The luck 'o the Irish

Following our almost surreal trip to Rome our jolly 6 pack split up to explore new sights and destinations, it was a saturday morning when Johanna Lutter, Abi Mahon, and myself rolled out of bed and boarded the first available bus to the airport. We spent the morning in the air, and after a short layover in England we touched down in cold, rainy, yet stunningly beautiful Ireland.
The three of us followed the directions of a rather boisterous bus driver to our new Youth Hostel just a 15 min. walk from O'Connolly street in down town Dublin. Quiet and picturesque, our Hostel was located next to a park with a little duck pond and surrounded by a neighborhood of typical European town homes with brightly colored doors and big, round, brass door knobs.

We spent a total of 7 days in Ireland, mostly spent in Dublin with the exception of one day when we took the train to Houth, on the coast. While Ireland was nothing like Rome as far as Architecture, tourism, or just things to do in general it provided us with a much needed break. We were able to sleep in, relax, explore, and managed to fall in love with the country of the Irish.

Typical street on our daily trek to O'connoly street in Dublin.

We found lots off cool looking buildings on our walks...actually most of the cool looking ones were bars =/

This is the back side of Dublin castle....apparently they thought it need a little brightening up.

the Stables of Dublin castle

I believe this is St. Patricks cathedral.

Molly Malone statue :
"In Dublin's fair city, where girls are so pretty, I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone."
I definitely heard that song more than once walking about the streets of Dublin's fair city. =)

Houth.

the coast was absolutely stunning.

later we hiked to the top of the cliffs =)...like i said the view was stunning

Ironically enough we enjoyed lots of sunshine in Dublin. We decided God must really really love us to give such unexpected perfect weather everywhere we went.

Oh our way out to the Coast we stopped in a town who's name escapes me and meandered through a beautiful park to see this castle =)

Johanna got fish n chips =)

Our favorite dublin restaurant was very American...lol
Eddie Rockets was one of our favorite hang out spots =)

Ireland was fantastic, and I am so glad that week of memories to add to my little bag of European Excursions.