#also ver nice that all the cool comms are coming in the day before my birthday :D

[lizardperson]

yet another amazing work by @datura-tea who just gets mika's vibe lmao. this is perfect.

based on this, and also extra special shoutout to @twiggies-draws 's brad who was the inspiration. siblings in spirit, or something.

[leysendris]

Bedtime Story

This is a little in-between-Chapter for one of my Shenko-Headcanons.

It is also up on AO3: http://archiveofourown.org/works/12393123

I headcanon Kaidan as being half French Canadian and therefore growing up bilingual, while my Shepard Keyra doesn’t understand a single word French. But boy, does she love hearing Kaidan speaking it.

With a stifled cry, Keyra startled up from her sleep. It took her a moment to orient herself and realize she was safely in her cabin.

It had only been a nightmare... Yet she could have sworn to still have the stench of burnt flesh in her nose.

Keyra sighed silently and tucked the blanket tighter around her. She usually found the cool air in her cabin pleasant, but now, on her sweaty skin, it felt far too cold.

 The slight movement of the mattress below her when Kaidan carefully shifted his weight was no more surprising than the warm hand that shortly after gently stroked over her back. Of course she had woken him up. Once again.

 "It's all right, go back to sleep," she said, making an effort to get out of bed, but Kaidan put an arm around her hip to hold her back.

 "Another nightmare?" He sat up beside her and pulled Keyra closer to him.

 The question had of course only been rhetorical.

She was dripping with sweat, dishevelled, and even in the dim light that emanated from the fish tank, he was able to see the grim expression on her face, that she always put on when she wouldn't admit that something was straining her.

So it was obvious that she had had another nightmare.

 "I only slept poorly, don't worry about it," Keyra replied soothingly and tried to get up again, but Kaidans arm still held her back.

"Come on, Major," she teased him with a smile, "let me go. I just want to get a glass of water."

 "You say that every time," he countered and pulled her closer to him, placing a gentle kiss on her shoulder. "And then you always end up sitting in the mess with a cup of coffee and a stack of data pads working instead of sleeping."

That would have been roughly the plan. Keyra thought by herself, but she didn't say it out loud.

Kaidan's forehead was already showing this deep worry line again, which showed up whenever he was brooding or worried about something. Lately, she saw this wrinkle much more often than she would have liked.And the fact that he had this expression mostly because of her didn't make things any better.

It had been selfish to ask Kaidan to move into her cabin.... in the crew quarters he had at least been able to get a good night's rest, now her bloody nightmares made not only her lose her sleep, but him as well.

 Kaidan noticed that she was distracted and used the moment to slip out of bed.

 "Where are you going?"

 He could see from the corners of her eyes how she put one foot on the floor and threw a stern look over his shoulder. "Fetch your water. Stay in bed!"

 Keyra hesitated briefly. The less she discussed with him, the more likely it was that at least he would get some more sleep... So she pulled her foot back under the blanket, while Kaidan went to her desk and rummaged through one of the cupboards.

 When he came back into her field of view Kaidan had not only a bottle of water in his hand. It was only at second glance that she realized that the object in his hand was the edition of Le Petit Prince that Kasumi had given to her. Whatever the master thief had been thinking of giving her a French book, although Keyra couldn't understand a single word of French.

 She had seen Kaidan flip through the book a couple of times before. But what was he planning to do with it now?

 "What are you going to do with it, reading me a bedtime story?" she asked jokingly and gratefully received the water bottle he handed her.

While Kaidan slipped under the blanket next to her again, she took a big sip from the bottle. It was nice to get the bitter taste of bile out of your mouth.

 Kaidan had in the meantime made himself comfortable again and patted invitingly next to himself on the mattress.

"You're not so wrong about the bedtime story. Come here."

 Keyra stared at him in disbelief and Kaidan reached out to her with a mischievous grin. "Come on."

 "Kaidan..." Keyra sighed quietly. "I'm not a little kid anymore that you have to rock to sleep with a story."

 "But it's also no harm if we just cuddle up a little bit and I read aloud" Kaidan held against it. And he didn't look like he was giving up so easily. This man was so bloody stubborn...

 With a resigning sigh, Keyra placed the bottle on her bedside table and snuggled up to him. But not without nudging him into the side first and muttering a half-loud “Stop smiling so smugly.”

 Kaidan put his arm around her and pressed a kiss on her forehead, his smug grin still in place, before he flipped through the book.

 "Don't you usually start at the beginning?" Keyra asked cheeky and he snorted quietly.

"Smartass. I already know the story, and if you can't follow it - let me know."

The two of them exchanged a quick glance and began to laugh. After all they both knew all too well that Keyra couldn't even follow a manual to boil water if it was written in French.

 Eventually Kaidan swept his attention back to the little book while Keyra put her head on his chest and closed her eyes. She simply loved to hear his voice, and if it came down to him reading her a French children's book, she wouldn't disdain that either.

