Monthly Archives: August 2012

Taking a Ride on the London Eye

London Eye from Jubilee Gardens // taken with Instagram

Since the beginning, taking a ride on the London Eye has been on my “to-do” list. First, the trip in the eye is well worth it, and I highly recommend anyone visiting London to take it. My two other pieces of advice regarding the London eye are this:

  1. If you’re traveling to London before August 31, save yourself some pounds and find the coupons for Buy-One-Get-One tickets, print one out here, or find one of the people [they are all around London] handing out fliers that will save you money.
  2. Take the London Eye at night. There is nothing like seeing this beautiful city lit up once the sun goes down.

I hope you enjoy my photos from my ride on the eye, and check in daily for new blog posts about London and my experience at the games! Cheers!

One of the Eye’s “ovoidal capsules.” More commonly known as eyePods ;)

Images from the London Wonderground and a nearby skatepark, where the group I rode the Eye with and myself walked around, waiting for sundown.

And the ride on the Eye begins…

Houses of Parliament and Big Ben at the beginning of the ride.

Downtown London at Dusk, St. Paul’s Cathedral in the lower right.

Downtown London, Hungerford and Waterloo Bridges.

Horse Guards Parade during the August 7 Women’s Beach Volleyball match, USA vs. Brazil.

The London Shard

At night London projected images from past Olympics onto British Parliament and Big Ben:

The Day I Went to the Museum, but Found Myself at Harrods

“Harrods,” I’d heard about it, sure. But I wasn’t all too excited about wasting an afternoon in a place deemed a “department store” by FourSquare. Oh, my! How wrong was I! Imagine this: Macy’s, Ikea, Jungle Jim’s, Barnes & Noble, FAO Schwarz, Starbucks, Tiffany’s, Microcenter/Best Buy, an art museum, a butcher shop, fish market, and a candy and confections play land…not to mention the year-round Christmas shop.

Harrods

So my “agenda” for the day was to spend the afternoon enjoying the famous Victoria and Albert art museum. On my roundabout way to the museum I stumbled upon Harrods. Upon the recommendations from my dad and a fellow traveler, I decided I’d go in…how long could it take, really? [This was my train of thought, as I entered] I was first greeted by make-up counter workers, offering trials of their products. I quickly breezed through that section before my invasive thoughts about department store cosmetics being harvesting grounds for germs and bacteria became overwhelming. Next, I entered a beautiful room, with an Egyptian-style motif, that was full of all the top designer bags: Prada, Chanel, Gucci…you name it, it was there. I continued onward to the candy and confections room, where I was offered a sample of British strawberry and cream chocolates…yum! The displays in this room were incredible, and even more incredible was that they continued to look beautiful and organized despite all of the tourists and shoppers that flood Harrods each day. Most of the workers were fitted in white button ups, black bottoms, a black apron, and old-school candy shop-tender top hat, alternately, some were outfitted with black button-ups or tan vests. Harrods is definitely top-notch when it comes to ambiance and branding.

I walked into the next room, which, turns out was actually a collection of fine dining. I saw a sushi and caviar bar, steak bar, seafood bar, deli, and a grill. Ahead were even more rooms, I was excited to keep going. I found myself in yet another candy cornucopia, this time I was greeted by a sweet lady who offered me “their newest collection of biscuits from Scottland!” These biscuits were so amazing, I actually took a picture of the box they are packaged in so if my dad goes through with his planned trip to London in October I can give him a good recommendation for a gift to bring back for me. I spent a little longer examining all the displays. Finally discovering the exit out of candy land, I found myself in a fruit and vegetable market. Again, I was stunned by the beautiful displays (and good lighting). Next to this market was Harrods premium watch collection, we’re talking Omega and Rolex status timepieces only. Beyond the watches was the jewelry. Wow. While no photos of the jewelry are allowed, I’m pretty sure I took enough mental photos to last a lifetime. The Harrods jewelry collection is definitely a sight worth seeing in London, as is the rest of Harrods, in fact.

