July 12, 2013 by shannonchance

The World… on Water!

The Fulbright Ireland crew had a lovely day on the MS The World, as the outgoing students and scholars for 2013-14 were officially announced. There are 37 Irish Fulbright awardees in all this year, and they join the ranks of 1600 other Irish Fulbrights who have gone to the US since 1947.

Events were held on a very impressive cruise ship where people actually live… it operates like a very high-end condo. The ship is called “The World” and we were lucky enough to get tours from the staff.

We were guests of ship residents Jack and Monica Pinkowski, who are Florida residents.

Jack was a Fulbright to Dublin City Council in 2008-9, and the couple continues to support the Fulbright program today.

12:00 – 12:45 pm	Guests Arrive and Ship Tours Gangway
12:30/12:45 – 1:30 pm	Light lunch / drinks with traditional Irish musicians performing Tea Room/ Garden
1:30 – 2:30 pm	Remarks / Presentation of Awardees The Colosseo § World Representative and Fulbright Alumna, Dr. Jack Pinkowski § Fulbright Commission Chair, Mr. Patrick McDermott § Chargé d’ Affaires, U.S. Embassy, Mr. John Hennessy-Niland § Fulbright Commission Executive Director, Ms. Colleen Dube § Lord Mayor of Dublin Oisín Quinn
2:30 pm	End of Event

Boarding the ship…

…with its impeccable maintenance.

Fulbrights touring.

Jonathan and Amanda playing tunes.

Impressive guest list.

DCU education expert.

Acting Ambassador to Ireland.

Director of Fulbright Ireland, Colleen Dube.

Irish Fulbrights for 2013-14.

A gift for our hosts.

Dublin’s new Lord Mayor.

The new Fulbright scholar in Marine Science (who I got to interview in January).

The new Fulbright student in engineering (who I got to interview in January).

Fulbrights on deck.

The Lord Mayor and an outgoing Fulbright.

View from the top deck.

Photo ops…

…with our host and the Lord Mayor.

July 10, 2013 by shannonchance

Lovin’ the Dub

It’s vacation time of year here in Dublin, and friends are making a point of catching up with me before they go on holidays and I return to the States . It’s been such fun catching up with people I enjoy… like Eileen, Joe, Nancy, and Tom.

Fulbright helped me connect with such interesting folks… teachers, scholars, engineers, linguists, musicians, and technology gurus… and that was just yesterday!

Dinner with Dr. Eileen Goold at Matt the Thresher’s

Reflection on Exchequer Street

Lunch at The Green Hen with Dr. Joe Dennehy.

The Cobblestone with Dr. Nancy Stenson and friends.

Piper Neil Mulligan, his son, and his brother Tom.

Some of the Mulligans who played music at the Cobblestone last night.

I’m making new friends everyday…

…here’s Simon…

…a new character I met at the Cobblestone last night.

July 9, 2013 by shannonchance

Secret Paris

The book Secret Paris sent me to many interesting but obscure sites nestled off the beaten path in Paris. Not all were open or accessible. But with a little patience, I found my way into some lovely spots that most tourists never see.

This was the first time I felt at home in Paris, and this little book helped a bit. It helped me find some person-sized places. It’s all too easy to see only the monumental scale sites of this city. Paris is about monumentality and uniformity–especially along the boulevards. But he back streets and courtyards are often lively and quaint.

In Paris, sped some time avoiding the monuments. It’s much nicer to take a slow pace and find some nooks and crannies that you can call your own.

Here’s a sketch I made in one “secret” space of Paris… the courtyard of a set of 48 or so apartments northeast of the Opera.

July 8, 2013 by shannonchance

Victorian Times at Ryan’s Pub

Ryan’s Victorian Pub

The snug at Ryan’s Victorian Pub.

The count down is on for me. I’ve got about six more weeks in Europe, with one being in Rome. So, amid finalizing research projects and submitting papers, I’m trying to visit sites I’ve overlooked and people I will miss.

These are some photos of my visit to Ryan’s Victorian Pub, just across the Liffey from Heusten (train) Station. At Ryan’s, they serve up a lovely Beef and Guinness Pie!

