B&B Pics

Pics along our drive!

The view from our B&B in Kells

The sun setting from our B&B

My cute cousin :)

What we saw once we parked the car at the B&B :)

What life is all about!

10-27-10

Today we left the small town of Killarney and started our way around The Ring of Kerry. The Ring of Kerry is breathtaking just as everything else! Before we started this drive we were thinking Ireland was pretty but we still were not convinced of all the hype. Well once we started our drive we saw what it was all about. This drive is spectacular and one I could drive multiple times. You are on windy mountain roads and every turn you have an amazing view. We stopped multiple times to take it all in and get some photos, I am sure there were some places we could stayed forever but we had to keep going!

We reached our B&B in Kells by late afternoon. What we saw there we were not expecting; the view was marvelous. We were greeted by the kindest host and she quickly sat us down in the sunroom which overlooks the bay and fed us some hot tea and homemade cake. Our host was so cute and warm and she refereed to us as “the girls”. We felt as though we had a mother away from home for one night.

As my cousin and I sat there we were both speechless. We are in the middle of Ireland, looking at the most amazing view, drinking hot tea and most importantly we are together. For long moment we were silent and then we looked at each other and both of us had tears in our eyes. All we were thinking was that this time and this moment is worth all the money in the world and we are truly blessed to be here.

After our tea we wrapped up and decided to head down to the water to check out the views. As we walked down the very muddy and poop filled path, we passed all the farm animals and made it to the waterside where the sun was setting and we got some stunning shots. We decided to keep it low key tonight and stay in for dinner so our host kindly made a homemade Irish meal, which was delicious. We had potatoes, ham and greens....needless to say our plates were wiped clean. We were lucky enough to eat with a few other guest and surprisingly two of the 3 were from Georgia. So we had lots to talk about and had a wonderful evening. Our night ended with some Irish coffee and we headed back to our rooms stuffed and ready for some sleep. Tonight was a night I will never forget!

Ireland Pics!

Night out in Dublin!

Wish wish wish!

The Blarney Stone....not what I was expecting.

Me barely kissing the stone and holding on for dear life :)

Fiddledidoo :)

We arrived in Blarney yesterday afternoon after a very long ride and rushed to see the castle before it closed. Making it 30 minutes before close we ran up to the castle, climbed the extremely steep steps, that I almost didn't make up...never knew I had a fear of heights, then we kissed the Blarney stone in hopes of getting the gift of eloquence! To be honest I wasn't so sure about kissing a stone that every one has put their lips on, but the guy that worked there really convinced me and well I had already gone through the trouble and fear of the stupid steps so I figure I would make it worth my time.

So I laid down, leaned back and well my 5ft frame didn't get me to the stone, so the guy had to basically hold me upside down and I finally managed to kiss the stone! I never knew that the stone was at the bottom of the castle wall and you are looking at the ground below you.

After the castle we walked through the gardens and went to the wishing steps, where they say you have to close your eyes and climb the steps thinking only about your wish. If you make it up and down the steps with your eyes closed then your wish will come true with in one year. Now, if you decide to climb the steps with your eyes closed and backwards then you are even closer to your wish. Of course my cousin and I did it once with our eyes closed and then just in case, I decided to do it going backwards as well. So I wished my wish as hard as I could and didn't peek once!

My cousin didn't go for the backwards bit and once we started heading back she looked at me and said "you think my wish will come true even though I didn't do it backwards...maybe I should do it, just in case". We both busted out laughing and headed back to the steps where she walked up and down with her eyes closed and backwards, so now there are no reasons why our wishes shouldn't come true. So mark the calendar, on 10-25-10 I made a wish that I can not disclose but I will let you know in one year if my wish comes true!

After Blarney we headed to Cork, checked in our hotel and hit the town. We decided on some Indian food for dinner which was a first for me. It was better than I thought it would be and I will definitely go back for more. Once dinner was done we went to a local pub for a beer. We didn't think it would be a crazy night seeing that it was a Monday, but after about an hour they had a live band come on and the party was just starting. People here are so friendly and ready to get to know you. We quickly meet a few people and the drinks started flowing. Every time we looked down our new friends had more drinks waiting for all. We hung out with the nicest couple that were celebrating a birthday and a few others. The band was amazing and we danced the night away. It was a great time and an unexpected night, which to me those are the best ones!

More pics from Broadway

The top of the mountain....we made it!

Our stop to enjoy the view :)

Views from our hike up

These sheep are everywhere!!!

The tower of Broadway

Pictures from Broadway!

Broadway...cutest little town!

My Favorite breakfast @ a Mom and Pop's Tea House

It was very cool...the hat was much needed!

Main strip of Broadway

Wrapping up England and heading to a happy place!

I have so much to catch up on due to the fact that we have not had any Internet.