 After both of them had slid deeper into the cushions and made themselves comfortable, Kaidan cleared his throat and began to read.

 ���Le petit prince s’sen fut revoir les roses

(The little prince went away, to look again at the roses.)

 Vous n’êtes pas du tout semblables à ma rose, vous n’êtes rien encore, leur dit-il. Personne ne vous a apprivoisées et vous n’avez apprivioisé personne. Vous êtes comme était mon renard. Ce n’était qu’un renard semblable à cent mille autres. Mais j’en ai fait mon ami, et il est maintenant unique au monde.”

(„You are not at all like my rose.“ he said. “As yet you are nothing. No one has tamed you, and you have tamed no one. You are like my fox when I first knew him. He was only a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But I have made him my friend, and now he is unique in all the world.”)

  Keyra took a deep breath. Kaidan's calm voice and his steady heartbeat at her ear were wonderfully soothing, and slowly her eyes began to grow heavy.

 „Et les roses étaient bien gênées.

(And the roses were very much embarrassed.)

 Vous êtes belles, mais vous êtes vides, leur dit-il encore. On ne peut pas mourir pour vous. Bien sûr, ma rose à moi, un passant ordinaire croirait qu’elle vous ressemble. Mais à elle seule elle est plus importante que vous toutes, puisque c’est elle que j’ai arrosée. Puisque c’est elle que j’ai misse globe. Puisque c’est elle que j’ai abritée par le paravent. Puisque c’est elle dont j’ai tué les chenilles (sauf les deux ou trois pour les papillons). Puisque c’est elle que j’ai écoutée se plaindre, ou se vanter ou même quelquefois se taire. Puisque c’est ma rose.“

(„You are beautiful, but you are empty.“ he went on. “One could not die for you. To be sure, an ordinary passerby would think that my rose looked just like you – the rose that belongs to me. But in herself alone she is more important than all the hundreds of you other roses: because it is she that I have watered; because it is she that I have put under the glass globe; because it is she that I have sheltered behind the screen; because it is for her that I have killed the caterpillars (except the two or three that we saved to become butterflies); because it is she that I have listened to, when she grumbled, or boasted, or even sometimes when she said nothing. Because she is my rose.)

  Kaidan could feel how Keyra slowly calmed down next to him. She didn't constantly shift her weight any more to find a more comfortable position and her fingers, which at the beginning had wandered restlessly over his stomach, slowly came to rest.

  „Et il revint vers le renaird: Adieu, dit-il…

(And he went back to meet the fox. “Goodbye.” he said.)

 Adieu, dit le renard. Voici mon secret. Il est très simple: on ne voit bien qu’avec le Coeur. L’essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.

(„Goodbye.“ Said the fox. „And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.“)

 L’essentiel est invisible pour les yeux, répéta le petit prince, afin de se souvenier

(„What is essential is invisible tot he eye.“ the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.)

 C’est le temps que tu as perdu pour ta rose qui fait ta rose si importante.

(„It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.“)

 C’est le temps que j’ai perdu pour ma rose… fit le petit prince, afin de souvenier

(„It is the time I have wasted for my rose…“ said the little prince, so that he would sure to remember.)

 Les hommes ont oublié cette vérité, dit le renard. Mais tu ne dois pas I’ oublier. Tu deviens responsable pour toujours de ce que tu as apprivoisé. Tu es responsable de ta rose…

(„Men have forgotten this truth.“ said the fox. “But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. You are responsible for your rose…”)

 Je suis responsable de ma rose… répéta le petit prince, afin de se souvenier.“

(„I am responsible for my rose.” The little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember..)

  Careful not to startle Keyra with a sudden movement, Kaidan closed the book and put it next to him on the bedside table after he had convinced himself that she had fallen asleep. By now he knew it when she was only pretending to be asleep. As convincing as she acted, she never managed entirely to release her tension.

 Not at all like she seemed at the moment. She looked so peaceful, much... softer than during the day, when there were permanent lines of worry on her forehead and a hard trait around her mouth. Now she was just Keyra, not Commander Shepard, the war heroine on whom everyone placed their hopes, happily ignoring the fact that behind the legend there was still a woman of flesh and blood.

 It was no wonder that she forgot it more and more herself as the pressure on her was steadily increasing. But Kaidan intended to keep reminding her of that.

And if he had to read to her every night from The Little Prince so that she could at least strip off the mask of Commander Shepard for a few hours and just be Keyra, he would gladly do so.

 Gently, he caressed a strand of hair from Keyras face and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead.

"De beaux rêves, ma rose."

(Kaidans last sentence translates to “Sweet Dreams, my Rose”)

[cflaesgems16]

A Caroline in Ireland

The next stop on my spring break vacation was Ireland. I spent about two and a half days here. I stayed in Dublin, however I took two bus tours to the west coast to see some of the most famous sites, natural and man-made in Ireland.

