Every day life in Limerick

Since I have only some days left in Limerick, it seems like a good time to think about my every day life here in Limerick, and looking back for this past over a year. I am trying to get my thoughts organised, but if you have ever read any of my posts you know how well that usually goes :D.

Anyway, let's start with my flat. When I arrived in July last year, the company offered me 2 weeks in B&B to find more permanent home. It is not that easy to find a place here, but the situation luckily is nowhere near as bad as in Dublin. First I rented a room on a weekly rent, and stayed there for 6 weeks. It was lovely house in peaceful area and walking distance to work, I had a double room with ensuite bathroom. The owner lived in the house as well, and since it was clearly her house, I never felt at home there. And she was a lovely person! I posted in Facebook group Rent in Limerick that I am looking for a room, and told a bit about myself. And I got one reply, went to see the place and it seemed like the best place for me. I was right. I live in city centre, it is just 2 of us and I have #thebestflatmateever. Thank you so much Cat for everything! <3 I will cry my eyes out when it is time to leave...

Then work. I work for Cook Medical in customer service for the Finnish market. And do all sorts of other stuff as well (work a lot for the Dutch market too). It is about 5,5-6 km to work, and since I start working at 7 a.m (!!!), I have to get up at stupid o'clock. I bought a bike (Mike The Bike), and have been cycling to work until last week I sold my bike (sniff).

Doo-dloo-doo-doo-doo...
I'm cycling in the rain
Just cyyyycling in the rain
What a gloooorious feeeeling
I'm haaaappy aaagain
I'm laaaaughing at clouds
So daaark up above
The sun's in my heart
And I'm reeeeeady for loooove
Let the stoooormy clouds chase
Everyone from their place
I've a smiiiile on my face
I cycle down the lane
With a haaaaappy refrain
Just cyclin'
Cycling. In. The. Rain.

Dee-ah dee-ah dee-ah

I have enjoyed working here. Even though I hate getting up that early (5.50), I never had the feeling that I don't want to go to work. Work is easy and nice, and my colleagues are nice (usually). It's been a good place for me :).

Irish weather. Fucking hell. The end.

Travelling in Ireland. I have seen some of this island, but I couldve seen a lot more. I have seen amazing places, and I have posted about them after my visit (just scroll down the list of my posts). I have used busses, it has been the best way for me to travel here, and a couple of times a friend has rented a car so I have also been able to visit places where the busses don't go. Ireland is amazingly beautiful, when there's no fog or rain, and I am going to miss this place a lot. I know I will see other gorgeous places, but there is something magical about Ireland.

Milk market in Limerick. When ever I am here on Saturdays, I go to Milk Market. It is more than just farmers' market, they also sell food, meat products, fish, chocolate and fudge (oh boy don't I know that), bread, cakes, books, tools... I love that place. I buy fruits and veggies for a week, and also cheese and fish, and usually some little treat for myself (especially cheese cakes). It is a lovely place, absolutely visit if you are ever in Limerick on Saturday!

A few of treats, trust me, there has been a lot more... :D

Roxy and Reggie. Oh those little fuckers. They are kittens (my flat mate's), born in April, and both lost their mum when they were very tiny. My flat mate has taken care of Roxy since she was just a couple of weeks old, and Reggie since he was maybe 6 weeks? Very little anyway. They don't live with us because pets are not allowed there, so they live at her boyfriend's house. They have visited a couple of times a few days, and I got totally in love with them! I was just staring at them all evenings :D. We even put the tv on to do something else, and guess what happened? We turned away from tv, and watched the kitten walk on the floor. And when a kitten falls asleep in your lap, you do not move. You will just stay there until you die of natural causes. Seriously, I didn't even feel my legs anymore, but couldn't move because Roxy was taking a nap.

Pics of shitheads

Roxy

Reggie

Limerick is not that big city, but you can find everything here you need. Especially second hand shopping is great! Pennies sell nice looking things cheap, but the quality is absolute crap. Since I live in the city centre, it is easy for me to go shopping. I hardly ever go to malls. You can also find any kind of restaurant, Irish, Italian, Chinese, Thai, Sushi, Steakhouses, Kebap, Fast food, Asian street food... It doesn't have that many sights, maybe just King John's Castle (that I still have not visited and might run out of time...) and St. Mary's Cathedral (been there a few times, they organise classical concerts). Hunt Museum is also nice, they have permanent exhibition, and then changing ones. Free admission on Sundays! One nice thing was to spend St. Patrick's Day here (I posted about that).

King John's Castle

St Mary's Cathedral

Hunt Museum

One thing Irish people seem to love, that is so different from me, and that is the decorations, especially on Halloween and Christmas. O.M.G. The principle seems to be the more the better, the tackier the better, the cheaper looking the better, and the more glitter the better. They are absolutely horrible. I have no other words for that.

I was just on medical leave a couple of weeks ago for a week (I had a procedure done, I am totally fine now thank you), and for a couple of days I couldn't do anything else than just lie on the couch. I noticed that during the day they have these lousy American sitcoms on tv. They were so bad... Especially this show called Baby Daddy. The actors are so awful with their facial expressions, that I was just wondering do they do it on purpose or do they actually think it is good acting? Or is their director just clueless, or psychotic? Mind boggling. In any case I couldn't stop watching, and it so not like me to watch that kind of shows. I am so glad I was at home for only a week :D. I had to check, and they actually made 6 seasons of that crap. SIX!!!

Feelings about moving... I am starting to feel that I am leaving soon. My flight is on the 9th of September, first week I will stay in an Airbnb, and then I will get to my new home on the 15th. Luckily I have a local friend who helped me in finding that place (thank you Pedro!). I will be very sad to leave my friends here :(. I've had an amazing year, and new things are waiting. I am always hoping I am making the correct decision, and the future will tell that. If that place is not what I want, I will move on again. I am very excited about the area where I am moving, there is so much to see nearby, just for day trips too. Lots of mountain areas near, and even the Alps are not that far away, nor the Mediterranean. That location gives me so many possibilities for travelling, which is very important for me.

I have been very emotional this week, since I am now doing things "for the last time". Ireland was good to me :).

You are welcomed for a visit in Bratislava :)