My Irish adventure: Dublin part 2

Our 4 days in Dublin contained indeed more than museums, vikings (mum and dad went on a walking-tour...), parks and touristactivities. Well, maybe what I will tell you about in this chapter can by some be seen as touristy, but it was neither stressfull. filled with tourists or very noisy.

But let me tell you a little bit about James. James is a friend of mine who was going to meet us in Dublin at noon, sunday the 19th. What I did not know, was that he was already on the spot, in the same hostel as us the evening before. So going down for breakfast the 19th, half asleep, I could never have guessed what was going to happen. Make myself a big cup of tea, some toast with marmelade and start to talk to another guest at the hostel. He seemed familiar, but of course it could not be James...He would not arrive until 12 o'clock I told myself. So we chatted for a while, and it took me such a long time to realise that..."this is the man, this is James!" That was indeed a most brilliant surprise.

James; the cheeky little devil

 We had really beautiful weather, and we decided to go to the Botanical Garden and Glasnevin before we would meet James at Howth later. So off we went, with a delayed bus (was not the last one...) to what must be the biggest botanical garden I have ever seen. So many beautiful flowers and trees; a treasuretrove for a photographer with a love for details.

This architectural approach can also be seen in Belfast. Perfect for a greenhouse, wouldn't you say?

Love this tree

Cactus; the perfect plant for a student

Feels like I'm in a movie from the 1890's...

Beauty of nature

It was hot outside...just imagine how it felt like, going through a small rainforest...

I could sit underneath this tree all day...but alas, I did not have the time

As you can see, there were a lot to take pictures of. The garden was HUGE, and I think I got lost about 2 or 4 times. In the middle of the park, there was a small pond where there were ducks. One of them also had ducklings (7 in total) and it was an amazing experience to get so close that I could take pictures of them too. The best picture of the duckling got taken by my sister, Solveig, and it shows the little duckling running across the leaves of  a waterlily.

The world's most beautiful little duckling (taken by Solveig Langhelle)

Both dad and mum enjoyed the garden, and my sister ran around on the lookout for...a scots pine (she was pretty obsessed with "The Lumberjack Song" by Monty Python). After much looking and even more walking, we found our way to the main gate.
Next stop Glasnevin; the biggest cementary in Ireland and also the last restingplace for several important figures in Irish history.
Once again I will try to keep still and let my pictures speak for themselves...

Beside the grave of Daniel O'Connell; the father of Catholic Emancipation

A familiar figure in the graveyard; Mary

The Angels are watching over the dead

One of the many beautiful gravestones

 While gravestones back home in Bergen are small and almost insignificant, the Irish ones are elaborate and even artpieces. Some uses a fortune in making sure that their loved ones gets the most beautiful last  restingplace.

Roger Casement's grave

Roger Casement was one of those involved in the Easter Rising. He had been negotiating with the germans about buying guns for the rebels back home in Ireland. But  when he landed on Banna Strand in Kerry the 21st april, 1916, he  got arrested and charged with treason, sabotage and espionage.
He was hung in Pentoville Prison on the 3rd August, 1916.
Before his execution though, many pleaded for his life, among them Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Bernard Shaw. To break the support Casement had, someone circulated a couple of pictures which supposedly showed pages from his diary. These "pages" were "proof" that Casement was a homosexual, which in these days were a crime in itself. You can imagine how this must have been seen in 1916...

A wall of commemoration

Across the road of Glasnevin I found a memorial for the six great Irish rebellions; 1798, 1803, , 1848, 1867, 1882 and 1916. It was special to read the words intagliated in the stone, and think about those who fought and died.

These are the words from Yeats famous poem "1916". what could better suite such a place?

I will stop now, and leave my recollection of Howth and the last day in Dublin for the next chapter.
Bye....

My Irish adventure: Dublin part 1

Dublin. This city which amazed me so last summer, how was it to return to it? Dublin is a city that has undergone tremendous changes the last 20 years, and the Celtic tiger has left its footmark on the city. Dublin was the Irish city which thought it was unbeatable…until EVERYTHING went wrong.

But that is not what this post will be about; I let someone else revel in the darkness of the Irish economy. I want to tell how my second visit to this city went.

Our accommodation this time was Kinlay Hostel in Lord Edward Street, which let us be honest, was pretty central and pretty noisy. 2 minutes away from Temple Bar, and perfect for exploring the city on foot. I like to walk, but my sister doesn’t, so we had to make a compromise so I wouldn’t bite her head off.  

Solveig in the hostel

A squiky staire-case

The hostel was like a treasuretrove for someone like me, always on the lookout for extraordinary details. A stairecase, a picture, even a word was enough...I could pursue the perfect shoot just by looking for details.

Wonder what this tells us about the Irish...