The past few days have been full of much excitement and lots of driving! After we happily left Cheltenham, we drove to Broadway for a day stop and it was a site to see. Broadway is a town of maybe a handful roads with one main strip where the city center is. This cute little town won our hearts from the minute we drove in. The buildings remind of you of a time long ago and you feel so cozy and relaxed. We started at a cute mom and pop’s tea house and ate a delicious English breakfast, which has so far has been my favorite meal on this trip. After breakfast we decided to walk the city...which was not to hard to handle. We walked down the streets and looked at all the cute homes covered with beautiful red ivy. People would pass by on horseback and there were rolling fields of grass with wild animals wondering. We decided to take a little hike up the mountain to see a well known tower. We bravely decided to take the steep route, only because it was the shortest way and we were up for a little challenge :) We started our hike pretty cocky and thought it wasn’t even steep, but little did we know what lied ahead. I have to say it would have helped if we had actual hiking boots on or at least some sneakers, but either way after a very hilly and quite steep hike we made it to the top and it was well worth the view. Once we got up there and took some amazing photos we headed down a different route, getting a little lost but we made it down and in time to move the car before our meter was up!

We arrived in Oxford that afternoon and checked in our room. We stayed in one of the colleges and had a single room that was intended for one, but we managed to sleep three in one double bed :) That’s all part of the territory when traveling and we had so much fun just dealing with what we were deal. Oxford itself is a beautiful town with amazing buildings and history, the people on the other hand I can’t say the same. We did however have a wonderful host there which was one of my cousins friends and he was kind enough to take us ladies out the two nights while we were there. Oxford just fits in to every stereo type that you have. We saw people walking wearing outfits that you would never think people wear and having intelligent conversations. I by no means am saying that is bad but it was quite different and they are all in their own worlds.

We left Oxford early on Saturday morning and headed back to the London airport in order to head off the Dublin. At the airport we sadly parted with one cousin who headed back home. I had a few issues at the airport only because we decided to flight with a small airline and they of course had to rip me off as much as possible and charge 20 pounds for every kilo my bag was over. So, after a bit of research, I decided to send one bag to Munich where my cousin is and I will pick it up once I get there. In a way this was the best solution because I don’t have to deal with two bags traveling around Ireland and Scotland. If you really think about it 20 kilo’s is nothing and to charge a per kilo rate is just a rip off. I guess we were getting a deal with the cheap tickets so they had to make up for it.

We arrived in Dublin in the afternoon, rented a car and headed out to my cousin’s friends house. They were kind enough to give us a room and some home cooking! It was wonderful just to be able to do some laundry and eat at a kitchen table. Last night we went out in downtown Dublin and stopped at a few pubs. The Irish are every bit what you think. They are super nice and friendly and at the same time they are heavy drinkers that love dancing to some good old country folk music. It was a sight to see, at one point while we were walking down the street I saw a drunken Irishman fall in the streets and women if ALL ages were getting wasted and dancing the night away. So far I love the simplicity of it here; everyone seems to be happy and easy going. Tomorrow we head out for Cork and will make our way around the country!

Taking a bath in Bath!

After leaving London yesterday I realized how much I was missing some open air. Once we got on the road the scenery was breathtaking. You feel as though you can’t look enough, there are rolling hills of the greenest grass with homes scattered across. You see sheep and horses gazing and the absolute cutest farms. As we drove all that we kept saying is “this looks like a scene from a movie”! Everything is so beautiful that you can’t turn away for one-second.

We got to Bath yesterday after a 3 hour drive. Bath is wonderful, it has the feel of an old town and all the buildings are made of the same limestone, making it a sight to see. They have the old roman baths that were built on natural hot springs and people from all over the world come here. Jane Austin was from Bath and most of here books took place in Bath....just a side note :)

We checked into our cozy B&B and hit the town. Today we actually got to go to one of the thermal baths and go for a dip, which was a blast but a little chilly. The weather was about 7 degrees Celsius so once we were ready to get out we had to make a run for it. After our baths we took a tour of the city and headed out to Cheltenham. This place...well it’s not as nice and I think our hotel is the main cause of that. Some shady hotels are gonna come with the territory. We head off to Broadway tomorrow and then Oxford.

I realize every time I see something breathtaking how amazing this opportunity is and how lucky I am to have it. I am here with my cousins traveling around England and at times I just can’t believe that this is all happening. Realizing this, I keep wanting to take it all in as much as I can. I want these days to go by as slow as possible so I can savor every moment. And I want to remember every detail of this trip forever.

London Pics

My cousins :)

Tower Bridge
Parliament
Big Ben

Fun in London!

So far London has been amazing! I got here on Friday morning after a long but smooth flight and meet up with my cousins. Everything here is so cute and different. I feel as though I am in a completely different world. I still can’t believe that I am here and with my cousins. Our days have been full of seeing everything London has to offer.

Friday was a chill day with lunch at a pub and then a night out on the town. Saturday we went to Nothing Hill and walked through the market. There are people there selling pretty much anything you can think of, but it was so much fun just being in the middle of it all. As we walked we ate crepes and watched all the people shop, it was all the things that you see in a movie. The city is so grand and historic, every time we turn a corner there is another beautiful site to be seen. The cabs here are so cute and the two story red buses fly through the city and there are everywhere! There really isn’t a moment that you are left with nothing to see.

