Labour Day! Food Appreciation post

So tomorrow is labour day, which means I am off from classes and I get to eat some delicious barbecue. I would then like to dedicate this post to the food I had eaten when I was abroad in Europe. It was delicious and I cannot wait to return to eat them again!

Ireland:

Fish and Chips

The cheaper version of Bailey's that we had nicknamed Failey's (Fake Bailey's). It was delicious! I wish I had brought a bottle with me

Corned beef with 4 different kinds of potatoes and cabbage from O'Neilly's near Trinity College

Cheesecake and Ice cream with raspberry syrup

Nando's- I want to go back, I wish I had a one near me! It was grilled chicken with mango sauce, garlic bread and coleslaw

I don't have pictures of these but other things to try when visiting the Emerald Isle: Bulmer's Cider, Galway Hooker (a light beer), Irish breakfast (black and white pudding with bacon, sausage, tomatoes, mushrooms and beans). Something else I tried was Apple Cider soda; thought it would taste similar to ginger ale. I was extremely incorrect and it was disgusting.

UK:

Fowey, Cornwall- Tea, Scone with jam and clotted cream

Fowey, Cornwall- Cornish pastry

Tintagel, Cornwall  - Coffee with a scone

Tintagel, Cornwall - Cornish crab sandwich, chips and salad

London - An Arab restuarant called Maroush. There is lamb meat on hummus, salad, rice, pitas, and a vegetarian dish that had garbanzos, tomatoes and other veggies.

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Updating twice in a day. Whoa!

So I am updating twice in a day because I have important news for everyone! A very good friend of mine just started his own blog here on blogspot (http://thefloridarider.blogspot.com/). He is awesome, former Navy, a motorcycle aficionado. He is pretty much going to post about these topics and other topics that would come to mind. All that would help in daily life, tips and such. I actually can't wait until he posts pictures or videos of his rides!

I plan on having him as a guest poster, so you will be seeing him everyone once in a while.

Anyways,
Love y'all

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London- Part 3 - Madame Tussaud's, Eateries, Shopping

On my last day in London I had a little bit of time left on my 'Original Bus Tour' pass, since I bought it late in the day before so it would end 1 pm; 24 hours after I had originally purchased the pass. I decided to go see Madame Tussaud's, with the pass I was able to buy it at a discounted rate. I paid 28 pounds for the ticket at  the bus stop near Marble Arch. Madame Tussaud's took a large chunk out of my day and since my pass expired I took the tube 'metro or subway' back to Edgeware Rd where I was meeting my friend for lunch.

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

Charlie Chaplin

Picasso (we share the same birthday)

Madame Tussaud

MLK Jr.

A portion of the tube line

Baker Street- Quite a pivotal street in the Sherlock series.

Edgeware Rd

This amazing Arab restaurant - Maroush, located on Edgeware Rd. I found it to be quite affordable. I would love to eat here again!

The famous Portobello Rd, as seen in the movie 'Bed nobs and Broomsticks'.

They have these adorable shops and also carts of people selling things. Very affordable. They sold in my opinion good souvenirs if you're looking to bring home items that aren't too touristy looking. I bought a dress for 5 pounds. Which I couldn't believe. Primark is another store in England that sells items cheaply, I bought shorts (the heat wave was nearly unbearable) and a strapless top, for 8 pounds total.

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Trim, Co. Meath, Ireland churches

They are both named St. Patrick's and the only word that differs is the name; whether it is a 'church' or 'cathedral'.

 St. Patrick's church-

(As seen from Trim Castle)

                                It was built in the 19th century and is Roman Catholic. 

I attended a mass here and it was fastest mass I have ever attended. Instead of being an hour is was between 30-45 minutes, there was no singing and no homily. Also instead of walking up in single file to the priest for the Eucharist, everyone just walked up in any manner they chose and up to the fence in front of the altar while the priest walked left to right.

 Commemorating St. Bernadette and the Virgin at the grotto.

St Patrick's Cathedral-

  

It is Anglican and is the Church of England, unlike in England where it is the Church of England. I did not attend mass here but I imagine it is similar to the Anglican churches I have attended.

The tower was built in the medieval ages and is a remnant of the Church of Trim

Ceremonies to become bishops have been here since the early 1500's

On this land supposedly St. Patrick originally founded his church. It did not survive most likely because it would have been wooden and if it was stone it was rebuilt during the medieval ages. There are several stories about this, some say it was his nephew but others say it was the famous saint.

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Let the games begin!

Now on my study abroad we were all obviously college students and the majority were American. In Europe all of us are of age but only a couple were of age in the U.S *cough**cough* me. Earlier that day my roommates and I decided we wanted to play beer pong, and I was in charge of ping pong balls. The seemingly easiest assignment was not the easiest. I could not find them anywhere in town, I had gone to every single toy store, supermarket, knick-knack store there was. So I settled for these squishy stress balls, I did not know that the roommate in charge of the solo cups couldn't find any appropriate ones either. So what did we do? We made up our own game.

Each team has a chair and the point of the game is to make it through the holes. The middle hole is worth 1 drink while the 4 surrounding it is worth 1/2 drink. Whenever the opposite team scored on your chair you had to drink that amount. It was actually difficult because the balls would just bounce off the chairs.

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Terms I learned in UK/ Ireland

This is a list of terms that will help you during your travels in the U.K and Ireland

Half (30 mins)- Like Americans say quarter after/ till the hour. In the U.K and Ireland  they use half, for example: 'half 3' means 3:30.

Just down the road - If someone tells you this ask for specific mileage because this could mean any amount of kilometers. My SD card broke and I needed a new one, but it was Sunday and it seems Europe shuts down on Sunday. The girl at the hotel desk told me that it wasn't a far walk to the nearest open shop. I then asked how far of a walk it was, her answer was 18 km. Now I am not being a lazy American here but 18km is a far walk.

Chemist / Pharmacy - Drugstore. I learned the hard way because my first day I arrived I had a cough and wanted cough drops. I asked this employee at the hostel who I realize barely spoke English (she was Russian). So when I asked for the nearest drugstore the horrified look on her face told me that she thought I was looking for a fix.

Lozenges-  cough drops

Toilet - Restroom: I asked for this and then this dude tried to argue with me about how it is stupid how Americans call it the restroom when you don't go rest there. I was not amused.

Concessions - Student, if you see a sign at a tourist location and it says this word, it is a student ticket. Oh which reminds me BRING YOUR STUDENT ID if you have one. I saved a bunch of money on attractions because I brought it with me. Some of my friends didn't and had to pay adult fees which sometimes was 5 euros more.

The floors in multiple storied buildings- Floor 0 is equivalent to the 1st Floor in the U.S. So when I was told my room was on the first floor. I went on my way to what I thought was the first floor and tried unlocking the door of some poor and most likely frightened occupants. The European 1st floor is the American 2nd floor.

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Updates

Hey y'all,

So I am only going to be updating the blog every Tuesday and Thursday because the semester is about to start. But I am going to try and put videos up every Friday!

Keep following and subscribing!

<3

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