A Day Trip To The Wicklow Mountains

Hi lovelies!!!

I'm so glad to be back in this little place of mine...life in Dublin has been really busy last month and I really needed some time for myself to share all my adventures with you!

The first weekend of July, less then a week after leaving Italy, I decided to join my new japanese friend Chikako, who works with me at the university, to a day trip to the Wicklow Mountains.

Being a girl from the countryside I couldn't wait to discover the surroundings of Dublin, a city that, despite being small and very cute, could be absolutely crowded, especially during the weekend.

Having been warned by the locals that in Ireland you can experience all the four seasons just in one day, I was well equipped against the bad weather, happy and excited about all the amazing places that I was about to visit!!!

As you know, I'm a great fan of the film " Ps: I love you", a romantic comedy with Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler, so you could imagine my happiness when I discovered that the trip included some of the most important places shown during the story...it was also funny to listen to our guide, a middle-aged irish man, when he tried to tell the plot of the movie, trying to seem as excited as the women of the group when we reached the salient points.

The day started with a very nice walking in an enchanting wood somewhere in the Wicklow Mountains, where we could see some of the oldest oaks of the country, a key part of the natural and human irish heritage.

In Ireland in fact the oak tree was traditionally a symbol of strength, kingship, endurance and fertility and is often considered the King of Trees.

It's unbelievable that a place so close to Dublin can be so wild, green, quiet and stunning! The city is just around the corner but you can feel the power of the nature, and enjoy the smell of the moss and the wet leaves, admiring the gorgeous colours of the countryside.

At lunch time we stopped in Enniskerry, a little village where we found an organic restaurant which served a delicious dairy free vegetable soup ...exactly what I desired to warm me up a bit! And after the soup we went straight in a lovely coffee shop, called "Kennedy's" where we spent half an hour sipping an amazing cappuccino with soy milk.

The last stop of the trip was Glendalough, one of the most important monastic sites in Ireland. It's a wonderful place, crossed by a small river and surrounded by hills and woods, with its cemetery, the round tower, the cathedral in ruins and the little church, which give it an air of mystery.

I really can't imagine a better way to begin my adventure in Ireland, because I'm totally convinced that the beauty and the essence of this island is not stuck in the cities, but in its green meadows, in the scents of the fuchsias, in its deep blue water, in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean and in the running clouds of its skies.

Love
Martina

My first days in Dublin...

Hello lovelies!!!

Guess what?! I'm in Dublin!!! I'm writing this post curled up in the bed of my room, with a cup of tea and some ginger biscuits..we don't have them in Italy so I was looking forward to savor their delicious taste again!

I arrived in Dublin last Monday, but it was late at night so I went straight to bed...carrying 35 kg of luggages made me feel really exhausted!!!

On Tuesday morning, after a quick breakfast, I went out exploring the surroundings..it was sunny and warm, so it was a pleasure to stay outside. 

I needed to buy some things, especially food, so I found a nice old woman, whose name was Beatrix, who was so kind to show me the road to a big supermarket where I found everything I was looking for! It was really funny to chat with her because she explained me many things about the old Irish language and the history of Dublin, and she made me feel really welcomed!!!

In the afternoon I had to meet my new colleagues at the DCU ( Dublin City University) and I was so excited! They were all very friendly and the department is situated in a very nice place, just in front of a big park, so green and peaceful!!! After the meeting I went there straight away and I ate some biscuits lying in the grass, with my book and my camera always ready to take some pictures!!!

Wednesday was my first day at work and, although I had to learn many many things, I was really enthusiastic and I tried to do my best to be useful and productive. I met two lovely girls, and they made me feel at ease from the very first moment...after a long day of loneliness I was so happy to have someone to talk with! Moreover the weather was absolutely gorgeous, so we ate our lunch outside and, after work I took some time to explore another part of the park, relaxing myself after such a busy day!