July 8, 2013 by shannonchance

Perusing Paris

Hampton University sketching in Paris, on a rainy day.

Spent a lovely week in Paris, much of it with Hampton University’s architecture program. I’ve attached a few of the pics I snapped with my iPhone. I’m back in Dublin now, and getting around to downloading the photos from my Nikon. The photos will help me reminisce of my travels once I head back to the States. I might even have time to write something meaningful on my blog once again….

For now, pictures will have to do!

Street view

Reflection in Paris

A passage, or gallery, of Paris.

Another passage.

An early map of the world

Teh Louvre, with a dramatic sky.

Hotel de Ville

Reflection in a puddle.

The music festival in full swing.

In the middle of the Seine.

Place de Vouge, the oldest planned squarein Paris. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Place_des_Vosges

Baby bottles!?! You just never know in Paris….

July 3, 2013 by shannonchance

Passage in Toulon

I’d forgotten how much I love Toulon, France. It’s a naval town, and the sister city of Norfolk, Virginia, where I live in the States.

The little plazas–scattered throughout Toulon–are amazing. Full of character and life. And, they are so close together that you’re never more than half a block from a lively public space.

Our Hampton University architecture program has worked with officials and urban planners in Toulon each summer since 2010 to develop design strategies for revitalizing the city using architecture and urban design.

This year’s HU students in the plaza in front of the opera house, on the way to an event.

Reception hosted by the Sister Cities organization in Toulon.

A sketch I made this year of a pedestrian friendly street in Toulon. We got to see inside an apartment on this street in 2010.

This refection photo from Toulon was part of my recent exhibition.

July 1, 2013 by shannonchance

Dublin’s Capuchin Friary

Photo downloaded from Flikr.

There’s a beautiful Capuchin Friary right near my apartment in Dublin. The wooden ceiling is spectacular. The photos I have on hand right now don’t do the place justice, so I’ve included two that I found on line as well.

Photo downloaded from WikiMedia.

June 29, 2013 by shannonchance

Drawing Conclusions in Paris

Sketching in Luxembourg Gardens

Pam Eddy and I attended the World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology (WASET) International Conference on Higher Education yesterday. We each presented a paper. When the activities wound up, we headed out in different directions. Pam went to hear a lecture at UNESCO that she’s received a special invitation to attend and I went to study the architecture of Paris.

I sketched in the Luxembourg Gardens and in a church that I’d discovered two days before.

Pam and I met back up for dinner with Pam’s husband Dave. After dinner, we strolled through central Paris–discussing things we’d concluded about the city on our earlier explorations.

A discussion group at the conference, lead by Pam.

Luxembourg Gardens

The Pantheon in Paris… feels like Rome.

Sketching in St. Etinnene du Mont church

caratids

Shannon Dave Pam pre-dinner

Dave Pam Shannon dinner

book benches

Passage Vivian by night

June 27, 2013 by shannonchance

Pyro-technics at Pont du Gard

The Roman aqueduct, Pont du Gard, lights up once a year for just four nights. And thanks to Hampton University’s Prof. Mason Andrews, I’ve had the chance to see the animated light show twice… once in 2010 (the first year such an event occurred) and now again in 2013.

The 2010 show depicted the history of France. The 2013 show was titled Ulysses the Pirate. The event planners (F Group) expanded the effects significantly over the years–they have added many new pyrotechnics.

This year’s production included some of my favorite animate footage from 2010 (illustrating structural characteristics of the Roman water bridge) as well as animated projections onto a nearby building and cliff face.

Pont du Gard crowd

Pont du Gard pyro-technics

Pont du Gard fireworks

June 27, 2013 by shannonchance

Discovering Uzes, France

I’d never been to Uzes, France even though some of my Hampton University architecture students had. Uzes is home of the famous urbanist, Leon Krier, though we didn’t get to meet him there this year. We often use his book, The Architecture of Community, in my Urban Theory class.

Visiting Uzes made for a wonderful day of learning and exploring. I even wrapped with two decent sketches of my own.