Galway Girl

This week was nothing short of amazing.
My sister came down on Saturday and I was so excited to see her.

We went to Galway on Sunday and Dublin on Monday.

Galway is BeautifuL!
oh goodness... it was a wonderful day but then the rain came. There were little shops all connected, cafe's everywhere, and cute storefronts with beautiful advertisements in the windows. We were there for the Sunday market! Warm homemade sweets, handmade wool, jewelry, and painted pictures were displayed on every covered table.
The place was gorgeous and the history roared through the streets.


There were also little monuments and things to see. The Spanish Arches were small but quaint. JFK had a monument and also Christopher Columbus. They were also every small though and they had to be found.



We didn't stay too long and we left on the bus back to Limerick.
The next day we were headed to Dublin.

Hello Tuesday Night..

"We sat grown quiet at the name of love;
We saw the last embers of daylight die,
And in the trembling blue-green of the sky
A moon, worn as if it had been a shell
Washed by time's waters as they rose and fell
About the stars and broke in days and years."

"If you have only one smile in you give it to the people you love"

- Maya Angelou


This week was amazing...
One of the guys that used to live in our apartment played a show at The Stables with his band.
That night was one of the best nights but I did not feel well by the end of the night.
Thank goodness for amazing roommates.. xox























I also want to see a rugby game.

Hello Dundalk, Where have you been my whole life? ♥

After we got into Dundalk, our roommate Philip picked us up.
Thank goodness for Aoife, or I know I would have missed the stop.

But the place was so peaceful and quiet, it was hard to believe a place like that existed.
We spent Saturday night into Sunday there.

I have to say one of the best things about the weekend was staying in a house, and having a place that feels so warm and comforting. Their parents are some of the nicest people I have ever met in my life, and that made the weekend even more amazing then words.

Philip made us curry chicken and rice.. and ohhhh yum! it was amazing.
We also saw baby cafes being born! The mom had twins, and it was amazing. I've never seen that ever in my life. We stood in the other stable where other cows were and we watched it.
There was a white one with a pink nose that was so adorable.



We rented Takers that night and we all slept on beanbags, comforters, pillows, and sleeping bags.
HIs brother played us traditional Irish music... it was a piano accordion and it was amazing.. and his dad also sang us a tune..

We woke and Philip made eggs and we went to a Catholic Church. The whole time I was thinking about my Grandma. She would take us to church on Sunday when we slept over. I didn't know what was going on, and I wish I did know because I'm sure it would have been interesting.



He then took us to this place that was so interesting. I wish I knew the name of it.. but a picture is worth a thousand words.



We then drove over to a castle. His mother made us an amazing lunch... (mothers are the best).By this time the skies were clear and the water was sparkling. I couldn't imagine a more beautiful place. The whole time we were there I was thinking about the surrounding houses. I could not believe that people live there. It felt so unreal.



















We then left and went back to his house. His parents made is a wonderful dinner and we watched the rugby game. I wish they did not loose to France..

We then continued our journey home...

It was an unbelievable weekend that I couldn't imagine sharing it with anyone else.
Love,
xox




"If you are brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting (which can be anything from your house to your bitter old resentments) and set out on a truth-seeking journey (either externally or internally), and if you are truly willing to regard everything that happens to you on that journey as a clue, and if you accept everyone you meet along the way as a teacher, and if you are prepared - most of all - to face (and forgive) some very difficult realities about yourself....then truth will not be withheld from you."

"It's always good to leave something to come back for.."

Belfast!.. an unbelievable beautiful city with a long devastating history.
We arrived at about 6 or 7 and we instantly went to the Youth Hostel.
It was 6.5 pounds and we were in a room with other girls.

It was very nice, but I'm sure the other girls in the room thought we were crazy to be going to be reading in our beds and going to sleep early. We were all equally hungry when we got there. The conversion was uneasy to think about. We got Chinese food. I split a Vegetarian platter and oh did we get a ton of food!



Of course the rain poured the whole night, but we showered and got into our PJ's and read our books and went to bed.
We had a busy day ahead of us!




Off to the beautiful city we went after a breakfast of soda bread and jam and also a sandwich packed for lunch all for 2.45 pounds. Amazing.

The hostel receptionist helped us figure out what was worth seeing in Belfast. We wanted to see the the Giants Causeway, but it took too much time and the bus had already left at half 7. He had a warm smile and said, "It's always good to leave something to come back for.."
That was unforgettable.

