Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Graffiti Overtaken by the Wild--Cork, Ireland

Cork lacks green space; there is no central park on the island where one can lounge during their lunch break or run their dog around. One must venture at least 15 minutes outside city center to find a notable green space. However, despite the lack of green lawn, lush gardens have a presence in the city, and if you're lucky enough, you'll get a peak. Crawling ivy, tendrils and flower bushes peak over rock walls of private residences, through rotten wooden gates and wind around copper pipes. This little hint of nature serves as a refresher from the city scenery--a secret garden. 




Monday, September 29, 2014

The Story of Guinness--Dublin, Ireland

The air in Dublin smells of fresh baked bread--or is it beer? Yes, it's definitely Guinness. When in Dublin, one is expected to visit the Saint James Gate Brewery, birthplace of Guinness Irish beer, and I was no exception. Initially I was skeptical to take the tour. They were asking 14.50 euro for a self-guided tour (that's the generous student price) and it looked like a crowded day surrounded by beer-goers. However, after making my entrance into the warehouse-turned-showroom, I was pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere is dramatic--industrial, dimly lit, tastefully bold graphics--and the story of Guinness is quite interesting as well. Despite popular belief, the water made to make the beer is not from the Liffey, rather a freshwater mountain spring which Arthur Guinness bought the rights to (along with a 9,000 year lease of the property!) Although the tour is self-guided, the layout and interactive exhibitions keep visitors circulating around and up while learning about the processing of the ingredients, making of the wooden barrels, and advertisement tactics. At the end of the tour, guests can enjoy a complementary Guinness while overlooking Dublin.  






Sunday, September 28, 2014

A View Above the City--Dublin, Ireland

Dublin is a city, and it is just that. Rushed cars, fast paced locals (slow paced tourists), grey concrete jungle. But with a city also comes culture--free museums, street fashion, impromptu music sessions, and pubs where locals and visitors seamlessly mix for the night. Dublin houses the Irish capitol, famous Trinity College which is home to the book of Kells, the Guinness factory, a silver spire that rises into the sky and the Liffey River flowing through city center. Despite being the capitol, Dublin is not as large as one might think--the city is very walk-able for visitors with only Guiness, the Modern Art Museum, and Phoenix Park (twice as large as central park) expanding further outside city center than one may like--most other galleries and sites of remark are centrally located and one can easily see most everything in one, maybe two leisurely days. Compared to Cork, Dublin's presence is more formal and less colorful--most structures are made of brick or stone rather than the brightly painted stucco that makes Cork so charming. The main streets and sidewalks are wider to accommodate the surplus of traffic and the historically ornate government buildings' street presence occasionally overshadow the surrounding blocks. Food-wise, there seems to only be cafes or pub grub, each with odd hours of operation (expect to eat a late breakfast, and eat an early dinner to save a few euro by ordering off of the lunch menu). But despite the lack of cuisine choice and confusing shop hours, Yelp typically did not disappoint. The famous Temple Bar area, lives up to it's famous reputation. Temple Bar itself is crowded, but there are many other close by options, most of which offer either live traditional music or cover artists. However, with a famous district comes shamefully steep prices for a pint. 


Sunset view from atop Apache Hostel



Thursday, September 25, 2014

A Fresh Coat for a Rainy Day--Sullivan's Quay, Cork

I often see home or business owners touching up the paint on their properties or changing the color of their doors, but this is the first time I have seen a face lift of this magnitude! Curb appeal seems to be an important concept here. 







Wednesday, September 24, 2014

A Sunny Day on the Coast--Cobh, Ireland

Cobh (pronounced "cove") is a small coastal village south of Cork, about a 30 minute train ride through the swampy low-tide coastal plains. Not knowing much about the town other than what my guide book briefly mentioned, Sabrina and I (for our third Wednesday exploration) exited the train realizing we had no map, no itinerary, or sense of direction. We followed the crowd of visitors and walked along the main road which wound us along the harbor--the second largest natural harbor in the world. The scenery displayed views of a remote island jail, toy-like sailboats, and a hillside spotted with a Gothic Church and a colorful combination of houses and seaside shops. As we strolled through the charming city center on our way to the Titanic Memorial Gardens (Cobh was the last port of call for the Titanic), we acquired a shaggy follower and despite our many attempts to lose him (ducking into shops, running down the beach, and comically trying to tiptoe away) he followed us to the edge of town into the gardens. Much to our embarrassment, he defaced the memorial bushes. We finally lost him as we climbed higher and higher up the hill into a residential area where we were able to see across the harbor to the ocean. What a picturesque scene! We briefly toured St. Colman's Cathedral before catching our return train, on which I slept the whole way home.




A Personal Note--Bachelors Quay, Cork

Audrey Danser
Leeside Apartments #23
Bachelors Quay
Cork, Ireland

Nothing beats a hand written letter in the post.



Tuesday, September 23, 2014

The Faces I See--Cork Opera House

The mystery is solved. The faces on City Hall are part of a street art project entitled 'Our Nation's Sons' by Joseph Caslin. An exert from the Cork Culture Night pamphlet explains the project. "The large scale portraits give focus to Cork's young men and their challenges, but ultimately showcases their potential." 
On the same Tuesday that I discovered Our Nation's Sons, I also snapped shots of a new (to me) set of faces. The famous faces, painted in shades of blue and grey graffiti, are found along a narrow alley along the back side of the Cork Opera House. 



