Escuela

Tomorrow is my first day of school in Espana. My stomach is in knots of excitement and apprehension.

I am however set for my dance class. Watch out Swayze here I come.

*Pictures vis Modernhepburn

Breaking News

I should have listened to Justin Beiber sooner. Three days later I like tomatoes. SPANISH tomates. I don't know what it is. These are sweet and juicy with just the right amount of crispness, not acidic. Our host family's abuelo grows them on his farm and brings them over in giant brown paper bags. I love those paper bags. I have tasted home grown tomatoes before, but these are different, special. I may even venture to leave the tomatoes on the next time I order my sandwich, which is a BIG deal.

España

I LOVE it here. Really mom, we may have a problem with me coming back.

*Image via Marley.and.Me

What I Ate

BEST breakfast ever

Black tea, raspberry scone

Dinner

Broccoli and cheese soup. Eh.

Emily ate and I tasted

light and fresh

Roasted peppers and eggplant, housemade hummus, and greens on brown bread.

Queen of Tarts

Not thrilled about missing church

Last day

• Walk to 8:30 service at Saint Patricks Cathedra
• Arrive 8:32 - cannot find entrance
• Walk to Christ Church to check their services. They have one at 11
• Walk back to Saint Patricks and enlightened by ticket man. Service starts 8:30. Doors lock at 8:20. There are no tardies.
• Missed the Saint Patrick's service, but paid to see the inside anyway. I have always had a thing for churches and castles.
• Walk through Saint Patrick's park
• Walk to Queen of Tarts - I eat breakfast
• Book it to Church of Christ 15 minuets early. We will not be late.
• Service at Church of Church - (best idea of entire trip) watch little Charlie get baptized, listen to choir
• Back to Queen of Tarts - Emily eats lunch
• Walk to temple bar to look at market — market only opens saturday
• Get lost
• Visit Dublin's National Museum - learn some facts about vikings
• Walk around Saint Stephen's green
• Get lost
• grab food to go
• pack
• 11:30 bed — dread 3:45am wake up call for 6:20am flight

*It sounds like a long day, and it was, but we had a great trip. My partner in crime is a master planner.

Avoca

Me: “Look at these crazy hats. Put it on your head!”

Emily: “YES”

Lady: “Would you like me to take your picture?”

Us: “Umm.. sure”

Emily and I make weird faces for the camera

Lady: “You look scared. Smile pretty”

Awkward photo ensues...

What I Ate

dinner

Brownie with ice cream. Unfortunately the picture looks better than it tastes, the brownie was dry.

delicious minus the chicken

Chicken cesar salad with smoked chicken

What Emily ate and I tasted

mmm...broccoli and ricotta cheese

Three Salads - carrot, broccoli and tomato*

warm and hearty

Beef pepperpot and mash

*They looked wonderful, but I will never ever, ever like tomatoes. Be proud though, I did try them.

Celtic Women

Guided Tour of Wicklow

• 5 minuet Glenmacnass Waterfall picture stop. Get off bus, snap picture, get on bus
• Enjoy Irish countryside
• 2 hour Glendalough stop - Kevin's Monastary and hike to see lakes and waterfall. Hiking is beautiful, blisters are hideous beasts.
• Enjoy more Irish countryside
• 1.5 hour Avoca Village weaving mill and lunch
• Long drive back - Lulled into sleep by driver's musical selection of celtic women and Jimmy Buffet
• Back to Dublin where we catch the end of the market day in Temple bar area — most vendors had already left so we weighed the options and skipped to dessert
• Hobble back to hotel — blisters have now become swollen feet, but no regrets because I saw two waterfalls today. Two.

What the dublin castle tour guide with nice shoes taught me

Duke of Northumberland

Vikings would use blood and mud for mortar. Nice job Vikings

Terminology

Withdraw came from when the men would retire to the drawing room

Loose Women was termed for when a lady's petticoat would come undone and peek out from underneath the dress. Scandalous

Saving Face was termed for when women would hide behind a small carpet screen to keep their makeup from melting off by the fire

What I Ate

rich and delicious

Goat cheese and grilled red pepper sandwich with rocket, tomato pesto, and leafy greens on a crusty baguette at Bewley's Cafe

fried

Fish and chips at Leo Burdock

Dublin and MC Hammer*

Arrival in Dublin

First things first, eat. Well, seek internet, find email to remember hotel name, check into hotel, see macaroons, make detour to buy macaroons, then eat. Priorities

• Bewley's Cafe
• Trinity College
• Dublin Castle**
• Leo Burdock Fish and Chips
• Look at Pubs
• Crash like an old woman because I was tired and sore and grumpy

*Dear mom,

A mishap with the washing machine has transformed my skinny jeans into a fantastic pair of MC Hammer pants.

Thought you should know, Carleton

** Dear Dublin Castle tour guide with nice shoes,

A+ sir. You get your own post.

Sincerely, Carleton

Prologue

August 20, 2011

My current packing situation roughly parallels the after effects of a natural disaster, and I would know. Back track a few fine years to our annual holiday party. My young sister and her friends decide it would be a brilliant idea to play TORNADOOO in my room. Brilliant idea. Of course upon witnessing this fine display of imagination I was completely understanding, and no demands were made for retribution.

Ann-Margret

Off toward an adventure tomorrow and can't help feeling a little like this. Oh yes, Dublin, you prepare yoself.

*Picture via That Kind Of Woman