DAY ONE: GUINNESS STOREHOUSE

I arrived in Dublin around noon, after a quick shower and lunch, I headed to the Guinness Storehouse for my tour (Photo A). The Guinness Storehouse has seven floors, at the top there is a glass atrium where you can view the entire city of Dublin. The layout is supposed to look like a pint of Guinness. The tour takes you through all seven floors, you learn about the history of Guinness, from the way they make the beer, to the 9,000 year lease Arthur Guinness signed in 1759 (Photo B).

Photo A

Photo B

There’s a lot of fun interactive areas of the storehouse. You learn the perfect way to taste a pint; you can test your knowledge about alcohol; and even pour your own pint of the black stuff (Photo C). I think my favorite floor was the area talking about Guinness’ advertising and marketing throughout the years. Some of the marketing and ad techniques are so bizarre like the whistling oyster. (Photo D & E)

I definitely recommend visiting the Guinness Storehouse if you’re in Dublin, if you’re over 18 you get a free pint at the end of your tour (Photo F)!

Photo C

Photo D

Photo E

Photo F

DAY TWO: CLIFFS OF MOHER

On my second day in Ireland, I took a bus tour to the west to visit the Cliffs of Moher. A friend in my fraternity back in Bowling Green, recommended the Dublin Tour Company to me. It was around 50€ but definitely worth it, especially since there was no other way for me to get there since I don’t have a car. The bus tour took all day and we stopped at numerous places along the way.

Our first stop was at Dunguaire Castle, a 16th century tower house on the southeast shore of Galway Bay, near Kinvara (Photo G). It’s really cool, being so next to the water, especially at high tide. Then we stopped at the Poulnabrone dolmen, which is a large table/portal tomb from the Neolithic period (Photo H). Ancient people would have mass burial sites, and build these portal tombs. The poulnabrone dolmen is one of the largest table tombs. When it was first discovered, it originally was 65 tonnes, which begs the question how much did it weigh when it was first built? Inside they found the remains of 33 people, adults and children. Our guide told us one of the child remains found in the portal tomb, had flowers or pollen in their hair, showing that even after death, a relative of this child wanted them to look their best in the afterlife.

Photo G

Photo H

Our next stop was the Kilfenora cathedral, which shows many different architectural styles. This was also the first cemetery I had been to in Ireland and the tombstones are different, and have the traditional irish cross (Photo I). The city of Kilfenora is known for these high crosses, it originally had seven, but now it has five high crosses. Our next stop was to get lunch in Doolin, at Gus O’Connor. I met two girls, Melissa (USA) and Jennah (Canada) at the table tombs and we sat together at lunch and explored the sites together. I tried the famous seafood chowder, which was really good. I also stopped to get some fudge before getting back on the bus to head to the Cliffs.

Photo I

We finally made it to the Cliffs of Moher (Photos J-M). The weather all day had been windy and rainy, and even though the weather was terrible, I was extremely thankful that the visibility of the Cliffs was decent. Honestly, it was amazing there. You feel like you’ve reached the end of the world, and all that is left is the sea. We explored both the left and right sides of the Cliffs. I’m not sure if I liked one side more than the other. The left side was definitely more challenging because it was muddy and slippery. I stood alone for a minute just taking it all in, the absolute wonders of nature, and the fact that I was actually in Ireland. I enjoy these peaceful moments of solitude where I just embrace my surroundings. So, unbelievable, that this is where I am today; that i’m adding this amazing site to the many incredible ones that I have gotten the chance to see in my time abroad.

Photo J

Photo K

Photo L

I went inside the visitor’s center and warmed up and bought some postcards before returning to the bus. On the way home we drove past the “beaches” of the Atlantic ocean, which were awesome. They aren’t like your regular beaches, they are mostly black stone, but still incredible. I had a super busy day, full of exploring it was nice to relax and nap on the bus ride home.

Photo M: Jennah, Melissa and I at the Cliffs

DAY THREE: BLARNEY CASTLE

My best friend from home, Lydia told me to visit Blarney Castle. Her parents went there during their visit of Ireland. At first I wasn’t going to just because I would have to take another bus tour, which was 45€, but I decided last minute to go, and I’m so glad I did. I think Blarney Castle was my favorite day in Ireland.

Much like the bus tour from the day before, it lasted the entire day and we stopped at multiple places. Our first stop, was an additional one that our guide took us to, Dunamase Castle (Photo N) . Dunamase Castle was built in the 9th century on a hill, at the top you can see the Slieve Bloom Mountains. I bet on a clear, sunny day the view is amazing.

