I'm Baaaaaack!

[madeleone]

Hey, we made it back from Ireland!

The trip was great except for at the very end.  When we got to JFK, our flight to Detroit was delayed for an hour, then an hour and a half, then canceled entirely. (mechanical problems. Well,obviously I don't want to fly if there is something wrong with the plane, but by this point we just want to go home.) First we were told the only other flight last night was full and we would have to wait until tonight (Sunday) to get a flight home. They finally agreed to put us on standby for the 6:30 flight but told us we probably wouldn't get on because there were no open seats, but we could wait and see and if not they'd spring for a hotel and confirm a seat on a flight for tonight. Normally I'd love a free hotel, but hubby was stressed and I was tired and we just wanted to get home as we only had today before we had to get back to work. Well, by some miracle be made it on stand-by, getting, literally the last two seats on the plane.

 

So we slept at daughter's house and got home this afternoon. The dogs were happy to have us home but I think Abbie is pouting, she greeted us warmly but has pretty much ignored us since then. The cats really could not care as long as someone fills their dishes and empties their box.

The rest of the trip itself,however, was wonderful. Everything that I hoped it would be (except maybe not quite long enough). LOL! We saw a lot of western Ireland which is absolutely gorgeous, had great food, met some wonderful people and in general had a great time. I think one of my favorite places was the Connemara region, beautiful scenery. Mountains, lakes and valleys. I do plan to post pics but have to go through them. Hubby got bit shutter crazy and wanted to photograph everything he saw, I swear, between the two of us we took over 500 pics, (thank god for digital!) So I will pic spam soon.

 

I think my evil plotting worked, because before we left on the trip, I told my kids that I hoped their dad would like it so much that we could plan another maybe longer trip back there someday. After just the first couple of days he started saying things like...”well, next time we come, we'll have to go to that place” or “When we come back we'll have to do that.” Hee hee, yay for evil plots!

I got to go to Ballyvary, where my great-grandparents came from. It is a tiny little town, not much more than a couple blocks long. I didn't discover any long lost relatives (honestly didn't put forth a lot of effort into finding any) but just to be able to stand there and see it was nice.

 

I think one of the things that made an impression on both of us is the amount of history there and obviously throughout the rest of the world. It amazed us to think of places we were seeing that were built hundreds of years ago. Being from the US, most of our historical places are not more than 200 to 300 years old and here in the midwest, even those are few and far between. (much less so than the east coast). But to be able to walk into a place, be it a pub or a castle or an abbey or whatever and think of the people who had been there, so long ago was really amazing. We got to visit two sites of stone circles, and a couple ancient tomb chambers, which was just a thrill for me, having somewhat more pagan leanings these days despite my (now lapsed) Roman Catholic background.

 

Another interesting thing is what a small world it really is. In a pub in Bunratty on our last night I overheard an American woman in another group mention some program at the Genesee public library. But I know there a lot of Genesee's so I didn't think anything of it. Then a man in the group mentioned Frankenmuth, so I just had to ask... “hey are you guys from Michigan?” And they were, from Flushing, which is not more than 40 miles from our town. Yup, just like Uncle Walt said, it's a small world. :)

 

I also found it curious that when people there asked where we were from we would answer, “from Michigan,” and say “you know the state that looks like a mitten.” Many gave us a blank stare when we pointed on our palm to the approximate place where we live,(something not many other people in the world can do) one girl asked me if that's where Penn State was, and another guy asked if we were near Florida? Now I didn't expect that everyone knows a lot about the US, but Michigan in pretty distinctive on any map. Like Italy, if I see the outline of Italy I know instantly what it is. Even if they didn't know the name of our state I thought they would know from world maps which one looks like a mitten. I mean we're not one of those indiscriminate square states, after all, (no offense to Colorado, Wyoming and any of you other square shaped states.) :D

 

I also learned (well, honestly, I knew this to begin with. But the fact was reinforced) that I need to learn to pack much less. I swear I only wore about half of the clothes that I brought with me, and the rest I just lugged around from place to place. And now I will have to wash them all because they all mixed and mingled together in the suitcase when my back was turned.

 

Well I have rambled enough and have to get prepared to return to RL and back to work tomorrow. ( I really want to retire or become independently wealthy or at least comfortably so) so that I can take more trips and visit more places. I promise to post pics as soon as I have time to sort through them (but I promise not to post all 500 of them.) ;-)

ETA: North America Map so everyone can see the mitten. LOL!

 

Comments

[dickgloucester.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you had a wonderful time! Ireland is indeed a lovely place - did you get to see Donegal at all?

