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Long-Awaited European Update

If my memory serves correctly, I believe my last official blog entry was sometime in early February, which would mean that I've kept anyone still REMOTELY interested about this blog in the dark for QUITE some time (for which I deeply apologize). Since that time, I've met SO many new/cool/interesting/awesome people, experienced SO many new things, and have made SO many memories - far too many to even begin to try and write about them all... but I shall try (in brief):

Cork: As I've mentioned, "school" in Cork has never really seemed like school. Perhaps it is different for Irish students, but for visiting students, it is well-known and duly accepted that we flock to Ireland to (in essence) take a break from school, relax, and experience a new culture and new lifestyle. In other words - no homework, no papers, no exams, no nuthin'. However, for the couple weeks before Ellory arrived, there was much indeed to due as far as school was concerned. In a span of 3 weeks, I believe I had 4 papers and a Bodhran final (a tradition Irish drum). Now, I know typically 4 papers in 3 weeks is no big problem back in the States, but after having virtually 3 months "off" from school and then suddenly having to pump out 8-page papers left and right, it was made much more difficult. Anyway, I digress - I FINALLY got it all done (the last one handed in only 3 hours before I caught my plane to Amsterdam - yes, I'm a cronic procrastinator), and it was quite the relief. In the meantime, during lost last few weeks before departure for Europe, ultimate frisbee season in Ireland was also reaching its climax. I know I haven't written about it much at all, but joining the frisbee team in Cork was probably one of the best decisions I've made in a very long time. It's been such an incredible for me to meet and get to know the Irish, be active, be outside, and experience the Irish culture in a way that would normally be impossible. In early March, we (the team) travelled to Sheffield, England to be one of two teams representing Ireland at the UK Nationals tournament. The level of frisbee was much more of what I was used to, the memories and stories are great, and the experience was unforgettable. And then, on the last weekend of March, was the Irish Intervarsities Tournament (the BIG one for Ireland). We had been spanking Irish teams all season in previous tournaments but this was for all the glory. We played unbelievable ultimate as a team, played our hearts out, and won the whole thing to be called "The Best College Ultimate team in all of Ireland." It was an amazing experience and do it with the guys around me who I've grown to love over the previous months, it was incredible - absolutely never forget it.

But, as I said, 3 days after that tournament, Ellory and I caught a plane to Amsterdam and have been traveling Europe ever since. Here's a brief run-down of where we've been (hopefully it's brief anyway):

Amsterdam: Will forever be known to me as the "City of Tolerance." Yes, your immediate thoughts linger to that of drugs... and it should, I suppose given the city. But the "tolerance" I speak of in Amsterdam goes far beyond the "coffeeshops." Our second day there we went on the NewAmsterdam tour (free! I highly recommend it) during which we learned that the government is willing to "tolderate" virtually anything as long as it makes them money (pot, prostitution, alcohol, whatever). If the government can make a euro on it, it's basically "legal" in Amsterdam. Unfortunately, it rained for a lot of our time there, but we tried not to let it get us down. We saw Dam Square, the Van Gogh museum (Ellory really enjoyed it, obviously), had a pint of Heineken (originally brewed in Amsterdam along with Amstel - also had that), bought and saw some tulips, and tried to do everything else "Holland" while we were there. Good times had by all...

Brussels: Having looked into the accomodation scene a bit late, the only place to stay for cheap that we could find in Brussels was the Thon Hotel, which we later found out was WAY the hell out by the airport, not in the city. Besides the pain-in-the-ass that was getting into and out of the city, Brussels seemed to be pretty cool. We saw everything on Easter Sunday, which is possibly why the transportation schedule was a bit goofy, but it didn't seem too bad. In summary: we saw Mannekin Pis, ate a waffel, snuck into a museum or two, saw Eggermont Park, and got out.

Brugges: Adorable little Belgian city but CRAZY touristy. I didn't even want to image what this place woulda looked like in high tourist season cause it was crawling with people pouring over maps, consoling crying babies, and cameras at the ready. We toured a Belgian brewery and got a free sample of their beer, saw two guys in full chicken costumes handing out candy on the street for Easter, saw some windmills, and skipped an awesome outdoor live concert to catch a train we didn't actually have to catch.

Paris: Easily my favorite European city yet! Maybe it's just the perfectionist inside me talking, but I completely amazed at the layout of the whole damn city - everything is strait as shit, uniform in every way, astonishingly beautiful, and lavish as all hell. After three days, we'd had a New Paris tour, seen Napoleon's tomb, toured the Louvre (saw the Mona Lisa - not all that impressive), played frisbee in a park with some random French guy, had the Paris metro system down like the back of my hand, and split a bottle of wine and a block of cheese while laying on the grass under an illuminated Eiffel Tower... unbelievable.