The past couple of days have been really intense, but I must say that, even if I need to get used to the city, to the new rhythms and to the million tasks I have to do at work I feel really happy to be in Dublin living this experience!
Yesterday was definitely the best day of the week because I finally meet my close friend Annalisa, who lives in the south part of the city with her boyfriend, an austrian guy she met ten years ago, during her erasmus experience in Maynooth! 
We lived in Venice together for nearly two years and we spent such a lovely time there that our friendship has lasted for many many years, despite the distance.

Yesterday afternoon she was studying for her master degree programme at the library of the DCU so, after work, she picked me up and we went to the city centre to do some shopping! It was amazing to stay with her, chatting and laughing, and then,to end with the bang, we joined some of her friends at a nice restaurant, called " La Dolce Vita", where we ate delicious things and we had a lot of fun, joking and listening to a live singer!

Last but not the least...this morning I bought my first kettle!!! We don't use them in Italy, but I think that for a tea lover like me it's an essential thing to own!!! So..I'm enjoying my cup of Apple and Cinnamon tea..feeling very proud of my purchase!!!

Love
xxx
Martina

A Great News

Hello lovelies!!!

Life has been really intense in the past couple of months.

We had a beautiful spring in Italy, full of sunny days, and I'm glad to say that I definitely made the most of them!!!

I spent many wonderful weekends with my friends to the sea, where hours went by chatting, laughing, swimming, playing guitar, singing, collecting shells, playing cards, dices and boules.

We also went in the mountain, where we enjoyed the fresh air and the amazing view lying down in a blanket, sunbathing, eating many slices of a delicious berries tart and talking about travels and future plans.

But, stop with these ramblings my darling girls, because I'm really looking forward to tell you my great news: I'm going in Ireland for the summer months!!! 

I've won a scholarship from my university for an internship of three months at the language centre of the DCU in Dublin, so I'll be there from the 29 of June to the 30 of September.

I've been in Ireland four times and I've always wanted to live there for a period, so I can't wait to pack everything, leave home and start this new adventure!!!

I've never been abroad alone for so long, so I'm a little worried about that, but I think it'll be a wonderful opportunity to challenge myself, grow wiser, improve my english once for all and meet many people from all over the world.

The coming weeks will be therefore dedicated to the preparations, in fact I've written a long list of things to do and to buy before the departure and when I think about it my heart starts beating madly!

Have you ever been to Dublin? Have you got any suggestion for me?

Lots Of Love

Martina

Tiny Beautiful Things Of The Week

Happy Friday lovely folks!!!

Here's what has made my week a wonderful one:

1. Spending a whole day in Venice with Giulia and our friend Valeria, who we hadn't seen for more than a year! It's amazing how, with the closest friends, few minutes are enough to fill the time spent separated!

Last Monday was a wonderful day, full of laughs and little talks and I'm looking forward to another reunion like that!

Being three really greedy girls we decided to try a new kind of street  food: takeaway "bigoli"!!! They are a delicious kind of pasta, a little bit thicker than spaghetti, fantastic with amatriciana sauce..you definitely must try them!!

2. "Battiti", the new book written by a friend of mine, Paola Lunardelli. 

She's a thirty years old girl that I've met some months ago for the first time! We participate together to an "English Club" once a week, so when she told me that she was a writer I wanted to read her book as soon as possible!

The book tells about the love story between Matilde, a 25 years old girl with a thesis to write, and Kieran, an Irish boy, who lives in a mysterious house surrounded by a wild garden...I'm two years older than her, but I have a thesis to write too and a weakness for Irish boys, especially the ones with deep green eyes..so it seems the perfect book for me right now!

3. The yummy vegan breakfast I had on Wednesday morning with my mom!!! It was the better way to start the day and my brioche with vegan cream was glorious!!!

4.This wonderful ring from Brosway I bought as a gift to lift up my spirit yesterday morning! I love this collection and the combination of the golden ring with  the peach pink swarovski stone is amazing !It's so shiny and refined and the meaning of the stone is "irony", exactly what I need lately!!!

