España!

Barcelona is a beautiful place indeed. I have walked more today then ever in my life I think. If you want to check a map I walked from Plca. Catalunya (the middle) to Montjuic (the bottom) climbed the Jew Mountain till I reached what I thought was the top but found out was a really high middle with magnificent views of the whole city! As I was staring out over Barcelona I was a little bummed that the fountain nearby wasn´t on. So to cure my bummer I grabbed a water and as if by magic that made the fountain turn on. It was muy tranquilo with a jardin full of fragrant greenery and raked gravelly track dirt and the ocean stretching far far away. Lovely. From there it was back home with a pitstop at an open market for the cheapest eggs in Europe and huuuge pimiento rojo. Of course I came out on the wrong side and got lost walking for literally an hour. I got back had a tiny muffin and laid around a bit before I set out to find La Sagrada Familia. That was almost 2 hours ago... I still havent seen it up close. But I did stumble upon Le Arc de Triomf on the way. Well I stumbled upon a sign and then proceeded to stumble upon alley after alley of shops and carrera lined with Sycamores and cafes selling tapas. Eventually this led me to the Arc. It was way more increible than I imagined. I wondered a bit on the path and found a gaggle of old men playing that game with a little red ball and big heavy metal balls. Honestly I have no idea how they kept score or recovered their balls after the toss. They looked the exact same. From there it was more curious wondering adn finally a revelation that only dissapointed when I realized I needed a tarjeta credito with money to rent a bike! Frustrating. Well to backtrack to leaving London. Erica and I took the tube and had lot´s of fun with the seemingly simple fare set-up and went to Buckingham. Where I took maybe 300 bad pictures of Erica. I was under the impression I got at least four good ones but ya know. Mostly it was because the sun was in her eyes and I was having fun taking pics of her squinting for some time. From there we went to the tube and parted ways. Her to Heathrow me to King´s Cross. The train to Luton from there was 12 pounds! I just about burned the place down. The train was quick though and I had fun at the airport for 6 hours lol and ate a few Clif Bars. The first thing I see when I get off the bus in Barcelona. After meeting some Americans in a large group that seemed a. not interested in me and b. young. Well after that my first impression of Spain, as I stubbornly set off to walk to my hostel, was a couple of gay guys making out pretty intensely. On the way to the Ramblas I saw couple after couple of gay guys holding hands. It wasn´t a problem it was just a little surprising seing so many gay couples at once when no one else was out?? At the Ramblas I was offered hash a few times (which I was scared was laced with crack) and then finally gave up on finding my hostel and grabbed a cab. Lesson 1 in my Espanol no es muy bueno. He told me that everything I knew about where I was headed (not much), everything I said in his language, everything I did really and everything the traffic did was not wrong (equivicado) but very dificil. This was his favorite word. "Necesito a la Hostal de Rambla de Catalunya" "Sabes el fir?" "no se" "Oye dificil" and so began my odyssey. I rolled in at midnight and the internet was vroking so they had to go in the back pull a file look me up not find me make me pay then show me the room and tell me to check back later. Flustered. I wish to continue but is not much more. Also I need to book for this weekend...if I can...oh nvm. Um yeah well it´s very nice here. hmmmm... I will be in Holland in a week and hopefully speaking English... to people..not myself. Alright that was a joke I´m not that lonely!

Ciao

Part 2

London...ahhh London. I thought maybe it was a cold and windy desolation but tomight we met Andy (the bartender) and David and Marcos. It is actually quite nice I see now. The conversations that Conrad, Catarina, and Lada have in our room (in German), the eight ball downstairs and Andy's improvised drinks like Flower Power have gicen me hope for this town. Just down the streeet are many competing chicken huts and further along is Edwards and Monsoon two very tasty bakeries I would suggest highly for any truip tp Brent! I am having teourble typing. This is amusing and surprising given I thougyht I had had less tro drink than to hjave this many errors! Two last things 1. if in NW London (Brent) please stayat the No.8 and 2. Scrumpy Jackis the best cider in the UK. Druida and the cheapies also dont have that nasty nose smell but Scrumpy also doesn't have that alcoholic bitew that the cheapies have! Also try Arabic coke. I love coke in glass. And the Arabic makes it nicer. Albaiet (love that mispelled word too) I've only had a Cap'n and Pepsi...tasty...at that bar near Mornington with the goth theme a'ragin I must proc\laim fort the Arabic Coke bottles. Also Apple Hookah (thats for me to remember) and hmmmm... I think Dave's on gotta bounce. Goodness this is an embarrasing message! I'll be home in two weeks. Grandm,a tell Dad that. Only money for 2 weeks. I'll be like mom'e b-day present then home sweet home. Anyone on island I am looking for work so... well Cheers Then!

