Broken Umbrellas of Belfast: Part 4

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Heard the singers playin', How we cheered for more.

The crowd had rushed together, tryin' to keep warm. 

Still the rain kept pourin', fallin' on my ears.

And I wonder, still I wonder who'll stop the rain.

~ Creedence Clear Water ~

***

So, folks, it's been a while eh? 

It's been.... 5 months or so since my last entry? How disgraceful!  

Well, for anyone interested, I have been busy these past few months. This summer saw me traveling to Belgium, Sweden, and then Canada for a visit home, and even a wee trip down to New York City! I have neglected to update curious minds on my escapades, and I apologize profusely. 

But, what better way to get back in the game then update my blog with a classic! 

I have spoken to many friends who have said they quite enjoyed viewing strangely abandoned broken umbrellas in Belfast. I'm quite shocked actually.

Don't you all think that it's a rather strange obsession? I walk around town on rainy days and take random photos of broken umbrellas while people walk by thinking "Why is she taking a picture of that litter can, and that dirty awful bin liner lying on the street corner??". 

Well, if you guys like it, then fine, I will gladly continue do take pictures, it's the least I can do! 

Well, I walked around Belfast the other week, on a VERY rainy day.

Usually it rains a bit here and there, but this day was a wet one. Non-stop rain all day. 

AND low and behold... what did I find?!?!? 

CHECK IT OUT!

A Tale of Two Taytos: The Origins of Flavoured Crisps

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[Disclaimer: I apologize for using the word crisp and chip interchangeably...but I am referring to the wonderful potato product that has been sliced thinly, deep fried, and packaged in bags...get it?] 

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Chips or crisps, either way you slice it, it's still made of potatoes and enjoyed all over the world. It comes deep fried or baked, all sorts of shapes and sizes, in bags and tubes.

Now, the potato chip originated in New York or something...but that's not what I'm concerned about today. I'm more concerned with what actually makes crisps taste good: the seasonings! And where was the first flavoured crisp produce? Well, Ireland of course!

For years after the invention of the potato chip in the 1850s, chip lovers had to put up with plain chips. I know... such a sad life eh? No sweet chili, or dill pickle, no all-dressed? Taste-buds were so neglected!

But then, there was one man, an Irish man (obviously, cause they're experts in the field of potato eating), who thought "How can I make this crunchy, deep fried potatoe bigger and better than before?" [okay, maybe he didn't say that.. but lets just imagine.] Actually, I read that it was his dislike of the only flavour available - salt, which came in a packet inside the bag of crisps which you had to "sprinkle" on yourself. Think, shake 'n' bake, but more sprinkle and eat. Doesn't have the same ring to it does it? A change was needed! Someone needed to come along and save crisps addicts from around the world!

So who was this Irish lad? Joe 'Spud' Murphy! 

The story begins in Dublin. 

The year 1954. 

Flavour that started it all - Cheese and Onion. 

Mr. 'Spud' Murphy, an entrepreneur looking for gaps in the market, started a snackfood company, Tayto, in just two rented rooms off Moore Street, with initial set up costs of £500. His employees included himself, and 8 others, and the use of a single van. One of his employees, Seamus Burke, was in charge with creating a new flavour for Murphy's empire, and the flavour of choice: Cheese and Onion.

mmm cheese and onion.... probably the most popular and traditional flavoured crisp in Ireland and the UK.

Now, there's lots of back story involved in the start of Tayto Inc. But, it's interesting to know that Tayto crisps used to be sold for 4 pence per bag. Incredible! They even made tin boxes that contained 18 bags of crisps which sold for 4 shillings. Bags were hand-glued with a tiny paintbrush to guarantee Tayto's trademark freshness. Tayto quickly became Ireland's favourite crisp manufacturer, and is still considered a standard today.

BUT... there's a twist to this story folks...

Wait... did Tayto change their packaging or something? NOPE! What you're looking at is in fact, another Tayto crisps manufacturer, but owned by a separate entity!

You know how I said Tayto was created by Mr. Murphy? Well, in 1956, another man by the name of Thomas Hutchinson came along and decided to create a wee crisp empire of his own, but in Northern Ireland!

