And when I got to the top I fell! But it's okay because this nice man helped me up before I tilted backwards over the edge. Surprisingly, still not afraid of heights. Also, my friend happened to have my camera with her, so she snapped a picture:
Anyone fall for it? Anyone? I didn't think so. That's actually a picture of me kissing the Blarney stone. Which means I am now supposed to be extra gifted in the Irish talent of Blarney. Here is a definition:
Baloney is when you tell a 50-year old woman that she looks 18. Blarney is when you ask a woman how old she is, because you want to know at what age women are most beautiful.
Short, simple and to the point. However, I would have to right make-out with the Blarney stone to get rid of all the sarcasm and smart-aleckness I seem to be gifted with. (Thanks Dad)
Blarney Castle is located on huge tracts of land (if you giggled OUT LOUD at that, never come to Ireland, they say it ALL THE TIME) that is surrounded by (actually, do come, it's hilarious no matter how many times you hear it) quite a few acres of (I also laugh everytime I read about the ultra accomplished Home Ruler (Irish political party) Isaac Butt... yeah I'm about 12) parks and trees and groves and rocks and waterfalls. Once again, not so handy with a camera, except this picture which I thought was cool, which I took with careful consideration of angle and light and.... I was standing next to the tree, thought it looked cool, aimed my camera at it, which happened to be down at my side resting against my leg, and snapped.
Maybe that's how I should take all my pictures from now on....
I know right? SCARY. Next was Cork City Gaol (jail). it was an audio tour, which is always creepy in jails, especially when the above type maniquins are all over the place.... I think I got a picture of them all because I thought they were hilarious. Anyways, unlike Alcatraz which housed the some of worst criminals in American history, this jail housed people that stole bread because they couldn't buy it, or cloth, or other such things for themselves and their children. Too many people were executed unfairly, I think, and it's a pretty poor show of the ability of a country to function if people are purposely getting thrown into jail in order to get a decent meal (that's aimed towards the British rule of Ireland, by the way). But such is the life and history of Ireland. Very interesting stuff. Once again it tied in with what we have been learning class. It definitely makes things more relavent and easier to put into the history of a place.
The last thing we visited was a cathedral, it was gorgeous, as per usual, and once again, I think I got a pretty sweet picture (Stacey Kanarski, this is what I was talking about)
And that concludes my visit to Cork.
Well, not really. A few other things inbetween: hanging out at the bar in the bottom of the hostel (new fan of Karaoke right here), the English Market which is basically an everyday indoor farmers market, and McDonalds for lunch on the Fourth of July. I don't think I've had anything except ice cream or the occasional small fry from McDonalds since 2004 when I saw Super-Size Me. Eating a hamburger from McDonalds was therefore oddly nostalgic tasting for me =) And they are the same as in the US, except Irish beef. And they have a Eurosaver Menu as opposed to the Dollar Menu, where the small basic hamburger is 1 euro. Which may have something to do with the fact that minimum wage in Ireland is 8-8.50 euros per hour.... but don't quote me on that.
Okay, and that concludes my report of Cork.
Until later,
Cheers!
Anna
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