Next, we went to the Rock of Cashel, according to local mythology the Rock of Cashel originated in the Devil’s Bit, a mountain 20 miles north of Cashel, but when Saint Patrick banished Satan from a cave, the Rock moved and landed in Cashel (Photo O). Cashel is also the site of the conversion of the King of Munster by Saint Patrick in the 5th century. Currently, there is a lot of construction and renovation going on at the castle, so a lot of areas are closed (which is why our guide took us to Dunamase Castle). The chapel which has a viking burial sites is one of these areas. I guess, I’ll have to come back some day once the repairs are complete!

Our last stop before Blarney Castle, was an hour and fifteen minute stop in Cork, Ireland (Photo P). Cork is the second largest city in the state and had a popular whiskey market. I wandered around the town, bought some souvenirs for my friends and family, and got a tea. I really liked this town, it was small, charming and cute. I wish I had spent an entire day here!

Photo N

Photo O

Photo P

We then made it tour our final stop, Blarney and Blarney Castle, I was so excited (Photos Q & R). My first stop was to kiss the Blarney Stone at the top of the castle (Photo S). According to the legend, kissing the stone (upside down and backwards) gives the kisser the “gift of gab” or great eloquence or skill at flattery.  I wasn’t scared when I did it, because they do have safety rails and a little, old irish guy helped me. But, before there were safety rails and an assistant to help you ascend the castle peak, kissing the Blarney stone was risky and dangerous, participants were grasped by the ankles and dangled bodily from the height, which is around 37 feet. One of the most famous people to kiss the Blarney Stone was Sir Winston Churchill.

Photo Q

Photo R

Photo S

Blarney Castle is also surrounded by a large park and garden. I explored the Poison Garden, which was created to help people learn what poisonous plants look like to avoid their accidental consumption (Photo T). Plants in the poisonous garden include: wolfsbane, mandrake, ricin, opium and cannabis. There are also numerous caves you can explore, when I went it was quite damp in the cave and despite my small stature I still had to watch my head. One other area I explored was the Rock Close; here you can find many beautiful, natural sites from waterfalls to interesting rock formations (Photos U & V). If you can manoeuvre on the Wishing Steps, where you must walk up and down the steps with your eyes close, only thinking about your very important wish in life, maybe the witches will be kind and give it to you!

Photo T

Photo U

Photo V

I’m so glad I decided to go to Blarney Castle, it was a perfect day and way to end my trip. The weather cleared up, so when we made it to Cork and Castle, it was enjoyable. I really like walking around nature and gardens, anything that was stressing me out or on my mind becomes obsolete and I just enjoy the greenery around me. Ireland was amazing, and I know I will come back in the future. I hope to come back with some of my Irish friends because I know they would enjoy experiencing their heritage.

Le prochain arrêt dans mon vacances du printemps était Irlande. J’ai passé deux jours et demie, ici. Je suis restee à Dublin, mais j’ai pris deux voyages organises par un bus de visiter le côte ouest pour voir les sites touristique, naturels et synthétiques en Irlande.

JOUR UN: LE GUINNESS STOREHOUSE

Je suis arrivée à Dublin vers midi, après j’ai pris un douche et mangé le déjeuner, je suis allée à le Guinness Storehouse pour une visite (Photo A). Le Guinness Storehouse a sept étages, au sommet il y à un atrium du verre où vous pouvez voir tout la ville de Dublin. Le plan du bâtiment est comme une pinte de Guinness. La visite vous emmène à travers les sept étages, vous en apprendre davantage sur l'histoire de Guinness, de la façon dont ils font la bière, à la location de 9 000 ans Arthur Guinness signé en 1759 (Photo B).

Il y a beaucoup de zones qui sont interactif. Vous apprenez la façon parfait de goûter une pinte; vous pouvez examen votre connaissance d’alcool; aussi, vous pouvez verser votre propre pinte de la chose noir (Photo C). Je pense que l'étage j’ai préféré était le zone qui concerne les avertissements et marketing de Guinness, le passé et le présent (Photos D & E)! Certaines des techniques marketing et publicitaires sont si bizarres que l'huître sifflante. Je recommande vraiment visiter le Guinness Storehouse si vous êtes à Dublin, si vous avez plus de 18 vous obtenez une pinte gratuite à la fin de votre visite (Photo F)!

JOUR DEUX: LES FALAISE DE MOHER

Dans mon deuxième jour en Irlande, j’ai pris un voyage organisé par bus à les Falaise de Moher. Un ami de mon fraternité à Bowling Green, elle m’a recommandé le Dublin Tour Company. Le prix est 50€ mais vaut vraiment le coup, surtout qu'il n'y avait pas d'autre moyen pour moi d'y aller car je n'ai pas de voiture. La visite en bus a pris toute la journée et nous nous sommes arrêtés à de nombreux endroits le long du chemin.

