the longest journey to the prettiest place

I made it home alive from Ireland - which is an amazing feat based on the trip we had. I am going to start off from the beginning, where things got pretty interesting. Claire, Amy, Kayla and I left the Glasgow central train station (headed to Glasgow Prestwick Airport which is an hour away) at 11:30pm on Tuesday. You are probably thinking "why would they do that, no way does their plane leave until the morning", and you are right, our plane wasn't flying out until 7:00 Wednesday morning. But of course, it is just our luck that trains stop at 12 and don't start up again until 5 forcing us to take the last train out. Due to our budget conscious minds we decided it would be fine to sleep in the airport that night. We didn't really consider the possibility that it would be the tiniest airport ever, leaving us to sleep on the cold, tiled floors - aka we didn't get much sleep (or any at all really). I have never been so cold in my entire life - we were so thankful to finally get on the plane. 
We flew into Dublin (45 minute flight) where we all had a bit of a panic attack on the plane during landing. See we passssed out once we got in the plane and then ryanairs inability to land smoothly led us to being startled awake thinking we had hit some sort of building, or crashed into the ground. Definitely not the most pleasant way to wake up. We then had to wait 2 hours (which is when we decided it was a good idea to wash our face, change our clothes and make ourselves look presentable again) until we had to get on a lovely 4 hour bus ride to Cork. 
After what felt like the lengthiest amount of travelling ever, we arrived in the beautiful town of Cork! It was sunny (a nice change from the cold we left in Glasgow) and the river running through the town made it all seem picture perfect. 

Kayla, Claire, Amy and I

We were staying with Kayla's friend Joe, who she goes to school with back home. He lived in an apartment with a few other people that were so cool and accommodating. We quickly dropped our bags off at his place and then he took us for a tour around Cork for the day. We went to his university campus, walked along the river, saw Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral, and just enjoyed our few sober hours in Ireland. 

University campus

Fell in love with this part of campus

Claire and I

Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral

River running through the town

Outside the cathedral

Loving the buildings

It was a perfect way to start off our trip. The next instalment of the insanity that was Ireland will be posted tomorrow (I am still dead tired from the lack of sleep I got while being there). Goodnight xo

heaven on earth

Here are a few pictures from my favourite place to walk by when I was in Sevilla. The pictures don't really do it justice - but it is huge! And so beautiful. We passed by it a couple times a day while I was there (it is so close to both their apartment and the university). 

The Plaza de Espana is located in Maria Luisa Park and was built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. It is a landmark example of the Renaissance revival style in Spanish architecture. 

This building is what made me fall so head over heels in love with Spain.
Now it is time for me to go fall in love with another country. I am leaving for Ireland very very soon (like in 2 hours). St. Pat's this year is going to be unreal! I hope everyone else has just as fantastic of a week! xo

something like an update for your sunday night enjoyment

So I thought it was about time that I gave an update of sorts on my life here in Glasgow. I also wanted to reveal where I will be headed over our spring break (it may be breaking my bank account but it is sure to be amazing). So here goes my list - if you know me well then you know that lists are my favourite way to do things. I can't believe this is my first one on here. Anyways, life update:

• I am going to Ireland for St. Patricks day this year. I am leaving on Wednesday morning and coming back on Saturday. I will be staying in Cork at one of my flatmates friends apartments (free accommodation is my favourite). It is sure to be one wild week with my wildest of flatmates. Oh and I am hoping to meet up with some friends from back home AND the girls that I met in Sevilla - all very exciting.
• This past week has involved me writing my first essay of the semester - yes that is what I am currently procrastinating from doing. I haven't written an essay since November so it is proving a little difficult to get back into the writing mode. I know, I know everyone is thinking, that girl goes to school over there? It shocks me sometimes too. 
• When Claire and I came home from Spain we had lovely little <3 and XO notes on our doors from our lovely flatmate. It still makes me smile when I have to open my awkwardly heavy door and sit in my too-small-it-makes-me-go-crazy-writing-an-essay room. 
• A long story short I am now using a very ghetto version of the phone I had when I was 14. It really can only...well actually I am not too sure what it can do. It can send a text. But is very bad at telling me the time and having the alarm go off at the right time. Oh and it is pink - that I like. 
• I bought an alarm clock due to the lack of reliance my UK flip phone provides me. 
• We got snow yesterday. Snow may be a bit of an overstatement but still, there was white stuff on the ground and I was not happy about it at all. Therefore I refused to leave the flat. Currently I am hoping that mother nature does not give us anymore of it. Rain is fine. Snow is not. 
• I bought a new jacket :) and I am so so so in love with it. I lost a part of my trench coat a few weeks ago (also a long story) and therefore it looks kind of awkward on. This new coat is also beige but totally different then a trench. I will get some pictures in it soon to show you all. (this may be another reason my bank account is hurting right now?)
• SPRNG BREAK plans have been finalized. Claire, Amy, Kayla and I will be travelling to - dun dun dun - Salzberg, Vienna, Prague, Berlin, Munich, Paris, Lyon, Barcelona and Madrid from March 31st to April 17th. We could not be more excited! Knowing us it will be an insane trip. Europe is so not ready for Flat2D. 

That is all for now. Glasgow still rocks. I am still so in love with it here. I still don't want to ever leave. So basically not a wholeeee lot has changed. Back to the essay? I suppose so. xo

bonito

Here are a few of my favourite shots from when I was in Sevilla. The little rays of sunlight streaming down on to the colourful buildings created such a lovely atmosphere. The girls told us that it was probably the worst weekend weather wise they have had since being there. But for Claire and I, it was wonderful - so much warmer then Scotland. Although not captured in photos we were able to go jacket-less most of the time we were there. I was even able to wear a sundress one day! 