Caerdydd, Cymru, UK part 1:

We made it to Wales! The whole day was spent on the move. A mislabeled DART bus misadventure which eventually led to Dun Laoghaire (doonleery). I have no idea who's idea that pronunciation was but I hate them. Once at the port the ferry ride was quite excellent. I accidentally booked us the super mega lounge and after a few cups of complementary coffee I was jumping outta my seat watching Argentina-Scotland highlights. I then read a paper, a whole one. We arrived and Erica the Ill tottered uneasily off the boat and I hopped and skipped around till I found the ticket office and we waited for the train. The train was forever in length (four hours) and we got to Cardiff as the light faded and the christmas lights came on. I had read another paper on the train and so I was buzzin with thought as I crossed the busy street. It was like out of a kung fu movie! I am glad to be alive and frankly quite surprised. The walk up to, down and over, around, around again, past, and near the hostel we got a taxi at a pub and arrived to a KFC night. I'm full. The last days in Dublin were full of new people and stuff. I considered erasing here and doing this later cause I just got way sleepy. But consider this part one. to be continued...

Holy Smokes What Day is It?

No it's fine I'm just friggin' starving to death. I'll remedy that problem as soon as I'm done here. Well I once again did not check to see what I wrote last. I know I haven't posted since maybe before Galway...? Well that city was fun again as we expected and I'm going to miss the gang from the Westside (the guys and gals we stayed with). I am going back to get my towel cause my new one is not nearly as cool. So you guys gotta put it somewhere safe for a year. We had the longest bus ride in recorded history back to Dublin and I didnt sleep a wink because Erica kept me up with her persistent snores. It's very nice being back in the big city especially now that we are comfortable with it and savvy of all the best places to go. Big news: We went to the brewery! It was as necessary as everyone said. You walk into the basement and get jacked up watching the best commercials I've honestly ever scene while waiting in line. Then it's upstairs into the bottom of "the world's biggest pint glass" which takes some imagination and an eye for the abstract to appreciate especially the idea that it could hol like 170,000,000 pints or something crazy. But inside you're surrounded by settling Guiness on a massive wall-to-wall and a lovely voice tells you about how Arthur Guiness is a God and the lease is for 9,000 years and how old the factory is, how it's the first steel beamed structure of it's kind in Western Europe and how it was a p.o.s. when God bought it. Very interesting stuff. Then you walk to the gift shop to rule them all and naturally we each bought bottle openers. Then it's up for a 6 or 7? story walk through "brewing for dummies" with artifacts, tools and visual displays the whole way. Near the top is a memorabilia place and at the top is a free bar. You get one pint. Which I found out at the "it's your choice" exhibit is two beers. We were standing in line and this little old lady comes in way hot and cuts me in line. Then a young bride swings in to cut off Erica. We give the bartender a look and he catches it while pooring many a Guiness and does nothing anyway...jackass. So the two cutters reach him and ask for sprites. What-the-heck? Who does that? Honestly? The worst part is the bartender has to dance over to the soda fountain and poor them which takes him way too long. Once served we enjoy the view of the entire city but can't seem to find a seat. This is when "we need a reward" kicks in with our travel instincts. We go downstairs and have a lovely meal. We're now booked through the UK and will only really see London sadly. That does not make me any less pumped to go! I may be over excited about the ferry ride...I just love ferries. Last night(real quick I got 5) was not koo. We did finally grab a pint at the other Temple Bar in Temple Bar and it was great! Sing-alongs, ice cream after and the very entertaining bicycle hustler! But then I got well, this morning has been a little shaky. Hope to eat lots of vedge! Best of luck to all! Cheers!

Corey James out.

The Misinformation Mission

This post begins in Sligo City a largish town in northern Connacht. I had free internet at one of the hostels so I figured I would make reservations for the day after next. The second I began to do just that the hostel manager came in hot and told me my time was up and that checkout was fifteen minutes previous. I tried to point out that being packed and in the common room totally by myself seemed checked out enough and asked for a few minutes to finish the booking. In those few minutes I managed to waste many hours. So after booking a spot at Green Door Hostel in Drogheda (Droe-hey-da), a place I had heard a lot about but was not available through either of the major sites, I skimmed through the directions and hustled out the door with Erica and the grumpy German manager in tow. We stayed that night at a hostel down the street where they had had a bad experience with grease fires???? and therefore had only microwaves. This provided an opportunity for discovering very creative ways to prepare eggs. None of which are worth mentioning. The next morning after exploring Sligo Abbey we hopped on the mother of all bus rides. Ok they got nothin on Jeevon but 4 hours is a while for me. Once in Drogheda it was about 9:30 and we were a bit tired. We got off the bus and looked for the little brown signs that most cities of relatively ok size have pointing to hostels. This had none. We then check a map which didnt have it listed. It was nowhere to be found. So we wandered a bit till we found where the taxi drivers rest. These guys are pros you walk past two times and your shadow will wake them. We ask one of these guys for directions and head off...no hostel. We hale a cab and ask again...same spot but I see a Green Door! Posted in the adacent window is a sign that the building is no longer a hostel. great. We go back to sleepingtaxiland and ask around they all think it must be there. One of them is happy to help us find an alternative in a town with two hotels and two B&Bs. We roll up to the B&B at half ten and fell immediately asleep in our massive super comfy beds and awake to a delicious Irish Breakfast with granola and juice! Now refreshed we leave for Dublin and eventually Cork where I email them about there nonexistence. Turns out they closed that location four years ago and are just up the street. They tell me they have a strict policy (which I did read) on refunds I just don't cut it. They also make it sound as if they have made every citizen in Co. Louth aware of their location change and inform me that the taxi drivers I met must be retarded. "If you knew the lengths we'd gone to to inform of our location change you woould question the IQs of those you asked for directions" really really almost direct quote. We are now in Cashel, home of the rock of Cashel. And I highly recommend it. We did not visit Blarney Castle while in Cork but we will visit Connemara when we reach Galway! I can't decide if I like Munster (SW Ireland) or Connacht (the remainder of Western Ireland) better but Leinster has proven highly irritating (except Dublin of course). Best wishes to all we're off to a Chinese dinner (big treat)...