Notre premier arrêt était le Château Dunguaire, une maison de tour du 16ème siècle sur la rive sud-est de la baie de Galway, près de Kinvara (Photo G). C'est vraiment cool, étant si près de l'eau, surtout à marée haute. Puis nous avons arrêté à la Poulnabrone dolmen, qui est une grande tombe table/portail de la période néolithique (Photo H). Les personnes anciennes auraient des sites funéraires de masse, et de construire ces tombeaux portail. Le dolmen poulnabrone est l'une des plus grandes tombeaux de table. Quand il a été découvert, il était à l'origine de 65 tonnes, ce qui implique la question combien pesait-il quand il a été construit pour la première fois? À l'intérieur, ils ont trouvé les restes de 33 personnes, adultes et enfants. Notre guide nous a raconté l'un des restes d'enfants trouvés dans le tombeau porte, avait des fleurs ou du pollen dans leurs cheveux, montrant que même après la mort, un parent de cet enfant voulait leur donner leur meilleur dans l'au-delà.

Notre prochain arrêt était la Cathedral Kilfenora, qui a plusieurs de genres d’architecture. Aussi, c'était le premier cimetière que j’ai visité en Irlande, et les pierres tombales sont très différents parce qu’ils ont la croix de traditionnels irlandais (Photo I). La ville de Kilfenora est plus connu pour ces croix, à l’origine elle a sept croix, mais maintenant elle a cinq croix haut. Puis nous avons arrêté à Doolin pour un déjeuner à Gus O’Connor. J’ai rencontré deux filles, Melissa (Etats-Unis) et Jennah (Canadienne) à la Poulnabrone dolmen et nous avons mangé nos déjeuner ensemble et exploré les sites ensemble, aussi. J’ai mangé le plus célèbre soupe épaisse des fruits de mer, qui était très bon. Aussi, j’ai acheté du caramel mou, avant notre bus a quitté Doolin pour les Falaises.

Finalement nous sommes arrivées aux Falaises de Moher (Photos J-M). Le temps était très mauvais, très venteux et pluvieux, mais j'étais très reconnaissant que la visibilité des Falaise était correct. Honnêtement, c'était extraordinaire la-bas. C’est comme vous avez atteint à la fin du monde, et tous qui reste est la mer. Nous avons exploré les deux côtes de Falaises. Je ne sais pas si j’ai préféré un côté plus que l’autre. La gauche était plus difficile parce que c'était boueux et glissant à cause de la pluie. Je suis restée seule pour un moment, tout en prenant tout en, les merveilles absolues de la nature, et le fait que j'étais réellement en Irlande. J'apprécie ces moments paisibles de solitude où j'embrasse juste mon environnement. Donc, incroyable, que c'est là où je suis aujourd'hui; Que j'ajoute ce site étonnant aux nombreux incroyables que j'ai eu la chance de voir dans mon temps à l'étranger.

Je suis entrée l'office de tourisme et j'ai réchauffé et acheté des cartes postales avant de retourner au bus. Sur le chemin du retour, nous avons passé les "plages" de l'océan Atlantique, qui étaient géniaux. Ils ne sont pas comme vos plages régulières, ils sont principalement en pierre noire, mais toujours incroyable. J'ai passé une super journée chargée, plein d'explorer c'était agréable de se détendre et faire une sieste sur le trajet en bus à la maison.

JOUR TROIS: CHÂTEAU DE BLARNEY

Mon meilleur ami d’Ohio, Lydia m’a dit visiter le Château de Blarney. Ses parents y sont allées, quand ils ont visité Irlande. Au début, je n'allais pas juste parce que je devais prendre un autre tour en bus, qui était de 45 €, mais j'ai décidé dernière minute pour aller, et je suis si heureux que j'ai fait. Je pense que le château de Blarney a été ma journée préférée en Irlande.

Comme le voyage organisé par le bus le jour d’avant, il a duré un jour et il y a plusieurs arrêts pour autres sites touristiques. Le premier arrêt, était un arrêt plus, que notre guide a choisi, le Château Dunamase (Photo N). Le Château a construit pendant le 9eme siècle dans une colline, au sommet vous pouvez voir les Montagnes Slieve Bloom. Je parie sur une journée claire et ensoleillée la vue est incroyable.

Puis, nous sommes allées au le Rocher de Cashel, qui selon la mythologie locale, le Rocher de Cashel est né dans le Morceau du Diable, une montagne à 20 milles au nord de Cashel, mais quand Saint Patrick a chassé Satan d'une caverne, le Rocher a déménagé et a atterri à Cashel (Photo O). Cashel est également le site de la conversion du Roi de Munster par Saint Patrick au 5ème siècle. Au ce moment il y a beaucoup de la construction et la rénovation donc plusieurs de zones sont fermés (c’est la raison pourquoi nous avons visité le Château Dunamase aussi). La Chapelle qui a un lieu de sépulture de viking, est un zone fermé. Je suppose, je vais devoir revenir un jour une fois que les réparations sont terminées!

