Holiday Recap: An Irish NYE

New Year's Eve in Ireland

***

I've been in a different country for every holiday since I moved overseas.

Thanksgiving in Denmark. Christmas in Spain. NYE in Ireland. 

Valentines in Nepal. St. Patrick's in Norway. 

Sarah and I have tickets for a birthday in Switzerland.

We expect to be home in time for Independence Day in the USA.

***

Jake, Michael and I spent the last few days of 2011 in Ireland.

It was a wild, lovely adventure. 

But that's another story.

NYE 2011: 
I caught a bus from Galway to Dublin 

with half combed out dreadlocks (also, another story)

Wandered into Temple Bar and cozied up in a pub with a pint of Irish cider.

Mandolin. Guiness. Happy. Dancing in the street. Thick greasy fries.

Such a good night.

Thank you, Dublin.

Holiday Recap: A Spanish Christmas

Christmas in Spain

***

I've been in a different country for every holiday since I moved overseas.

Thanksgiving in Denmark. Christmas in Spain. NYE in Ireland. 

Valentines in Nepal. St. Patrick's in Norway. 

Sarah and I have tickets for a birthday in Switzerland.

We expect to be home in time for Independence Day in the USA.

***

I went to visit Jake who was studying in Valencia.

A week filled with:

The Mediterranean. Sundresses. Libraries. Biking. Salsa dancing.

Horchata. Tortilla making. Museums. Towers. 

Cooking. Books. Siestas. Exploring. 

 

We streamed "It's A Wonderful Life" from youtube.

The Christmas lights (we bought from the Chinese dollar store) clicked on and off,

the dogs barked next door, and the smell of urine floated up off the street.

Coziness is a state of mind. 

Christmas Eve: 

Picnic on the beach, wandering the shore, eating ice-cream.

We were invited to dinner with some fellow Americans and Lithuanians.

Attempted to make Spanish tortilla but it fell apart.

"We'll just cover it with cheese and bake it...now it's a casserole!"

Baking lard smells like an old man's feet.

I made sangria. The Lithuanians made beets, herring, and some potent cider.

Spanish cheese. Jamon. Hummus. Cheesecake. Multi-cultural delights.

I spent Christmas morning making sweet potato pancakes 

and then running through Valencia with my suitcase to catch the bus Barcelona.

That evening I grabbed a kabob for dinner before returning to our dirty hostel.

  I sat in a beer soaked couch and tried to Skype my family on a bad connection,

 while holding the power adapter at an awkward angle, in the air, 

so the battery wouldn't die.

Honestly, not my favorite Christmas.

However, Barcelona was breathtaking.

Holiday: Redeemed!

3 days. Gaudi. Paella. Sun. Wandering. Bliss.
Forty dollars will fly you to Dublin.

Holiday Recap: A Danish Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving in Denmark

***

I've been in a different country for every holiday since I moved overseas.

Thanksgiving in Denmark. Christmas in Spain. NYE in Ireland. 

Valentines in Nepal. St. Patrick's in Norway. 

Sarah and I have tickets for a birthday in Switzerland.

We expect to be home in time for Independence Day in the USA.

***

Ayla's husband was on deployment, so she bought tickets to Roskilde, Denmark 

to spend Thanksgiving with her childhood friends, The Holgates. 

Denmark and Norway are neighbors. 

Lauren and Ayla graciously extended the invitation to join.

I love Americans. 

The Holgate's hosted Thanksgiving at their church.

The Danes were thrilled and requested another dinner for next year.

Eats included: Danish meatballs, Waldorf salad, thai food, lasagna, bagels and lil' smokies. 

Such a good time.

After dinner, a sleepy Ayla and I walked home in the cold. 
We drank pudding-thick hot cacao on the porch in our pajamas, 
smoking Danish Christmas pipe tabacco and gazing out over the silent city.

 

Overall a delightful weekend full of:

Good conversations. Farmer's market. Wine. Cathedrals. 

Candlelit dinners on the floor. Chocolate. Tombs. La Pipa. 

Dreadlocked head massages. Trains. Soft sweaters.

 Exploring Copenhagen. Christmas Markets. 

Chai lattes. Cozy cafes. Honesty.

Absolutely lovely.

 Hygge

Ayla's Thanksgiving experience: What? Mermaids?

and Lauren's: ladaisi