(BLOG 5)
Sickness: This week the sickness that has been plaguing everyone finally caught up with me. Being sick without the comforts of home is a humbling experience. It is nearly impossible to not get sick when living in such close proximity to everyone. The biggest illness that I've noticed everyone having a problem with is deep chest colds. The weather in Ireland is much damper than the weather in Nebraska and walking everywhere in the cold dampness creates an easy environment to catch cold. I did bring some daytime cold medicine but I didn't bring cough drops. The only comparable thing I have found are small hard tablets that you pop out of a plastic sheet. I haven't found any Halls or Ricola or really any brands that I recognize. I would suggest bringing something from home so when you do catch something, you don't have to walk 2 miles in the cold to get some relief!
Sickness: This week the sickness that has been plaguing everyone finally caught up with me. Being sick without the comforts of home is a humbling experience. It is nearly impossible to not get sick when living in such close proximity to everyone. The biggest illness that I've noticed everyone having a problem with is deep chest colds. The weather in Ireland is much damper than the weather in Nebraska and walking everywhere in the cold dampness creates an easy environment to catch cold. I did bring some daytime cold medicine but I didn't bring cough drops. The only comparable thing I have found are small hard tablets that you pop out of a plastic sheet. I haven't found any Halls or Ricola or really any brands that I recognize. I would suggest bringing something from home so when you do catch something, you don't have to walk 2 miles in the cold to get some relief!
Tea Time!: Speaking of remedies for sickness, I have started drinking more hot tea since my arrival. We stumbled upon a beautiful little tea shop called Cupan Tae in Galway right near the bus stop that has mixed and matched chairs and tea pots. The tea is decently priced and they have a huge selection to choose from. Everyone working was very helpful in showing us the differences between them. They also serve biscuits, scones and other small cafe items. Definitely worth the stop it! Also, Although I normally wouldn't suggest alcohol to make you feel better, an Irish hot whiskey will help soothe your throat and where better to try one than in Ireland!
Birthday: This week was also my room mates birthday. She expressed to me that she had never been away from friends and family on her birthday and she was a little sad she wouldn't get to see them. Although we couldn't find any cakes in Spiddal we decided to grab a large swiss roll which was cake sized and bought some candles. We took her to one of the small local bars, toasted with Irish champagne and the bar tender sang happy birthday to her in Irish! Although not quite the same as home, it was really fun to experience her birthday in a different culture and learn how to sing happy birthday in another language. If I could give any advice it would be to embrace the differences between home and here instead of being upset about them. Embrace it with positivity and you can make fun out of anything!
Germany: (Transportation) The final step to week 4 in Ireland was actually to take a weekend trip to Germany. Two friends and myself decided to go to Cologne, Germany for the weekend and I'm very glad we did. The flights between countries in Europe are actually very cheap. Round trip tickets were under 90 Euros! You can use edreams or trip advisor to help find which airlines have the cheapest tickets but I would suggest going directly to the airline's website to book. I went through e-dreams and getting to Germany, I had no problems, however coming home, was a different story. Somehow my flight had been cancelled but because I had gone through a booking company, the airline couldn't tell me why. I didn't get an email notification of the change and ended up having to buy a ticket on the spot last minute for much higher that the original one I booked. To get to the airport in Dublin we checked which bus times matched up with our flights best and booked tickets. If you fly RyanAir make sure you print out your tickets or else they will charge you to print at the airport also make sure you print off your bus tickets. They will have your name on a check list but will also ask if they can see your ticket so to avoid hassle print it!
Attractions: Cologne is full of wonderful sights! We enjoyed getting lost and strolling across the love lock bridge, through the numerous cathedrals and museums, and enjoying the delicious German food. There was also a long street, probably a few miles, that we walked down called shop street. Both sides of the street were adorned with store after store, with merchandise spilling into the streets. Everything in Germany is much cheaper than Ireland!! I bought a pair of boots for 10 Euros!
Germany: (Transportation) The final step to week 4 in Ireland was actually to take a weekend trip to Germany. Two friends and myself decided to go to Cologne, Germany for the weekend and I'm very glad we did. The flights between countries in Europe are actually very cheap. Round trip tickets were under 90 Euros! You can use edreams or trip advisor to help find which airlines have the cheapest tickets but I would suggest going directly to the airline's website to book. I went through e-dreams and getting to Germany, I had no problems, however coming home, was a different story. Somehow my flight had been cancelled but because I had gone through a booking company, the airline couldn't tell me why. I didn't get an email notification of the change and ended up having to buy a ticket on the spot last minute for much higher that the original one I booked. To get to the airport in Dublin we checked which bus times matched up with our flights best and booked tickets. If you fly RyanAir make sure you print out your tickets or else they will charge you to print at the airport also make sure you print off your bus tickets. They will have your name on a check list but will also ask if they can see your ticket so to avoid hassle print it!
Attractions: Cologne is full of wonderful sights! We enjoyed getting lost and strolling across the love lock bridge, through the numerous cathedrals and museums, and enjoying the delicious German food. There was also a long street, probably a few miles, that we walked down called shop street. Both sides of the street were adorned with store after store, with merchandise spilling into the streets. Everything in Germany is much cheaper than Ireland!! I bought a pair of boots for 10 Euros!
The Dom Cathedral: This was definitely the largest church I have ever been in! the ceilings stretched into the sky for what seemed like an eternity. I've never felt so small inside of a building before! It was beautiful and rich in history. To imagine people walking the same stairs I did hundreds of years ago is crazy! We ventured to the top of the South Tower. The stairs were very narrow and several flights tall. There were over 450 stairs! If you ever get a chance push yourself to get to the top! the view is very worth it! The stairs are very narrow, so as always with traveling, plan on good footwear for walking.
Bratwurst: Our final stop before leaving Germany was a small bratwurst shop on the way to the hotel. Since we were in Germany, I insisted that we stopped and bough German Brats. We met a wonderful Greek man who owned the tiny restaurant. He is one of the most wonderful people I have met on this journey and definitely someone I won't forget. The food was amazing as well! Every time I meet some one new who is kind and intriguing it reminds me why I'm here and why traveling is such a good idea. You find rare people you never would have met if you were afraid to explore!