John and I could not have picked a better location for our last trip. within an hour of landing, I knew that this could be the best weekend of my entire semester for multiple reasons. Ireland is so absolutely gorgeous and green that it’s a visual breath of fresh air, peaceful and calm. Also, the people here are the nicest that I’ve ever met in Europe. I’m serious they are so genuinely kind and helpful, they go out of their way to help strangers and talk and meet you. It feels just like home.
One of the biggest culture shocks of life in Europe was how people treat strangers. America is such a talkative and invasive culture, strangers greet you, ask you questions, and want to know you. I’ve heard multiple international students complain about how in your face Americans can be and how shocked they are with the personal questions and chit chat. While I’ve adjusted to Europe, I didn’t realize just how much I missed talking to strangers and meeting new people, and just being generally friendly. In Ireland, it’s exactly like home. Taxi drivers ask where you’re from, what you’re studying, what your plans for the day are etc. Our first stop in Dublin was a convenience store across the street from Our airbnb. We had no plans for the day except to walk around Dublin and explore. We went to the store to grab a quick coffee, and we asked if we could buy bus tickets. Next thing we know we’ve been there for twenty minutes chatting with the kindest lady, and she’s helped us get bus tickets (despite not having cash on us, and despite our cards not working for the atm) then she told us exactly which bus to take, and what to tell the driver to get a cheaper journey. It was so out of her way to help us, and so shocking compared to every other European city I’ve been to. We left feeling so well taken care of, by an employee of a simple convenience store!
After getting bus tickets sorted, we hopped on and decided to get off in the city center. We were dropped off right next to trinity college, which is a gorgeous place to walk through.
We were incredibly hungry, and heard that the area of Temple Bar is a great place to hangout and eat. We found ourselves at Old Mill Bar and Restaurant. John ordered the fish and chips and I got the chicken and chips. It was delicious! The environment was loud, boisterous, and tons of fun.
From there we decided to explore. We stopped into a couple shops, and of course a couple pubs. Live music was in every one which was so fun. The pubs are packed full with everyone singing along. It was a great first night.
On Saturday, we woke up incredibly early (5:00am) for a day tour across Ireland. It started with a couple hour drive to the west coast where we stopped in Galway. The little town was quaint, and felt exactly how you would picture Ireland being. Incredibly friendly people, green land all around, and storefronts all along the streets. Unfortunately, it started pouring rain once our walking tour ended. The wind was so strong that it broke both of our cheap umbrellas, so we quickly found a place to eat some breakfast inside. I ordered some avocado toast with eggs and bacon. It should be noted that bacon in Europe is very different than bacon in America. It’s usually more like ham, but in Ireland bacon was normal and I think it was at this point when i realized I had found my dream place.
After walking through the city and buying myself an authentic Claddagh ring, we were back on the road to head to the Cliffs of Moher. The drive itself was gorgeous as it was so incredibly green and along the coast. When we arrived we became instantly aware of the crazy fast weather changes that take place in this area. It was sunny when we got there, and within minutes the wind was rapidly bringing in a storm. The water came down so ridiculously hard but again in minutes it was gone. We took advantage of the few minutes of sunshine to climb up to the left onto the cliffs. The feeling of being in the presence of the cliffs and the ocean was absolutely incredible. John and I were giddy, exploding in laughter at the strong wind keeping us walking in place. Genuinely this experience had me in awe. The power of the wind and the ocean was so humbling.
In total we spent two hours at the cliff, going into the museum to avoid the rain that came and went. When approaching the ocean, there is a left side that lets you walk ontop of the cliffs, and to the right is a tower and a museum. I highly recommend you visit the cliffs if you have the chance to.
After the cliffs we were incredibly cold from the wind and rain, thankfully, our tour took us to a pub close by where we could find an Irish dinner. John and I both opted for the seafood chowder in hopes of warming ourselves up. It was really yummy and hit the spot. From there we drove back across the country towards Dublin.
Sunday was our last day, and we had to head towards the airport around 2pm to make our flight. We decided that we had to experience the Guinness storehouse while in Dublin, and we’re both so glad that we did. We arrived when it opened and beat the crowds. It was such a fun way to spend our last day learning about Ireland’s most famous beer and how its made. We were taught how to properly pour a Guinness, and drank it in their Gravity Bar on the top floor with views of Dublin.
I could not have asked for a better last trip in Europe. The food was delicious, the people were incredibly nice, and the ability to speak the same language made getting around easier. The nightlife in Dublin was so fun too, I loved the live music and fun atmosphere. I cannot believe that I’ve been so blessed to experience the past 16 weeks, and I’m even luckier for the people in my life that have supported me and followed along.
Also, sorry that this post took a while to publish. I just took my last final today (WOOHOOOO) so this is the first chance I’ve had to spend on something that wasn’t final exams or papers 🙂