Monday, September 22, 2014

Locked in the Past--Cork City Gaol

As a part of the weekend's Culture Night, the Cork City Jail offered free admission and tours. Curious of mostly just the architecture, I made the trek to the castle-like fortress which resides above the city. Upon entrance into the main prisoner holding wing, a circular vestibule rose up two stories. If one stood at the center, as the prison guards would), one could see down every other long corridor which radiated from this central area. The cells, which were only a few meters wide and were designed to hold two prisoners, commonly held six at a time. Despite the uncomfortable quarters, many 19th century criminals resorted to non-violent property-related theft during the famine, knowing that they would be sentenced to jail and at least be fed two meals each day and have a roof overhead.  



Sunday, September 21, 2014

To Dance like a Local--Devere Hall, University College Cork

When in Ireland, one must learn the dance of the Irish. As a part of Freshers' week, the week of orientation and of being bombarded by students trying to get you to join their club or society, an introduction to set dancing course was offered in the amphitheater outside of the student center. For two hours we stepped on our partner's toes and clumsily bumped into other couples when we made the wrong footing. This short intro to the genre of Irish dance peaked my interest enough that the following week, I tested out a step dancing course offered by the university as a 2.5 credit module through the Music School. I was surprised at the resemblance to American tap dancing, something I was never particularly talented at. Never the less, it was a fun experience that I can practice at the pubs. For now, however, I think I will stick with ballet. 




Saturday, September 20, 2014

A Night of Culture--Cork City, Ireland

Over 100 venues opened their doors for city dwellers to explore the arts during Cork's annual Culture Night. With free admission to museums, access to artist's private galleries, traditional music sessions at local pubs, film screenings, etc, there was a world of choice--too many events and not enough time. The continuous heavy drizzle did not seem to deter event-goers as they roamed the city, culture guide in hand, searching for the venues denoted by the green, red, yellow and blue balloons. I started my night at St. Peter's Church where an architectural model of Cork City, spanning the whole length of the church, was displayed. The upper gallery of St. Peter's had a display of 1950 Cork City photographs. One photograph in particular caught my eye; it was a shot taken from Bachelor's Quay, appearing as if it were taken from the exact angle of my balcony. I next crossed the river to York Street, leaving city center, and met up with some friends at Mother Jones Flea Market where local musicians, poets and storytellers were performing throughout the night. Surrounded by an eclectic ambiance made up of crochet kitten artwork, beaded flapper dresses, and porcelain tea kettles, we listened to one local musician before ducking out into the rain yet again to grab a pint. Five blocks over and drenched at The Corner House Pub, we stayed into the night listening to traditional tunes or Ireland. 





Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Fighting the Fog--Kerry County, Ireland

The sky was cloudy early this morning, as the day begins most mornings. I walked to the Grand Parade in downtown Cork, my rain coat stuffed in my bag, to meet Sabrina and our ride--a tour bus that would take us around the Ring of Kerry which loops around the Iveragh Peninsula. I guess we were still worn out from our walking trek last week that we decided to embark on the exact opposite experience this time. The tour first took us to an old bog village, which has now become a tourist spot for hop-on hop-off bus tours like ours. Unimpressed and put-off by the fact that if we wanted to see the village itself, we would have to pay an admission, Sabrina and I sipped some over-priced tea with a German couple. As we finished our tea and re-boarded the bus, it started to rain. By the look of the dense fog that came with the rain, our chances of seeing much at the look-out stops along our tour were low. The views at Dingle Bay and Kenmare Bay left us a little disappointed and our camera memory cards lacking. The most impressive view of the day was Killarney National Park, mainly because it was one of the only weather-acceptable photo opportunities. 



The Colors of Residence--Cork, Ireland

Cork is jammed packed with 19th century houses. They stand side by side, architecturally uniform, but colorfully, they each have a different face. Unlike Cusco, which I visited about a month ago, residents are allowed the freedom to paint their home what ever color they wish--vibrant blue, pale pink, mint green. The colors may be to distinguish one house from the other, serve as an act of self expression, or even just to liven up the city and countryside the 200/365 days it rains. The colorful houses give Cork its quarkiness.





Tuesday, September 16, 2014

The Pub on a Tuesday Night--Blarney Castle Hotel

The pub is a social attraction for both young and old; it is a space for dancing, music, drinking, chatting. Each Tuesday night at a hotel pub in Blarney, a 8 Km taxi ride from Cork, a group of international students, locals and tourists from the upstairs hotel gather in the cozy, dimly candle-lit space for a night of traditional Irish improv music. One by one, patrons of the pub arrive, fiddles, flutes and accordions in tow. They gather around a small corner table--their Guinness and Murphys casually set in a circle according to their playing position around the table. As one starts to play a tune, the others follow suit, the songs lasting as long as 10 minutes. On a familiar tune, one patron starts to sing and the whole pub joins in. When the night becomes late, the musicians slowly disband one by one, until it is only us waiting for a taxi.




