Three months later...

Jordan: We are back in Canada, as of noon yesterday. It's a bummer I'm sure you guys don't want to see us too badly and believe me the feelings are mutual. Nah we want to see everybody.
To cap off our trip we enjoyed Bastille Day in and around Paris. Actually we spent the day at Versailles roaming the palace and grounds. We however spent the night with everybody else in France crowded under the Eiffel Tower for the spectacular fireworks display. I believe there are videos available on the internet of the fireworks, they were absolutely incredible, I have a lot of photos. It was our last night and I had a little room to spare on my last CF card so I thought I'd go a little nuts in the photo department. Enjoy the photo on the blog.
Had a safe flight yesterday now we're back at home, we thank our mom for doggedly commenting on our blog, for those who didn't comment GFY.
Hope we see everybody soon,
Jordan & Kennedy.

In love with the City of Love

Kennedy: We haven't written for so long because we literally haven't had any down time in Paris. Definitely trying to fit as much in as possible in our last few days... I cannot believe we'll be getting on a plane in 24 hours. Did these last three months feel like 3 weeks for anyone else?
Okay enough feeling sorry for myself; we've been running around Paris like crazy people for the past 5 days. First day was spent on (surprise surprise) a free walking tour. Those New Europe guys should give me something for plugging their company all the time.... don't know what though since they've already given me about 8 free city tours. But I digress... tour was cool, learned a lot of really important stuff about Paris, like which bridge Big told Carrie she was "the one" on in the last episode of SATC.... and how Louis XIV liked to pirouette all over his great big palace... and how Henri IV had all his drunk friends made into sculptures on a different bridge, some of whom look like they are about to blow chunks. How romantic.
4 hours of random facts later, we headed to the Louvre while it was free to get in, yeah we're taking advantage of all the free stuff Paris will give us, which isn't much. But yeah, we saw the Mona Lisa, the Statue of Venus, and a lot more art... most of which I didn't recognize. Didn't even get close to seeing half of it. The Mona Lisa was actually more impressive than I expected, I think because I had extremely low expectations thanks to all those people who have told me before that it's so underwhelming, soo thanks guys! The building itself was pretty unbelieveable, just gigantic. Later we bought some wine and went up to the steps of Sacre Coeur to hang out with our hostel friends and enjoy the beautiful views of Paris from the hill. Random Parisian man creeped us out substantially but it all worked out in the end. Tried to climb the Tower that night but ended up drinking more wine in our area with more people from our hostel, including a metal band from Holland who were just hilarious.
Next day, did the Arc de Triomphe and Museé d'Orsay, which was one of my favourite museums in Europe. A lot of famous works inside - Manet, Monet, Cezanne, Matisse, Courdet, etc - and the building, which used to be a train station, is gorgeous. Perfect for an art gallery with all the natural light from the glass ceiling. Went to the top of the Eiffel Tower that night, there are really no words to describe how awesome it was, so I'm not even going to try. We'll post pictures from home.
Day after that, went to Notre Dame, walked around inside but bailed on the line to climb it because it was so ridiculous. Sorry Quasimodo; I promise to visit you next time I'm in Paris (believe me, I am coming back here). Then we went to the Centre Pompidou, the largest collection of modern art in the world. Didn't get through it all but saw some very "interesting" stuff. Then popped in to the Conciergerie, which used to be a palace in the French court but eventually became a prison, and it was where Marie Antoinette and many others were held before they were executed. We saw a re-creation of her cell; it looked a lot more comfortable than what the peasants had to deal with. But I'm sure it still sucked. Last night, went out for dinner in our neighbourhood of Montmartre at a little brasserie, very nice and kind of affordable. From there, went back to Sacre Coeur with more bottles of wine and hung out with all the Parisians kicking off Bastilles Day, which is technically today, but there were fireworks all over the city for about 3 hours, it was amazing.
Today we will head to Versailles and spend our last night by the Eiffel Tower, watching more fireworks and trying to soak up as much of Paris as possible before we have to bid her Au Revoir.