Regarding Michigan, I think most people over here would give you a "Huh?" over the mitten thing. We tend to know where the US is, and can probably point to California, Alaska, Texas, Florida and maybe the cities of Washington DC, New Orleans and New York. However, the rest tends to be a matter of indifference. It's a shame, seeing as how your nation is so huge and varied and culturally diverse, but then I've come across a fair few USAtians who haven't the first idea about Europe, so fair's fair.

*makes note to look on US map for mittens...*

[kribu.livejournal.com]

Woot! So glad you're back, safe and sound, and that the trip went well! It sounds wonderful, and yes, I can very much understand the desire to go back.

Believe me, 500 pics is nothing. ;-) But yes, digital is awesome - no reason to feel guilt when thinking about having to develop them all!

Even if they didn't know the name of our state I thought they would know from world maps which one looks like a mitten.

Hmm. Not sure what the world maps Americans tend to see look like, but in my experience (that a quick Google search confirms), world maps don't generally have the borders of individual US states (or, indeed, any other country's subdivisions, be they provinces, counties or whatever) on them.

To have any idea what a specific US state looks like, one has had to study US maps for quite a while, and put some effort into remembering (and have some reason for that) - honestly, I had no idea what Michigan looked like on the map (although I knew its approximate location), and I've seen the US map plenty of times.

[tonksinger.livejournal.com]

Best USA comment I ever got in Ireland:

(after saying that I'm from California)

Person: Oh! Well, OtherAmericanStudent is from Maine. Is that close to California?

Also funny is when I tell them that L.A. is an eight-hour drive from San Francisco, and that's only about half the length of California.

I'm so glad you enjoyed yourself! And I do hope that your hubbie's little hints turn into another visit. *hugs*

[talesofsnape.livejournal.com]

Squeeeeeeeee! You're back! Okay, will read the post now...

HUgs HUgs hUgs!

[talesofsnape.livejournal.com]

Sorry, nope, I wouldn't have a clue about what sort of shape the state of Michigan has. To be honest I doubt that many people over here pay much attention to state boundaries. I know I tend to think in terms of east coast, west coast and somewhere in the middle. Now, you say Michigan to me, I know it's around the Great Lakes. I know Chaicago is also on the lakes, and I think Michigan is further west/inland... States that look like a mitten? Means nothing.

Now, what I wonder is whether all that lovely scenery has inspired the muse and whether we'll see any more Irish SSHG...

Eeee! I am just grinning like an idiot here. SO glad for you that you had a great time and talked hubby into the idea of a second visit, and so glad for me to have you back.

[madeleone]

Oh I definitively know what you mean about Americans who don't have a clue about the rest of the world. I've seen it myself. Plus I don't think they teach things like world geography here anymore like they did when I was in school 35 to 40 years ago. In fact one of my daughters friends (who was not a stupid girl) chose to go to Australia on a summer exchange program during high school and one reason was she thought it was not too far away as it was somewhere in Caribbean. DUH!

I've added a blank North American map for everyone's amusement to see if they can see the mitten. ;-)

[madeleone]

Thanks, Kribu. Yes it was a wonderful trip and I'd go again in a heartbeat.

As to the map thing, you really don't have to see the US state borders to see the lower peninsula of Michigan's mitten shape, it is surrounded by water on all sides. I've posted a blank North American Map in my original post to see if others can see the mitten.

[madeleone]

Thanks Tonks, it was a great experience and I hope to return again someday. (would also like to visit the UK, and other places as well.) Will have to start saving up for another trip in a couple of years.

And, yes, I think others out side of US do not realize the size of US, Canada, etc. One group of folks we talked to were amazed to learn that there were 4 time zones from the east coast to the west coast. And one lady told me she had been to where I live as she has gone shopping in NYC, she was surprised when I told her that I had never been there.

[kribu.livejournal.com]

You'd have to know that was a state there, though... and honestly, I can't say I've ever paid much attention to shapes *inside* a country / bordering some bit of a random country. I mean, when I look at that map, I see the lakes there; if you hadn't mentioned the mitten, it would never have occurred to me to look at the land borders and what shapes they have, if that makes sense.

But thanks to you, I now know that Michigan looks like a mitten. *g*

[madeleone]

Grins like an idiot right back at you. I must admit as well, that while it is nice to travel, it is also very nice to come home. *sighs happily* Although I wish I didn't have to go back to work, or at least not right away. :( But that is real life.

As I replied to Dickie's comments, I really didn't expect others to know where each US state is located or even that the mitten shaped one was Michigan, but I thought just the image of it would stand out. So when we said the part that looks like a mitten that would give a general idea where it is. Like when I look at a map of Europe, even without borders I know Italy instantly by the boot shape. Also when I was in school (an eon ago) we were required to take world geography, which sadly here at least I don't think is required any longer.

