I've thought this one over time and again the past 2 months. Trip within the US? Europe again? Group trip? Solo trip? Show-up-at-the-airport-with-a-bag-and-jump-on-a-random-flight trip? Someone please make this decision for me! Anyone... please! Since I'm still wandering aimlessly in 'I Don't Know' land, let's revisit my fabulous trip to Ireland in August 2009. I still dream about that trip and the amazing time I had. Hands down the best 30th birthday present ever.
Some trip snapshots:
Here's me at the Jameson factory, gettin my whiskey on (I know, it's not one of my brands, but Northern Ireland was a bit of a hike to find some Bushmills). This was approximately 2 hours after our overnight flight... so around 9am. I'm not sure what that lady was talking about, but from the look on my face, I was either a) not buyin it b) jet lagged as hell, or c) realizing we were hitting the Guinness factory right after this. Oh boy.
Dublin is an absolutely gorgeous city. A complete melting pot of all kinds of people, you can't help but to stop and stare everywhere you turn. Ireland's temperate climate allows flowers and foliage to flourish virtually year round, despite the perpetually rainy, cloudy skies. Here's an example of the massive floral planters dotting the streets. This was the beginning of August, as summer was winding down. I've never seen flowers so vibrant and lush on a city street. Enough about the plants. The streets are alive with so many different people from so many places; it's common to hear at least 5 languages walking a few blocks. Truly a cosmopolitan city, and worthy of at least a full week to explore it all!
Moving south towards Killarney, the landscape is breathtaking. Thankfully, we traveled by coach so I was able to completely take in all the visual delights and leave the tricky wrong-side-of-the-road driving to someone else! Ireland's geography is not especially mountainous, but you will find some impressive cliffs on the coastal ring. Anytime we stopped I did whatever I had to do to find the best photo op- climbing a cliff, running up a 45 degree moss-covered hill, whatever would make the most awesome shot, I found a way to do it in 15 minutes. Here's one as we passed through County Clare.
Now I'll get to perhaps the most visually impressive stop on the trip- the Cliffs of Moher. Un-be-lieveable
Who ever thought shale and sandstone would draw a million visitors a year and come pretty close to being named one of the Seven Wonders? Seeing is believing on this one. Trust me. The wind fiercely whipping, the fog looming overhead, and the masses of seabirds inhabiting this area is unlike any place I've seen in the U.S. It was overcast the day we visited. You're really lucky if you can get a clear sunny day and catch a glimpse of the Aran Islands. Our visit came with an overcast day, but no rain! I will go there again some day. Hopefully take the ferry out to the islands and see the puffin colonies firsthand!
And finally, let's end this post with a trip to a graveyard. How fitting. Let's be clear: graveyards in Ireland are a million times cooler than any you'll find in the U.S. Clonmacnoise was the monastery we visited, located right in the center of Ireland, as we traveled from Galway back to Dublin. These high crosses, castles, and churches are so rich with history you really can't believe you're standing in the presence of something thousands of years old. The detailed motifs on these stone structures are really worth taking some time to admire. And that I did.
Sooooo... I'm thinking I might have my answer to my big decision... ...I'm going back to Ireland
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