No time for a title! Just read it

Kennedy: We've been in Ireland for the past four days, trying to stay dry amidst the many random rain showers. I have to make this quick, so I might forget to mention a few things. Our first day, we took a walking tour of the city centre, where we saw Dublin Castle, Trinity College and heard about the city's tragic history, from the Viking invasions to the Great Hunger. We also met some fun people who we met later that night to take in some Irish dancing - definitely the highlight of Dublin for me! The next night we went to Dublin's oldest pub, the Brazen Head, where we enjoyed some Guinness and traditional Irish stew. The pub was built in 1198. I think it's had some renovations done since. Heard some good Irish folk music there as well - they played Tell My Ma by The Rankin Family -- Lee, remember clogging?!
We've taken a few day trips outside Dublin - yesterday to Galway City, today to Cork. Weather has been sketchy at best, but the towns were both lovely. We stopped in at a few museums and cafes to get out of the rain, things we probably wouldn't have done otherwise. Very cute places.
We made the executive decision to pass on the Guinness Brewery -- would have been cool but it's SUPER expensive. And I'm sure they make beer the same way as everywhere else.
Tomorrow we'll check out the old Gaol and hang out in St. Stephens Green before heading to the airport. We're going to sleep overnight there so we can avoid taking a 4 a.m. cab. Looks like we'll be arriving in Paris sleep-deprived yet again.

Haggis, Irn Bru and Familial Ties

Jordan: We haven't bothered to blog in a while. We've been short on time in Glasgow visiting the family. They're a handful, in a good way. Instead of having nothing to do at the end of the day but blog, we're can hang out with everyone here, so the blog has taken the backseat. You'll be pleased to see we've caught ourselves up with the photos now and I will from hereon catch you up on all the to-dos of our trip through Scotland.

Firstly, I'll take you back to Edinburgh. We took a day tour to the Highlands and Loch Ness. Our Guide, Angus, filled us in on the entire history of Scotland, I wish I exaggerating. No, he was great. Poked fun at the English, at the inaccuracies of Braveheart and showed us some of the most breathtaking countryside on the planet. Basically the rockies/alps minus the snow-capped pyramids. Went to Loch Ness, had a run-in with the monster. Wasn't actually as big as want it looks like in the photos but she was a fair size. I tried to pick a fight with it but the local constabulary broke it up and we went our separate ways to cool off because she's endangered and I'm not legally allowed to fight the Loch Ness Monster. Seriously, she's officially on the endangered species list thanks to blind stupidity.

On the way back we toured through Glen Coe, lots of valleys and lakes and mountains, or lochs and bens, and had a whiskey tasting. I love scotch; scotchy scotch, scotch. Actually in a bar in our last night in Edinburgh an old man taught us how to 'really' drink Scotch whiskey. Pour a nice glass, or healthy dram, have smell and a sip and then add just a wee bit o'water to settle it down and flush out the flavours and enjoy the rest. A friend from the hostel met a fiddle player who was playing with his band at the bar, some good folk music and during a particularly lively little number, Kennedy grew a large pair of Scottish balls and got up in the middle of the bar and danced a few steps. I partook with the obligatory step-dance clap and the bar got into a wee ruckus without a single punch thrown. That will wait til Ireland.

In Glasgow, met the family. Ronnie and Irene we stayed with and they treated us quite warmly teaching us the ins and outs of the Scottish way, and their crazy language. Words like numpty and graut were my favourites.

We toured Glasgow in an open air bus. We checked out the Kelvingrove Museum and Transport Museum, which housed a replica of a Glasgow street from the 50s with old shops and cars. Felt a lot like Happy Days. Also met the rest of the gang Elspeth and Stuart and family, and Donald and Yvonne and boys. Had some delicious meals and cold beers and really did feel like being back home. Enjoyed Irn Bru today, a nuclear energy drink far more potent than Redbull, enjoyed Irene's lamb innards, or Haggis, and some more whiskey and lost of Scottish desserts.

Had a visit to Loch Lomond one day. Toured around St Andrews, checking out the Old Course. We took a guided tour of the Old Course walking down the first, around the 17th and second and back down the 18th. Great holes. We could also just walk down around much of the rest of the course if time allowed, it didn't. We weren't even able to putt on the Himalayas, or the undulated ladies putting green just off to the side of the first hole green. But Ronnie and Irene did while we checked out the rest of the town, which is quite lovely. Checked out the ruins, St Andrews castle and Cathedral, both destroyed and overlooking the sea, and had some lunch and ice cream. Loved St Andrews. No joke a group of two people went off the first tee. If I was willing to fork over £130 plus hire some clubs I could have joined their group on the Old Course. Next time I'll play the Old Course.

Then stayed at Donald and Yvonne's as the next day Donald and the boys took us to Stirling Castle. Toured Stirling Castle, then climbed Ben A'an. Started raining the second we got on the trail but continued up the mountain anyway. We almost got struck by lightning so our trek to the summit was cut short. We were soaked through to the skin by the time we got back to the car.

We fly to Dublin tomorrow, I had a lot to cover so I'm sure I missed a bunch. Scotland was great. I know I'll be back because dad and I are going to play the Old Course, just a matter of time.

And check back on previous posts to see all the new photos.