Gracias, y Adios!

Just as Aldo began his parting words, I too must start by saying thank you to everyone who helped make my dream become a reality. I am indebted to my parents and family members that supported me in every way as I took on this challenge. Aldo was a great travel partner and remains a good friend, and this would not have been possible without him. My hosts and friends across the world are owed a huge debt that I will only be able to repay by sharing their lessons with those I encounter from this point on. Most importantly, thank you to everyone who ever told me "Do it while you are young." Those words were a huge part of my motivation to go on this trip, and I hope that through this blog you were able to take a little trip for yourselves.

I have been back in the States for just a few days, but readjustment is coming naturally. I returned home wanting more adventure, which tells me that I left on a good note. I would prefer it this way as opposed to returning having had my fill and never wanting to explore again. I don't think my rambling days are over...

I learned a great many lessons, some practical and some just for fun. I went from the searing heat to the freezing cold, and everywhere in between. I have been covered in or bitten by fleas, ticks, ants, spiders, hornets, urine and horse poop. I have constantly been thrust out of my comfort zone when it comes to food, language, culture, hygiene and knowledge. I have worked in less than perfect settings and at times put forth a great deal of effort in exchange for a simple meal and place to lay my head at night. And you know what? I wouldn't change a single thing about my experience.

I was exposed to so much kindness and information about all areas of living. If nothing else, I learned that people all over the world are more alike than not. We have the same dreams, the same goals, the same families, the same pet peeves, the same choice of words and expressions, and the same sense of kindness to bestow upon new friends and guests. A simple stroll off the main streets of this world will lead you to a place that many people never know exists.

I don't know what this experience has done for me, but I do know that I will continue to learn and grow from it as I put some distance between this phase of my life and the next. I'm not sure where I go from here, but I do know that I want to be involved in construction and I want to work with people. When I find what makes me happy, I will do it for the rest of my life.

I appreciate everyone who followed along and stayed involved in our expedition. Luis, Olga and family, Houston and Maria, Arthur and Lydia and family, Silva Project members and friends, Captain George....thank you so much for taking the time to help me grow.

I don't expect any more posts to be written on this blog. I'm sure we will leave it up for a bit before making a decision as to what should become of the site. If you want to see more pictures or hear some stories, feel free to email me at sayerh@neo.tamu.edu. Happy holidays, everyone, and take care!

Liss Ard Estate

During my stay in Ireland, I was fortunate to contribute to the holiday season preparations at the Liss Ard Estate in Skibbereen. Management has changed within the last few months and everyone was busy trying to get the house up and running for events both near and far.

The home was built in the 1800s and sits on 200 acres of fertile farmland, gardens, trails and livestock areas. Dominating the area is a deep, broad lake. The gardens consist of natural elements and pondscapes that are quite pleasant to enjoy while on a long walk around the property. There is ample space amidst the small ponds and wildflower fields that line the main road.

Other attractions include the Talking Stones, the Celtic Meeting Place, and the Sky Garden, an engineered crater that open the world above for each person's interpretation. Designed by an American architect, the crater has a stone in the middle upon which to lay and admire the different moods of the sky. The edge of the crater is just visible along the extremes of one's peripheral vision. 

The crater. This picture cannot and will not ever do it justice. This is something you have to see to believe.

The main house has several rooms upstairs as well as a stable block that was converted to contemporary living quarters. A gym, locker room, industrial kitchen, library and boardroom complete the package. From what I was told, the home is not intended for individual bookings, but can be hired out for conferences, weddings, private events, retreats, etc.

Also on the grounds are the Lake Lodge and Tower Lodge. The Tower Lodge, fittingly enough, is constructed as a stone tower and gatehouse that announces on of the entrances to the estate. The Lake Lodge, also fittingly, overlooks the lake and has a commanding view of the surrounding countryside. Though smaller than the main house, it is no less equipped for comfort. 