To make a long story short - in 1955, Mr. Hutchinson's bought a castle in Tandragee, County Armagh, Northern Ireland a.k.a still Ireland (but for the purposes of this explanation I'd like to make the separation from the Republic without calling it the UK... oh the trouble I could get into! shh). Anyway, he bought this castle and also bought the licence for use of the name and recipes from our friend Spud Murphy from the South! Until I actually started researching Tayto crisps, I had no idea that the Northern Irish version of Tayto was actually something 'bought' from the south. No where on the NI Tayto site does it mention buying the licence from Mr. Murphy, it's not until I did a bit of googling that I figured it out! Shocking.

Anyway, the Hutchinson's family made quite the empire for themselves with Tayto Castle, and you can even tour it! 




So, it's really hard for me to give a definitive title to who really made crisps into what they are today because there's also many British companies (like Walkers) to take into consideration. If I'm not mistaken, Walkers helped produce that whole "Salt 'n' Shake" business...

Anyway, there are tons and tons of crisp flavours out there, and I'd say that the Irish and the British sure take the cake when it comes to having quite the variety. Though I do love my Dill Pickle from back home in Canada... yum...

So that's that. There's more to the story of crisps and their flavours, etc... but I must say, both Taytos are relatively the same. I'm not even sure there's quite a difference... perhaps I'll just have to eat both crisps at the same time in the future...

One thing is for sure though, flavoured crisps first started in Ireland, and that's all that matters...

Now, all this talk of crisps has made me a bit peckish... excuse me...

Keep Crunchin'!


M.

Hillsborough Castle - Fit for a Queen!

Hillsborough Castle 

Located in the village of Hillsborough, Co.Down, Hillsborough Castle is more of a mansion than an actual castle. It was built in the 18th Century for Wills Hill, the First Marquis of Downshire. The "castle" was designed by R F Brettingham, who incorporated an existing home from the 1760s. The building was not completed until 1797, four years after the death of Wills Hill, but it remained in the Hill family up until the 1920s. 

In 1922, Hillsborough Castle was bought from the Hill Family by the British government and was used as a Government House. The history of the castle is a bit complicated once the British government purchased it. There's lots of "British rule over Northern Ireland" history involved. So I won't get into it to much... 

It's important to note that the castle did eventually become the official office and residence for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, as well as junior ministers in the 1970s when the Government House was eventually abolished. The castle also acts as a guest house for various officials, including members of the Royal Family, and US Presidents when visiting Northern Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement was also signed here. 

The castle grounds include a lake, a temple, a yew tree and lime tree walk, an icehouse, and a Quaker burial ground. 

The wrought iron gates at the entrance of the castle were placed there in 1936. The gates were brought from Richhill Castle in Armagh.  

And that's that! 

I'd make a good guard wouldn't I? 

Keep Smilin' 

M. 

Pyjamas in Public: Good idea? or Bad Idea?

Dear Everyone,

Do you wear your pyjamas in public?

Well, you shouldn't. And I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Apparently it has become an epidemic over the years, and a social welfare office in Dublin agrees. No pyjamas allowed when visiting the office. But this isn't the first time such a ban was put into place. A school in the Belfast even tried to ban parents from wearing their cozy attire when dropping of their children. Alas, because of certain laws, they couldn't actually ban it, but a polite letter was sent in the mail. A Tesco (a huge European Supermarket chain) in Cardiff,  did actually ban PJ wearing customers. So I wonder, why do people feel the need to wear their pyjamas to the grocery store, or while dropping off their children, etc. Maybe it's laundry day?

Personally, I'd be a little chilly wearing my comfy attire outside. Do you know how breezy some PJ bottoms can be!? And when it rains in Ireland, it usually comes with strong winds. Wet bottoms are not comfortable ladies, and not very flattering either. I also think PJ wearing people look a little silly. Don't ya think? Why not just keep them inside, where you are cuddle up with your partner, and get under the covers... etc...etc. I know, I'm not one to want to dress to the nines just to pick up a jug of milk around the corner, but some trousers that don't have flowers printed all over them and a top that doesn't expose your lady bits are probably a better idea.