 The first day was a wet day and perfect for museums. My dad wanted to see animals and mum wanted to see gold, so the choice was easy: first the museum of natural history and then the national museum with its archaeological exhibition. On the way there I got a chance to show them some parts of St Stephens Green and the main street, hoping they would be able to find their way around town in case we lost them…

But how could I present Dublin properly to my parents? The idea of "important things to see" is not necessarily uniform within my family...so another compromise was made.  We ended up with the tourist-solution: hop on-hop off-ticket for 2 days. This meant that we could travel around the city, see what needed to be seen and discover the city in our own tempo. And this was what I did the 17-18th....

*Guiding my family

*Visited some places of importance...like Chapters bookstore

Heaven on earth for a bibliophile like me...

*Ended up in Porterhouse....AGAIN

*Visited Kilmainham Gaol...I will try to describe it to you now:

KILMAINHAM GAOL

I never got a chance to visit this last summer, and it had annoyed me since. A place so closely connected to the bloody history of Ireland, to its failed rebellions and to its political growth. I highly doubt my words would do justice to it at all, so I will let the pictures speak and add small comments on them to give you, as a reader, an understandable recount of it.

The chapel: this is the place where Joseph Mary Plunkett and Grace Gifford got married 3rd May 1916.This happened just before he would be executed for his role in the infamous Easter Rising. Grace never remarried.

Grace was herself imprisoned in Kilmainham Gaol for 3 months in 1923 together with many other republicans. This was done because people who either were related to the leaders of the Easter Rising or friends were seen as someone the people of Ireland could unite itself under, and the english feared them.

Such a gloomy place. The walls were made up of a type of stone that works like a sponge- So instead of keeping the irish rain outside, it seeped into the walls and made the conditions within the prison both raw, wet and cold. There were also very little light, so you can imagine how it must have been for the prisoners.

What a terrible beauty. This part of the prison was designed so the prison-guards could keep total control at all times. The shape of it makes it very easy to keep an eye on all the cells, you can literally see each one from every point in the room. The acoustics are brilliant, so if one prisoner were talking to another, the guards would hear it nomatter what. What they did not hear was the tapping on the  pipes...

Kilmainham is mostly famous for being  the prison were the leaders of the Easter Rising were held before their executions. This plaque hangs in the stonebreakers yard to commemorate the leaders who bravely gave their lives in the fight for Irish freedom. James Connolly had been wounded during the rising, and had to be tied to a chair so he could be executed by firing squad. This enraged people both in Ireland and abroad, since it made no sense to execute a dying man...the rebels went from being scapegoats and villains into becoming heroes and martyrs

A few tears were shed when I walked through this place, being told about the different people that sat here for minor or major crimes. It meant a lot to me.

So here ends the first chapter---do you want more? It will come, just be patient

My Irish adventure: part 1

Hey guys!
I'm now back home after nearly 3 weeks in Ireland, and guess what? I'm even more addicted now than I was when I left Norway the 16th June.
My tale will, as last time, be divided into chapters, with loads of pictures, obscure memories and hopefully very inspired.

As you all know, Ireland has a special place in my heart, and this trip opened my eyes even more to what this country is. Last time I sucked up everything little thing, every emotion like a sponge. This made it difficult for me to choose the best and write about it...I wrote about EVERYTHING.

So this time I will try to divide the story into chapters connected to a place. Some places will get one chapter, other will get two or maybe even three.
The places will be:

1. Dublin
2. Tramore
3. Cork/Cobh
4. Letterkenny
5. Ballyliffin/Derry
6. Belfast

So are you ready for a story like this? Be patient and you will receive...

Heaven on earth

Update from Cork

Just arrived in Cork, after a couple of totally amazing days in Tramore outside Waterford. I will not spill the surprise and say too much, but so far I've tasted Beamish (yummy) and played at my first trad-session :D it was awesome :D
Tomorrow we will be travelling to Cobh, a place which holds a special place in my heart after spending 6 months writing and reading about Irish emigrants. History comes alive!
it will also be interesting to be travelling to Belfast next Friday, since it's pretty tense up there now...
that's all for now....take care

A little hey from Dublin

Hey guys :)
Sitting at the moment at Kinley hostel, and thinking about what i have experienced today, and what will happen tomorrow. Been to Kilmainham Gaol, which was a pretty emotional experience for me, but also important. Pictures will be posted when I get home.

Tomorrow the plan is to visit Howth (cross my fingers for the weather), have a picnic...and also get some time to smell the flowers (meaning: mum wants to see the botanical garden, and I want to visit Glasnevin Cementary.

It's pretty noisy here, but it only annoys my travelcompany...
I'm having a great time, and cannot wait to explore the southern  and western part of this wonderful country.