Once I wandered out of the glimmering hall of gems and jewels I took the escalators up. The store has become such a blur, there was so much to see, it’s hard to remember what was where and on which floor, but I recall walking through store sections with every kitchen appliance and accessory imaginable, finding their year-round Christmas shop, where I picked up a little something for someone near and dear to my heart, an amazing, museum-quality, art shop with sculptures by Lorenzo Quinn, stunning floor displays with home furnishings and bedroom sets, a wild toy store that is every child [or if we’re being honest, every persons] dream come true complete with Lego, Harry Potter, and Batman collections, an extensive book shop, a tea room, a milk bar, an ice cream shop, a pizzeria, and yet another bar and grill. Sprinkled throughout the store are enormous bears. They’re cute, and you can’t help but want a picture with one.

Sculpture by Lorenzo Quinn

 

Batman made from Lego’s

A wizards duel!

Taking a ride on the Nimbus 2000!

V&A // Taken with Instagram

So, after only a couple of hours later into my planned “quick trip through Harrods” I was finally out the door, back on my way to find the Victoria and Albert Museum. Luckily, for me, the museum was only a short walk down the street from Harrods. What’s even luckier is that admission is free, they only ask that if you can afford it, to please donate 3 pounds [about 4.65 USD]. Not only do they allow people to come in for free, they also host free WiFi. This allowed me to share some of my photos via Instagram.

I only had about 90 minutes to peruse through this enormous museum before they closed for the evening. I still had time to leisurely walk through the sculptures section from the renaissance, a still photography gallery, a grand gallery of famous jewels and crowns, mostly from famous Brits and Parisians, but my favorite exhibit that I spent most of my time in was their British Design section. It was complete with costumes from some of the most famous theatrical productions including Phantom of the Opera and The Lion King, dressing rooms of famous actresses, scale set designs from movies, television shows, and theatre, posters and other memorabilia from media, interactive exhibits with headphones and accompanying video, and a puppet box from the Palace Theatre of Varieties near Glasgow, which was demolished in 1977. I love the theatre, and I was enchanted by this exhibition!

Costumes from the theatre production of The Lion King

From the jewelry exhibition

Puppet box from the Palace Theatre of Varieties

Dressing room of a London starlet

Costumes for patrons to try on

And that is the day in my life that will be forever known as the day I accidentally spent hours on end in Harrods on my way to the museum. Truthfully, if I had the means, I could have easily spent many more hours and quite a few more pence in Harrods. Perhaps I’ll be back for some tea from the Tea Room and a nice Rolex watch or an emerald and diamond ring, someday. ;)

Treats from The Tea Room

Getting Acquainted with Team USA

So many thanks are in order: First, to the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, which employs inspiring professors and faculty who have been essential towards instilling a lifelong passion for multimedia and storytelling, and is also the establishment where I earned my bachelors degree. Secondly, Hans Meyer and Yusuf Kalyango, who have assisted me in countless ways through out my college career and especially in the last three months as I worked to plan my trip across the pond. And finally, the Scripps study abroad program in London, directed by Professor Meyer, which is the driving force and credentials I needed to gain access to amazing and rare opportunities at the 2012 London games, including getting acquainted with the incredible athletes on Team USA.

No Such Thing as a Lazy Sunday

On Sunday, August 5, I was able to attend a Taekwondo practice, where I was privileged enough to witness Diana Lopez in action. Diana Lopez, already an Olympic champion, winning the bronze for the U.S. in Beijing, is going for gold this time around. Her concentration and determination were radiating through out the practice facilities located at the SportsDock training centre at the University of East London. Practice started off slow, with warm-ups, stretches, and the like. It didn’t take long for the session to really heat up. Diana was fierce and focused as she worked with trainer, Charlotte Craig, also a Beijing Olympiad who looks forward to competing in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

It wasn’t just Diana Lopez’s focus that was inspiring, but the fact that she, along with her three brothers, put a whole new meaning behind the mantra of teammates feeling like family. Diana’s brother, Steven Lopez, 33, will also be competing in the 2012 Olympics. The other two Lopez brothers include, Jean, 38, who is also the head coach for Team USA Taekwondo, and Mark, 30, who competed in 2008 at Beijing, bringing home a silver medal for the US, was beaten out for a spot in the London games by Diana and Steven’s teammate, Terrence Jennings, 26. The Lopez family is recognized as the “first family of Taekwondo” and has made history, as each of them has worked to achieve the highest levels of athleticism. I was feeling incredibly fortunate and inspired at the opportunity to sit in with Diana and Coach Jean on Sunday.

