Remember Belfast?

We went to Belfast on the 13th of April to the 15th. It was the first time that either of us (Katie or me) had ever been to Ireland, so we were both flying by the set of our pants. This turned out to be somewhat of a shame, considering if we had booked things in advance, they would have been cheaper.... But I am jumping ahead of myself.

They first day was as I said in my other posting about Belfast (Kiss me, I'm Irish...). That night we did dress up and go out. We had a hard time finding a pub that was not either really full or just had older people in it, but once we found a pub that was lively, we stayed. It was fun. We met some siblings (2 brothers and a sister) who were out with all of their friends. They welcomed us into their group and we had a fun time trying to figure out what they were saying :) I don't mean that in a mean way, it was just that their accents were very strong and the music was very loud. Katie and I kept on looking at each other for translation, or asking them to repeat. Once I think I asked a guy to spell the word he was saying. It was all very funny.
The next day I had hoped to go out into the country, but we realized too late that any transport into the country would be very expensive. If we had booked the bus at least, a week earlier, we could have done it easy! But we had not thought of it, so we were stuck in the city. I am not really complaining though. We found ways of occupying ourselves.
That night we went to another, apparently famous bar, for their live music. It was SOO amazing! There were three older men. they each played so many different instruments (not at the same time) that I cant remember which one was which. I was so sad to not get a CD they were THAT good. And then there were people dancing traditional Irish dancing, which just made it ALL the better. The only annoying part was that there were these women who would gather at the entrance and beg. And not just like, sitting there with a cup, but they would come and push you and try to convince you that you really had money to spare. I was so afraid that they would gang up and pull out my pockets! But they didn't and when there were more men around they would bug them more than us girls. It was very funny, since at one point some of them had fake flowers that they would "sell" you, and this guy bought one to give to me! It was very flattering. I just felt bad for the guy though, since after he bought one the lady kept on saying that he should buy me another one! So that was a fun souvenir: a fake flower.
The next day we again wandered the city until our flight. It was not very long, so we went to a cafe and enjoyed listening to all the people talking around us. I really did love hearing the Irish accent for real. I mean, you can hear it in movies and such, yet its so much more obvious when the people are not speak a script, but just having a common conversation in their local cafe :) I loved it.
That was about it! I would highly suggest going to Ireland... but I would also suggest planning a bit more ahead than Katie and I :)




Academical .... that just didn't sound right to Katie and I, so I had to take a picture :)A big fish? I don't know, it was next to the river.

This is the live band that we saw... though you cant see them very well

London/Birthday/...Loving the UK.... :)

Ok, so I feel like I am just BURSTING with fun stories about my adventures, so I actually want to tell all of them. For that reason (though it may make things a bit confusing time-line wise) I am going to tell you all of my crazy goings on in bits. This bit will cover my general England experience... but not my Irish or Scottish one. Ok? Sweet. Here goes!
On the 10th of April I landed in East Midlands airport where Katie was going to pick me up. I had had a bit of trouble leaving France so I was really hoping that the British border was not going to give me any trouble.... No such luck. Leaving France was not too hard; they just didn't seem to be able to connect The facts: that I am American, I am allowed to be studying in France, and even though I am doing that I don't speak French well, and then I also have a few weeks of break, so I am going to England to chill! I didn't quite get how they didn't get it, but oh well. They let me through in the end, and I was sure that since I spoke the same language that the English border would be easier.
In this I was wrong, but only 'cause I didn't have the address where I was staying! Note to travelers: if you are staying with someone, write down their address! I didn't have Katie's, and because of that I had a fun 8 minutes of the border officer yelling at me. Fun stuff, right? Well, he eventually let me through, after I explained all the same info I had to the French guy! It is amusing in hind-sight, but while it was happening I was NOT a happy camper.

