MOHER fun (Final Part)

Day 4

Hola amigas!

I hope everyone has had an amazing weekend and is ready to hear all about my final day in Dublin!

On Saturday, February 7^th, we had to wake up at 5:00 a.m. (IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AWFUL compared to the normal 10 a.m. in Spain) to meet for our tour. Our excitement to visit all the cool sites definitely helped get us out of bed.

In all, it was a very long day. Keep reading to get a break down of all the places we visited.

(Of course, again, we had to rush to the bus stop because we were running late. I’m pretty sure this was the common trend throughout the whole weekend, regardless of the time of day and where we were going.  However, I can proudly say we found the meeting spot without getting lost and we were actually the first group on the bus! J (#GirlPower))

First Stop: King John’s Castle in Limerick

On our way to our main destination, the Cliffs of Moher, we stopped in Limerick, Ireland. (Shot out to my teammates Sara Step and Anastasia Zacour who are actually studying there this semester, but I wasn’t able to visit L ) We only made a quick pit-stop in Limerick to take some photos in front of King John’s Castle. It was interesting to observe the distinct differences between the castles in Spain and in Ireland — the castles in Ireland are definitely much simpler.

Another thing that I noticed is how much I miss grass. The first thing I realized getting off the bus is how the air smelled. (At this point, I think my friends are beginning to think I’m super weird because I keep commenting on how the air smells differently at the different places we visit… but PLEASE tell me you understand what I’m saying!)

(in honor of my brother who sends me 8 articles a week saying how dangerous selfies are 😉 )

The drive through Limerick was also very cool. I enjoy seeing the different layouts of homes and towns across the world. I think the style of homes and their geographical proximity says a lot about the community and the society.  Again, the town was very different than Salamanca. Salamanca is filled with cobbled roads, very little grass, and many tall apartment buildings rather than small single-family homes.

Second Stop: Cliffs of Moher

(Photo cred to @BrookeHarness)

Not knowing much about the Cliffs of Moher I did not know what to expect, but I was definitely pleasantly surprised. We got lucky and there wasn’t fog and it did not rain (however, it was cold,) offering us a beautiful views of the cliffs.

(Oh ya, it was super windy!)

For those of you who don’t know me quite as well, I am absolutely obsessed with natural wonders. I think it is so incredible that no one constructed the site or instructed the rocks to erode a certain way – it just happened. It is so incredible to see the different layers of rocks being exposed, creating such a beautiful site.  I first had these thoughts when I visited the Igauzu Falls, and I must admit I think the Igazu falls still beat out the cliffs but that does not mean I do not recommend EVERYONE to go see the Cliffs of Moher.

I also very much appreciated sharing this experience with my friends, who I’ve just met in Spain but already feel like my best friends. (I really don’t know what I will do without them when I get back home.) At one point, Brooke, Ashley, and I were laying on our bellies on a slab of rock overlooking the water, and staring down at the immense distance between us and the strong waves below us.  As we peered over the edge, I began to wonder what the other two were thinking about since I was having such distinct thoughts. Once we edged back, I asked them what they were thinking about and not surprisingly we were each thinking about different things. We were each experiencing the same moment but what we each personally experienced was very different.

(By the way: Brooke was thinking about her boyfriend and how he would have loved to see what she was seeing; Ashley was solely consumed by the site; and I, I was thinking about the rock breaking off and my body free-falling down into the water. Not too sure what that says about me! Haha)

Third Stop:

After lunch in a very packed diner, we headed over to a site near the cliffs. (Embarrassingly, I admit that I do not remember the exact name of site… Oops!) Oddly, I found these smaller set of cliffs more inspiring. I’m not sure what affected me, but the texture of the rocks that created the ground and the view from the edge of the cliffs stirred something inside of me and took my breath away. The ground I was standing on was once submerged and covered with water. It was mind-blowing to think that I was standing on a sea-bed that used to be so deep underwater.

Being there, in that exact moment, I felt so alive, so present.  It’s a bit strange how these moments in life, solely views, can affect us. I believe these moments make up my life, these are the moments I will remember — this is what makes me happy, what makes me feel alive.  I wish more people would find happiness with what is right outside their window rather than trying to feel something by buying expensive gadgets and luxury items.

(I am not saying buying things is bad because I’m guilty of having an iPhone and way too many clothes, and sometimes buying a new dress makes me very happy, so please don’t take me the wrong way! I just feel that many people seek happiness in the wrong things. So please, take a look outside your window and appreciate the beauty)

Also, I understand I am EXTREMELY privileged being able to travel so much and visit all these incredible places but nature and beauty is all around us.  I oddly found more pleasure seeing the smaller cliffs than the famous, world-known, Cliffs of Moher. (Again, the Cliffs of Moher are BEAUTIFUL and I definitely think everyone should go see them if they have the chance!!)

Fourth stop:  Quinn Abbey & the Chocolate Factory

Ok, I know this is getting too long now. This was also the point of the trip where we were all becoming very tired.  Just wanted to let you guys know we visited the Quinn Abbey and then a Chocolate Factory.