In Maria Luisa Park

Bull Fighting

El Cronometro

Orange trees

I loved all of the fountains

Claire and I

Colourful buildings

Cathedral

This is the largest and highest cathedral in Spain, the largest Gothic building in the world, and the world's third largest church. Here is a little history lesson for you regarding the cathedral: After Ferdinand III captured Sevilla from the Moors in 1248, the mosque (that once stood here) was reconsecrated to the Virgin Mary and used as a Christian cathedral. But in 1401 the people of Sevilla decided to pull down the old mosque, leaving only its minaret and outer court, an built the existing building to match the greatness of their city - a remarkable feat for the time. 

Walk along the river

"Be European"

Night time

Maria Luisa Park

In the Universidad de Sevilla

because it's changed me

"A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions" - Oliver Wendall Holmes Jr

carnavales de cadiz

As I mentioned in my last post Saturday was a night to remember. We booked a tour with Discover Sevilla to take us down to Cadiz to celebrate the Carnival for the night. It is said to be the third largest Carnival celebration (after Rio de Janeiro and Trinidad). We were told that it would be the most insane party we have ever experienced - and boy were they right!

Carnavales de Cadiz

So a big part of the Carnival is that you dress up in ridiculous costumes. So basically Halloween in a street with the most people I have ever seen in one place. We didn't want to spend a bunch of money buying costumes so first bought the coolest masks ever. We ended up steering away from the masks but still wore them throughout the night because they were that cool - well we thought they were. I ended up being the white swan and Hayley, Claire's cousin, was the black swan. Everyone loved our costumes and we were in the running for the best costume on our bus but sadly didn't win. We still thought they were the coolest, obviously.
After quickly getting ready, making a mad dash to the bus (aka we sprinted which almost killed us and our feet), we got on the bus at 8:00pm. The bus ride there included drinking out of bottles, singing at the top of our lungs, and lots and lots of Americans (I have never felt more surrounded by Americans, yet I was in Spain - oh the irony). We arrived in Cadiz around 10:00 and jumped right into the party. We spent the night chatting with Spanish people (I just listened and tried to catch as much as I could from the little bit of French I remember), drinking even more, eating churros, and admiring/laughing at all of the costumes.

Claire and I

Mel, Hayley and I

Claire, Hayley, Mel and I

Black/white swan + the fun mask

Insane/Amazing/Best ever

Steve, Mel and I

Claire and I

Steve, Jamie and Mel

Steve and Pat

Living the life

By the end of the night we were exhausted (leaving Cadiz at 4 am does that to you). We were so thankful for the sandwiches and water we got on the bus ride back. Although not all being together when we left, we ended up all reuniting randomly on the street during the walk back to their apartment. Cosmic timing. We could not get over how the 7 of us ended up back together at the end.

This night is definitely one that I will remember. I had so much fun participating in one of the biggest Carnival's around the world. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience. Plus the company was amazing. I couldn't have asked for better people to do it all with. xo

no entiendo, but you still rocked my world sevilla

No entiendo = don't understand, which was basically the amount of Spanish I was able to learn while spending the weekend in Sevilla. Thankfully I was staying with some girls who knew a bit of Spanish that could help Claire and I make it through the weekend - aka order us beer, sangrias, and churros con chocolate. 
Claire and I took the train to Liverpool where we flew to Sevilla Thursday afternoon. This trip was an interesting one. We had a bunch of transfers to make and were terrified the whole way that we weren't going to make it. Plus we were feeling a littttle sick from the night before (the plentiful amount of trains and buses did not make this better). But we did make it, and Claire's cousin Hayley, and friend Mel were there waiting for us at the bus stop to take us back to their apartment. We ate some brie, nutella and crackers, got ourselves ready for the night and basically ended up just drinking at their place. Perfect for us since we had the longest travel day. 
We enjoyed a nice sleep in on Friday (actually I think we did every morning) before walking around Sevilla, enjoying the sights and indulging in as much of the Spanish cuisine and beer as we could. We shopped, drank sangrias, had churros con chocolate for the first time, and I fell in love with Spanish culture and architecture. I am still amazed at the concept of siestas - closing down stores for 3 hours, enjoying food and beer before heading back to work. Definitely a lifestyle I could get used to. 

Churros con chocolate

Explosions of colour

Saturday was spent meeting up with another one of their friends from home who is studying in Barcelona, and his two friends. We ate the most delicious gelato, enjoyed some cruzcampo beer, took in even more of the colourful buildings and orange trees lining the streets, and finished off the afternoon eating the most delicious food from cien montaditos. The serve these little tiny sandwiches and the most wonderful bread. My favourite was tortilla de patatas. I could eat them forever. Saturday night was a highlight of the trip, including costumes, Cadiz and a trip. But more on that later!

Orange trees

Centro

Hayley, Claire, Mel

Banco do Espana

Fountains galore

Beautiful

Mel, Hayley, Claire and I 

Sunday was a recovery day for all of us. We drank more beer to make us feel better. And walked over to Triana, which is on the other side of the river. It was definitely a needed relaxing day after the night we had. Claire and I landed in Liverpool and 11:10 pm and had to wait until 7:40 in the morning to catch our train back to Glasgow. We slept (well attempted - slept might be a bit of a stretch) in the airport - oh the life of a student traveler. 
Sevilla thank you for being so amazing. Thank you for making my fall in love with Spanish architecture. Thank you for setting the place for me to meet some amazing people. You, your laid back culture, and your warm weather have won me over. See you in April (yes I have decided to go back to Spain, this time Madrid and Barcelona, because I loved you that much). Best first European trip ever. Stay posted for lots of more photos!