The Start of Cork

Traveling three countries in three days certainly drains a person, so anytime you see one of those “ten countries in ten days!” advertisements for Europe, don’t do it. You’ve been warned here first. Sadly, because of the fast pace of my time in Scandinavia, I never quite had the time to blog. So I fear I will have to brush over my time in Norway and Sweden (a gross disservice to both Oslo and Stockholm, two amazing and outstanding cities). I would love to talk in depth about the architecture, the never setting sun in Oslo or the Old City in Stockholm. I could talk for hours about the ice bar in Oslo (where if you put a glass made of ice on a bar made of ice, its guaranteed to spill. Go figure), or the amazing armory and palace of Stockholm. Unfortunately, I never had the time. So please forgive me for moving on. Even this blog will just be a quick gloss over of Cork and Killarney.

I was exhausted by the time I reached Cork, mostly because in the past three days I’d been in Stockholm, London, then Cork, and just before that Oslo. Lovely times, but hardly easy on the body. I had gotten so used to getting on and off planes, that I actually had to pause and say, “this is Ireland.” So I did, looking around at the very green airport that had the distinct smell of farmland and earth in the air. It was Ireland, but I think it needed a moment to soak in.

Members of the Rotary Club were kind enough to meet me at the airport, which was not only a huge help to me, but also put my mind at ease. From the first moment I walked up, there was a brief pause then the, “Oh, I thought you were going to be a guy.” There was a big laugh on all parts, and for some reason I found it comforting that no matter where I go, everyone expects me to be a man. Small things never change, and that’s somehow heartening.

The Rotary members took me to my hotel but also took the time to just sit and talk with me. The conversation ranged from Cork and Ireland, to apocalypses, suicidal World of Warcraft players, and calming bunnies. Instantly I learned that people in Ireland are not only friendly, but fun, quick to laugh, open, and amazing people. I could tell in those first moments that I was going to love it in Ireland.

The help hardly stopped at that night. The next day, An, my Rotary contact, met me in town for tea, then showed me around the city, along with Brian, a son of one of the Rotary members, Richard, (who is a former archeologist, so I anticipate some very good conversations with him when we meet again). We met up with Katie, the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar here at Cork, who has been both friendly and amazingly helpful.

Cork is a wonderful city, filled with both modern and history, and I look forward to learning more about it. I fully enjoyed the traditional Irish music at the pub while I had my first Irish stout, or the fact that it was but a ten-minute bus ride from Blarney’s Castle (and the Blarney Stone, which I did kiss, much to the world’s dismay. I am perhaps the last person who needs the “gift to gab,” given after one kisses the smooth rock).

Yesterday, Katie, her friend Ariel, and I went up to Killarney, only an hour’s time by train, and did everything possible in the city—from walking the national park, to taking a boat onto the islands to see an Abby from 600AD, to riding a horse-drawn cart at neck-breaking speeds. We went up to Torc waterfall, Muckross House, and Ross Castle, all in a matter of hours (I certainly got my exercise, I can tell you that). I couldn’t have asked for better company and it was the perfect start to my travels in Ireland.