Erin Town

I must say... I didn't think it could get much better than Italy, but I have been pleasantly surprised. Ireland has become my heart. Let me tell you why.

Alex and I arrived in Shannon on the night of the 14th, aka Tuesday. Lucky for us we landed at the exact moment that the last bus was departing for our hostel. So, of course we missed it. One strike against Holden-Pauls. The bus was only 4 euro 50. After we collected our luggage from baggage claim, we had to face our fears and hire a taxi. The hostel- Jamaica Inn- was only 12 km away from the airport, but our taxi still managed to cost 25 euro. I was out of cash, so Alex paid and we asked our hostel master where the closest ATM was so that I could pay her back. The hostel master/nazi pointed us in the direction of Centro, which is basically the exact same thing as our Somerfield's (small grocery store chain in the UK), and we walked there only to discover that the ATM was out of service. YAY. Strike 2 against team America. The cashier told us to come back at 2000 because it could be up and running by then. We walked a little further down the city centre of this tiny village and found a credit union. We got excited because we hoped maybe they could help a coupla sisters out. We go inside. I ask if there is any other ATM around. The teller says the closest is in Limerick about 10 km away. Alex declares that she wants to exchange some of her pounds to euros. Teller tells us she's closed. She walks us to the door and then locks it. Strike 3 against team America. We step outside into the cold to head back, albeit begrudgingly, and then comes the rain. Pouring. Alex pulls on her slicker hood. I whip out my umbrella and naturally it flips inside out. Alex cackles and tells me that my umbrella sucks. I tell her to shut up. We walk back home. Strike 4 against team America. We walk back to Jamaica and realize that we have free WIFI and are ecstatic. I mess around on the internet for awhile since it's pouring and then decide I want to take a shower, which in the hostel world means renting a towel unless you bring your own. It was only 1 euro, but the nazi wasn't there to unlock the towel drawer. I was sad. Alex was still on her laptop, so I walked into our room and met another girl named Mayveiah (sp?) who was staying in our dorm-style rooms. Mayveiah and her travelling buddy were from New York and they were on their last night of their vacation in Ireland. She spilled all of her life to me in a matter of about 10 minutes... it was pretty funny, but she was really nice, and she was an American, so I was happy to talk to her. Finally, the hour reaches a little past 8 pm and so I go to collect Alex to head back to Centro. The nazi was back and made me wait to rent a single towel while he checked in person after person-- what a friendly man he was. Then, I dropped off the towel to our room and Alex and I left for Centro. As soon as we entered those teal and yellow sliding glass doors, the cashier yelled to me, "THE ATM IS WORKING! GO FOR IT!" Of course this was all in her native tongue, which I find both magestic and lyrical. I could listen to it all day. I got my money and we got some fruit and veggies for dinner. Good times.

The next day, i.e. yesterday, Alex and I were able to catch the bus from the Six Mile Bridge back to Shannon airport to meet up with her rents for 9 euro at 720 am. The day was pretty crappy and rainy, but we were still in Ireland. Our luck changed as soon as her parents made it to the rental car station. We landed a beamer. Alex and I just looked at each other-- we happen to be able to read each other's mind, so we were feeling like things were looking up. We basically drove around County Clare yesterday, which happens to be one of the main places I have always wanted to visit since high school when I read a book about it. We got to see the Cliffs of Moher, which were striking and dangerous. The drop to the sea was remarkable. Although it was a really cold and foggy day, we were still able to get a glimpse of what they would like on a rare sunny day. After that, we drove through Limerick and stopped at a pub for lunch. All 4 of us ordered ham sandwiches. From there, we drove on towards Adare where our B&B was and checked in around 2 p.m. It was a gorgeous B&B. I've never stayed in one, but it was exactly how I imagined it. Alex and I shared a twin room, which in the EU means a set of twin beds, with frilly curtains, flowery wallpaper and a pair of teddy bears nestled gently against our pillow. Talk about precious. After we got "organized," as Genna would say, we headed out to explore the city centre of Adare. We purchased a crapload of post cards (let me know if you want me to send you one... for real, I love buying them and writing them. just send me your address) and I sent out about 4. My favorite was the one I just sent my parents. They will probably roll their eyes because it's so dry, but it's my sense of humor in a nutshell, so I cracked up when I saw it. It's basically a lone billygoat with miles of green hilly pastures with the words "Missing you" on the bottom of it. Perfect and concise. After all of this, Al & I went to a pub for dinner and had some yummy salads followed by Irish coffee, which I happened to love, and she did happened to hate. Then, we went back to the B&B, downloaded some shows and called it a night.

Cliffs of Moher.

The ruins in front of the Cliffs of Moher.

I guess the Irish like the Americans.