The Lopez Family, photo from Associated Press

Diana moved not only with fierceness and intensity, but she was also stunning and graceful. I was curious as to whether she had cross trained or had previous experience in dance. Jean told me that while Diana had no experience dancing, she does have a solid background in volleyball, which he encouraged her to pursue, but her heart was in taekwondo. The Lopez family, as a whole, prefers playing soccer to break up their workouts in the Korean martial art of taekwondo, according to Jean. I wasn’t completely off track believing dance would give taekwondo fighters an edge. Paige McPherson, 21, another member of the 2012 USA Taekwondo team, traded in her ballet slippers for a black belt after watching her older brother, Evan, compete in the sport.

Diana Lopez trains with Juan Moreno

Charlotte Craig [right] takes a crack at training with Diana

Competition for the fighters begins Wednesday, August 8 in London. Be sure to check your listings and tune in [USA on NBC].

Women’s Basketball: A Great Group with Great Attitude 

Monday, August 6, I was back at the University of East London in the SportsDock practice center. This time around, I was there to observe as the USA women’s basketball team took to the hardwood. I had a lot of fun shooting b-roll and still photos as the women practiced plays and perfected shots. There was high energy and enthusiasm, it was contagious. After the women finished running plays Jenna Stenger, Colin Brown, and I were able to meet and greet the incredible athletes making up the 2012 USA women’s basketball team.

Candace Parker goes for a three during practice.

Jenna kicks things off with Sylvia Fowles.

Colin takes the lead as he interviews guard, Sue Bird.

Jenna and I meet with Diana Taurasi, who says her favorite pre-game meal is chicken and rice, she digs the sounds of rapper, 2Chainz, and amused use with her improvised British accent.

USA Women’s Basketball faces Team Canada on August 7 at 2 p.m. GMT,  in the quarterfinals. Be sure to tune in and cheer this talented and congenial group on!

Thank you to all the members, coaches, and athletes from Team USA Taekwondo and Women’s Basketball! It was incredible having the chance to observe you in your element, sit down and chat, and take part in the 2012 London Games. I am looking forward to what’s ahead! Cheers!

J’adore Paris!

As soon as the bus transporting me from the Paris Beauvais Tille Airport pulled through the outskirts of downtown Paris, I knew it was love. I was immediately struck by the beauty of the city, and could feel the energy radiating from within the city limits. Even being as old of a city as Paris is, everything seemed bright and beaming, and I reciprocated the vibes, as I stared, grinning wildly at all the possibilities for exploration that were ahead.

After arriving at the bus stop and catching a shared cab ride with a friendly couple from Italy to my hotel, Hotel de France Quartier Latin, my ambitions to explore the city were overpowered by my body’s ambitions for rest, power nap time was declared! [I guess that’s what happens when you decide to pull an all-nighter in Dublin with your college roommate and fellow bobcats, having to catch a cab to the airport at 4 a.m.]


Feeling well rested, I woke up around 3 p.m., I was more than ready to get started on striding around the city. Taking the map the hotel concierge gave me upon my arrival, I took a quick look and decided I wanted to attend Sunday mass at Cathedral Notre Dame. The cathedral was stunning, and though I do not consider myself especially religious, I felt like I was taking part in something really special by attending mass at such a grand and renowned cathedral. After mass I decided I would stick within what I estimated was a two mile radius from my hotel, walking the streets and seeing what I would find. This was fun for about the first hour and a half, until a brief downpour put a damper on the evening, and my cardigan. Luckily I was near a cute café/bistro where I popped in for some delicious vegetarian lentil soup to warm me up! None of the servers spoke English very well, but they were still sweet and accommodating and could understand enough of my [what I assume to be poorly spoken/broken] French to manage handling my order and making a tiny bit of small talk.

It was a great feeling to get back to my hotel and take a hot shower. The hotel was clean, had friendly staff, free wifi, and a great location [and price]. I would definitely stay at the Hotel de France Quartier Latin again.

Paris: Sturdy Shoes Required

Monday was my first full day in Paris, and I was ready to get moving. I had to call an 86 on the flats, to protect my already blistered heals, choosing instead, to wear my treasured Clarks sandals [amazing for walking!]. You name the monument or sight in Paris and I’m fairly certain I walked there. I checked on Google Maps and estimated that I walked about 13.3 miles [21.4 km] that day, not too shabby [and that’s not including the roads I wandered down and time I spent exploring the Louvre, a feat to walk around in itself.] Here are some of the photos from my Monday self-guided walking tour:

Pont des Arts

The Louvre

The Louvre [taken via Instagram]

A great collection of time pieces at the Louvre, beautiful.

