4.13.2012

oh ireland.

while we were abroad, we spent some time in london {posted earlier this wk} and then caught a short flight over to dublin for the last few days of our trip. we anticipated this part of the trip in a different way than the anticipation of london, because we didn't really know what to expect in dublin or ireland for that matter. but we knew that it was sure to be a good time! we arrived in dublin, found drew a guinness, freshened up, and hit the streets. dublin is completely different than london- the buildings aren't tall, you can see much of the sky, it's not as clean, but the people are super friendly, laid back, and hang out- a lot!

mini monuments dot the main streets. the millennium spire or "stiletto in the ghetto",
 the tallest thing in the dublin skyline.
the grand canal- the river liffey runs through the heart of dublin. temple bar- tons of pubs!


yes, those are kilts! scots in town for gaelic football match against ireland.
chester beatty library houses illuminated transcripts from the world's major religions. incredible to see the biblical manuscripts and those from the qur'an in person
{unfortunately, no photos allowed}.
part of dublin castle, this portion built by king john of england in 1204.

shamrocks on every street sign & light.
st. james' gate outside guinness
pint pulled right from the source! did you know the first guinness beer arrived to the u.s. 
through charleston, sc in the mid 1800s.
drew's "heaven on earth"- guinness brewery and storehouse
panoramic view of dublin from the gravity bar
walking from enniskerry village to powerscourt.
 somewhat overcast, but picturesque rolling hills in wicklow county.
 powerscourt house and gardens- so beautiful, pictures don't do it justice. we also visited before spring had taken her full effect on the gardens.
 


crossroads in enniskerry village
by far the coolest shop/company in ireland- avoca. i literally wanted to buy everything i spotted in the store!
 
two of the best meals we had the whole trip. f&b-amazing seafood and steak with an irish flair. saba, the best thai food we've ever eaten-delicious!

even though we were in dublin for a few short days, we had a wonderful experience. we loved walking around the city, exploring, and being together.  i think by far, our favorite part was leaving the city, riding the train just a short 40 minutes along the irish coast to bray so that we could visit the hills of wicklow county. it was exactly what you image ireland to look like. the pace is slow, people are happily going about their daily lives, and you feel calm and relaxed.  it was a great way to conclude our trip. oh how i'd love
to go back one day to stay in a b&b surrounded by green and fresh air. 
thanks for letting me share our adventure with you.-j

1 comment:

  1. and again...love. :)
    makes me want to watch leap year for some reason.

    ReplyDelete

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