Now you ask, "but Monica, I HATE trousers. They are tight, and don't make me look nice. I just HATE them". Well ladies, there's something called "work out trousers". Now, it could be looked upon as a bad idea as well. But my thought is, "if I look like I'm going to the gym, then everyone will be intimidated by my motivation to stay fit". Now, do you think anyone will realize that you're not actually headed to your local YMCA? Nope. But don't buy those cheap looking ones, buy something nice that flatters you. But don't buy a TRACK SUIT. DO NOT BUY A TRACK SUIT. You will always look horrible. Always. Oh, and men... don't wear your grey sweat pants around town...you're just as bad as your female counterparts. Unless you're jogging in a park, I don't want to see .... it. You know what I mean.

I should add one thing though.
Don't wear your "pretend" gym clothes to a welfare office, or a potential place of employment. The only solution there is to actually wear real clothes. It's not hard folks.

So Ireland, please stop wearing PJs around town, and full blown pink track suits. You don't look nice.

Thanks.

M

Oh Statue, Why art Thou? - Alec the Goose

"Alec the Goose" 

Cromac Road, Belfast, behind St.Georges Market 

Alec the Goose was a popular sight at St. Georges Market. During his short life in the 1920s, he was a regular of the Market, belonging to a local poultry vendor. Apparently he even walked the schoolchildren to school! Could you imagine?! 

Unfortunately, in 1926 Alec was hit by a truck in the area. 

Now there's a lovely statue to remember him by... cute eh? 

European Escapades: Barcelona - The City of a Shoes, Cigarettes and Escalotors

Barcelona. 

You are beautiful. 

You love shoes. 

You smoke a lot. 

You are clean as hell. 

You LOVE football. And I mean... capital L.O.V.E football. 

Recently, I made my way to a city where every Irish citizen seems to have escaped to in years gone by. It's a city where the winter weather is 100x better than any Irish summer, so it's no wonder everyone escapes to this wonderful city. Plus, it's a real city. It's always alive with people and culture. There's always something happening. Always shoes to be bought, always a baguette to be eaten. 

And always someone getting pick pocketed. 

Now, coming from North America, I'm used to travelling very far distances and spending copious amounts of money in order to visit any European destination. The fact that I was able to travel to Barcelona by plane for just $60 CDN and to be there in 2 hours time completely boggled my mind. I was able to leave a city with rain and cold winds, and enter a place where palm trees flourished and sun glasses are considered a third limb. 

For those who need a bit of a background, Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain. It's second to the capital, Madrid. It is the capital of Catalonia (a Spanish community all to its own). The Catalonians even have their own form of  Spanish, Catalan, and a wee lisp as well. You can tell you're in Barcelona when you start hearing their infamous lisp. If you want to know more about the history of Barcelona and the reason for their lisp I'd recommend googling it, it's pretty interesting! 

In order to experience Barcelona to it's fullest I'd recommend walking through it, but I'd highly recommend renting a bike. We rented our bikes from a great place called "My Beautiful Parking". If you plan on visiting the city, please go here and rent a bike. You won't be disappointed. It's a fantastic way to explore the city, and find different areas that you'll want to stop into. However, make sure to remember where you found these cute spots since they can be hard to find later on. Trust me. The streets of Barcelona can be tricky to navigate in. I'm pretty sure the same can be said for any European city. 

What did I eat in Barcelona? 

Well, I didn't eat any tapas. I know... that's THE food to eat in Spain. However, we were too nervous to really understand how tapas worked. Our Spanish was very minimal, and we couldn't bare the embarrassment of not understanding how to order tapas. We did have some delicious paella though, with lovely seafood.

But the real thing to eat in Barcelona seemed to be baguettes with salami and cheese, or just a plain old baguette. The amount of people walking around with fresh baguettes during the day was surprising. I thought it was more of a French thing. The Spanish love their bakeries. So much so they are even open to 9pm! Crazy right? So, my diet in Barcelona consisted of baguettes, fresh juice from the market (and I mean FRESH, no water added kind of fresh) and cafe con leche. Cafe con leche translates to "Coffee with Milk", but it's not just that. It's a particular ratio of espresso with hot milk. I've tried making my own at home... but there's something about the way the Spanish do it that just tastes so much better. It's better than a latte and cappuccino in my opinion. 

oh, and you should probably try their thick and dark hot chocolate with churros. Amazing. I also tried some traditional mato cheese with sugar. Also amazing. 

hmm what else. 