Me and my girl, Mona.

La Madeleine

Moulin RougeParis Opera HouseSunset Cruise on the Seine River

Eiffel Tower

Some live entertainment in Paris

Crepes for dinner!

Eiffel Tower at Night

After walking around all day these are the things I thought about:

  1. GRATEFUL + HUMBLED to have taken part in such an amazing day, life is good, and Paris is beautiful.
  2. Dumbfounded. How do all these Parisian women walk this immaculate city all day in wedges in stilettos? [I’ll stick to my flats and sandals, thank you!]
  3. Accustomed. Yep, I could totally move to Paris and be happy. Next step, Rosetta Stone for French!
  4. Don’t try to see it all in one day. Everything here is either beautiful or famous, or both. Solution? Just stay in Paris longer, clearly.
  5. Hungry. A problem I solved by ordering a chocolat [nutella] crepe and eating it while walking under and around the Eiffel tower, how amusingly French.
  6. J’adore Paris!

Though I could have happily frolicked the streets of Paris for a whole other day, I decided to jump train to Versailles. Marie Antoinette, perhaps you’ve heard of her, invited me to her home for the day ;) Plush and elaborate are probably the first two words to come to mind when thinking of how to describe the Palace of Versailles. After walking through the lavish palace it was completely obvious just how out of touch Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI were with the people they ruled. Gold ceilings, incredible marble sculptures, a full scale opera house and cathedral, statues built with champagne bottles, master suites for both the King and the Queen, an art museum, a hall of mirrors, multiple apartments on the lower levels for visiting family members and government officials, and all of this with a stretch of lush gardens extending over thousands of acres for a backyard. I snapped hundreds of photos in Versailles, here are some of my favorite:

In the Hall of Mirrors

Marie Antoinette’s Suite

Modern art in the Palace

Beautiful ceramic clock

Marie Antoinette’s garden sculpture made from blue glass champagne bottles…someone knew how to party.

After touring the palace [a full days excursion] I stuck around Versailles a little while longer to get a better feel for the city, explore some antique shops, and a picturesque café for a cappuccino. By the time I returned to Paris it was sundown and I was hungry for dinner, but chose to take one last walk down the paths adjacent to the Seine river before calling it a night. I found an authentic restaurant on my walk home to the hotel and decided to treat myself to some authentic French cooking. I threw caution to the “weekday vegetarian” winds which I usually flow with and ordered roasted duck, potatoes, salad, and a glass of red wine. Easily the best meal I’ve had in months. I was completely sated at the end of the meal and ready to finish the stroll to the hotel, repack my bags, and rest up for the journey London the following day!

It was a quick three days in Paris, too quick. So of course it is on my to-do list to return someday, next time bringing a friend, family member, or beau along for the journey. The only advice I want to give about Paris is this:

Thanks for reading, au revoir!

Voyage á Paris: Navigation and Transportation

Beware RyanAir. Don’t get me wrong, I was very grateful to have purchased a one way ticket from Dublin to Paris for a mere 26.99 euro [aprx. 32.57 USD], but then comes the extra fees:

  • 2.00 euro passenger fee for EU 261 Levy
  • 6.00 euro passenger fee for web check-in [they stick you with a 65 euro fee if you print out your boarding pass at the airport check-in…yikes]
  • 35.00 euro passenger fee for 1st checked bag
  • 40.00 euro passeger fee for  2nd checked bag

Grand total for travel: 109.99 euro [132.68 USD]

For traveling 728 kilometers [452 miles] I am still confident I got a great price, not to mention I was green with envy for EU and UK citizens who have the ability to jump flights on RyanAir for weekend excursions all over Europe and the UK. However, what I found to be somewhat bothersome about RyanAir is their push to sell more through out the entire process. While booking tickets online the site is full of advertisements, pushes to buy travelers insurance and suitcases as you navigate the booking prompts, reserved seating fees, priority boarding fees, and so on. Then, during their flights they push travelers to purchase lottery tickets, travel items, and any food or drink on board [including water]. Overall though, I can’t complain and feel the pushiness from the company to purchase their products helps keep the overall cost of the flights down, for which I am grateful. 

