Paddy's Day in Ireland... bring your green hat!

After our celebrating our 1 year anniversary, we spent the actual anniversary date celebrating our first St. Patrick's Day in Ireland in a completely different fashion. FYI to my non-Irish readers, I learned that it is PADDY's Day, NOT Patty's Day. The difference: Paddy is short for Patrick, Patty is short for Patricia.

Although St. Patrick's Day is now a more secular holiday associated with Irish stereotypes and heavy drinking, the brief history of St. Patrick's Day goes as follows. Patrick was believed to be born in Scotland or Wales (not in Ireland!) in the end of the 4th century. At the age of 16, Patrick was captured by Irish raiders and taken across the Irish Sea, where he spent 6 years in captivity working as a shepherd. During this time, he found comfort in his religion and became a devout Christian. After the 6 years, he went home and studied to become a priest, then returned to Ireland to spread the Christian faith for 30 years until he passed away on March 17, 460 AD. From then on, March 17th was commemorated as St. Patrick's Day. 

Fun fact: the shamrock was used by St. Patrick to explain the concept of The Holy Trinity - the Father, the Son, and The Holy Spirit - and how they are all separate parts of one entity. 

Myth buster: St. Patrick is said to have banished all the snakes in Ireland; however, this is thought to be an analogy for eliminating the Pagan religion and evidence suggests that post-glacial Ireland never had snakes.

Now, having given you the skinny on the Patron Saint and why we celebrate the day, I have to admit I transformed into another person wanting to be "Irish for the day." We figured we're here for a short time, so we might as well embrace it and behave like tourists! Everyone would assume we were tourists that day anyway, so why not go all out? 

What's cool in Dublin is that St. Patrick's Day festivities go on the entire week around the holiday (live music, Irish dancing tutorials, etc.), AND it's a national holiday, so it's a long weekend. As for the day itself... 

We awoke to a cold, rainy day (typical!) and, despite the temptation to stay in, we donned our mandatory green attire and bundled up to go meet our expat friends in town. St. Paddy's was a Sunday this year, so no pubs in Dublin opened until noon (talk about missing out on some serious revenue!), but our friends shrewdly sniffed out the only place serving booze in the morning. So, we started the day with a breakfast of champions: Irish coffee and crisps ( = chips) made with real bits of Shamrock! Ha, apparently shamrocks taste exactly like onions.

After our coffees, we made our way to a great spot to watch the parade - The Lord Edward, across from Christ Church. As it was too cold to be outside and watch, we found a comfy booth on the second floor of the pub, overlooking the church and the parade. It was ideal! Michelle and I are both mildly obsessed with taking pictures, so we ventured into the cold for a bit to get some good shots. It may look like it is easy to balance on the post below, but it was a small area, slick with rain, and it was humorous to watch people fall off (myself included). 

Standing on the bike posts!

Bring your green hat!

My favorite part of the day was sitting next to a cute, elderly choir. They sat and drank and sang Irish tunes -- it provided the perfect entertainment and they appreciated our applause!

Have to include a picture of Guinness!

When the parade finished, we made the bold decision to walk through the Temple Bar neighborhood to view the true Paddy's insanity. And that it was...

After some much needed Zaytoon's kebabs, we walked around some more, said goodbye to our expat friends, and somehow convinced a couple of our Irish friends to meet us for a pint. I say somehow convinced because mostly everyone in my office made a point to get out of town on St. Patrick's Day, or at least steer clear of the craziness in the city centre. I guess that's a good friend for you!

We ended the day with them at a local spot, listening to live music. It was one long day, but well worth it. We certainly had the "Paddy's Day" experience in Dublin. Interestingly, the celebration itself is bigger in Chicago, but it was an unforgettable experience to spend the day in Ireland, where it all started. Great craic! 

Happy Belated St. Patrick's Day to all!!

Happy Anniversary to us!

I remember the phone call well. It went something like, "Hey, Mom & Dad, you know how you've always wanted to go live in Ireland for a few months? Well, you'll have to visit me in Dublin, because we're MOVING there! Oh, and... you know how you're coming to visit for St. Patrick's Day weekend? We're getting MARRIED on that Saturday!" 

It's hard to believe it's been a year since I dropped that bombshell. It feels like it was just yesterday that our families traveled from near and far to convene in a tiny room in Chicago City Hall and watch us promise our lives to one another. I still remember the butterflies I felt in that little room, the tears of joy that sprung to my eyes (and his :) ), and the surrounding smiles of our loved ones. Someone up there was smiling down on us that day too, gifting us with a gorgeous rarity in March - 80 degrees and sunshine. It was simply the perfect day.

If you don't know the story already, we started packing up our apartment the day after we got married. 2 days later, we drove a U-Haul to Ohio to put our things in storage, returned to Chi town for a final going away party and offensive celebratory "Irish car bombs" shots, and moved to Ireland a week later! 

Our time as newlyweds has flown! I recall mentioning to B that we passed the 72-day mark and had beaten Kim Kardashian (which he was obviously thrilled about). Then we hit the 6 month mark. Before I knew it, St. Patrick's Day came again and we were toasting our 1 year anniversary.

And what an amazing first year of marriage it has been. Full of highs, lows, world travels, and cozy nights by the fire. We've taken countless "trips of a lifetime" and have added incredible memories to an already long list. It hasn't always been the easiest year (very different than I'd ever imagined), but I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Funny to think how hesitant I was to tell everyone we were getting married. I worried that people would judge our "shotgun" wedding of sorts, that it wouldn't be as "special" because it wasn't what I had envisioned for us. 

Well, I couldn't have been more wrong. Our family and friends were and have continued to be nothing but supportive. Not only do I think our story is more special now, but I want to shout it from the rooftops how happy and proud I am to call B my husband. I truly feel like I'm married to my best friend and biggest fan.