We were off to a taxi tour to see the political side of the city. I cannot imagine a world that the driver was describing. No matter how many times I have researched the murals or have seen them in pictures, the only way to really understand everything is to see them up close.
Our taxi driver had heartfelt stories with ending that were not always happy or full of laughs. His accent was distinct, and one that I have not heard. He has known so many people to die int he conflict, it is hard to understand and grasp the life he has lived.


The Peace Wall was on the Protestant side. He said we has never gone past the wall. The first time he did was two years ago. It's crazy to think about that.
Our tour was supposed to be a hour and it went to almost 2 1/2. I wish honestly that I could have talked to him for longer. I want to know his story, the sad, the funny, the heartache, and everything in between. I wanted to listen to it all and understand someone else's life and the people that he has met along the way.

We signed the peace wall.
"All the darkness in the world cannot put out a single candle."

I wish I could of though of something better, but that randomly goes through my brain when I'm walking, and I ponder thoughts about it and always come up with the same conclusion of truth on the quote. At the same time for some reason, it makes me uneasy.. in a good way, if that makes any sense.


The Dali Lama's Quote, ""Open your arms to change, and don't let go of your values.."






The driver dropped us off near the Museum by the Botanic Gardens in Belfast. He didn't have to, and still charged us the same price... It's people like that who stay in my mind forever and I remember at random moments. Those are the people who I never want to forget, even if i only meet them once, I believe there is a reason why we have crossed paths.















The Botanic Gardens were beautiful! Hundreds of flowers everywhere with a smell that reminds me of when I was little visiting my uncle in his florist. I couldn't stop wishing my uncle was with me telling me what each flower was.




We then ate our packed lunches on the grounds. I cannot describe how beautiful the day was. The clouds in the sky were only a mere reminder of the rain the day before.
We then went into the Belfast Museum. It was gigantic and the best part of all was that it was free...
I got a picture of a piece of artwork that I apparently was not supposed to take a picture of... Rebel with out a cause.





One thing I did love about the museum was that it was very kid friendly and interactive. It was not that type that was all informative and full of information that people walk past. It was levels of different historical or artistic work displayed throughout the place. We also all attempted origami and made paper hearts in time for Valentines Day!

















After the Museum we walked back. I think we were all so exhausted. We were meeting our other roommate Phillip in Dundalk to continue our adventurous weekend...

( Aoife is amazing by the way... <3 )

Dublin...

Last week and this weekend was one contiguous adventure that didn't end. I wish I could replay last week over and over.

Our roommates took us out to Molly's Tuesday night.
It was the best night out that I have had here...
When your surrounded by some great people writing down what happened sounds fake and almost tedious.
But non-the-less, the club was one of my favorites that we have been to, the thank goodness for our roommates straying out the creepers... =)





Our roommate took us to Dublin and showed us her city, but we slept over her house the night before.
Her parents were incredible. Her dad picked us up in his taxi from this bus station and her mom had dinner for us the second we stepped in the door.
Her mom made a beef stew, but it was like a beef marsala. It was seriously the best meal I had in Ireland at that point. She also made mashed potatoes, which were equally as delicious!
The nest day we woke up really early. Her mom drove us to the bus stop and we took the bus into Dublin!



What a beautiful city!
The ally ways and streets are unbelievably clean! It was nothing near New York City!
We had breakfast in a cafe which was so beautiful and we waked the streets of Dublin. Although the day was a bit rainy, it did not distract from the great company we were in.



Our roomie showed us Trinity College and beautiful parks! We met her friend who is someone I can honestly say that I won't ever forget. It's those people that you meet once and you remember for a lifetime. I have come to notice that there are many people here like that.
He showed us The Book Of Kells. It was so interesting, and it gave us time to stay inside somewhere so the rain would stop!
We then traveled around to see castle and cathedrals.
We had traditional fish and chips at Leo Burdock Fish & Chips, and were they nothing short of amazing! The taste is indescribable. We ate it in her friend's apartment. His place was amazing.. It was a quaint place with artwork covering the walls. An artist's paradise in some ways. To be in a apartment in the middle of a beautiful city, with artwork surrounding youl. I have to say, I was jealous =).



We also walked through St.Patricks's Cathedral. It was breath-taking with images un-captureble by a camera. After the Church we went to pick up the bus to Belfast....