[clairvoyant12.livejournal.com]

Welcome home. Glad to hear you had a fabulous trip despite the snafu on the last leg. Isn't travel wonderful? To learn the history of a site and feel the gravity of it is indescribable. I'm a big sucker for that. And it's so cool you could visit the town where your great-grandparents came from.

Regarding geography, in general our knowledge is woefully lacking in today's curriculum. But I've forgotten a lot of what I learned back in the day, and a lot has changed with the break up of Yugoslavia, the Soviet Union, etc. I've only met a few Europeans who knew that Michigan is shaped like a mitten.

*hugs*

[madeleone]

Well to be quite fair, that is only half of us,(Michigan) the other part of the state is the separate upper peninsula to the north of us between Lake Superior and Lake Michigan.

I hope I didn't sound like an arrogant American who thinks that the rest of the world should know all about America. I just thought that the shape of the land would stand out with the great lakes surrounding it. :)

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

See, (not being from Michigan) (and having been corrupted by my husband) I'd describe Michigan as the land mass to the right of the flaccid penis lake. But I guess that's just me.

I'm glad you had a wonderful trip! I'm looking forward to seeing your pictures.

[mischievous-t.livejournal.com]

I'm an American, can point Michigan out on a map, but hadn't heard the 'mitten' thing until just now.

I can't wait to see your pictures!!!

I <3 Ireland.

~twirls you~

Welcome home!

[droxy.livejournal.com]

--is from michigan--

But yay for Ireland, and i am glad you had a good time.

When I travel and say I live in Dallas Texas, they always reply JR Ewing. =) TV improves geographical knowledge.


RE: history. It's here and it's ancient. it's just not European.

E.g Indian burial grounds, and the cliff dwellings- very ancient. We do have "spanish missions" built in the 1600s, but nothing spectacular like a castle. =)

[madeleone]

Hee, hee good description. LOL! And thanks, it was a good trip and I will be working on sorting through some of the pics.

[madeleone]

Thanks, maybe it is just us. When people asked where we live we always use our hand for reference. pointing to the approximate spot on our hand. LOL!

I <3 Ireland, too.

[madeleone]

I remember JR Ewing!

I do realize there is a lot of history here, of course. The oldest building in Michigan is Fort Mackinac on Mackinac Island and it dates to 1780, so about 241 years old. And I loved visiting there too, I guess I am just a sucker for old places and things. But the historic aspect of places I visited in Ireland especially struck me I guess, perhaps knowing that some of my ancestors came from there is a factor in that feeling. :)

[m-mcgonagall-65.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you and the hubby had a great trip!

My hubby is from Michigan, so I know all about the mitten and showing where you live on your hand. :)
(I'm from Illinois, and you should see me trying to contort my hand into an "Illinois" shape to show where I'm from. Then we lived in Minnesota for a number of years. You can't make your hand do that shape. *teehee)

[lady-of-clunn.livejournal.com]

I feel very inadequate.

Both in my German high school as well as my high school in PA I had to memorise all the US states. Michigan was always the bit in between the lakes and I had to stare at the map very hard for 10 seconds or so, searching rather frantically for the mitten. Now I see it everywhere - even in the world map that is the background during the news.

But it's very true, most Europeans could point out NYC (but would not neccessarily know that there is also a state called New York), DC, Los Angeles, Florida, California, Alaska and Texas.

Anything else might or might not contain any or all of the following: a) Cowboys, b) the Rocky Mountains, c) Gone with the Wind-style antebellum farms, d) the Mississippi, e) prairie (although we wouldn't know what that is or what it looks like) f) red Indians g) farms the size of a small European country.

I am glad you liked Ireland! I think it's addictive :)

[madeleone]

Thanks M, it was a really great trip. As often happens after a long trip I find myself thinking, 'gee just a week ago I was in Ireland (or Florida or wherever)' and it seems unreal.' I would love to go back there someday, there is so much we didn't get to see.

Trying to make Illinois or Minnesota with your hand would be very hard. LOL! I have been known to try to make the U.P. with my other hand above the mitten, pinky finger sticking up for the Keewenaw Penninsula. :D But the Mitten is easy.

[madeleone]

Well, like I said, I didn't really expect anyone to know that the mitten was Michigan, but thought that the distinctive shape would be a frame of reference.

I did love Ireland and I agree with you, I think it's addictive. There is so much I didn't get to see. But I would also love to visit other places as well. I think I feel a link to Ireland though knowing that my dad's grandparents came from there. I really don't know a lot about my mom's family or where they came from originally so Ireland is a link to my past. :)