Éire, I ♥ You ♧

I promised a quick blog update and, people, I delivered. (Because I'd rather be doing this than finish the research paper on the comorbidity of  bi-polar disorder and impulsivity. Yeah, you would too.)

I saved the best trip for last in every way, shape, and form. I was more excited for Ireland than any other place by far. So excited, in fact, that I didn't sleep at all the night before. Granted, we had to be on a bus to the airport at 2:30 in the morning, which is my normal bed time. But still, it was like being a small child the night before leaving for Disney World. I was downright giddy.

My travel companion on this particular venture was my sorority sister and childhood friend, Jen Wilson. We had no plans except for a couple of plane tickets, a hostel (that was booked for the wrong day), a desperate need to tour the Guinness Factory, and just a few Euros in our pockets. I just want to throw it out there that if you are a relaxed, go-with-the-flow person, you are going to have so much more fun traveling than one of those people that neurotically plans every moment. That's when you get the chance to see a city for what it is. Get lost for a few minutes. I mean, maybe not in the projects of NYC, but maybe in Dublin. And here's why:

1. The people there are the most friendly people I've ever met. No one was rude or giving us dirty looks. People actually wanted to help us before we even asked. And they were always laughing and having a good time. They all had so much pride in the city and would spout out a list of places for us to go that I knew I would never remember. They just wanted us to see and do everything.
2. The city is super easy to navigate. If you have a map, you can easily walk anywhere. I am just not used to that in London. I mean, you look at a London map and think, "yeah, I can totally walk that." Two and a half hours later you find yourself on the sidewalk in front of a park you passed 3 times, about to burst into tears. We met one Irishman who said he loved London but it was too big to live in. I was partially inclined to agree with him.
3. All roads lead back to Temple Bar. It's true. And once you're in Temple Bar, you really don't want to leave, so it's fine. Just hang out and eat some good Irish food and drink a pint before you begin round two of your journey. And, of course, someone there will always be willing to point you in the right direction.

 So, back to the point. What did I actually do in Dublin, you ask? Well, we got out of the airport by about eight in the morning and, after getting lost for a few minutes, we made it to our hotel at around nine. We dropped off our bags and began our very long day. Since neither of us had gotten a moment of sleep we were both a bit delirious. I grabbed a quick cup of coffee and we fumbled our way through the mist to St. Patrick's Cathedral, Trinity College, some lovely antique stores, Temple Bar and then to the most anticipated site of all, the Guinness Factory and Storehouse.

It was everything I dreamed of and more. Is there a more "Irish" thing to see than a rainbow over the Guinness Factory? I think not. Jen wanted to follow it and find the Leprechaun's pot of gold, but I promptly reminded her that we probably didn't have quite that much time.

One guidebook described the attitude of the Irish toward Guinness in a way that I think is very accurate. It said something like, "Guinness is worshiped with a reverence normally only reserved for the Holy Trinity." Yep. It's like that. Pouring a pint it literally an art-form and a science that they have broken down to the millisecond that it takes to do it properly and the exact temperature at which it should be served. We got to pour one ourselves in the storehouse and were awarded a certificate that will most certainly be framed and hug on my wall at some point. Many of you think I might be joking. Guess again. Haha.

We had some really nice food for dinner and then ran off to a pub crawl where were met some really awesome people and had just the best time. Good friends, good music, good drinks: all for the low, low price of €12 and all of this one guy's dignity.

We finally got a full night's sleep at the Bunk House Hostel on Parnell Street, which was beyond necessary. The next morning we went to the Old Jameson Distillery, another great pride of Ireland. You can definitely tell when they begin to compare their whiskey to others. There's no point in arguing with anyone. Don't even try. Haha!

Another night of some good food and great music and we said our farewell to Dublin. The next morning we got on a flight home and I got tears in my eyes when the plane lifted off the ground. It was heart-breaking for me to leave, because there was so much more that I wanted to see. I would have been more than happy to wander around the country for all of my fall break. The only comfort to me was knowing that I would do everything in my power to come back one day and do it right. There's no doubt in my mind.

Any new purchases? I'm glad you asked. I bought a Claddagh Ring at a jewelry story that I haven't taken off yet and don't actually plan to. It's one of those things that makes me really proud of my heritage. I was incredibly fortunate to be able to go to Germany and Ireland on this trip and get just a taste of what it's all about. I'm so very, very happy that I saved this trip for last, because, for me, it was by far the best.

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great seasonal playlist my friend made on spotify

Love Always!