Did I mention the Spanish LOVE shoes. There are shoe shops on every corner. They also love Zara and Mango (which are Spanish brands), and H&M. I'm pretty sure those three brands have taken over the city. They are everywhere. The Spanish also seem to love to smoke. If you walk around the city early enough, you see the city cleaners sweeping up cigarette butts left, right and centre. That's another thing. Barcelona has an amazing street cleaning service. People are constantly spraying down walk ways, and keeping the city tidy. You'll even notice shop keepers sweeping their floors like it's part of their religion. 

Now, I can't talk about Barcelona without mentioning football. 

The Barcelona Football Club is religion in Barcelona. The city loves them. Everywhere you go you'll see something related to the team. Lucky for me, I was in Barcelona when they played their ultimate rival, Real Madrid. The game was also a home game, which made it even more intense. Seeing as my fella is a huge Barcelona fan, we just had to go to a bar and watch the match. We found a wee bar that was absolutely packed with fans and was lined with bottles of Estrella on every table. We had no idea what beer to order, so we just followed the masses. Turns out Estrella is a Barcelona beer, so we made a good choice. The cheering and excitement with each goal was incredible. I want to say that it's the same type of excitement back home with hockey.... but there's something different when it comes to Barcelona. 

I should also mention how much they seem to love escalators. I was amazed at how many outdoor escalators there were, and how randomly placed they were as well. Even when we got lost and were in the non-tourist parts of Barcelona, there were escalators. I had never seem anything like that before. Strange.

I could keep going on and on about Barcelona, but then I'd be here all morning writing about it. 

Point is, you need to make sure to visit this wonderful place. I'll be visiting again, I'm sure of it.

What European city will I visit next? 

You'll have to wait and see! 

Barcelona gets 100 thumps up from me. 

Keep Smilin', 

M. 

ps. 

And about pickpockets. I was worried about them before I went over. But to be honest, if you just keep your belongings close, and don't "look" like a tourist, you'll be fine. Just keep an eye out, and don't do anything silly like leave your bag on the ground. We noticed that if you catch them before they catch you, then they'll back off. If you see someone eye you up and down, and their buddies are pretty close as well, then just look them in the eye and they'll see you've notice them. Just keep an eye out, and you'll be fine! 

Broken Umbrellas of Belfast : Part 1

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Don't threaten me with love, baby. Let's just go walking in the rain. 

Billie Holiday

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Fact: It rains in Ireland. 

A lot.
I mean, A LOT.

Now, though this fact is well known in Ireland, it seems that no matter what, the Irish get surprised each time it rains. Even though it rains on a regular basis, the Irish still get irritated, but still have faith that it won't rain when it's sunny. [Tip: Always assume that it will rain in Ireland, even when it's sunny.] Some are prepared, some are not. It rains so much that shops even supply wee plastic umbrella bags before you browse and potentially drip all over their products.

Now, you're probably wondering... why is this post called "Broken Umbrellas of Belfast". Well folks, it's because when I first arrived to Belfast, I noticed an abundance of broken umbrellas shoved into litter bins all over the city. This was especially noticeable after a sprinkle of rain. After seeing countless broken, and abandoned umbrellas, I decided to start documenting them.

I snapped the first photo a few weeks ago, but today, I came across 5 umbrellas all in the span of a 10 minute walk.

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Warning: 

The following contains explicit images of what happens on a typical Irish rainy day. 

This material may not be suitable for umbrella lovers. 

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  [Above Photo: It wasn't until I uploaded this photo did I notice that there were TWO umbrellas!]

So that's all for now folks. Next time it rains (which will be soon), I'll be sure to share more photos with you :) 

Protect your umbrellas everyone!!!

M. 

What's that Mean? - Are You Gettin'?

Are You Gettin'? 

I'm gettin' 

[Northern Irish]

Definition: 

Are you being served? 

I'm being served

Origins: 

Wish I knew, but it seems to be a Northern Irish phrase. 

When I started my job in a cafe, I noticed a strange phrase that customers kept saying every time I asked "Can I help you?". They would respond with a "I'm gettin'". For weeks I wondered, "What the heck are they saying?".  Sure it all sounds self explanatory, but for a girl who doesn't quite "get" the Northern Irish accent all the time, "I'm gettin'" can be a bit confusing. 

Anywho, now I've come to understand these Northern Irish folk. I ask people "Are you gettin?" and they happily respond with a "I'm gettin'". It's a strage phrase to say, but if it helps people understand me, I suppose I will assimilate. 