Me and Al in front of Lady View Lookout.

Today was the day things really began to change. I woke up at around 710 am and enjoyed some quality water pressure in the shower before breakfast. Alex and I walked down to the beamer to load our luggage back in the trunk and it started to rain. I've decided that it likes to rain every morning in Ireland-- kind of like Hawaii-- because God is crying happy tears that we made it through the night. After breakfast we buckled into our plush leather seats and headed out for our long drive around the Ring of Kerry. I can't tell you how amazing this experience was for me. If I could have walked that whole 5 hour drive, I would have. I'm serious. Every second that passed gave me more and more chills. The dried grass was growing unruly up and down cliffs and hills, not to mention that there were these gorgeous golden wildflowers everywhere in sight. They call the Ring of Kerry, "The Golden Mile," as well and I think it's because of the flowers. The sights are indescribably breathtaking, and no photo can do it justice. You just have to see it yourself... I think that's the way for all of Ireland. I think you're meant to see it and experience it for yourself because the land is so untainted by human hands. Talk about God's country out here. I saw everything from huge cliff overhangs jutting out to the Dingle Bay and the Atlantic Ocean to billygoats jumping up the bolders on the hills. I even saw cows mating and baby sheep running across the middle of the road. About halfway through the Ring of Kerry I asked Alex's dad if this was considered Ireland's national park. We found out that the national park was around the Killarney area where we were ultimately heading towards for our hotel accomodation for tonight. So, we made a pit stop at Lady View Lookout, Torc Waterfalls, a few random turn offs, and then finally, the Muckross Manor and Gardens. Everything was beautiful.

Imagine this as far as the eye can see-- that's the Ring of Kerry.

Taste of Ireland.

On one of the turn-offs besides the major views, there was a man playing the accordion besides a man feeding a kitten, goat, and two baby lambs. After snapping some photos, I decided that I had nothing left to lose. I went over to the man feeding the animals and asked if I could hold them. He said absolutely. Alex and her mom took a bunch of pictures of me holding a baby goat and a lamb, but it was one of the coolest things I think I've ever done. It was another one of those moments where I felt ever so strongly that I was in the right place at the right time. The man asked me if I was a student and where I was from, so I told him because we were in love from the get-go. Then, he asked me if I was Irish and I told him that yes, I was almost fully Irish. He said that's great and asked me for my surname. I said "Holden," but we stem from the "Regans." And he looked at me and smiled and said, "Ahh, yes, the Dublin Holdens. That's where you're from." I mean I was in the middle of holding a lamb for the love of pearl and this man was telling me where I came from. That felt unreal to me. I know I say unreal a lot, but it really did. Here I was doing something that I've never done before and I was getting a lesson on my origin from a complete stranger on a turn-off point of some random coastal road. He went on to tell me that the Dublin Holdens were great at football. The only other time somebody has thought to tell me about myself was the investigator that I met with last spring. She asked if I was Irish and I said yes and she said, "yes, you must be black irish because of your skin, hair, and eye color." Who do these people think they are? It's incredible. Random strangers whom I'll never see again no more about me than I have ever known about myself or my family. It's surreal.

Accordion man and the farmer who taught me about life.

I named them Sammy and Suzie.

Me, Suz, her brother (maybe?), and THE MAN.

I can't describe everything to you. I'm wandering around and I feel like I'm not really any closer to understanding who I am and who I'm meant to be, but every so often I pick up a piece of the puzzle and learn a little more about myself. I realized today while holding the baby lamb and goat and talking to this Irishman that we may never really know who we are. We can know who we want to be or how we want to be and we can know whose we are, but I think that life is about scraping your knees or slipping on a moss-covered bridge nearly landing in the Irish-Atlantic ocean to learn what you're capable of. This is too deep for most of you, but it's the English major in me. After all, I came here for this very reason-- I was tired of living in this half life where I dreamed of doing something cool. Here I am doing really cool things and slowly understanding the person God created me to be.

In other news, I have been having this recurring dream with the same type of dog whose breed I have seen and I really like, but I simply cannot identify. Oddly enough, this dog has followed me around to every city that I've seen so far on my Easter break. It's not a joke. Ask Lindsay. Also, I keep listening to Mat Kearney's "Nothing Left to Lose" on repeat. I know that it's an old hit single, but it seems to fit right now. Also, I can finally put my hair up in a ponytail without half of it falling out of the elastic. My BAMF sister is officially 9 months prego!!! You go, baby mama!!

Cead Mile Failte. The Gaelic blessing for "One Hundred Thousand Welcomes." Everything about Ireland is a welcome home. I don't ever want to leave.

May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
And the rain fall softly on your fields.
And until we meet again,
May the Lord hold you in the palm of His hand.