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A Cheeky Trip to the Emerald Isle

March 29th, 2012 etmasi13

HELLOOOO and my apologies for such a delay! As I mentioned in my previous post, the end of term was crazy and I barely had enough time to pack before I had to jet to Budapest on March 9th. So my intentions to write a post about Ireland before I left failed. 🙁 BUT I’m back in action!! And I have a-plenty updates. I’m going to dedicate this post to Ireland and then write a few others about the INCREDIBLE 19-day euro-trip I just returned from.

So basically… I’m in love with Ireland. And I’m one lucky duck because I got to experience it in sunny, warm weather which, from what I’ve heard, is an absolute rarity. It was only when I was leaving on my bus headed to the airport did it start to rain. And I got to see a rainbow! Over green fields filled with sheep! Such a stereotype but it’s one damn good stereotype.

I left the morning of March 9th to make an early evening flight to Dublin from London Luton Airport. I had gotten 4 hours of sleep the night before trying to finish an essay (yikes) and had approximately 45 minutes to make my bus after my tutorial wrapped up. So stress-free, right?! Not. But by the time I was at the airport, I decompressed and finished a few applications while waiting for my flight. It was such an easy flight- only a little over an hour. Once I landed in Dublin, I was instructed to look for the bus to Galway- either the City Link or the Go Bus. I found City Link right away- but the driver told me he wouldn’t be leaving for another two hours. Pass. Moving on to the Go Bus- trying to find it was… interesting. I must’ve looked like a chicken with my head cut off. I proceeded to ask three separate– and super friendly! — staff members where I could find it and their instructions were abysmal. One guy quipped, “Go that way past the church.” I’m sorry, the church? What church?! Finally, someone gave me far clearer instructions and I found it. And I did have to walk past a church after all- but the Church looked like a YMCA building. Very misleading.

From there, it was a three hour bus ride to Galway. And since I can fall asleep on any moving vehicle, I was a happy camper. I arrived in the pitch black of night so I didn’t really get to see much that night. Felicia picked me up at the bus station and we went back to her apartment/ dorm complex she has through NUI Galway which I thought was so nice! Hardwood floors and new kitchen appliances and everything! Plus I got to sleep on a leather couch… much better than I can offer my friends who visit Oxford. Scratchy, old carpet, anyone?

Felicia and I had a much-needed catch up for a few hours and then crashed. The next morning we bought bus tickets to the Cliffs of Moher and made our way over to these GORGEOUS cliffs a few hours away. Poor Felicia– she’s already been there three or so times already and gets really bad motion sickness. But I’m so glad she took me 🙂 She must have wanted to kill me as she was trying not to vomit and I was fast asleep next to her. Once we got there, my mind was blown. There are no words to describe the beauty of the Cliffs of Moher… I felt like I was in a movie. They were stunning. Check it out.

The Cliffs of Moher… does it get any more gorgeous?!

Felicia and me in front of the castle.

The rest of the trip (I was only there for a total of 2 nights and 2 1/2 days) was spent in Galway! It’s the most adorable village- the quaint streets are bustling with great street musicians and Irish shops. I’ve always dreamed of getting an authentic claddagh ring from Ireland- and considering the claddagh ring originates in Galway, I’d say it was well worth the wait! I got a two-tone, silver & gold ring from a tiny shop (featured in the picture to the below! ) and the loveliest Irish woman made small talk with me, helped me pick out the best ring, and sized me perfectly. She was a great example of the overall impression I got of Irish people- SO unbelievably warm and friendly. I’m truly proud to call myself half Irish. 🙂

Felicia showed me the best of Galway- we got awesome fish and chips, hot chocolate filled with oreos from Butler’s Chocolate Cafe, breakfast baps from Elles Cafe, and cream tea from a traditional tea shop called Cupan Tae. Yummy yummy.

Overall, so awesome to see Feefs, the Holy Cross gang, and some of Ireland. It truly is the Emerald Isle. My mom’s always talked about doing a big tour of Ireland after I graduate HC… it better happen! Two and a half days does not do it justice. Can’t wait to do it with ya, Mom!

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