Live Music

The rest of the English-speaking half of my trip can be summarized by these two words: Live Music. Yes, we took a bus tour across the country of Ireland. Sure, I kissed the Blarney Stone. Absolutely I sampled haggis while I was in Edinburgh. But my absolute favorite experience in both countries was the music. One just wouldn't be able to replicate the genuine couple-of-guys-sitting-at-a-table-with-their-beers-and-instruments feeling that you find in these two countries. Instead of writing about it, I will let you, dear reader (aka Mom), experience the music for yourself.


I know I said Ireland and Edinburgh, but this is actually from Covent Garden in London...also home to some sweet music


The Celt, Dublin...the best place for Irish music



Rock show in Killarney, Ireland...note: they are a rock band but singing a catchy Irish tune



Live music at a pub in Edinburgh, with some commentary to start

Pleasant surprises

I had been meaning to go back to London for quite some time now since I hadn't been able to yet this year, and with one weekend to fill before my Irish bus adventure began, I decided to fill it with someplace easy and close-ish to my eventual destination. Though I had been mostly looking forward to fulfilling my live musical void by seeing the long-awaited Lion King (which was sold out... I had to settle, instead, for Blood Brothers...not quite as magical I don't think) the highlight of my visit to the city was visiting the British Museum. A venue that hadn't quite made it to the top of my To Do list my previous 4 visits (I know, right?) I had a strong urge to visit it this time with little knowledge of what to expect. I found myself surrounded by astounding ancient artifacts, Egyptian, Roman and Greek, that, to me, seemed like the ultimate culmination of ancient wonders that I have seen in the last year. In one visit I was able to relive seeing the Parthenon and Acropolis in Athens, the Pantheon in Rome, and the pyramids and temples in Egypt.

But the absolute coolest moment was when, randomly stumbling through a doorway on the bottom floor of the museum, my attention was drawn at an artifact towards which a multitude of cameras were aimed. "Is that it?" a woman behind me asked. "I think so. Let's just take a picture of it and then get out of here." replied her companion. Curiosity taking over, I moved amass toward the glass case ahead of me. There before me stood a stone. It took a second for me to realize it, but as soon as it did, the breath was taken out of me. The Rosetta Stone. One of the most important ancient artifacts in existence. In front of me. I felt so foolish that I didn't know it was even in this museum. Kind of like the time I was standing front of a tomb in Sevilla, Spain without realizing who it belonged to until I looked down at my map. Christopher Columbus. Wait, what? Yeah...kind of like that.
The rest of my time in London was filled with yummy food, a depressing musical, tube-riding and English. Lots and lots of English. It was a short and sweet introduction to the beginning of my holiday.

Spring Break...aka...Easter Holiday

My British friends laughed at me when I referred to the two weeks before last as "Spring Break," a phrase that, I assume, conjured up images of college-aged coeds "gone wild" in places like Cancun and Tijuana. "So what do you call it, then?" I asked curiously. "Easter holiday," they replied. "And what about the people who don't celebrate Easter over the break?" I inquired. I guess growing up in a society where every label must be inclusive and non-denominational has changed my own terminology. Kind of like how I was a bit surprised at my British teacher friend who had a "Days until Christmas" countdown in her classroom the weeks preceding the "Winter Break."
Anyway...terminology aside, I had a fantastic time on my...ahem...Spring Holiday. Two weeks of exploring cities in and around the UK as well as Spain with close friends will rarely be a letdown. Since each stop on our trip had its own unique culture, offering us a different experience in each place, I will give each "section" of our trip, as it were, its own blog. Hope you enjoy.

On a side note: I am leaving for Florence tomorrow for the second time on the Grade 6 field trip to study the Renaissance, this time as a lead teacher. I'm excited, but just keep praying I don't lose anybody. It will be a week of site seeing, pasta eating, and vespa dodging...oh, plus managing 23 students in a foreign country. Wish me luck!