Notes from the Other Side of the Pond

Music Pick of the Day: The Elder Scrolls

2012-02-12T12:48:00.001-08:00

Oh, video game music. You never disappoint.

ILL!

2012-02-12T10:57:00.000-08:00

OH HI!

I seem to have caught a bug. Not the interesting kind that lights up and you can store in a jar, either. I'm sick. So no interesting adventures today. Unless you want an update on what my Sims are currently doing (Those twins! Poor Gwen had to quit her job as a traffic cop to take care of them!).

Also, I discovered a new, glorious tumblr: http://futurehipsters.tumblr.com/

daily music pick: Brandi Carlile

2012-02-09T03:41:00.001-08:00

Stuck in my head this morning? The lovely Brandi Carlile!

Reflections West!

2012-02-08T04:45:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, my work was chosen to be presented on Montana public radio's Reflections West program this week! If you didn't catch it live, that's okay, because they archive all episodes on the website: reflectionswest.org

For now, I'm featured on the main page, but you can access my episode at later dates here: http://reflectionswest.org/episodes/ep46_appell.php

Please listen to mine and others' episodes (there are some FANTASTIC reflections) and support Montana Public Radio and Humanities Montana!

Music selection of the day!

2012-02-08T04:30:00.000-08:00

A new feature of this blog: what is currently stuck in my head! Shannon will attest that my brain works in mysterious ways (when she's being generous about it). So, as way of illustrating this, and as a way of making myself feel closer to those I've left behind and miss dearly, I hereby instate the daily music selection!

Stuck in my head today? The fantastic score of The Lion King, by genius Hans Zimmer. The music of this movie is actually the primary reason I defend this movie in the Kimba/Lion King debate. (Here's the most generous take down of the issue, if you don't know what I'm talking about: http://www.kimbawlion.com/rant2.htm) If Disney would have just admitted that The Lion King was meant to be an American remake (not even that, really, as the stories are completely different--more like a tribute to the TV show/manga), the problem would not even exist. Because despite what diehard Jungle Taitei fans say, The Lion King is fucking brilliant. The music is fucking brilliant. Kimba explores entirely different themes through an entirely different medium. If Disney would just grow a pair and admit they were taking inspiration from the Japanese source, the comparisons would continue, but it a much more civilized manner.

Rant over. Now, here's some music.

Living quarters

2012-02-06T13:46:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been adjusting to student life in an entirely new environment and system, and trying to make my single dorm room feel a little more like home (Shannon reports on her own experiences). As such, I haven't taken a whole lot of fun and exciting photographs to share. Mostly it's been classes and reading, pub hopping, and shopping for (mostly) necessities.

That being said, I've decided to share a view of my living quarters, since my readers have so vehemently demanded it (read: my mom asked me to on Skype).

My bed and classy duvet. Carlos and Dev Michael Zuko Potato say hi.

Sophisticated wall coverings

Oh look a closet

Sink space

A dresser

The work space. Yes, those are "Very Hungry Caterpillar" tissues. I know, right?

THE BESTEST CUTEST THING EVER THAT I BOUGHT AT POLLY TODAY

AHOY!

2012-02-01T09:53:00.000-08:00

Last night we celebrated pirate-style. Happy 21st birthday, Megan!

Updates from Aber

2012-01-31T11:53:00.000-08:00

Llllllladies.....

The past few days have been hectic, to say the least, so apologies for the lack of blog updates. Finally registered for classes and somewhat oriented to my new surroundings, though there are still quite a few kinks to iron out...

The things that have gone smoothly, however, are due to our friend Megan, a student here who studied abroad at UM. Though we never got the chance to meet when she was in Montana, she's taken us in like lost puppies, guiding us through the processes of buying bedding, purchasing cell phones, and determining where the best hot chocolate in the city is.

Out and about on the Megan (left) Tour of Aber

Amid all the chaos and bureaucracy, we still have had time to do some exploring of this gorgeous seaside town...

The marina

The river Ystwyth. Interesting note: "Aber" means "mouth," so Aberystwyth means "mouth of the river Ystwyth"

Walking along the harbor wall

Shannon on the beach

...self explanatory

Yeeeahhhh

Posin' by the ocean

Ruins of Aberystwyth castle

WWII monument

Shannon exploring the castle ruins

The Crossing

2012-01-26T09:37:00.000-08:00

The trip from Holyhead to Aber was...chaotic, to say the least. The ferry ride from Dublin was quite comfy and stylish (as my first cab driver in Dublin said, "That's a civilized way to travel, that is.")

Lookin' lovely in the morning, with my bed head and slouchiness.

On our way out of the harbor!

See....lighthouse....must...photograph....

Train station in Holyhead....

Where our troubles began....

As it turns out, there is no direct route to Aberystwyth by train. If you start in Holyhead, you should proceed on to Shrewsbury (NOT Bangor, as we discovered) and switch trains there. What could be a short, straight shot becomes a six hour journey. A shorter method would be to pay for an 8 pound ticket to Bangor, and take the X32 bus to Aberystwyth for 6 pounds, which ends up being only 4 hours. Which is what my Welsh contact told me to do. Advice which we promptly ignored, thinking we could surely find a better way. Such fools....

Shannon is not pleased.

