2-minute update

I'm in Scotland, the weather is lovely (for Scotland), and I'm flying back on the 21st. Everything is going fine, and I can't wait to fill in the gaps for all the days I missed.

Some photos, finally

Here are some photographic highlights of my trip so far. When I get back to California I'll put more up, and include some of the stories behind them. It was so hard to decide which ones to put up. I don't want to sound conceited, but I have so many great pictures that I can't believe it! Of course, I'm not the reason that these pictures are so good, it's the subject matter. When you photograph a place like Berlin or Paris, you can't really take a bad picture. Also, sorry in advance, but the pictures aren't in chronological order simply because it would take too much work.

Newly reunited, Hannah and I are working it at the top of the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin.

The TV tower and the Berlin Wall.

The Berlin Wall again

Florescent rocks in Electric Lady Land in Amsterdam

Kilkenny, Ireland

The Cliffs of Moher, County Claire, Ireland

The Eiffel Tower

Arch de'Triumph

Seeing the Mona Lisa isn't as exciting as seeing other people see the Mona Lisa.

Desanzano del Garda, Italy

The Roman Arena, Verona, Italy

Kids Camp! outside Munich

Nuremberg

"Saxon Swiss" outside Dresden

East Berlin

Hannah in Venice

The Blarney Stone

Since I last updated I have been to Kilkenny, which is a great city, Waterford (just for the day. I went to the crystal factory. It was pretty fabulous), and now Cork. I'm now checked out of my hostel, so I've been left to roam the streets/use cheap internet, until I go to the airport and fly to London.

Yesterday I made my pilgrimage to Blarney, where I kissed the famous stone. It's a lot harder than in sounds. First of all, it was raining quite a bit, so before I even got to Blarney I was soaking wet. Secondly, the castle is really scary. It's not really in the greatest condition, and where the Blarney stone is located is even worse. "Pilgrims" must lie on the ground, and then grab on to bars while a man, who I assume works for the castle, pushes the "pilgrims" over the ledge and toward the stone. I'm slightly afraid of heights, so it was particularly terrifying for me, but who really likes leaning backwards over the edge of an 800-year-old castle?


Here is yours truly demonstrating how it is done.


And here is the castle. If you look straight up, the open part with the bars is exactly what I was leaning over. I guess it's safe, but it was still scary.

Regardless, it's over now, and I can officially say that I have kissed the Blarney stone. Whether or not I'll be able to say that with a new found eloquence, we'll have to wait and see.