After landing at Paris Beauvais Tille Airport, I had to take a bus to downtown Paris, about 88.5 km, or 55 miles. The bus was a smooth and easy ride, conveniently available as soon as I set foot outside of the airport. Once arriving in downtown Paris, and getting over my initial awe-struck moments during my first glimpses of the city, I shared a cab with a couple from Italy to my hotel. Word to the wise, taxis in Paris are expensive! For our short ten minute drive I paid the driver 14 euro [the meter was reading that 24 euro was due when the driver dropped me off, but the Italian couple still had a bit of a ride ahead of them]. And at that moment I was grateful we had shared the cab fare and realized why once the group had gotten off the bus they set out for the Paris Metro and public bus transport.

Paris bus routes

I did most of my transportation around Paris by foot, after all, I do love finding those unpublicized, lesser-known shops and cafes. At the end of my second day in Paris I was able to figure out the bus system, with a little help from a very sweet Parisian women. We were both trying to get to the same area, but because it was after 23:00 [11PM] the bus we needed had stopped running. Though I’ve never taken a single course in French I’m happy to say all those years of Latin finally paid off as I was successfully able to interpret the bus schedule by month and day of the week. The bus system in Paris is very nice and very efficient. Another perk? It only costs 1.90 euro for a bus pass that will work for 90 minutes after purchase. Though I never took the metro system I’ve heard only wonderful things about it. [I preferred the bus, so as not to miss the fabulous views of this stunning city.]

All in all I found Paris a relatively easy city to navigate and was quite impressed with their entire transit system, but like I said earlier, I highly recommend travel by foot and avoiding taxis unless you’re really in a hurry or are transporting a lot of things. Even during rush hour, when I had to leave to get to the train station to catch my train from Paris to London, the bus was still a very efficient and easy ride. It was also nice that most riders weren’t bothered that I was taking up extra room on the bus with my luggage.

The only off-putting event that happened was when I was about halfway to the Paris Nord train station and the bus driver pulled over and told everyone to get out mid-route because, “my shift is over, goodbye.” I couldn’t help but laugh at the situation, luckily it all worked out in my favor because the bus I was on would take me to the Paris Gare de l’est [east train station] and require I walk an extra 10-15 minutes to the north train station, but the bus stop we were dropped off at had a bus going directly to the north station, no extra walking with my luggage required.

Dublin, in Review

The trip to Europe didn’t exactly begin smoothly. To kick things off, my flight between Dayton and Chicago was cancelled, luckily I arrived unfashionably early and the airlines were able to book me on a different flight through another airline leaving 40 minutes earlier. Success.

The flight from Chicago to Dublin was short and sweet, after jet setting 18 hours straight between Washington DC and Johannesburg, South Africa, this flight was a walk in the park. I arrived at the Dublin airport just after 8:00 a.m. [GMT +1]. Bright eyed and bushy tailed [hardly] I was ready to get to the hostel and settle in, as well as catch some shut eye before exploring the city [I’m no good with sleeping on flights].

Map of Temple Bar district

Everyone in Dublin was very helpful, I was sent in the right direction by a number of locals, eventually arriving by bus at the Globetrotters Dublin Hostel on Lower Gardiner Street, very close to the bustling O’Connell Street and just a five minute walk from the Temple Bar district. The staff at Globetrotters were wonderful and accommodating, even allowing me to check in five hours before the designated time, and for that, I was relieved. I did a little unpacking, showered, and attempted to take a nap before the exploration commenced. Eagerness and anticipation got the best of me. So, sans nap, I set off to explore Dublin.

Temple Bar District, at night

Traveling alone in a foreign country, I had no set agenda to stick to so I decided I would just walk to the more famous sights first, maybe finding hidden spectacles along the way. First up, the Spire of Dublin [also referred to as the Spike]. Positioned smack dab in the middle of O’Connell Street, even the most directionally challenged could spot this monument.

I followed O’Connell across the Liffey River through to Trinity College. Trinity College was founded in 1592, making it the oldest university in Ireland. The campus was absolutely beautiful. Forgoing paying 10 euro to get an “official tour,” I did what any broke, post-grad tourist would do and created a self-guided tour. I’d say I did alright:

Since researching sights and sounds of Dublin, Paris, and London I’ve been looking forward to the Pont des Arts in Paris. I was happy to see the, tradition?, of writing you and your loves names on a lock, latching it onto a bridge, and throwing the key into the river is not only a practice in Paris. On the Ha’penny bridge locks can be found, representing loves that aspire to live forever. Adorable.