Keep Smilin'!

M. 

Irish Must-Sees: Castlewellan - Peace Maze

So, I'm sure the thought "Where the heck is the largest permanent hedge maze in the world? I would love to go there!"

Well folks, look no further than in Castlewellan Forest Park in Castlewellan, Co.Down Northern Ireland. 

This maze was created to represent Northern Ireland's path to a peaceful future. Work on the maze started in 1998, and cost around £570, 000. The maze contains 6,000 Yew Trees, covering 3 acres, and has about 2 miles of pathways and hedges. Like every maze, the goal is to find your way to the centre of as quickly as possible! And if you get there, you get to ring a bell! 

I've visited this maze twice, and both times it's taken me a bit to get to the middle, but I'm sure one day I'll become an expert! Then again... what's the fun in that?! 

The Peace Maze is great for day trips, and I'd recommend a visit! Quite the view for a maze well! 

If you want to see what it's like in the maze, take a look at this video of my Irish Adventure last year. See the maze at around the 4:00 mark! 

Keep Smilin'!

M.

Back to Porridge

Well folks, Christmas is over, New Years has come and gone and it's time to find normality in the world again. Time to get back into the groove again, time to get "back to porridge".

I came across this phrase on twitter last week from some Northern Irish establishments and wondered "what the heck does that mean, and where does that even come from?". Well, I haven't been able to find the exact source, but I think I've been able to piece something together with the power of google! 

First off, "back to porridge" basically means, "back to work" or "back to reality". I'm assuming porridge is supposed to symbolize going back to your regular boring meals unlike the fancy ones you may have enjoyed during the holidays. 

After doing some googling, I discovered that the phrase appears in many Northern Irish sources, but then I found the phrase "back to purridge and auld clathe", which seems to come from the Old Scots dialect meaning "back to porridge and old clothes".  Similar no?! I'm going to go ahead and take an educated guess, and say that some how, somewhere, the Scottish influenced the Northern Irish because of their proximity to one another. 

So, ANYWAY, it's back to porridge guys. Have you noticed the abundance of diet pills and gym ads that have appeared after New Years? Maybe back to porridge is really just a way of saying "Guys, go on a diet will ya!".

I hope you all had a lovely holiday season. I know I did. There was loads of food to be eaten, and people to see. I even got a chance to see some sheep up close! But what else is new right? 

Keep Smilin' 

M. 

if music be the food of love play on - Christy Moore - Ride On

Here's a Christy Moore tune for you on this raining Wednesday.


Christy Moore is a (extremely) popular Irish musician, so don't be surprised if I post more of him in the future. But for now, here's him playing a classic song "Ride On"by Jimmy MacCarthy. MacCarthy once worked as an apprentice jockey, and once explained how out on the gallops, older horses would lead the younger horses in training. However, when the younger horses developed, the jockeys needed the horses to race faster and would shout "ride on". If you listen to the lyrics, you'll see how MacCarthy's background working with jockeys may have influenced this classic.

Another fun fact: Moore has been quoted as saying that he plays this song in order to "quiet down" his audience when they get to rowdy.


Enjoy :)

Keep Smilin'

M.

O Statue, Why art Thou? - 'Sheep on the Road'

'Sheep on a the Road'

Open plaza in front of Waterfront Hall, Belfast

Reflects history of the Lanyon Place site, previously the largest sheep and cattle site in Belfast

Artist: Deborah Brown 

The artist was inspired by childhood visits to and the landscape of Cushendun. She carefully observed the people and animals of the countryside. 

Why everyone should journal...

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Everyman must tell his own tale

C.S Lewis

***

I love journaling. I love writing things down no matter how mundane the thought may seem. There's nothing like sitting in a cafe, opening up your favourite journal and taking out your trusty pen, and writing. It truly is a form of therapy, and I suggest you all try it. I mean, even C.S Lewis says you should tell your own tale... and he was really smart.

Now, I know some of you are probably thinking "um, Monica, that's stupid, journaling is dump, it's for girls, I don't need to journal"... etc.. etc. But little do you know, journalling can be one of the best ways to free calm and relaxed. You'd be surprised at how creative you really are if you just allow yourself to put pen to paper. 