I got the most delicious hot chocolate there! Yumm!

Thanks for hanging in there with me and reading this entire post! I know it was a lot, but my trip was definitely a lot and something I will never forget.

Check in tomorrow to hear all about my weekend in Ciudad Rodrigo celebrating Carnival at the Carnaval del Torro.

xoxo,

K

Dublin the FUN

Hola Amigas!

I am finally back in Salamanca after an amazing weekend(ish) in Ireland! I had so much fun this weekend that I can’t wait to share every bit with you! Get ready!

First, some background information:

I went to Dublin with 5 other girls from my group: Brooke(lynn), (Sm)ashley, Victoria, Laura, and Courtney. 

We stayed in Abrahams hostel (Yes — My first ever hostel experience!)

Dublin was such an incredible adventure everyday that I’m going to break down my trip day by day 🙂

Day  1: Wednesday, February 4

We took a bus from Salamanca to Madrid and from there a flight to Dublin. On our way to Madrid, it began to snow. It was definitely a beautiful view, but like anywhere else in the world the snow caused some traffic, delaying our arrival to the airport.  Being short on time it was quite a stressful experience getting onto the flight.

Navigating the airport short on time definitely created some tense vibes, but it truly illustrated how rapidly negative thoughts can affect a whole group (So stay positive, everyone! 🙂 ).  It’s awesome how daily experiences here, in a new environment (and I guess really anywhere), can teach you so much when you have an open mind.  Through this short period of time on a random day, we got to practice positivity, patience, and getting shi*t done – we needed to make sure we’d make our plane!

Around 11 p.m. we landed in Dublin. Thankfully the airport wasn’t too far from where we were staying (only about a 20 minute bus ride.) When we got there everyone was hungry from the long travels. I acknowledge that it was a Wednesday night, but I was absolutely shocked that almost EVERYTHING was closed. I didn’t realize how accustomed I have become to “Spanish time.”  At this time in Salamanca, the streets are buzzing and most of the tapas bars are still open.

After a quick fast- food meal (>_<), we decided to head back and have an early start the next morning.

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Day 2: Thursday, February 5

Not having a chance to work out the day before, I decided I would get a quick run in before everyone got up.  Luckily, I have yet to get lost on my runs in any of the new cities I visited, but apparently my luck had run low in Dublin. Taking too many turns, trying to see all the cool sites, I had lost my sense of direction.  But don’t worry, I ended up asking for directions and found my way home no problem J

Some of the places I visited during my run:

(I have a brilliant idea. Running tours – for people who don’t have much time but still want to get a workout in. This would be great in Chicago, especially when the weather is nicer!)

After breakfast, we then left the hostel to take a free-walking tour of Dublin. Again, we over-estimated the amount of time we had and we were running late. The tour would leave from city hall at 11 and it was about a 20 minute walk from our hostel, and it was already 10:45. So again, we hustled down the streets of Dublin. Luckily, I accidentally thought the girl next to me was someone from my group and asked her something regarding the tour. The girl next to me actually wasn’t part of my group, but she was part of the tour group that we were looking to meet.

 

During the tour we saw many cool sites, (some that I already saw earlier on my run ;)) but also learned so many interesting historical facts and stories from our tour guide. It was absolutely bewildering how much our guide knew about Dublin and the history of Ireland. (All that I really remember is that there was a lot of fighting, drinking, and potatoes… I think I got the gist of it.)

After the tour, we took a trip to the GUIENESS Factory! (Anyone visiting Dublin, I would definitely recommend it. It was very cool!) On our way to the factory, we decided to stop in one of the churches and check it out. The church was a memorable experience – it wasn’t one of the more famous ones in Dublin, but it was still absolutely breathe taking.

There, we actually spent about an hour discussing an array of topics, from religion to the meaning of life and even purpose. I can’t say that I now have it all figured out, but it was a worthwhile experience to question and explore those ideas with people who have different views than you.  I love that the people I was with were able to accept and respect that everyone has different views. Rather than arguing and creating a rebottle, we were able to listen and respond.  (It makes me sad that it’s impossible for so many people to do that. If we all just listened a little more and respected one another’s differences, I really believe the world could be a much better place. (It’s also interesting that these two common ideas: listening and giving respect, can be so complex and so difficult to master, especially because we preach the necessity of the two to young children.))

After leaving the church, we FINALLY made it to the GUINESS factory.  There we were able to visit the museum that explained how Guinness is actually made (I never realized it was such a complex scientific craft, I guess I should’ve watched Breaking Bad;) learned to drink the beer (it really does a have a different taste when you drink it properly – much better I must admit;) learned to pour the beer, and then finally enjoy our beer from the top floor of the factory at the Gravity Bar. Honestly, I can’t even name my favorite part of the factory. The whole experience was awesome!

At this point, we had been out all day on our feet exploring the city. After grabbing a quick bite to eat, we headed back to the hostel.  Check back tomorrow to hear about day 3!

Love and miss you all,

Xoxo

K

Dubl🍀🍀n

Check out my blog Monday for a great review of my trip to Dublin!