Notre dernier arrêt avant le Château Blarney était un arrêt de une heure et quinze à Cork, Irlande (Photo P). Cork est le deuxième grande ville en Irlande et elle a une grande marche pour le whiskey. J’ai vagabonde autour de la ville, j’ai acheté des  souvenirs pour mes amis et ma famille, et j’ai obtenu du thé. J'ai vraiment aimé cette ville, elle était petite, charmante et mignonne. J'aurais aimé avoir passé une journée entière ici!

Puis, nous sommes arrivées à notre arrêt ultime, Blarney et le Château Blarney, j'étais très enthousiaste (Photos Q & R). Premier, je suis allée d’embrasser la Pierre de Blarney, au sommet du château (Photo S). Concorde avec la légende, d’embrasser la pierre (à l’envers et en arrière),  vous recevez le “cadeau de papotage” ou grande éloquence ou habileté à la flatterie. Je n’avais pas peur quand j’ai embrassé la pierre, parce qu’il y a des rails de sécurité et un peu, vieux homme irlandais m’a aide. Mais, avant qu’il y ait des rails de sécurité et un assistant pour vous aider à monter au sommet du château, embrasser la Pierre de Blarney était risqué et dangereux. Les participants ont été saisis par les chevilles et balancé corporellement de la hauteur, qui est d'environ 37 pieds. Un des personnages les plus célèbres à embrasser la Pierre Blarney était Sir Winston Churchill.

Le Château Blarney est encercler par les jardins et un grand parc. J’ai exploré le Jardin Poison, qui a été créé pour aider les gens à apprendre ce que les plantes toxiques ressemblent pour éviter leur consommation accidentelle (Photo T). Les plantes dans le jardin toxique incluent: wolfsbane, mandrake, ricin, opium and cannabis. Aussi, il y a beaucoup de cavernes, vous pouvez explorer, quand j’ai visité un caverne, il était très humide, et bien que je sois très petite, je devais encore regarder ma tête dans le caverne. Un autre zone, que j’ai exploré était le Rock Close; ici vous pouvez trouver plusieurs de sites naturel et beaux, commes les chutes d’eau et les formations rocheuses, intéressant (Photos U & V). Si vous pouvez manœuvrer sur les Étapes de Désir, où vous devez marcher en haut et en bas les étapes avec vos yeux proches, en pensant seulement à votre souhait très important dans la vie, peut-être les sorcières seront gentils et vous le donneront!

Je suis très heureuse que j’ai décidé d'aller au Château Blarney, c'était un jour parfait et une façon parfait pour le fin de mon temps en Irlande. Le temps s'est éclairci, alors quand nous sommes arrivés à Cork et Castle, c'était agréable. Aussi, j’aime promener autour de la nature et jardins, tout ce qui était stressant moi ou sur mon esprit devient obsolète et je profiter de la verdure autour de moi. L'Irlande était incroyable, et je sais que je reviendrai à l'avenir. J'espère revenir avec certains de mes amis irlandais parce que je sais qu'ils apprécieront éprouver leur héritage.

[juliette-garo-blog]

7 mars 2017 - Faire dans le local, c’est pas mal...

Aujourd’hui est un grand jour dans mon programme de découverte du Northland ! Hier soir, assez tard pour tout vous dire, j’ai booké une sortie dans la Bay of Islands, afin de visiter toute la baie en bateau ! C’est trop cool, on doit faire le tour des principales îles, aller jusqu’au Hole in the Rock, et si c’est un jour de chance, revoir des dauphins ! J’adore, j’adore, j’adore ! ^^ (le tout avec explications, et tout le toutim, évidemment !). Comme je suis passée par le site BookMe, mon préféré depuis que je suis arrivée en NZ, j’ai droit à un super tarif, ce qui fait vraiment du bien ! ^^ La sortie est prévue à 14h, et doit durer 2 heures. Vu le timing, j’ai prévu d’aller voir la cascade de Haruru, de visiter Kerikeri (sa cascade, encore ! mais aussi ses sites historiques et ses boutiques, tant qu’à y être ! ^^) et d’aller voir Kawakawa, qui promet une surprise architecturale ! Que du beau, moi je vous dis ! ^^

Malheureusement, mes espoirs sont encore une fois très vite douchés, au propre comme au figuré ! Si hier, des nuages sont apparus à l’horizon et m’ont gâché mon coucher de soleil, et bien maintenant, ils recouvrent tout le ciel, et il pleut averse ! Ça ne sent pas bon du tout, tout ça… Je décide donc, à 10h, d’aller voir l’agence responsable de ma sortie en bateau : c’est foutu ! Il fait vraiment trop mauvais, donc ils ne vont pas faire la sortie, normalement… Il me reste quand même une once d’espoir à laquelle je m’accroche, et je me dis que je repasserai vers 13h30, pour m’assurer de l’annulation ou non de la sortie. Au pire, si besoin, ils m’aideront pour appeler BookMe, si besoin…