Tower Lodge

The Lake Lodge

The view from the Lake Lodge

Nice shot of the lake

It was a pleasure to be able to help move furniture and inventory to aid in the success of this great place. I hope to return someday as a guest and take some more time to explore the history and tradition of the estate and the local area of West Cork. I encourage everyone to go to http://www.lissardresort.com/ to look at more pictures and learn more about the place. I think a new website is being created, but this one has some great images. 

Pictures from Ireland

One of the first sites that greeted me upon my arrival to Ireland. Not prepared!

My place of refuge during the storm. Also the site where I met Mickey.

Full Irish Breakfast (yes, that is all for one person). Eggs, sausage, bacon, black pudding, toast, soda bread, marmalade, and drinks.

The stones at Drombeg circle with the hills in the background

 

My good buddy, Jackson, playing in the rabbit holes.

"The Bothy," my private suite during my stay with Arthur and Lydia. Don't let the plastic on the roof fool you, this was quite a sturdy and comfortable place to stay. It was originally a cottage for miners during their stints in the copper mines.

Irish Coffee - coffee, whiskey, cream.

My last meal and final goodbye to Ireland and the signal of my return home.

Sayer makes it home

Hi folks,

Just a quick comment to say I made it home with little incident. My bag got left in Chicago and I was a bit worried because there was cheese in there. It is damn good cheese, so when the bag was returned today a heavy burden was lifted off my shoulders (Odd, seeing as backpacks usually put a heavy load on your shoulders). Must be the jet-lag speaking...

I promise to write up a final post and submit the pictures I have saved for you. I just wanted to let everyone know I am home and enjoying the holidays with family, friends, and familiar streets.

Have a good holiday, and keep tuning in for a few final posts. Cheers.

-Sayer

Heading home

I made the bus trip up to Dublin with little trouble. A night in a hostel near the city center set me up to collect my thoughts on what to do next. I had some information about my ancestors that I wanted to look into so I arranged a bus ticket to Nenagh, County Tipperary. I wanted to go up to the Belfast area but all buses were cancelled because of weather.

The forecast in Nenagh must have been no different. I stepped off the bus into -5 degree weather and a light mist. A quick look around the town of my Great Great Great Grandfather led me to the heritage center and cultural museum. I had a quick look around and asked about researching my roots. A hefty fee and months of investigation was promised to me, so I left it to another day and headed back to Dublin.

I spent my last few days out of the States just walking around Dublin in the snowstorms and sleet that poured down relentlessly. Most of the flights leaving Ireland and the UK are cancelled, so if I make it back home as planned I will add the pictures and write up a final entry. I think I am ready to round this out on a good note and save the rest of my wishes for the next trip.

-Sayer

The Emerald...uhhh....snow covered island

I realize now that I have failed to keep up with my travels over my time here in Ireland. My apologies to all :)

I have spent the last 2 weeks in the company of some great people and wonderful culture. A few days were dedicated to helping around Arthur and Lydia's house. Playing with the youngest son took up most of my energy. We made a pretty awesome tent fort in the kitchen the other day and I spent about two hours providing the voice for spiderman in our dialogue.

The rest of my days have been spent at the Liss Ard estate, where Arthur is manager. They are working hard to prepare for guests and events over the holiday season. I got the job of hauling furniture and boxes up and down stairs each day. It is great to mingle with the international crew that is working to bring it all together. Oh, and I got to decorate the Christmas tree, not a bad skill to learn...

The cultural immersion has been unbelievable. Arthur and Lydia have given me so much information about Ireland's history and traditions. Not to mention the food! Dublin Coddle, Cottage Pies, mincemeat, spiced beef, Irish coffees, and plenty of Murphys ale to go around. I have taken a few day trips with the family to various spots around West Cork. We stopped at the old fishing villages of Union Hall and Crookhaven and took a swing by te beach at Barley Cove on the westernmost point of the island.

Another notable was the trip to the stone circle at Drumbeg. This creation pre-dates Stonehenge by a few thousand years and is one of thousands across Ireland. The stone circles were used to mark the winter solstices for the farmers. By marking the shortest day of the year they could plan when to plant and harvest their crops. Imagine how much work and time must have gone into creating something that can only be measured one day a year. Not to mention the fact that the sun doesn't always shine in Ireland, so that could cause a few delays as well.