I Post the Most

It's true after checkin the amigo's blog I realized that. But I'm koo' everyone knows I like to talk anyway nothin new. So I want to speak with y'all about drinks. Firstly I again realized that Guiness on tap (I had one a few hours ago) is truly amazing. Then I realized I would be denied such a realization in my homeland. I couldnt have had this one because American Guiness is brewed in Canada and not the same. But I can't drink at home. This I see now is crap. Let's be honest teens drink. I think that at 16 if I could've drank legally I would be dead by now but as an 18 y.o. "non minor" I must say that if given the choice to have 4 or 14 drinks Id go with 4 eight times outta 10. But in America I cant legally drink. We all know this does not stop American teens. The problem is you gotta get it from a hobo and do it cheap and only on weekends. i.e. you gotta drink a lot. a. cause it's gonna taste like urine b. cause you gotta do it sneaky in the space of 4 hours and c. cause homeless people don't like to buy nice beer. To anyone who has bought me alcohol and is not homeless I should not have generalized you. But thats mostly what Id think. Im not gonna do more cause I have no time. Also though coffee is a drink and I like it a lot. It is my splurge so I have it in every town and must suggest if you go to Galway get a latte at Renzos (ask for directions). The last few days with Johnny, Niall, Shane, and Agnete were awesomo and I was very excited that Obama won. Scratch that SUPER FREKIN DOOPER EXCITED! But in other news Erica Reed is going swiftly poor. She is under budget but even then she has little money. On the continent I think we'll split up heck she might even choose to come back here but donations in any way would be excellent. She has a cold so could not post this herself. (Im in a chinese restaurant a ways from the hostel) ((and its rainnyyy out)) and prolly woulda been more polite but I speak only the truth as you know and that is it. Um well, Sligo is where we're at and sandwiches are what is pricey here. Weird I know but something I noticed. It's a nice town and Id recommend it. Going to Drogheda, then Cork, then Waterford, then Galway, then Dublin, then we're done. Not too spontaneous but you cant be here. Hostels are booked too often and dont exist in small towns. Just on the barren industrial outskirts of cities usually a mile or three from the bus stop. I am enjoying myself though. More pics coming in the next few days (hopefully of monolithic tombs). I will catch you on the flip-flop hope my next post is less dull.

Halloween

It feels like it's been days since the last post. I guess it's not been. I've heard the last one didnt make a lot of sense so I'll try now to better that. Firstly his name is Guillaume not Guillome. Galway remains a beautiful place. We arrived at Johnny and Niall's house yesterday afternoon. The day was a welcome slow down in a comfortable place and I am feeling rather at home here in the suburbs which is something I thought I'd never say. The guys are great. A little background info: Johnny is 22 and studying to major in experimental physics and go from that into vulcanology and Niall is 26 and majoring in astrophysics. The two of them are huge ManU fans and we learned quite quickly that Manchester United's rivals are Liverpool. They are on the clean side of college bachelors, which is not to say their house is emmaculate, but quite livable. Erica and I found out returning from the store yesterday that they don't have a spare key :) which makes getting in when they're out tricky. They drink Foster's. Well Halloween in Galway what can be said? Devoting 8 days is not all they also have rubbish fires in every neighboorhood and the trick-or-treaters are diehard (coming out when the windchill was -3C) and illegal fireworks appear all over the early evening sky making for a wondrous panorama from the hills down to the water. We went out again and spent reasonably less money and I had a way better time. The guys took us to a great pub on the North side of the river (more local) and met up with the usual suspects from the last few days. Drinking was not priority over dancing but the music was not the craic so the dancing was goofier to make up for it. Met some more excellent folks and went for the long walk home to fall asleep in real beds and wake up late the next afternoon. Today has been soccer oriented and I'm writing to you and awaiting a delicious plate of shell macaroni with a mushroom bolognaisse (a traditional Irish meal lol). I'll post in a few days but couldnt resist a back-to-back with the free internet and all. Cheers to all!