The Faces I See--City Hall, Cork

Tuesday mornings I walk the opposite direction of campus to the School of Architecture for a module on historical conservation. During the 20 something minute walk to class I pass by city hall. It's an expansive building, taking up a few city blocks along the harbor. A quick Google search told me that the current building replaced the old structure that was destroyed during the burning of Cork, but the search did not answer my initial question I had set out of find. Who are the faces on city hall? 



Sunday, September 14, 2014

An Artistic Presence--City Centre, Cork

I visited Cork's Crawford Art Gallery located in northern city center next to the opera house and just a few blocks from my flat.  It is a free gallery, so the collection is small, but the sampling of Irish work is just enough to keep yourself busy for an hour or two--my favorites were a F E McWilliam Bronze titled 'Woman in a Bomb Blast' and an exhibit of Henry Clarke watercolors. Although the formal presence of art in Cork is somewhat lacking, the city blossoms with street art (in addition to the graffiti).  




Wednesday, September 10, 2014

To Carrigrohane and back--Lee Road, Irish Countryside

A day without classes is a day to explore. With no destination but 'the countryside' in mind, a friend and I walked westward along the River Lee. Cork disappeared little by little and we were soon among grazing cows, stalks of corn, and quaint farm houses. The road was long and flat--we could see a few kilometers ahead of us and the whizzing cars that traveled along this route blew our hair into our faces. The only worry was that along this vast stretch of road ahead of us, we could not see a bridge to cross to the other side and return to the city. We did not want to back track, so we continued forward until finally around a bend, Alas! a Bridge! Unlike the walk to Carrigrohane (the town where the bridge was located) which accommodated pedestrians and bicyclists with a sidewalk, our return trip was a little more dangerous as we had to walk in the street. As cars passed, we pressed ourselves along the stone walls that fenced in the farms, hoping that the drivers might slow down. The scenery on the north side of the river was very different from the south. We now walked through dense forest--our feet crunching the leaves that have already started to fall. When we finally reached the city, our legs and feet ached. I later mapped our route and found that we had traveled 15 kilometers! 


A narrow bridge--our saving grace

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

An Eye for Fashion--Devere Hall, UCC

Cork is quite fashionable. With the start of class yesterday, I am surprised by the number of fashion forward students on campus--colorful leggings from Penny's, classic ankle booties, and a bold shade of lipstick. The layered look--rain jackets over sweaters over tank tops--is the Cork staple outfit since the weather changes so often (though I have not had to use my rain coat yet, I keep it packed with me at all times). The prominent use of color in the fashion must be due to the dreary sky scenery. Among the colorful crowds, I photographed this classic beauty; her elegance and mystery captivated me. Can you guess what she was photographing? 



Sunday, September 7, 2014

A Sunday Stroll--St. Anne's Church

Two friends and I took a late afternoon walk visiting each of the cathedrals in Cork. The sun was warm, the river's tide high and the streets empty--not quite surprisingly due to the all Ireland hurling final. The cheers from the pub-goers could be heard from all directions as we passed by.


Saturday, September 6, 2014

A Collection of Graffiti--City Cork

My camera goes where ever I go--even when I go running around the city. Recently, I have found myself snapping shots of artful graffiti. The city is alive with colorful pieces around each unexpected corner, each with its own character. Yesterday I ran along the river to a nearby park just past campus and near the athletic fields. On the exterior wall of the field were mounted plywood boards artfully spray painted and looked as if they had been commissioned. They were aged--some were falling off the wall and the spray paint had faded, making the pieces less prominent, but I noticed. I am especially intrigued by the pieces that are overgrown by the surroundings, as if they have been long forgotten by the usual city dwellers. 




Friday, September 5, 2014

A Campus to impress--University College Cork, Ireland


University is a twenty minute walk from my flat. I take a tree-lined trail that mimics the river and lets out near the gates of the university. As I pass over the threshold into campus, I wind up a hill, pass the contemporary art museum, and up a set of tall stairs. When I summit my climb, I am met by a mix of modern and traditional grey stone buildings, some of which ivy is crawling up the aged walls. Students lounge on the lawns, whiz by on bikes, and I catch sound bites of ten different accents as I cross the quad toward Boole Library. This time of year campus is blooming with faint-pink flowers, the grass if vibrant, and the foliage lush. Even if the sky and structures may be grey, the grounds of UCC are lively. 





A Flat in the City--Cork, Ireland


I live in a five story flat on Bachelors Quay--the penthouse. From my balcony, we overlook the river which spans the city and from my bedroom, I view a quaint low-rise urban center of colorful shops and houses with cathedrals rising in between. The flat is considerably large for three people--two Americans and a French girl. My bedroom, which I share, is spacious and simplistically outfitted with a wardrobe, two desks, and two beds. The furnishings are reminiscent of 'college dorm' style, but the lack in fashion of the furniture is compensated by the charm of the flat itself. My favorite feature is the operable skylight above my bed. The ceilings are positioned at a slant mirroring the roof line and because of this, I am able to rise through the window and see a panorama of the city.  


View from balcony--across the river