Lyon: Only stayed one night... mostly relaxed and did laundry. Coolest part: stumbling upon the ruins of an ancient Roman city and getting into another museum for free. Awful part: French train system. Let me explain... so, while traveling through France, the whole time we were there, the French Rail company, SNFC (I believe?) was on strike (still have no idea why). This meant that even though we would make and pay for a reservation for a train, it was still a guessing game as to whether or not the train workers "felt" that that train was important enough for them to work that day. Which, in essence, meant extreme CHAOS at every train station across the country, few workers, and even fewer workers without an extremely short temper, and a HUGE language barrier. There were times when the station would be loud, and announcement would come on the loud-speaker, people would stop doing whatever they were doing and listen, only to have panic ensue as the message was complete as we stood there with our backpacks on our back trying to understand what the hell was going on around us. Because of the strike, certain trains didn't arrive, others didn't leave, nobody was around to ask for help, and certainly no one around willing to outwardly help two people who spoke no French. At any rate, it was a nightmare but we FINALLY got out of that city (after actually PUSHING our way onto a jam-packed train) and got to Marseilles where we thought the train situation would be a little better...

Marseilles: NOT TRUE. Still good-ol shitty French trains, chaotic train stations, and no help to be found. The city itself was beautiful - right on the Meditteranean - and had great cuisine (supposedly). We saw Native American street performers (odd for southern France), went to restaurant that was OUT of white wine (in France!?), and watched the sunset over the blue waters of the sea. If it weren't for the damn trains - would've really enjoyed it (and I still did for the most part).

Marseilles to Nice to Ventimillies: Another nightmare of a transportation story... far to complex for right now. Can I just say: F*CK French trains.

Cinque Terre: Yay Italy (where the trains run on a somewhat "normal" schedule)! The Cinque Terre (literally meaning "5 Villages," as a short stretch along the Northwest Italian coast upon which 5 small multi-colored fishing villages cling to the rocky Meditteranean shoreline. There are no cars allowed in the villages (only a train line connecting them all underground), it takes 5 hours to hike from the first to the fifth village via a narrow hiking path that runs along the shoreline connecting them all, and includes stunning views of Italian wine country and coastline. Yes, it was pretty touristy and FULL of 50-60 year-old women eager to hit the "intense" hiking conditions (Ellory and I hiked it just fine in sneakers and crocs), but it was truly beautiful. I really hope to get some of these pictures up soon cause they're awesome.

Pisa: Wasn't here long.. just long enough to get off a train, catch a bus to the leaning tower, take a picture, eat a baguet, catch the bus back to the train station, and get on another train to Rome. The tower's okay - I did expect a bit more though... but, yes, it is leaning - quite a bit, actually. As an engineering student, I must admit it was a bit painful to see a building that cool go to waste because some designer was shitty at his job (haha).

Rome: Our most recent location. Here with John and Lourie Thavis. Saw the Roman Forum and Palentine Hill today... Colluseum, Treve Fountain, St. Peter's, and the Spanish Steps all possible locations to visit for tomorrow... crazy. Their son, Brain, is in the process of enrolling in American high school for next year so it's been really great to talk with him about what his expectations are, what it's really like (as opposed to all he knows about, which are depictions from tv, the Simpsons, and South Park - great models, right?), and just generally the differences between the Italian and US school systems. It's clear he's thought a lot about it and is set in his decision... I think he's ready for it. In the meantime, as I've said in the previous update, it's been so nice just to be in a familiar location with familiar faces. The Thavises are really great people, as we Roskes have known for a long time, and it's been great to be here with them, even if it is only for a few more days (potentially).

Anyway - it is quite late here and I'm quite tired with LOTS to do/see tomorrow. So for now, I'm sorry this entry has been a long time comin' and I hope to be a wee-bit more diligent in the future. Love ya'll!

Long Time No Blog

Yes, I realize it's been virtually an eternity since my last blog post and my time allowed to write at the moment could not even begin to do justice to the multitude of events, travels, and experiences that have compiled since...

In the time I do have (which again, isn't much... hopefully more tomorrow), I can tell you that on March 20th (almost a month ago already!?), Ellory arrived in Cork and since the 31st, we have been backpacking around Europe together. We began by flying from Cork to Amsterdam (via Liverpool, England) and have since "Eurailed" our way through the likes of Holland, Brussels, Brugges, Paris, Lyon, Marseilles, Nice, Genova, Cinque Terre, Pisa, and are now staying with our good family friends, the Thavises (John and Lori) in Rome. And we've done our best to see EVERYTHING! I'll have to write more about some of these locations and stories when time allows, but it's been awesome, crazy, stressful (at times), beautiful, and incredible.

But for now... I must just say that after being in a different city virtually ever night, spending hours and hours on trains, showering whenever we get the chance, and spending desperate 10-minute intervals of internet use at a time, it feels AMAZING to be here in Rome with good friends, amazing food, great conversation, and a warm bed for a few days. Tomorrow we'll probably sleep in (for a change) and then begin to see Rome (hopefully with a personal guide - Lori!). But, as I said - this is the first time in 14 days with a reliable and free source of internet so I expect to write more over the next couple days and maybe even upload some pics (again - maybe. haha).

So - we're here in Rome, we're safe and in great hands, and Rome should be a nice place to relax, rejuvinate (after the nightmare that was the France rail system - more later), and enjoy yet-another fantastic European city.