Last Friday I walked into town to take part in the traditional music sesison at one of the pubs. A few pints found me tapping my foot along with the fiddles, banjos, tin whistles, and accordions that were belting out Irish folk music. Arthur and I went to hear Lydia read some of her written works at a poetry reading last week. I met some great people and learned a great deal about Lydia's hobby and art form.

Thursday was the Christmas party at Liss Ard for employees and volunteers. Everyone contributed a bit of food or decoration to make the evening a smashing success. With the stress of preparing the house, this was a nice break for everyone to sit back and take their minds of things. Last night I was invited along to a dinner performance at a restaurant in town. Two of Lydia's friends entertained the audience between courses and we all had a good laugh. I got to meet Lydia's parents and siblings as well, so even more memories were shared. I sure felt like part of the family. We wrapped up the night with a few pints at Rosie's pub before crawling into the warm house.

I am leaving the area tomorrow to head north for a bit of ancestral research. I can't wait to show some photos of my journey. Thanks to all those who are still investing interest in my travels. I will be home before Christmas, but expect a few more blogs from me before the holidays are over. Stay warm.

-Sayer

Aldo makes it home!

I have to start this final entry by thanking everyone who has followed along with us on this journey. It has been humbling to see the support and interest you all have had in a couple of boys from Texas. Nearly four months have gone by since I last set foot in the States and seen my family. It's GREAT to be home!

It's hard to believe that up until a few months ago I was still stressing over exams. I celebrated the start of this new chapter in my life by joining Sayer on a trip that took us to far away lands where we saw different things, ate the local cuisine and drank the nectar of our host countries.

One of the goals was to live like everyday people and experience the life of an ordinary man. I think we accomplished that in many respects and enjoyed the Dominican Republic, Spain and Greece to an extent tourists can't. Overall, it has been a trip of discovery and enlightenment for me. It made me realize the beauty of the human existence. No matter how different we are, we can find some common ground enjoy each other's company. Even if it's through grunts, body language and music. It has made me realize how important family is and value my education much more. The trip also made me realize how fortunate I am to live in the United States of America.

As I make my last entry and document my closing thoughts, I want the readers to know one thing: I am grateful and indebted to everyone who made this trip possible. Not everyone gets to do what I've done and looking back I am glad to say that, "I did it my way," right or wrong (FYI, I was quoting Frank Sinatra).

My life has changed and I am certain that it is for the better. Now that I am back, I hope to share my experiences with the people I have deeply missed and anyone who would like to find out more. I'll attached my email address at the bottom of this entry.

I have been asked many things about my travels and I've relished the inquiries. The one question mostly everyone is posing is, "What's next?" To that, I can honestly reply that I am eager to start my career. Barring any snags I encounter in the job market, I hope to start work after the holidays.

I wish my companion a safe return home and I look forward to reading your posts. Take care, Sayer and I wish you all the best!

I made it back 25 pounds lighter

-Aldo Gurrusquieta
aldo_gurru@att.net

P.S. Gracias a todos que nos ayudaron a cumplir con nuestro sueno. Especialmente al Sr. Luis Manzano y la Sra. Olga Seijas. Deberas estamos agradecidos de ustedes y espero que se encuentren bien. Ciao.

Hitting the seas, airways and road again...

I have been writing my own version of "On the Road Again" but I doubt to achieve the success and notoriety Willie Nelson did.

Anyway, as Sayer mentioned in the previous entry, he and I parted ways in Greece and I headed to Venice, Italy.  The purpose of my trip was to gain some inspiration for my graduate studies in architecture. I certainly saw the brilliance and splendour that continues to captivate tourist worldwide. But let me back track and let you in on my journey to this "City of Bridges."

