I'm still alive

So I'm the worst blogger ever. I left you hanging for more than a month. My apologies. It's been a bit crazy so here's the quick and dirty on what's been going on:

Upon my return from Portugal, which feels like forever ago, I wrote 4 papers in 2 weeks and basically didn't go outside. I ate, slept, and did homework. When I finally came up for air it was Friday March 6 and I was leaving for a somewhat spontaneous trip to Germany over part of spring break.

I left at the god forsaken hour of 4am to go the airport to get to Berlin. Everywhere I went in Berlin and Dresden, I met interesting people. It is one of the benefits of traveling alone- you actually meet the locals. I had a blast touring around Berlin. I went to so many museums and saw the coolest stuff. I also enjoyed the beautiful sunshine that so rarely happens here in Ireland. A couple of my German friends helped me get a train ticket to Dresden. Dresden was nearly completely destroyed in WWII but you wouldn't know it looking at the city. The Old city has been reconstructed and the New city is prime example of Communist architecture. While there, I also saw Raphael's Sistine Madonna. It supplanted The Transfiguration (also by Raphael) as my favorite painting (and I've seen a lot of art). Go google them, right now, the post will still be here when you come back.

The Reichstag, Berlin

The Old City, Dresden

Welcome back: I flew back home on Friday the 13th (dun dun dun) because my parents were coming in the next day. The city had been overrun with tourists in my absence and suddenly green St. Patrick's Day (or Paddy's Day as it's known here) stuff was everywhere. I had a blast taking my parents all over Dublin for the second week of my break. They were very much tourists while I was the mildly (or terribly) embarrassed semi-local. It was great craic (fun). Paddy's day was about as crazy as you'd expect. We ended the week on a bus tour to Wicklow, on Dad's birthday no less. He got an extra shot of Jameson and sung to by a bus of tourists. My parents went off to explore the West and Cork, leaving me to go back to class. On Friday the 27th, they came back to Dublin. Dad had to go home the next morning but Mom was staying for a few days more so we headed out to Dingle.

St. Paddy's Day Parade

Dad getting in the spirit

Mom and I had a grand time in Dingle. We walked the beach and took a ton of pictures. We also drank in the pubs while listening to live music. It was hard for me to come back on Monday. Because Mom left Wednesday, she had one more day in Dublin, so I skipped my one class to hang out with her. We went all over the place and even saw a movie. I said bye to her on my way to class Wednesday  morning.

Mom on the Dingle Peninsula

The next day brought about the last and most crazy adventure since you last heard from me: I flew to Rome for Easter. I was part of a tour group with Weekend Student Adventures (WSA). It was 75 students who were studying abroad in Europe that came together for the tour. I think it ranks up there as one of the best weekends I've had in my life and not just because I was in the second row at Easter mass with Pope Francis. I saw all the big tourist things, got sunburned and was completely drenched. More details will be coming along with some pictures.

The Vatican