I remember way back when being forced to "journal" in high school, and then later in University.. etc. It always felt like a huge waste of time. I'm pretty sure the fact that I was being graded on my journaling, and my teacher was going to read all my thoughts made me really detest the activity. I remember students would scramble to write journal entries the night before it was all due and wondering what they were "supposed" to write. I hated that. I hated that people felt that they were "supposed" to write something. Personally, I feel that journalling should be whatever you want it to be, and in any form that you want it to be. Writing, drawing, doodling, anything! 

It wasn't until May 2010 when my boyfriend bought me my first journal for my birthday that I really fell in love with the art of writing things down. Obviously, like every little girl, I had a diary. I wrote about all the boys I liked, all the friends I hated, or liked, and how I didn't like my parents because I didn't get a barbie for Christmas. You know, the usual. But it was never about anything to do with my personal development. Oh, that's another thing. Journalling is a great way to track your own personal development. But I'll get back to that. 

So, when I received my first proper journal I was in love. It was a blueish greenish paperblanks journal with a nice design on the front. It came with a little magnet clip to hold it together. The paper was nice and smooth, and my pen would glide effortlessly across the page. It was wonderful! He gave me this journal in order to have a place for all my "random" thoughts, ideas and lists while I was setting up my new adventure in Toronto. 

That journal became my saving grace. I filled it to the brim with my happenings of day to day events around the city, with lists of shows I wanted to see, with quotes I wanted to remember. There are stickers from shows, and notes from friends. Each time I wrote something down I felt happy, and motivated. I felt that I was making progress. That's where the tracking of your personal development comes in. I was able to see how my life was changing with the turn of a page. 

Once I filled that journal, I quickly moved onto the next. Thankfully that brand of journals made the same one in different colours, so this time I went with red. Now that journal has got some serious business going on inside. That journal was during my "transition" phase of coping with the fact that I was moving away from Toronto. It's filled with thoughts about moving, and my plan on how to fully enjoy the city. 

When I look back at the two journals, I read two very different stories coming from the same core. I see where I was, and where I want to be. 

Now I have another journal. Same make, but now it's green. Green for Ireland. It's slowly catching up to its predecessors, but it defiantly has a different feel to it. I like that. 

What's great about having these lovely diaries is how I can now reference them. I can go back to my first one and think "hm, I remember being at this cafe and having this one idea, but what was the quote that sparked that again", and find it in a pinch. It's brilliant. 

Anyway, I truly hope that in some way I have inspired you to start writing things down. I honestly think you should go out, buy yourself a beautiful book, and start writing in it. Just anything. Even if you just start writing your grocery list. Write the date you started it, a wee quote for inspiration, a note to yourself, and then... surprise yourself. I was told to "surprise myself" by a pretty handsome Irish fella, and well... I did... in more ways than one, and it worked. :) 

Keep Smilin', 

M. 

Searching for Home

***

I am a product of long corridors, empty sunlit rooms, upstair indoor silences, 

attics explored in solitude, distant noises of gurgling cisterns and pipes, 

and the noise of wind under the tiles. 

Also, of endless books. 

- C.S Lewis 

***

Oh Mr. C.S Lewis. 

He has this funny way of always making me feel connected with the world around me. He makes me feel grounded, and capable of anything my wee heart desires. 

The above quote is from his memoir Surprised by Joy. It's one of my favourite excerpts from the book. I feel that it really incapsulates why C.S Lewis wrote the stories he did and why he became a writer. 

Lewis was born in Belfast, though most of his teenage years and beyond seemed to have been spent in England. But, when you read his book you can really feel the nostalgia he held for Belfast and Co.Down, Ireland. He loved his home country. He loved home, but spent most of his life away from the country that inspired so much of his writing.  

The Mourne Mountains, thought to have inspired The Chronicles of Naria

***

As for the Earth, the country I grew up in had everything to encourage a romantic bend, 

had indeed done so ever since I first looked at the unattainable Green Hills through the nursery window...my main haunt was the Holywood Hills

- Excerpt from Surprised by Joy

***

Now, today's post isn't about C.S Lewis. I'll save that for another day, but instead it's about home. Where home is, and how one finds home.

It's Christmas time in the City...

***

City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, 
dressed in holiday style, 
in the air there's a feeling of Christmas 
***

Well folks, it's Christmas time! You know what that means?

It's time for the Belfast Continental Christmas Market! 