That night I went to the local pub with Katie, her mom, and two of her friends. It looked like in a movie! I know, I shouldn't be so stereotypical as to only see something as truly English if I have seen something like it in an Agatha Christie movie, but I cant help it! It was SUCH an English pub! I almost wanted to find someone to tell me the history of it, since the likely hood that it has been established since before there were cars is pretty good. But I didn't. Too much history can ruin a good night out :)

On the 11th I went to Cambridge where Katie has family. It was such a cute family experience. Katie's niece and nephew are wonderfully adorable and made me miss my little nieces and nephews! We took the bus into the city center (more like, large town) and had a great time talking to the bus driver. We were waiting for another bus to come (that was going to switch drivers or something) and a sweet little sports car (I forget what kind, but Abby should be proud, 'cause I DID know what it was at the time...) and I made the correct noise of being impressed as it passed. He scoffed at that and started to explain how that was not the best, but this one was... and the conversation lasted maybe 20 minutes! All about cars. Abby, Malcolm.... I will get you back one day! Cambridge was beautiful! And very English. Katie and I wandered around the town for a few hours, looking at the buildings and the little shops. It was very fun and a great introduction to England.

The 12th was Easter Sunday. Katie and I woke up with chocolate bunnies on our stomachs, which were quickly gone :) We never really did chocolate and candy on Easter when I was little, which always made me a little jealous of the other kids. But this time it made it better. This Easter was made all the more special by the fact that chocolate is such a treat :)

The 13th was the day that we left for Belfast, Ireland.
We came back on the 15th

Friday the 17th Katie and I went into London. It was SOOO cool! One of the cities of the world that I have always wanted to go to.. and I was finally there! We wandered around, not doing a particularly touristy route, but making sure to see the big stuff. I should confess that I couldn't help but put particular movie characters here and there... I mean, can you really look at Big Ben and not think of Peter Pan!?! I cant :) Katie and I had also just seen a rather amusing horror movie "An American Werewolf in London", meaning that every time we went onto the "tube" we would be looking down the tunnel to see if we could freak the other one out. It was so funny. The sad part about my adventure to London is that the bag that I had all of my little souvenirs in (plus some other stuff that I had already and put in the bag for convenience) was stolen! I had put it down and forgot about it for maybe... 10 minutes. And when I turned back to get it... it was gone! I was SO sad. It was all of my spending money for the day and I had bought presents for my siblings and everything! But it was gone, and there was no getting it back. So Katie bought me a hot chocolate and we took more pictures. So that is what I bring back from London: pictures! :)








































So, then the 18th was my birthday :)
That night we went out. We had gotten some nice black dresses and neon jewelry and had planned to meet up with some of Katie's friends at a pub and then go to an 80's club. Unfortunately we went to another club, but Kate and I still fit in. I also was brilliant and checked my purse at the door, meaning the whole night I didn't have my camera! That was too bad, but here is a pic of Katie and I at the pub before.

We went to Inverness, Scotland on the 20th.
We came back on the 22nd.

We had not been able to see any real castles up close yet, so Katie took me to her local castle. I love that fact that she could just say that... "you want to walk down to the castle?" It was too perfect.





After seeing the castle I told Katie that I would tell everyone that it was crazy well kept and we ran around like medieval princesses :) Its a joke. The castle was once excavated, but they didn't feel like keeping it that way, so the earth has taken the castle back. The mounds that you see are actually walls, but the dirt and grass fool everyone.
Ok, so we didn't run round the halls, but I have walked around a castle now!! :)

I was to leave the 26th, so on the 25th we decided we needed to do one more thing. We walked along the canal near Long Buckby (the village where Katie lives). It was SUCH a pretty day. And the canal was so calm. We ended up helping an older couple get their boat through the lock, which was just really cool, since I have never personally done anything like that before. It was so pretty and warm... I loved it :)

So that was it. I left early on the 26th to come back to France. I was really sad to leave. I loved hanging out with Katie and her mom. I am so glad to have gone there and hope that some day I can go back.
But that is all of my adventures in England! Keep posted for Inverness and pics added to Belfast :)