A new adventure and some old updates

It's still early. Sitting on the edge of my bed, trying to realise that today is the day. The day when I will see my true love again; Ireland. The sun is shining outside, and I haven't slept all night...at least not properly. I'm so excited! Feel like a little child again, all my cares have blown away and all that matters is here and now. I will try to post while I'm there, but cannot promise anything...since I will be exploring most of the time...Going Couchsurfing for the first time in my life, and is at this moment crossing all I've got so we get a new host in Galway. I believe things will work out eventually, no need to rush anything or even stress. What a wonderful sensation to just live, here and now

I'm sorry that I have not written much lately, due to my home-exam (which I expect a grade on any minute), Bergen International Festival and my last concerts with Bergen Philharmonic Choir/Orchestra.

I hope I will get a decent grade for this exam (meaning not failing...), but I believe that it would rank as a D or maybe a C...who knows? I wrote about how conflict was portrayed in two literary texts "V" by Tony Harrison and "Blasted" by Sarah Kane. Let us say: what I have learned from this are 2 things

1. That language and conflict are interacting forces, and that language is a conflict within itself
2. Many interesting swear-words (picked up an interest in how swearwords are used, what kinds there are, and cultural differences concerning swearing)

I should probably not utter them here, but I've somehow grown fond of this: Cunt
Mostly because it sounds fascinating...yes, I'm weird, but please don't lock me up right away ^^

And last but not least: since I'm moving to Volda in the fall, last weeks concerts marked an end to one adventure and the beginning of a new one. To sing Messa de Requiem by Verdi in the Grieg Hall with almost 180 other singers, a huge and amazing orchestra led by no other than maestro Andrew Litton; a man I respect deeply, was unbelievable! The place was packed, literally, and when the whole thing was over I couldn't stop crying. I was so happy for our success and so sad to leave, that my heart burst. It was the most perfect good-bye-concert I could ever have asked for. I will cherish the memories forever, and hope to be back in time for the 250-years jubilee and celebration of the orchestra in 2014-15.

So that is all for now....*I'm off to see the wizard....no, IRELAND

A Most Odd Recommendation

All my exams are over, and it will soon be time for summer. This meaning that I'm on the lookout for something to read that doesn't resemble my curriculum at all. Especially nothing from the English literary canon, so I took a trip to the local library, went to the A-shelf, and looked at the back of books. What a way to pick a book. I ended up with a small book, with a pink and green cover, by Guillaume Apollinaire. It looked quite ordinary to say it the least, but when I opened it I was taken aback by its language, its form and its humor. I think I aught to give you its title....

"The Eleven Thousand Rods" - Les Onze Mille Verges

This is erotica...no, it's porn...well, I don't really know what to call it, and very few can actually say something neutral about it.
This brings a question to mind: how many dare to say that they read this sort of literature, who dare to say that "yes, I read pornographic literature" ?
I've come a long way just to admit this fact, but I do this from an artistic point of view. I simply want to know what all the fuzz is about...

Apollinaire has managed to use all the clichés from the sausy novels, lots of humor which challenge your idea of what you can allow yourself to laugh at, and a language which keeps you on the edge of your seat. To sit and read this on the bus was a rather strange experience, almost afraid that someone would have a peek over my shoulder.
i've just read Blasted by Sarah Kane, but this is so much worse in some respects. I don't want to go into any details, but I actually recommend this book. Wow, I never thought I would say something like that....
But it is a book one should read in French (sadly, I cannot...but the Norwegian translation is really good) and it is a book you only read once.

The End

I'm finally finished with the Univerwsity of Bergen. Delivered my home-exam in British Literature and Culture yesterday, and there is only one word to describe what I feel right now:
FREEEEEEDOM!
I will get back to this later, but now I will sit in the sun, have an icecream and enjoy the fact that this was the end :D

Finally (not in the finale)

Yesterday was the first semi-finale in Eurovision Song Contest this year. So the family gathered around the television to see what Norway could do. Everybody had been talking about Stella Mwangis "Haba Haba" and the nation was ready for a safe place in the finale (which Norway seems to be so used to).

But as the evening went on, we started to doubt and when the result said clearly that Norway wasn't in the finale, I was actually a little bit relieved. It wasn't a very bad song, just that it was good to loose for once.
The headlines in today's newspapers using the words "shock" and "we were meant to be in the finale"...I say: get over it. Let us rather cheer for Iceland and Finland (and any other country that proved themselves yesterday), and stop acting like kids. We cannot win all the time, and for once I can enjoy the finale on Saturday without having to worry about the Norwegian contestant being so hyped on him/herself that it's a shame to behold.

Here is at least Iceland and Finland

Easter in pictures

My Easter was good, and without much ado: Here's the pictures to prove it ^^

A weird stone

Nikita

The sweetest cup I've ever seen

Selje in the sun

So peaceful

A very beautiful sunset

I simply love details like this, and the light is awesome

Wild and relaxing; shaped by the wildest force here: the sea

So romantic...

More details...

Right before the sun disappears

Like a red pearl

Waves; my favourite subject

I can feel the force of the wave only by looking at it

Isn't it beautiful?

No Easter without eggs...

What a force!

I cannot stop watching them...every wave

Hope for a storm next time..