Sit Down for a Pint, Laddy!

Or maybe just a 7Up, but either way, Dublin is fantastic.

DUBLIN

We hopped on a tiny airplane from a little town in France and got to Dublin airport about 1:00 am, then took a shuttle to downtown where our hostel was. Town was pretty dead at 2:00 am, but we found a policewoman to ask how to get to the road we needed to find. When she heard where we were going, she got all nervous and told us to be extremely careful because it was a bad part of town, not to talk to anyone, and to watch our backs. So, that was a nice lil confidence-booster at the hour of the night. There were two guys standing at different parts of a road we had to walk down, and after we passed them they joined up and started following us. Then I killed them. With this thumb. No, eventually they disappeared, and we walked and walked and finally found our home for the night.

First thing the next day we went over to Trinity College. They have The Book of Kells, which is described as Ireland's finest treasure. It's the four Gospels as transcribed by Celtic Monks in 800 AD. It's beautifully written and illustrated and incredibly well-preserved. It was an all-around gorgeous campus, but my favorite part by far was The Long Hall.

If I am ever a billionaire, that's what I will spend my money on. I guess it might have something to do with being raised in a bookstore, but I love books and libraries more than almost anything. I could spend my whole life in there.

After that we went to Christ Church cathedral. It was oooold and beautiful. There was a museum/ treasury in the basement and there was an exhibit of a mummified cat and mouse they'd found in an organ pipe when they redid the organ a few years back. Apparently the cat was chasing the mouse, and they both got stuck. And those Egyptians thought they were so smart with the whole mummification thing. Then we went to St. Patrick's Cathedral, which is supposed to be right near the spot where St. Patrick baptized hundreds of people in the 400's. We went to Evensong there, a ceremony that has been going on daily for years and years. There's a pretty park right outside, and three little girls with the most adorable accents started talking to us.

We were just walking around and saw a guy eating some fish and chips while he walked to his car, and my brother and I just turned to each other and agreed to stop at the next place that served it. It smelled delicious. So, we stopped and it turned out to be a super famous place, where every celebrity eats when they go to Dublin, including the cast of PS I Love You. So, that means that I've been in the same place as Gerard Butler. I know you're jealous.

That night we hung out in the Temple Bar district, and went to a pub. It was the epitome of an Irish pub, as most pubs in Ireland are, and it was a ton of fun. There were the guys playing music and everyone was just having a good time. Good ending to a good day.

We also went to the Kilmainhaom Gaol where the Irish Revolutionaries were held in the 1910's. It was eery. And who can go to Dublin without going to the Guinness factory? We went, we saw, we drank. . 7Up. We did get our free pint however, and took a picture with it :)

KILKENNY

Next day we took a bus to our ancestor's hometown of Kilkenny. It was such a quaint little place! I loved it, it's another place I could live someday. We went to Kilkenny Castle, from where our Irish ancestors were probably taxed, bullied and terrorized ;) but it was certainly beautiful. The tour guide said that the stairs with carpet on them were for the royal family, and the stone stairs were for servants, and that the servants were going up and down all day long, "But it's ok," she said, "they were used to it." Really? We got a few chuckles outta that one.

We also went to St. Canice's cathedral, and climbed a ladder to the top of its tower. It was a super old cathedral, and when Cromwell showed up he tore it apart and kept his stinkin' animals in it, but it's been completely restored and was one of my favorite places we went.

CORK

From there we went on to Cork, and stayed in another shady area of town right by the docks. We took a tour (dreadful, I know) from there to the Cilffs of Moher, and it was AMAZING. One of The most beautiful things I have ever seen. It's a 700 foot sheer drop into the sea, and they're still crumbling- the force of the waves at the bottom erodes the base until the top of it no longer has any support, and it drops straight into the water. They were magnificent.

By the way, they also have another name. . . The Cliffs of Insanity! Inconceivable!

Last day in Ireland we took a bus to Blarney; you can probably guess why. Yep, we wanted to climb more stairs to the top of Blarney Castle! Just so happened that there's this old stone up there that everybody kisses, so we did. My brother will never forgive me for taking THE most retarded picture of him ever while he was kissing it. Mine turned out ok though :) So, with a few extra germs and hopefully the gift of eloquent speech, we departed the green isle and flew to London- last stop on the trip!