What has made your week a lovely one?

xx

Martina

" When proud-pied April, dressed in all his trim; Hath put a spirit of youth in everything. "

Hello lovelies!!!

It's Saturday night and I'm snuggled up on the sofa with my sister, eating Chinese food, chatting, laughing and watching many episodes of "Downtown Abbey"...I couldn't ask for anything better!!!

I've just come back from Florence, which is actually my native city, where I spent some days with my grandmother and my relatives that I hadn't seen  for a long time. 

The weather was wonderful, always sunny and warm, so I decided to take advantage of the many beautiful shops in the city centre to do some new purchases.

Spring for me is a really exciting moment , it means flowers, pastel colors, polka dots, shiny green and bright blue so, this time, my want to change has been satisfied with some items I really desired: 

1. a lovely red leather bag I bought in "San Lorenzo's Market"...I've always wanted a satchel like this so, when I saw it in the stand, I decided to make me a little gift!!!

2. a jeans blouse  and a blue one with white polka dots, to be matched with a blue skirt with two adorable pockets on the front;

3. a bright red lipstick...I'm not used to wear such an eye-catching colours, but sometimes we really need to go outside from our comfort zone, right?!! 

4. "Travelling to infinity"...after seeing the movie a few months ago I've always desired to read the book so,  when I came into the library, I felt that it was the right moment to bring it home with me! "Stoner" insted was a birthday gift and it really must be a remarkably good book!!!

What has been your spring best buy?

Lots of Love

Martina

Life Lately

Hello lovelies!!!
I'm finally back!!! Life lately has been so busy that I've literally felt overwhelmed by the things to do..and unfortunately I've left aside also this little place of mine.
Although yesterday the weather was awful, and the tops of the mountains I see from the window are covered with a dusting of snow, spring has come!!!
In the past few weeks I've loved wandering around in the countryside to see the colorful blossoms, the gorgeous daffodils along the river, enjoying the sun and the gentle wind!
March has been full of nice days, happiness, friendship and birthday gifts to unwrap, but also of hard work and study!
At the beginning of the month one of my closest friend graduated in Venice and it was a wonderful day!The sun was shining, the water reflected the intense blue of the sky and we were so excited to be together that we couldn't give up smiling!!!

The day after, on the 7th of March, I turned 27...I still can't believe it!!!
Honestly I don't feel so grown up and sometimes I really would turn back the clock!
At the end of the month I've finished my year of National Civil Service, so I'm not working anymore, and I can finally focus on my final thesis! I really want to try to graduate in June and, even if it's not going to be easy, I want to do my best to achieve this goal once for all!!!
Keep your fingers crossed for me pleaseeee!!!:D

Lots of love
Martina

Just A Minute In February....

Reading:  "The Preacher" by Camilla Lackberg, an exceptionally written crime and murder story! Last month I read the first book of this Swedish author, " The Ice Princess", and I liked it a lot! It's amazing how this writer can keep me with bated breath until the last pages of her books!!!

Listening: "Safe Travels (Don't die)" by Lisa Hannigan. 

In this song, this talented Irish singer makes some recommendations to travellers: eat your greens, don't sit close to screens, don't walk on ice, cross at the lights and don't start fires or fights...her voice is enchanting and this song always fills me with tenderness!

Watching: "How to get away with murder". I've started to watch this series with my sister and now we are totally obsessed with it! We spent last Saturday night on the couch, sipping hot chocolate and watching one episode after another!!!

Buying: My first heeled brogues!!!

Loving: to paint my bed and my bedside table of a beautiful bright white.

 It's always really funny to renovate the bedroom, especially because I consider it like my secret shelter, a little space that speaks about myself, my passions and the important things in my life.

Wanting: to enjoy every single moment of my weekends: going to the spa, relaxing in the whirlpool and in the sauna, eating yummy things for breakfast (like pancakes with chocolate and strawberries), taking regenerating strolls in the woods with a friend or with Cloe and my family!

Feeling: overwhelmed by the things I have to do, but determined to reach my goals!

Love

Martina