After miles upon miles of walking through out Dublin I was ready to recharge. I grabbed some grub [and a Guinness, of course] at a local pub. I was getting ready to leave for the hotel when I was approached by a new friend, Paul. A local, Paul told me all about his own favorite hotspots in Dublin and even ordered me a “Jamie-and-red” [Jameson and red lemonade, a lemonade unique to Dublin—or so I was told]. Paul was full of useful information, for instance did you know that coffee was discovered by Ethiopian sheep? Neither did I, but Paul did. He also told me Nolan is a very common Irish name, a first for me, as I have met only a handful of other Nolan’s. Getting in tune with your heritage is nice. After chitting and chatting it was finally time for me to get some rest! One of my favorite things about Dublin is that almost anywhere you want to travel on foot is only about a fifteen minute walk. That being said, I hiked on “home” so I could rest up for the arrival of my fellow Bobcats abroad.

The OU Crew

It is always a pleasant sight when you meet with familiar faces. Sam Girton and Frederick Lewis walked up the stairs into the lounge where I was waiting for the groups arrival. Sam and Frederick are the program directors for the Ohio University study abroad trip to Letterkeny. Of course, I was most excited to be reunited with my dear roommate, Annette.

Shortly after their arrival on Friday we set out on the town. We all grabbed lunch near Temple Bar, it was a great opportunity for me to meet the students taking part in the trip.

Photo in front of the Dublin castle, compliments of http://www.behance.net/sonyapaclob

Latte from the French Cafe in Dublin.

Following lunch we marched around town, stopping by Christchurch, the Dublin Castle, a perfect little French café for some cappuccinos and coffee, and eventually making it to St. Stephens Green. Feeling much more rested than the previous night, and more secure with friends by my side, I was ready to really see what the infamous Irish nightlife was like. Our group started out at a quaint little pub called The Stags Head. Mine, Annette, and Natalie’s favorite part? The corner window seat/nook with a perfect view of the street below. After walking around town some more, we ended our night at The Porterhouse. This pub was great, they had house brews and live music, you can’t really go wrong with either of those.

Saturday, our group decided to really be a part of a tourist agenda and visit the Guinness Brewery on St-James Street. On our way we made stops at an amazing farmer’s market, a book shop, and other cute stores for stumbling!

I have to give cudos to the design firm hired to put the tour of the Guinness Storehouse together. The brewery was amazing. Each of the eight floors had its own distinct purpose, some full of useful and interesting infographics and animations, others displaying archives of Guinness goods, overall the entire layout and flow of the storehouse was incredible. The best part of the tour was definitely the GRAVITY Bar, situated on the top deck of the storehouse, featuring stunning panoramic views of the entire city.

I could have spent many more hours cavorting around at the Guinness GRAVITY Bar, but we had dinner reservations and tickets to see Plough and the Stars at the Peacock Theatre. As a lover of theatre and the arts, I was excited to see a performance that was an embodiment of Ireland and fitted with Irish actors. Hmph. So, I won’t say too much about this play, other than the following:

  • It was long, very long indeed. Bring some refreshments, people.
  • I learned that I have no sense or understanding of Irish humor, yet.
  • The skill and intensity of the actors were phenomenal.
  • Word to the wise: If you’re seeing a play that is based on Irish history, know a little bit about Irish history.

The highlights of the day certainly out weigh the sap of the play, and the trip, overall, was great! So to recap…

Things I learned while in Dublin:

  • I may have an Irish name and be of Irish heritage, but I don’t look very Irish, at all.
  • Packing an umbrella, raincoat, and rain boots were a solid investment in this journey.
  • Ireland is a great place for surfing some great waves [who knew!].
  • Ireland has great seafood fare.
  • Dublin is much smaller than I expected.
  • Irish-English is far more difficult to understand than American-English, African-English, Canadian-English, or even the lesser known dialect of English, Cleveland-English, just kidding friends! ;)
  • I would be 100 percent OK with it if everyone called boys, “lads” and “laddys,” and girls “lasses.”
  • Dublin was a blast, and a perfect way to kick off a great month long journey in Europe.