After the storm--Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland

When I embarked on my four month journey to Ireland, I was well aware of the rainy climate. I assumed that half of the week would be sunny and half of the week it would drizzle. In the beginning, that was just about the trend, but lately, as the autumn weather has descended, the sky is a constant grey, and the rain is continuous--only varying from sprinkle to sudden downpour. It seems as though my luck with nature and travel is not particularly good--think back to Machu Pichu, Ring of Kerry, Giant's Causeway, Cliffs of Moher. However, despite all of the foggy, rainy, and windy encounters I have experienced across Ireland and abroad, I am sometimes awarded with a beautiful rainbow. 

A Return to Nature--The Highlands, Scotland

Having spent the summer months surrounded by the mountains and now emerging myself in the urban scenery, a trek into the Scottish Highlands was a necessary indulgence. The Highlands are located in the middle portion of the country bound to the North by Inverness, the capital of the Highlands. The area is characterized by mountains, grassy planes, and a sparse population. The remoteness of my surroundings was apparent with only the sound of the rushing mountain streams, the sloshing of my feet on the soggy grass, and the howling winds. 

A Snapshot to Capture History--Scotland, United Kingdom

The referendum may be news a month too late, but the traces still linger in Scotland. Scattered throughout the countryside I were messages of 'yes' painted on rock faces and graffitied onto construction fences reading 'yes, lets not fear change, lets embrace it' and 'yes, Scotland is ours, not theirs.' As a mere observer, I was excited to capture a little bit of history, because who knows how much longer these traces will be there.

An Afternoon in Edinburgh--Edinburgh, Scotland

The air was crisp, the sky grey, and the leaves shimmered gold in Autumn as I hopped off the bus in Edinburgh after 10 hours of travel. I had no particular plan for the day, as this trip to the city was a spur of the moment decision. With a few recommendations from the tourism office, I soon realized that I just wanted to wander. Edinburgh has the charm of old town with it's cobble stone streets, cathedrals and castle, but also the population and size to satisfy a city culture. Atop a hill to the East, one can obtain a panoramic sense of the urbanscape, the surrounding sea, hilly scenery and can even see a deteriorating grave yard shadowed on either side by new construction. From this view, it seems as though the city has a perfect combination of history, modern and greenspace, with an extensive network of accessability to the surrounding nature of Scotland and capital city, Glasgow. When wandering the streets, one can see British style houses, passageways reminiscent of Belfast's entries, and Irish style shop fronts, already decorated for Christmas. And of course, even in such charming of cities, if you look hard enough, you'll find a little bit of Graffiti. 

On the Other Side of the River--Cork, Ireland

I have not written of my hometown in a long time. I have been swept away by the romance of other cities, but each time I return home at the end of a traveling weekend, I am comforted by the quaint and compact city of Cork. I can compare Cork to a mini Manhattan. The confines of the city include the island, which is segregated above and below by the River Lee, and the 'Brooklyn'-esque area surrounding the island, finally fading into countryside. 'Manhattan' (city center) is the hub for business, shopping, and drinking. I live and spend much of my time here. But 'Brooklyn' has a lot to offer too--pubs that are not as well known (how hipster!), a flea market with any knick or knack you would never think of, and a fresh take on street art. This is where I spend most of my time exploring the local culture and architecture of the Irish. 

A Facade of Remark-Dublin, Belfast

The buildings in Ireland are built one next to the other; the cities are compact and no space is wasted. On the rare occasion when there is a flat facade--usually next to a demolition site or car park, these are the images I see: full surface-covering murals decorating the blank canvases. I often wonder if some of the murals I see are from the same artist--many have similar styles--but none of the pieces are signed for me to know. 

The View is Excellent--Cliffs of Moher, County Clare Ireland

The rain and fog enveloped the countryside as we wound our way up in elevation toward our destination--the Cliffs of Moher. As we pulled up to the ticket counter in our rented Ford Focus, we asked how's the visibility? "Excellent!" responded the ticket attendant. We paid her our admission and made our way to the cliff edge, the windy rain blowing into our faces. She must have thought we were a trio of suckers, because the view was far from 'Excellent!' The Fog engulfed the cliff face and the only definition seen was the crashing waves below. Accepting our losses (the fact that we had just driven cross country for this view and had been swindled out of 18 euro), we regretfully turned around and walked back to our car.