I was also super excited because I hadn't done a lot of previous traveling with some of the girls going, so I was looking forward to hanging out with them. We flew into Dublin on Thursday night and went out to an awesome dinner at a place called O'Reilly's. Most of us got three course meals. I got potato skins, fish and chips, and strawberry rhubarb crumble with coffee. It was so good and I was so full I couldn't even drink anything that night, which sucked, but we still went to some cool pubs afterwards.
The next day we went out to explore Dublin! We started our day off at a fruit and flower market and one of the vendors gave us free apples (I got a mango!) I swear everyone in Ireland is so nice - Abigail got a free haircut later that day. We walked around the city to see all the cathedrals and castles. The old architecture was so cool and I couldn't stop thinking about how much my architect friend Sasha would have loved it. We stopped to get food at a place called Queen of Tarts which had the best scones and cheesecake I've ever had. Megan and I soon got separated from the group (how typical) and went on our own lost adventure through the backstreets. We found this whole section behind a building covered in crazy graffiti and some guys who were there lent us some spray paint to paint our initials. After some more wandering and a lot of rain we ended up at the Museum of Modern Art and then finally made our way to meet up with everyone else at the Guinness Storehouse.
The Storehouse was so interesting. We learned the "right" way to taste a Guinness...though I just think drinking is the right way to taste a beer, and how it was made and I didn't do it, but some people learned how to pour the perfect pint. At the very top of the Storehouse was a 360 degree window room that overlooked all of Dublin where we got our free pint.
We then went to dinner at a place called The Hairy Lemon. I got shepard's pie with soda bread. Yum. We ended up not going out that night because we had to wake up super early the next day for our Galway and Cliffs of Moher tour.
It was a bus tour and I guess I didn't realize how much time we'd actually be spending on the bus. I thought it would be more like they'd drive us there and we could get out and walk around on our own, but it was more sitting than walking, which I was kind of disappointed in. I don't regret doing it obviously, but I don't think I'd really do a bus tour again. Our first stop was lunch in Doolin. We went to Doolin pier and the view was incredible...It felt so good to be near water again.
We saw some cool castles and some creepy ancient tombs...kind of cool, but I'm not into the whole graveyard, cemetery type thing. We finally got to the Cliffs of Moher and let me tell you, it was breathtaking. It was so windy and cold, but I loved every minute of looking over the cliffs and taking lots of photos.
So close to the edge!
We got back to Dublin pretty late and went to get Thai food and then pub hopping! The pubs in Ireland are so much fun - good beer and awesome live music. I think that's what I loved most about the pubs, the music. I wish we did more live music like that in the States...and I've decided that the only song that should ever be played is "Galway Girl." Got myself plenty of Guinness and had such a fun night.
The next day we did some more wandering and shopping around the city. Kirsten and I had a fun little spontaneous adventure (if you follow me on any form of social media you know what I'm talking about) 15 minutes before we had to catch our bus to the airport. I love doing crazy random things like that.
Seriously, Ireland was the perfect way to end my adventures in Europe. As cliche as it sounds, I know this whole trip has made me grow and mature so much, and it's not even close to being over yet. I'm heading off to Rwanda in two days (holy shit!), but I'll definitely do another post before I jet off again.
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