A cause de ça, tout mon planning si bien préparé tombe à l’eau… J’ai vraiment un bol, je ne vous dis pas ! Gast… Il faut tout repenser, car même si cela me donne beaucoup plus de temps, il faut aussi que je gère le fait de revenir à Paihia en début d’après-midi… Je décide donc de faire en premier un tour de Paihia ! ^^ Il y a un petit marché d’artisanat local fort mignon, mais je n’ai rien trouvé à acheter (ouf !). J’en profite aussi pour faire le tour des boutiques qui étaient fermées dimanches soir quand je suis arrivée. Là aussi, si je m’écoutais, j’y laisserais mon porte-monnaie ! Je craque quand même pour des cartes postales en bois (oui, oui, en bois ! ^^). Une fois ça fait, je décide d’aller voir la cascade de Kerikeri en premier.

Grossière erreur, j’aurais plutôt du commencer par celle de Haruru… En effet, Haruru se trouve à 15 minutes de Paihia, et il n’y a que ça à voir, cela aurait été plus simple… Mais non, je suis allée à Kerikeri ! Certes, la cascade est franchement belle, et elle aurait été merveilleuse sous le beau temps, mais j’ai dû faire le tour au pas de course, pour pouvoir faire l’aller-retour en voiture jusqu’à Paihia dans les temps…

13h15 arrive, je suis dans les starting-blocks, il fait meilleur, il y a donc peut-être une chance que… Et bien, non, il n’y a pas de chance de… La sortie est bien annulée, je suis douchée, encore un coup… Heureusement, les personnes de l’agence sont sympas, et m’aide pour mon annulation auprès de BookMe. (deux jours plus tard, ils m’ont dit que le remboursement allé être réalisé dans les plus brefs délais, ouf…). J’ai donc le reste de l’après-midi pour faire Haruru, Kerikeri et Kawakawa, c’est jouable !

Je décide d’aller manger à Haruru, et je ne suis pas déçue, c’est mignon comme tout, il n’y a pas trop de monde vu le beau temps, et il y a même des canards à regarder… C’est kitch, mais c’est comme ça, je m’amuse d’un rien dans ces conditions ! ^^ Une fois remontée en voiture, une nouvelle averse perce les nuages ! Et là, je me dis : heureusement que je ne suis pas sur l’eau, ça n’aurait vraiment pas été agréable, toute cette flotte… Ensuite, je retourne vers Kerikeri, où je fais le tour des magasins, avant de me diriger vers le Stone Store, lieu emblématique du coin : il s’agit d’une des premières demeures des colons Anglais ! Elle est tout en pierres, ce qui est très surprenant dans un pays où la majorité des habitations sont en bois ! ^^ De plus, ils ont décidé de jouer le jeu à fond, et propose à l’intérieur du bâtiment une boutique « à l’ancienne », avec des vendeuses en tenues d’époque, des ustensiles de même, le tout mixé avec des produits plus actuels ! Là aussi, c’est kitch, mais sympa ! ^^

Ensuite, je souhaitais voir des studios / boutiques d’art, mais je me suis encore trompée par rapport aux horaires : tout cela ferme au mieux à 17h (il est 17h15, c’est con…), voir à 16h… Et je me recasse les dents sur la reproduction d’un village maori, le Rewa’s Village, qui ferme aussi à 17h… La loose… Pour finir avec Kerikeri, je fonce au Warehouse pour faire 2 / 3 courses pratiques…

Pour terminer ma journée en beauté, je me dirige vers Kawakawa. J’aime bien les noms, par ici, ils sont tous mignons ! ^^ J’ai lu dans un guide qu’il s’y trouve des toilettes publics réalisés par Hundertwasser ! Hundertwasser !! Je ne sais pas si c’est une blague ou non, mais je vais découvrir tout ça, ma foi ! Et bien, voici la bonne surprise de la journée : ils ont bien été designés par l’architecte Autrichien ! Moi qui trouvais déjà que point de vue toilettes publics, la Nouvelle-Zélande était déjà bien pourvue, et bien là, c’est le pompon ! C’est très surprenant dans une si petite ville, surtout qu’il a réalisé plusieurs bâtiments dans la rue, ainsi que des fournitures publiques (bancs / lampadaires)… En lisant la brochure à disposition dans les toilettes, je comprends mieux le pourquoi du comment : Hundertwasser est venu s’installer à Kawakawa pour ses 25 dernières années, et a donc souhaité rendre hommage à ce petit coin de paradis par le biais de bâtiments publics, ce qui est top, comme démarche ! ^^ Ce sont donc ses dernières réalisations connues.

