to learn to navigate as streets are rarely marked. It seems as if, in Cork City, one must rely on landmarks to make their way around so I am learning by trial and error where things are!


As usual, picture captions are underneath the image. Enjoy!

I'm on the 4th floor of my apartment complex...
Here is an outside view of my building...
These are hung on poles all around the river just in case someone falls in and needs to be rescued. They are rather silly looking but I suppose it's always a good idea to be prepared!
My cab driver told me that this is going to be one of the tallest buildings in Ireland.
This is a random stone wall of Brooks Pharmacy. This sort of stonework is everywhere in Cork.

Here is a view of town from a window in my building. This is a shot of the beautiful blue sky and the tower of Holy Trinity Church.

This is a shot of "Father Mathew Quay" on the south channel of the River Lee. The river runs through Cork in 2 channels, the south and the north. It is sort of a guiding point for navigating.

The quays on both sides of the south channel of the River Lee.
As you can see, it was a beautiful day with spotty clouds and sunshine! The river is very calm and mirror-like most of the time.

These stone walls are all over Cork. As you can see, they are very tall and I have found that when you're going down a street that is "walled in" like this it makes navigating a little more difficult because you can't see what is around you at all! But they are pretty... This is St. Fin Barre's Cathedral.
Another shot, over the hedge that surrounds St. Fin Barre's...
Last but not least, here is a picture of the amazing angel statue on one of the roof peaks.

As always, more pictures are on there way, so keep reading!

Picture Post 2 -- A Visual Tour of My New Home!

Ok folks, I know you wanted to see this and really feel like you're here with me, so here is literally a tour of my en suite apartment I'm sharing with 2 other girls.
Welcome to Copley Court! Come on in! Here's our front door.Here's the kitchen/living area we share.

Here is my suite.

See? It really is mine!
Lets go in. I'll show you around.

I have my own shower!!! I don't have to share it with 26 other girls! YES!!!
It's a tiny sink! Obviously I had to take a picture of that!
What's behind the double doors? Could it be...
It's a closet! And a clean, organized one at that!
A tidy little desk, too! YAY! What's behind the drapes...
A door to...
The balcony! Yes folks, I share a balcony with one of the girls I live with. It's cool. By the way, that slab of stones and places to sit is the "courtyard" for the apartment complex I'm in. Can you tell I'm in the city now?!
See the wall on the left? That is the way the old streets and neighborhoods join the "new" places.

Cool looking sign on the back of a building I can see from the balcony...

Last but not least, my favorite place on Earth right now with all the jet-lag -- BED!

Hope you enjoyed your "tour"!

Picture Post 1 -- Getting Here

Here are some pictures from my flights to Ireland!


Info/captions are written below the photo.


I began at Boston's Logan Airport, connected in London's Heathrow Airport with a 5 hour layover, and then I took an "airbus" to the airport in Cork, Ireland.

Entering New Hampshire...

The traveling companion I bought at Logan... We hit a little turbulence as we approached England... This is what it looked like when we landed in Heathrow...

But by the time I went through passport checks, customs and security dawn was breaking!

Jet-Lag-R-Us! Don't I look happy about a 5 hour layover?

The gate that my plane "might come in on" as I was told by the woman who checked my pass. It was actually gate 90...whatever. I got there and that's all that matters!

Leaving Heathrow seemed to take forever...

NOTE: It was a very hazy day, so sorry for the grey-looking pictures.

After descending from the clouds this was my first glimpse of Ireland.

Here's a little coast. And a boat! And here's where I started grinning like a goon and got really really excited.

More green! It's hard to tell, but most of the lines you see dividing the properties seemed to be shrubs and trees. It's pretty cool looking.
So yeah. It's true. There are 40 shades of green. And a lot of brown tones, too.
Note the giant cluster of houses towards the top. I have no idea what it is.
Huge quarry? I'm not sure about this one either...
RUNWAY SHOT! I made it! And there is even MORE green!

UPDATE!

AFTER A LONG, QUIET SUMMER I'M BACK!

I AM EMBARKING ON MY NEW ADVENTURES AND MY SEMESTER IN IRELAND AND WILL BE POSTING TONS OF THINGS!

BE SURE TO KEEP CHECKING BACK FOR MORE PICTURES, STORIES AND NEW THINGS I'VE LEARNED!