So, here's to our 1 year anniversary and many more to come!

And... of course, the best part is we get to do it all over again in July :) 

Biarritz

After 5 wonderful days in San Sebastián, I took a couple trains back across the border to another beautiful surf town in Basque country for a couple days... Biarritz, France. Once a popular holiday destination for Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III, and Russian Aristocrats, Biarritz is now known for its beaches and surfing.

I arrived in town late afternoon, just in time to shower, relax for a bit, then head out for the evening. I lucked out once again with Airbnb, staying at a lovely little home called Maison Pia. My host, Marion was incredibly welcoming and drove me around the town the first night, showed me the must-sees and took me to a great little tapas bar overlooking the coast. She even pointed out a scenic running route and a place to swim in the nude if I so pleased, ha! So French! We capped the night chatting over local wine/cheeses/fruit in her garden... The perfect start to my trip.

Good food and view at Kostaldea

The next morning, I skipped the skinny dipping, but took Marion's advice on the running route and set out for a sunrise run along the coast, with my camera in hand! I looked a little silly, but it was worth it for the pics and I was able to get some of my sightseeing done too (i.e. La Grande Plage, Villa Belza, Rocher de la Vierge/Rock of the Virgin).

La Grande Plage - town's largest beach

Villa Belza

After my run, I walked over to Les Halles, the local market, bought a fresh chocolate croissant (when in France, right?), had an espresso, and meandered through the isles, taking in the sights and scents of fresh baguettes, cheeses, fish/meats, flowers, and produce. I could spend hours in a good European market! 

Next, I set out to explore the city more. I checked out the other sites to see: Plage Miramar, Eugenie Palace (now Hôtel du Palais), Phare de Biarritz (lighthouse), Ass Cultuelle Orthodoxe Russe (Russian Orthodox church - below on the right). Biarritz is small, so I was able to tackle the sites in half a day and laze on the beach in the afternoon.

View of Plage Miramar from Pointe Saint-Martin

Hôtel du Palais

Phare de Biarritz

After washing away the sand, I spent the final evening of my solo trip at Port Vieux, the casual harbor area of town. Here I enjoyed a local dish of grilled squid at Casa Juan Pedro and chatted with fellow travelers from South Africa.

My final day, I spent my dwindling hours of sunshine on the beach before returning to a rainy Dublin. As I'm writing this now and looking out my window at snow flurries (in March in Ireland!), I'm reliving my experience and realize even more how incredible it was. Not to toot my own horn, but I'm proud of myself for pulling the trigger on a solo trip. Who knows if or when I'll be able to do it again, but it's one I'll never forget :) Cheers, SS & Biarritz!

San Sebastián

As I said in my last post, I made a spur of the moment decision to book a solo trip to a warm destination. I landed on San Sebastián (or Donostia to the locals) for a few reasons: 1) The RyanAir flight to nearby Biarritz, France was cheap, 2) It's a gorgeous beach town, and 3) SS was a place I've never heard about until living in Europe, but I've heard nothing but glowing recommendations since being here from foodies and surfers alike. Some call it the world's best food city, as it is home to a number of Michelin star restaurants, as well as world-renowned bar snacks called pintxos.

After flying into Biarritz and taking the train to SS, I arrived in the late afternoon, got settled and acquainted with my Airbnb host.... who did not speak a word of English. Talk about a crash review of my college Minor Spanish! 5 years of not speaking the language meant I had to shake off some serious rust. I was able to do that immediately when my host, Ana, invited me to get Chocolate y Churros (very rich, but yummy!) with her and her cousin. Afterwards we strolled around the city at dusk and Ana pointed out places for me to check out in the coming days.

The next morning, I awoke bright and early, went on a run along La Playa de la Concha at sunrise, then got cleaned up, shared a coffee with Ana, and set out for a day of sightseeing. I hiked up to the top of Monte Urgull to see Castillo de La Mota and Cristo de la Mota, a 12th century castle and statue of Christ atop the hill. From here, you also get panoramic views of the city and the bay, Bahía de la Concha.

Cristo de la Mota (same statue lit up on top of the hill in the first pic)

I also spent my fair share of time (the first day and every day!) wandering around La Parte Vieja, the old town area of SS. It's made up of narrow, pedestrian streets, filled with little Tabernas, or Pintxos bars. There are also a couple beautiful cathedrals, including one, Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Coro, that faces the gothic cathedral, Catedral del Buen Pastor in the more modern part of town (below).

Plaza de la Constitución

In the evening, I commenced what became my nightly routine: reading in Plaza de la Constitución over a glass of wine, then a traditional Pintxos Crawl, where you make your way from through various Pintxos bars, sampling wines and tasty morsels that are not only delicious, but super cheap! I'd follow this with a stroll along the boardwalk at sunset, and an early retreat for some conversation with my host and Skyping with family. Pretty much my idea of heaven.

PINTXOS... get in my belly!

The next day brought exploration of the other side of the bay, Monte Igueldo. I checked out Los Peines del Viento (wind combs), then hiked up to the top of the Mt. for one of the most breathtaking views I've ever seen. I spent the afternoon getting lost in the streets and watching surfers over at Zurriola Beach before retiring to Old Town.

Los Peines del Viento

View from Monte Igueldo... see what I mean?

SS is small, so after the first couple days, I had seen all the sites. I ventured out on a day trip to Hondarribia, Spain (a town on the border of Spain & France - I'll cover another time!), then spent the remaining days laying on the beach, reading, eating pintxos, and enjoying the ocean and the sunshine. Rough life! 

I enjoyed my time there so much that I extended my stay an extra day, but I still can't wait to go back some day with my husband and share in the amazing experience that is San Sebastián.

Next up, I spent a couple days in Biarritz...