J’aime vraiment ce genre de surprise, qui permet de relativiser les débuts catastrophiques de cette journée ! ^^Mais suite à cette nouvelle journée à visiter, je suis encore naze, et je vais donc aller me coucher ! En espérant que le beau temps soit de retour demain… Advienne que pourra ! ^^

 Today is a great day in my Northland discovery program! Yesterday evening, late enough to tell you everything, I booked an outing in the Bay of Islands, to visit the whole bay by boat! It's too cool, you have to go around the main islands, go to the Hole in the Rock, and if it's a lucky day, see dolphins again! I love it, I love it, I love it! ^^ (all with explanations, and all the toutim, of course!). As I went through BookMe, my favorite since I arrived in NZ, I get a great rate, which is really good! ^^ The exit is scheduled at 2 pm, and must last 2 hours. Given the timing, I planned to go to see the waterfall of Haruru, to visit Kerikeri (its waterfall again, but also its historical sites and its shops, so much to be there! ^^) and to go see Kawakawa, which promises an architectural surprise! How beautiful, I tell you! ^^

Unfortunately, my hopes are once again very quickly showered, both literally and figuratively! If yesterday, clouds appeared on the horizon and spoiled my sunset, and now they cover the whole sky, and it is raining down! It does not feel good at all, all that ... So I decide, at 10am, to go to the agency responsible for my boat trip: it's fucked! It's really too bad, so they are not going to make the exit, normally ... I still have an ounce of hope to which I cling, and I think I will go back around 1:30 to make sure Or cancellation of the output. At worst, if necessary, they will help me to call BookMe if needed ...

Because of this, all my planning so well prepared falls into the water ... I really have a bowl, I do not tell you! Gast ... You have to rethink everything, because even if it gives me a lot more time, I also have to manage to come back to Paihia in the early afternoon ... So I decide to do a Paihia tour first! ^^ There is a small local craft market very cute, but I found nothing to buy (phew!). I also took the opportunity to shop around the shops which were closed on Sunday evening when I arrived. Here too, if I listened, I would leave my purse! I still crack for wooden postcards (yes, yes, wood! ^^). Once that's done, I decide to go and see the Kerikeri waterfall first.

I had to start with Haruru ... Haruru is 15 minutes away from Paihia, and it's just that, it would have been simpler ... But no, I went to Haruru Kerikeri! The waterfall is definitely beautiful, and it would have been wonderful in the good weather, but I had to go around at the racetrack, to be able to make the round trip by car to Paihia in time ...

13:15 is coming, I'm in the starting blocks, it's better, so there may be a chance that ... Well, no, there's no chance ... The exit is canceled well, I'm showered , Another blow ... Fortunately, the people of the agency are friendly, and help me for my cancellation from BookMe. (Two days later, they told me that the refund was going to be done as soon as possible, or ...). So I have the rest of the afternoon to do Haruru, Kerikeri and Kawakawa, it's playable!

 I decided to eat at Haruru, and I'm not disappointed, it's cute like everything, there are not too many people seen the good weather, and there are even ducks to watch ... Kitch, but it's like that, I have fun of a nothing under these conditions! ^^ Once you get back in the car, a new rain shower breaks through the clouds! And then, I say to myself: luckily I'm not on the water, it would not have been nice, all this fleet ... Then I go back to Kerikeri, where I go around the shops, before heading Towards the Stone Store, an emblematic place of the corner: it is one of the first residences of English colonists! It is all in stone, which is very surprising in a country where the majority of houses are wooden! ^^ Moreover, they decided to play the game thoroughly, and offers inside the building an "old fashioned" shop, with vendors in vintage outfits, utensils as well, all mixed with More current products! There too, it's kitch, but nice! ^^

Then I wanted to see studios / art shops, but I was still wrong about the timetable: all this closes at 5 pm (it is 5:15 pm, it's con ...), see at 4 pm ... And I The teeth on the reproduction of a Maori village, the Rewa's Village, which also closes at 5pm ... The loose ... To finish with Kerikeri, I go to the Warehouse to do 2/3 practical races ...

To finish my day in style, I head for Kawakawa. I like the names, here they are all cute! ^^ I read in a guide that there are public toilets made by Hundertwasser! Hundertwasser !! I do not know if it's a joke or not, but I'm going to find out all that, ma foi! Well, here is the pleasant surprise of the day: they were well designed by the Austrian architect! I who already found that public toilets point of view, New Zealand was already well equipped, and well there is the pompon! It is very surprising in such a small town, especially that it made several buildings in the street, as well as public supplies (benches / lampposts) ... Reading the brochure available in the toilets, I understand better why How: Hundertwasser has moved to Kawakawa for the past 25 years, so he wished to pay tribute to this little piece of paradise through public buildings, which is a top of the line! ^^ So these are his latest achievements known.

I really like this kind of surprise, which allows to relativize the catastrophic debut of this day! ^^ But after this new day to visit, I am still naze, and so I go to bed! Hoping that the weather will be back tomorrow. ^^