Sunday we decided to take London on! We basically saw every that we could and didn’t stop for hours. By the end of the day I saw all the beautiful sites and was ready to rest. Today we decided to take it easy and did some shopping in the morning and then went to The Ivy for a fabulous lunch. Tomorrow we are off to Bath for a few days and then Oxford! I am excited to get out of London and get on a slower pace for a few days. We booked the cutest B&B in Bath and are going to get a taste of campus life when we get to Oxford!

Off To London

The last 24 hours were definitely crazy. I left California yesterday morning and flew to Atlanta for only an 10 hours layover then off again to London! It had enough time to get home see my family, do some laundry, pack my suitcase for the next few months and head out again! It was a bit of a tight schedule but thanks to Mom and Dad I was able to pull it off!

Now I have an 8 hour flight and I will be with my cousins in London...I am so excited to see the city and see my girls!

BTW for those of you who are wondering if I made it with 50lbs for my luggage and I did! I decided to travel as light as I can ;) Ok my Mom through stuff out of my bags, but I didn't argue. Gotta Run...

California, California, California!

Last week was amazing! My week started off visiting some family in Santa Barbara, which was amazing and beautiful. I was lucky enough to have a wonderful host and got to see all the sites. Santa Barbara is such a gorgeous city, I finally got to see what the big deal was! After two days in Santa Barbara we headed to LA to pick up the ladies and start the chaos!
By 2pm we were at a great Mexican restaurant in Newport Beach drinking margaritas...needless to say the cocktails continued until the evening. Thursday we all headed to LA, it was my first time there, I went in thinking that I really wouldn’t like the city but I was pleasantly surprised. It’s a fun city that’s for sure. After two days in LA we were partied out and ready to head back to our cute little bungalow.

So far from all that I have seen, I love California. The only complaint that I have are the people. I guess growing up in the south people for the most part are so nice and friendly. Out here...not so much. It's seems like a chore to say hi or be nice to strangers. I have been running in the mornings here and the first time I went I said hi to the people I passed and I was so shocked that no one said hi back, they just looked at me like I was crazy. I ran passed a lady that fell and no joke the woman was gushing blood so I turned around and went to help her and asked if she was ok. She looked at me like I was from another planet and refused my help! I know my mouth dropped when she said no and my look of horror forced a "thanks anyway" out of her. I mean come on people...what is your problem! You would never find people like that in the south. If people are nice here, it is for a reason.

Oh and the guys here seem to think they can do and say whatever they want. They are so stuck up like they're the shit...well some had a rude awaking when they talked to me. I am not the kinda gal to put up with a dude that looks in the mirror more than he thinks. They think money allows them to do and say whatever they please. Anyway that was my only complaint about it here and a small one at that :)
All in all it was a very busy and fun filled week. I got to see lots of family and new places. California has a special place in my heart now and I know I will be back ;)

Pictures in My Mind

So far California has been amazing, not only because of its beauty, but I am fortunate to have two wonderful hosts! Yesterday we walked down the street for a tasty breakfast, which can i add people here just go to bakeries before work and have a meal. You don’t see this in Atlanta as much, maybe because the city is so spreadout, but I think it’s so nice and relaxing. It seems like life is at a slower place out here and people take time to live their lives. You see people everywhere doing everything and no one is in a rush! It is refreshing to see that life is enjoyed.
After our meal we hopped on our bikes and went for a little ride....okay it was a long ride but amazing. We biked down to Huntington Beach which is 13 miles each way, personaly I think it was way longer than 13 miles, but that is what I was told. It was such a cute ride, we had to get on a ferry to cross the bay and then we biked through all these great areas and along the beach. Once our destination was reach we ate some healthy food, nachos, wings and beer, watched some football and headed back a bit heaveir :) It was a great day!
I have been blessed in my life to have traveled all over the world. I remember once in northern Italy I was with all my cousins and we went to the beach for a day. It was such a clear day, the sky was as blue as you can imagine and the water was so clear and crisp. I can remember it like it was yesterday, I was laying in the sand and all the guys were playing soccer and the girls were chatting, the ocean was in the background and I thought to myself “remember this Gloria, remember every detail of this day. Remember the voices of your family, remember the sound of the ocean, the color of the water and the sky, remember the heat of the sun and the feeling of the sand, remember it all and take it all in.” I knew that that monent was worth all the money in the world and I wanted to never forget it.
I feel as though these days are the same and I want to remember every detail of them. I want to take a picture in my mind of all the beauty that I am seeing and never forget it. As I biked yesterday I took a million pictures in my mind.

Hello California

I arrived in Orange County yesterday and I have to say...I love it here! I knew I would but it far surpasses anything I ever imagined. From the minute my wonderful friend picked me up I fell in love, everything is so breathtaking. The homes are so quaint and cozy, the ocean is amazing and the sky is so blue and perfect.
I realized all over again yesterday how lucky I am to be seeing such beauty and experiencing this journey. My friend and I had a great day together, cocktails on the rooftop overlooking the ocean and then an amazing homemade meal. Needless to say I slept full and happy in her super cute home :)
My day today started with an early morning run along the coast and now we are heading off the get some sun!