But we did at last make it to Aber, where we were greeted with a breezy, stress-free registration process.

...

Sorry, I got lost in my fantasy world for a moment. Nonetheless, the people at Aberystwyth University are very patient and helpful, and I look forward to working with them throughout the next semester.

Now, for the first views of the town I'll be living in for the next five months, all from the window of my hostel:

Hanging precariously out my room window.

Quick update

2012-01-25T14:22:00.000-08:00

In Aberystwyth at last!!!

NOTE: This is not my photo. Not the right time of year, and I haven't had a chance to get up to Constitution Hill. I stole it from Trip Advisor.

The last of Dublin

2012-01-24T07:56:00.000-08:00

Well, today's our last day in Dublin, as we hop the ferry to Holyhead first thing tomorrow morning. Our last days here were filled with a lot of walking. Dublin is a very pedestrian-friendly city, and the central location of our guest house has made walking to a variety of fun places very easy.

Like Christ Church Cathedral!

And Dublinia, the museum of viking and medieval Dublin!

BRING OUT YER DEAD! A guy dying of plague at Dublinia. Awesome!

View from the top of St. Michael's Tower

Yeah, I walked all 96 of those steps.

Awesome stained glass at Christ Church

Old English ruins of the original church on the grounds of Christ Church

Yesterday, however, we decided to take a significantly longer jaunt, all the way to Phoenix Park on the other side of town, so we could go to the Dublin Zoo. Quite a nice zoo, and totally worth the walk, though we were both pretty hurting and exhausted by the end of the day.

Phoenix Park entrance

The Wellington Monument in Phoenix Park

RED PANDA!!!!

Lemurs make me so happy. These guys were hilarious.

Red-ruffed lemur. He was so curious and adorable! All of his friends were sleeping.

I was VERY excited about the orangutans.

I love this little guy! He kept following the big guy around--so cute!

BAWWWW

AHHHH LITTLE ORANGUTAN!

This wolf cracked me up for some reason....he was using the log to prop up his head.

Asian short-clawed otter.

Big ol' giraffe

Giraffes!

Momma gorilla suckling baby. Possibly the greatest thing ever.

They had endangered African Hunting Dogs! So cool! So cute!

They were all sleeping in a giant pile.

They have meerkats in an exhibit adjacent to a cafe, so you can eat and watch them at the same time. They're hilarious and friendly and love all the attention.

On the way back through the park...

With my new friends from the zoo: stuffed ring-tailed lemur, Carlos, and stuffed African Hunting Dog, Dev Michael Zuko Potato (Yes, that is his full name. Don't ask.)

Hello Again!

2012-01-22T09:37:00.000-08:00

Greetings friends, family, and wanderers of the blogosphere! My blog is back up and running, this time functioning as a chronicle of my (mis)adventures studying abroad in the U.K.--specifically, Aberystwyth University in Wales.

[Nota bene I am fully aware that the Internet by and large does not give two shites about my photos and inane ramblings. This blog is not for the Internet. It's for people who know me and care what I'm doing while away from home. It's public access because most of these people have a hard enough time navigating their computers without having to remember one more password...sorry, Dad.]

So, what is Miss Lindsey up to these days? Currently, I'm staying at the Abbott Lodge guesthouse in Dublin with my dear friend, Shannon (read about her parallel adventures over at her blog: http://grey-sky-eyes.blogspot.com/). We've got a few days before registration and classes at Aber, so I flew in early to spend time wandering about Dublin. I've been to Ireland before, as many of you know, but spent most of my time on the West coast. I only spent a day in Dublin, enough time to see the Guinness brewery and The Book of Kells. So, having about a week to spare (I flew in on the 18th, registration is the 26th), I decided to join Shannon in adventuring about the city, rather than leaving her all alone.

Sights so far? The National Leprechaun Museum (sounds ridiculous, is awesome), The National Museum of Ireland (archaeology), St. Stephen's Green, Remembrance Park, Christ Church Cathedral, Dublinia, and the many sights, sounds, and smells of Temple Bar. My love-hate relationship with James Joyce compelled me to seek out Number 7 Eccles Street as well as his stature near O'Connell Street.

Today, poor Shannon was in bed sick with a cold, so I was left without my faithful guide to find my own way through this sometimes confusing city (the Irish do not appear to believe in street signs). Luckily, Temple Bar is easy to find, and from there it was an easy walk to Old Town, where I wanted to be.

But enough of that. You want pictures, yes?

The face of jet lag

Pretty self-explanatory

The magical shrinking tunnel at the leprechaun museum.

I'm tinyyyyy! Yes, that is a giant chair.

Oh, God, how I love garden gnomes.

The National Leprechaun Museum. Turning mature tourists into oversized children since 2010.

At St. Stephen's Green

St. Stephen's Green

A Sheela Na Gig at the archaeology museum, just moments before getting yelled at because I accidentally turned my flash on (go me!)

Remembrance Park, in honor of all those who died for Irish independence

Ready for story time at Remembrance Park. It proved too cold and windy, so we retire to an adorable little place called Candy Cafe.

Children of Lir statue at Remembrance Park

Shannon, fearless navigator

The plaque at the site of #7 Eccles St

Ta-da! (If you don't know the significance of this location...bask in your ignorance. Really.)

The Prick with the Stick!