Open between November 19 and December 19th, this market really brings the Christmas spirit to Belfast! Held on the grounds of Belfast City Hall, this market bring together goodies and treats from all corners of the world! Many countries are represented from Germany to Italy, Morocco to China! 

I visited the market on one particular evening, and decided to take you guys on a small tour. 

So please enjoy this wee video, 

Christmas is almost here! 

Keep Smilin! 

It's almost Christmas!

M.

The Irish Songbook - Rattlin' Bog

***

Dance first, think later. It's the natural order. 

- Samuel Beckett 

***

It's time for a sing-along folks!
An Irish sing-along!

When I first visited Ireland with my dear friend Catherine in February of 2010, we were introduced to a fun Irish sing-along called "Rattlin' Bog". We were on a tour bus headed for the Wicklow Mountains, and Steve, our tour guide, taught us this tune - with actions!

Here's a wee home video that I made during our sing-along with Steve. The camera might be shaky, and it's not the best quality, but it'll give you a glimpse into how fun the Irish can be with their sing-alongs!

Today's Find: Washing Up Liquid

Make sure to wash up before dinner kids! 

or wait... after dinner?

One of the first differences I noticed between North Americans and the Irish when I first moved was the term used for dish soap. 

What else could they possibly call it you ask?: 

Washing-Up Liquid

I know right?! What the heck is washing-up liquid? What are we washing up exactly? Are we taking a bath? Washing up the dog?!?

Today's Find: The Sausage Roll

Behold... 

The Sausage Roll 

If there's one thing I've noticed about Irish cuisine, putting aside their love for fish & chips, they adore sausage rolls. It's a comfort food for grown ups and children alike! 

The sausage roll seems to have its origin in the United Kingdom, but is popular in many countries, including Ireland and apparently Australia, New Zealand, Belgium and Canada, just to name a few! Who knew!?

 However, the type of sausage roll you'd find back home in Canada is more of a  'pigs in a blanket' and smaller in size, like a cocktail sausage. Correct me if I'm wrong, the dough used in something like a 'pig in a blanket' is different as well. 

A sausage roll in the UK and Ireland is made with puff pastry wrapped around sausage meat. They can be 12inches long! wow... this post suddenly became highly inappropriate... but I'm talking about sausage rolls! I can't get around it! 

You can find sausage rolls everywhere here. Bakeries, cafes, restaurants, convenience stores, shops... just everywhere. 

So that's today's find! 

Eat up! 

Keep Smilin', 

M. 

Here is a recipe I've found online so you can make your own! 

Jamie Oliver's Sausage Rolls 

3 Months on the Emerald Isle!

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To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance

- Oscar Wilde 

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I love quotes. Just love them. My journal is filled to the brim with quotes, and lately I have been filling it with tons of Irish quotes by Oscar Wilde, C.S Lewis, James Joyce, and Samuel Beckett. So don't be surprised if in the next little while I shall be sharing tons of wise words from those fellas :) 

I stumbled upon the above mentioned quote by Wilde around the time I arrived in Ireland three months ago. It really stuck with me. 

I'm sure I'm not alone in the fact that we have all had a moment in our lives when we've cared a great deal about what others think about us. We care about how others perceive us, or if they like the way we look. Humans are interesting creatures don't you think? I suppose animals are the same. Have you ever watched Planet Earth? I'm always reminded of the male birds who groom themselves and prepare their mating area in hopes that a female bird will come along and "join"him. 

I suppose we aren't the only ones. However, I still feel that, as a society, we put a lot of pressure on one another to 'impress' those around us. But unlike the birds, we have the ability to know we don't have to conform. 

So much pressure don't you think? It's terrible.

Irish History... kinda...

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You've got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was. 
- Irish Proverb


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It's Irish History lesson time! 

Every great adventure should start with understanding the people and the very land you are going to explore. So, I have taken it upon myself to dig deep into Ireland's history in order to produce a proper insight into how Ireland came to be the Emerald Isle as we know it!

But here's the problem, Irish history is kind of... well... convoluted, and long...very long. I mean, 8000BC long. Now, it's still important to look into their history, and try to get a grasp on their 'past', but since I'm not an historian, and don't want to bare the weight of teaching of all you the ins and outs of Irish History... here's my version, with guidance from my lovely Irish fella. I've tried to include the important stuff! If anything is wrong, I blame the internet, and him. shh.