View from the F/B Ariadne on the Adriatic Sea

I took a ferry that left Corfu bright and early the morning of December 4th. The journey was leisurely and a first for me. I had the small cabin all to myself but it had all the essentials. After a 25 hour wave ride through the Adriatic, the ferry docked and I disembarked onto the Port of Venice.  I was shocked by the cold and wet weather. I had been told to expect bad weather and that rain boots might be a good investment because Saint Mark's Square was flooded and under a lot of water.  Determined not to let the bad weather dampen my spirits, I strapped on my backpack and made my way to my hostel which was supposed to be two minutes from the Rialto Bridge.

The famous Rialto Bridge

As I walked I crossed what seemed to be hundreds of canals and scaled countless bridges. The journey was hard on my feet and I couldn't wait to take my soaked shoes off. I finally made it to the hostel and settled in before I headed back out to explore the city I had waited months to see. When I walked outside, the weather had drastically changed for the better and the sun shown through the sky.

The Grand Canal in Venice, Italy

Here is a list of the places I visited: Ponte Rialto, Saint Mark's Square and Basilica, Ponte Academia, Ponte Scalzi, Ponte Constituzione, Chiesa San Vidal, University Institute of Architecture, Museum of Modern art and countless churches. I have to say that the highlight of my trip to Venice was attending a tribute concert to Antonio Vivaldi. Vivaldi, as some of you may know, is a son of Venice and master composer and violinist who lived during the 17th and 18th century.  It was a great end to my 3 day tour of Venice.

I am happy with my experience and visited everything I wanted to. I'll post pictures when I get back stateside in a few days. 

-Aldo

P.S. The calzones, pizza, gelato, pasta and tiramisu I devoured were scrumptious!

Time for a Guinness

Well, after some more adventuring I made it to my destination in Ireland. I hopped onto a bus bound for Ballydehob, only to be told that the bus would be stopping halfway. I don't carry a mobile phone or a watch or anything so I had no idea how to get a hold of the family to tell the not to expect me. I figured I would just sleep in the bus station in Skibbereen until the morning.

As the bus crawled through the ice we passed more and more fields and small towns with growing distances in between. I started to get a funny feeling about my own ignorance. Sure enough, the bus station I thought I would sleep in turned out to be a sign on the side of a 5-and-dime store in "downtown Skibbereen." D'oh! I just laughed at myself as I went to the nearest pub to think out a strategy.

When I walked in it was like a recreation of an old west movie. The door slammed, everyone turned to look at me, and there was complete silence. I walked up to the bar and asked if I could use a phone or find a hotel. Convinced that the bartender was deaf, I used hand signs until he looked somewhat receptive. When he spoke back to me I busted out laughing. I couldn't understand a word he said!

Eventually I managed to get in touch with my hosts and booked a nice little room above the pub through the previously mentioned gentleman. Having nothing else to do, I came downstairs for my first beer in Ireland. I bumped into Mickey at this point. For those of you who are familiar with my escapades in England last year, you will recall that there was a man named "Mad Mike the Spike" involved. Well, it looks like I found his Irish brother. I am being completely serious when I say I did not understand a single word he uttered. I told him I was from Texas and he started to mutter something along the lines of "Jack Ruby shot Kennedy." To my shame, he and a few others bust out into a tear-jerking version of "The Yellow Rose of Texas." I don't even know the words...

The unique thing about Mickey is that he knows every word to every Elvis song ever recorded. He sang and danced the night away in between buying me pints of Murphys. By the time we split ways, I got a hug and an invitation to visit his house the next day to witness Ireland's history. In fact, the next morning I dove into a full Irish breakfast and never made it to his door.

Arthur and Lydia met me in Skib to take me to their home in Bally-d. They are the sweetes little family with 3 kids. Roisin, Ciara and Jackson (Roisin is at boarding school and I won't meet her). Jackson is a mile-a-minute 3 year-old and Ciara likes to quiz me on American facts that I don't know. Her project on America was handed in today, but not after she gave it to me for an education. Who knew that the Statue of Liberty was modeled after the Greek Goddess Libertus? Not this guy.

