Edinburgh/Ireland!

It has finally arrived, the 5 day (but pretty much 3 day) weekend to Ireland! We had just completed our final exam and we were ready for a break from the big group and to do a little sight seeing. Eight girls went off to Italy, two girls stayed and toured around Scotland, and the five of us (Me, Jenny, Katie, Rachel, and Kim) went off to Ireland. Many hours of preparation had went into this trip and we were going to have a jam-packed time! 

However, our flight didn't leave until 7pm so we stayed around Edinburgh for a little bit and went to the National Museum of Scotland which is FREE and very interactive. 

Then we went off to the Edinburgh Castle. We were told that there really wasn't too much to see inside so don't waste the money to go in. It is really pretty on the inside and they were preparing for a big celebration.

Castle!

We also walked around the beautiful city (high recommendations to visit the capital city of Scotland and spend a lot of time there). We stopped by the grassmarket area where they used to hang people in the streets.

I found a TARDIS!!! Aka an old police box. Edinburgh and Glasgow have the highest concentration of them left in the world.  

Rubbing the toe for good luck!

Next we went up to Calton Hill and had a great view of the entire city

Arthur's Seat (Previous climbed four weeks prior!)

Then it was time to head over to the airport and get on a Ryanair flight to Dublin!

We got a taxi from the airport to our hostel (recommendation is to get the bus as it is cheaper). However, we had a very nice taxi driver who gave us suggestions of places to go and check out. By the time we got to our hostel (Abraham House--definitely recommend! Amazing and comfortable beds, friendly staff, good accommodations, and close to the city center) and checked in, we just got food and then went to bed to get ready for a busy next day.

On the agenda for the first day was to sight see around Dublin and then take a three hour bus (Gobus is awesome and sooo inexpensive! Citylink is also good too!) to Cork to kiss the Blarney Stone!

The Sean O' Casey Bridge! 

It surprised me how much Gaelic there was displayed. Super cool though!

Off to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells! 

Excited! It was nine euros to get in for a student and they provided a nice museum about the background of the Book of Kells. You walk in and see the gospel and some other older books, but you cannot take pictures of them :( However, you walk into the library after and you can take pictures in there. 

Beautiful Library! I want to live there!

The next stop was O'Connell street which is the main street in Dublin with lots of shopping areas. We went to Carroll's Irish Gift Shop which I highly recommend, especially the double store on O'Connell Street. They have lots of souvenirs and really nice workers and Irish music playing all of the time!

O'Connell himself--in statue form 

After a morning in Dublin we hopped on the GoBus to Cork. The Irish government is fantastic and provide wifi on all of their transportation systems which was really nice because it was a three hour bus ride there.

When we got to Cork, we picked up a local city bus right from the station and took a twenty minute bus ride to Blarney Castle.

It was an absolutely beautiful day and the garden area is wonderful to just stroll around

All over the castle, they provide fun signs like this to give you a background history about the Blarney Stone and some funny humor as well. 

At the Castle!

View from the top. So pretty!

Time to kiss the stone. There is a guy who works there whose only job is to hold your arms to support you while you grab onto the bars behind you and pull yourself back and down to kiss the stone. There is also a professional camera guy who takes your picture for purchase at the shop. You can of course take your own pictures too. 

They also have a garden area and Badger's Cave that you can walk into. 

The city of Cork from the bus station.

Day Two was my day as we were going to see the Cliffs of Moher (Movie sight of the Princess Bride and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince) and I was meeting up with my family who lives there (more specifically my grandma's cousin). The day started out very deary and preceded to rain. We took another GoBus to Galway and then another bus that goes right to the Cliffs.

Found it funny how the Irish update their timetables. 

We got to the Cliffs and it was so foggy that we couldn't see anything... at all. And it was super windy. They have a museum in there and it is included in the price of the bus ticket to enter. The museum is short but they have a very cool interactive "bird's eye view" of the Cliffs. We did go outside to the area where you can typically see the Cliffs, but of course we really didn't see anything although we did hear the ocean. 

Me in front of a picture of what the Cliffs look like when it's not foggy out. 

Next, we went back to Galway were I was meeting up with my family. Of course then the weather started clearing up and it became sunny outside. The city of Galway is very cute and friendly. I wish we would have had more time to explore there, but we were on a time schedule.

Main city center

Main city street just off of Eyre Square. Lots of shops to check out!

St. Patrick's Church

I then met up with my grandma's cousin and her great niece, and the niece's mom for dinner. I had yummy fish cakes and we all had some Bailey's. 

Mary, my grandma's cousin on the left. I can definitely see how she is related to my grandma. 

Some more goofing around in the city. 

Eyre Square--we dug up some Irish dirt to bring home!

I also wanted to get a Claddagh ring from Galway because that is were they originated from. I had done a lot of research and then more exploring in the city and finally decided on The Hearts Of Galway as the store I would get it from. The woman working was so patient, friendly, and helpful in helping me decided on a ring. They were very fairy and reasonable priced. I was so impressed that I ended up getting two rings! The Trinity on the top picture and the Claddagh on the bottom. So very pleased with these rings and I highly recommend the store. 

Just some Irish scenery for you! It was gorgeous!

Day Three was the guided tour through the Paddywagon Tour company to Belfast, Northern Ireland. I can cross off another coutry on my list now! The Paddywagon trip was wonderful! Our tour guide Gavin was very funny and I enjoyed the way he told stories and he gave us a lot of information about all of "The Troubles" between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Tour bus (again with the free wifi!)

Our first stop along the way was to Monasterboice to see the Tower and Celtic crosses. 

This cross was particularly special because they have a saying that if you are able to wrap your arms around it, you will find true love. Well, I couldn't so there goes that dream (Haha)

We entered Belfast and stopped at City Hall and then got to spend about two hours walking around and getting lunch. Belfast is famous for being the city that built Titanic. You can definitely feel the more British environment as opposed to the Irish environment in Dublin, Cork, and Galway. 

They have some nice memorials for the people who died in Titanic

We then got back on the bus and went to the Titanic Experience Tour/Museum. They museum was very good and they really focused on the building and preparation up to the Titanic's launch as well as all of the news and investigations that happened after it sunk. One of the special features of this museum is that they have a small ride built into it that allows you to experience the conditions and how the Titanic was built. It was about 5 minutes long but something very unique. 

The ride

Simulation of the Morse Code used 

The conversation back and forth

Model of the life boat 

All of the movie and TV specials of the story. 

Another cool thing about the museum was the interactive section where you got to explore the underground wreckage of the ship. They had a big screen set up with commentary of the dive crew and historians as well as a see-through floor that allowed you to do the same. 

The pillars represent where the Titanic and it's two other sister ships were docked off from. 

The museum itself. Artistically crafted to look like an iceberg. 

After that, we went back to Dublin and did some final souvenir shopping and then off to an Irish Pub where I tried Guinness for the first time, listened to a live Irish band, and crossed off something awesome on my bucket list: Irish Dancing in an Irish Pub in Ireland! :)