Saturday, April 10, 2010

My Spring Break in Twelve Pictures

Ireland is a magical place that completely filled me with awe.  One of my favorite aspects of Ireland is the fact that you can drive down the road and pass an amazing castle. Castles were everywhere; it was like I lived in one of my favorite fantasy novels.  You definitely can't find that in Pennsylvania. I promised to share my pictures and it was hard to narrow them down to twelve, because we visited so many places.  I hope you enjoy them!

Me at Trinity College in Dublin
(By the way, the Long Room's library was pretty much my mecca.
Pictures weren't allowed in the Long Room though.)

View from the Gravity Bar at the Guinness Brewery in Dublin

The Rock of Cashel

On the way to the Ring of Kerry

Me at the Ring of Kerry 
(Yes, I wore this hat pretty much the entire trip.
Hey- it's windy there and I don't like doing my hair.)

Dingle Peninsula

The Cliffs of Moher

Chris, Krystle, Mike, and I at the Cliffs of Moher

Kylemore Castle, which is now an abbey
(A man built this for his wife! *sigh*)

Mike walking through Killarney at night

Me posing in front of traditional Ireland landscape

Just another day in Ireland

Five Things I Learned From Visiting Ireland:
1.  It's ok to disagree. You can still be friends. The Irish love to debate and argue, but they aren't overly sensitive about every darn thing like we are in the US.  Everyone speaks their minds and then they get over it.
2.  There's nothing a pint can't cure and it's ok to drink in the afternoon.  We do a lot of binge drinking at bars in the US.  In Ireland, most pubs close early (before midnight!), which surprised me. Most bars in the US are open till 2am and at the beach till 3am!  Most people in Ireland go to pubs for sports events, to socialize and listen to traditional music. In the US, the bar scene is entirely different.  People bring their instruments to spontaneously play and sing.  I LOVED the pub scene in Ireland.
3.  Imagination is important.  At every turn in Ireland there was mention of myth and lore.  Who doesn't love that?  I can't tell you how many times I made reference to Braveheart or Lord of the Rings while on this trip.  :)
4.  It doesn't matter what car you drive or what brand your clothing is.  In Ireland, they care more about racehorses than BMWs.  It's like stepping into the 18th century pace of life.  People don't get dressed up to go to bars and sport the latest "IT" bag like they do at home. I went everywhere in my favorite fleece, broken-in cords, and Chucks. I especially loved this.
5.  No matter how important a problem seems, you have to let it go.  Once you stand next to the Cliffs of Moher or the Ring of Kerry, or next to a castle built many years ago, it dwarfs your problems.  It really puts things into perspective. 10 years from now will my problem really matter? 

Ireland is a reminder of a simpler way of life, a reminder of what is most important, and a reminder to never stop dreaming.  


  1. I'm glad you enjoyed your trip! How was the weather for you? I've lived in Ireland my whole life, and haven't actually been to some of the places you visited, so maybe I should explore my own country more! It would save on my holiday expenses! :)

  2. What beautiful reflections on your trip and on life! That rainbow couldn't be more perfect.

    Can't imagine how awful it must feel to have the right bag just to go to the pub... My latest bag cost £3 and it has pink polkadots on it.
    I really wish you lived closer.

  3. OOH, I'm so envious! I've always wanted to go to Ireland...someday I hope. Great pictures, and I love the things you learned!

  4. Thank you for sharing your lovely photoes and for telling a bit about your experiences with Ireland. I SO want to go there one day :)

  5. Leanna- The weather was pretty interesting. Hail one minute....sunny the next. I loved your country! :) You are lucky you live there!

    Becky-Thanks! I really wish I lived closer to you, too! It would be so awesome to hangout!

    Krista- Thanks so much! I appreciate it!

    Ladybug- Thanks! I hope you get to go someday, too!

  6. Wow Christina, these pics are beautiful! The castles, the scenery, gah! I first looked at them on my phone while on a short roadtrip yesterday; I must say they look much better in full view. :) And I love what you learned while you were there. It would be nice to live someplace where speaking your mind, not dressing up, and drinking in the afternoon wasn't looked down upon!

  7. OMG
    I love this post.
    My husband and I are trying to go later this year. These were lovely and I adored your reflections/lessons.
    Thank you for sharing.

  8. Thanks Juju! Ireland is amazing! You should definitely go. Thanks for visiting my post! :)


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