Along the way to the house we traded stories and family lines. My name in Gaelic is Saiore and it means "Freedom." Booyah! Gaelic is spoken by 10% of the population but all of the road signs and legal procedings are still conducted in the ancient language. If arrested, one can choose to be booked in Gaelic.

The family lives on a small farm that was once a mining community. The main house is surrounded by little "bothys" and outbuildings. Arthur manages a local estate and Lydia is trying to get her first book published. The like to host helpx people because it brings the world to them. Or first dinner was "Dublin Coddle," A stew of bacon and spuds washed down with a Guinness. Mmmm...

For now I am doing odd jobs around the house and spending time with Jackson. It is below freezing but I am holiding up OK with the hot teas and great hospitality. I will have to wait to post pictures until the end of the trip as internet access is limited. Thanks for continuing to follow along!

-Sayer

From paradise to ice...Sayer's travels into Ireland

I wrapped up my time in Greece this last week and Aldo and I split ways for the last part of our journey. With the kiwi harvest complete, there was really no work for me to do anyways. That, coupled with the fact that George's was closed for a few days, let me slip away without any feelings of unfinished business, other than the pink-eye I contracted in the last week.

This morning finds me far from the fair weather that I said goodbye to in Greece. I am sitting now in Cork, Ireland about to head west to meet my next host family. The U.K. and Ireland is experiencing the worst snowstorms it has seen in the last decade. Lucky me...

I caught a plane to Athens and then on to London on the 1st. Since the airline didn't offer a flight to Cork I used another airline, therefore causing me to have to go through customs and have an overnight stay in London. In all my travels I have never so much as been looked at when going through customs, but I guess there is a first for everything.

I approached the young lady at the inspection counter and she started to ask me the normal questions associated with crossing borders. For some reason, she enjoyed it an decided to go a little further. Something in my one-word answers must have worried her because she then asked how I could afford to travel all this time, what I did for a living, where I got the money, how much I had, what were my plans in London, why such a long stay, where is my work visa for ireland, what agency am I with, etc. She asked me where I planned to stay that night. If I were my normal self, I would have said something like "Ma'am, that's a little forward. We've only just met." But I wasn't my normal self so I told her "in the lobby." I had just woken up from a nap on the plane and my pink-eye was screaming out to her that I must be a drug trafficer or international criminal. She sat me on the bench and confiscated my passport. I was officially "detained." BOM Bom bom....

I guess I cleared out with whatever tests they did to my documents. She looked as if a small victory had been taken from her when she told me I was free to go. She did give me 48 hours to leave the country, which made me feel important.

Sleeping in the lobby was a bad idea, and it technically was impossible that night. The cold penetrated into the foundations and found its way into my bones. Hmm, I guess the towel I had between me and the tile wasn't a great insulator. I did drift off in the morning for a spell before I decided to check on my flight. Lucky me, it was cancelled. No problem, as they put me on another one that was supposed to leave earlier but in fact left much later. By the time I landed in Ireland it was too late to catch the bus to meet my hosts, so I had to find lodging for the night.

You know me, my first instinct was to sleep in the bus station. Bad idea. I trudged through the snow and ice until I stumbled upon a youth hostel. I went straight to bed.

This morning I awoke and took advantage of a shower and free breakfast. I set off for a day of adventure in Cork City. The town itself is a thriving cultural center (in fact, it is the self-proclamed cultural heart of the U.K. and Ireland). I found a discount store and stocked up on winter clothes since my carribbean clothes just weren't holding up. I bought some new boots and tried to break them in. In doing so, I broke into the hidden recesses of the city that can only be seen on foot. It is clean but unorganized, with tall designer shops on the main street and alleys full of small dealers and coffee shops. There is literally a pub every 4 or 5 shops.  The rest of the day found me exploring the English Covered Market and city life.

Now I am on my way to my temporary home on the west coast of Ireland. If I make it through the cold I will be around to write more. Stay warm, everybody.

-Sayer