Take Me Back to Where the Hills Roll Green

One year ago today, my brother and I were traipsing around Ireland.  

We were standing over the tallest cliffs we'd ever been to, and marveling at how incredible it all looked.  A man was standing amidst the tourists, playing the flute for whoever would listen, and I felt like I was on top of the world.  I was seeing just how green the earth can be, and pinching myself to make sure it wasn't all a dream.

Today, I am suffering withdraw.  If I'm being completely honest, I've been suffering withdraw since Sunday morning, when I realized that it had been a year since I left for Ireland.  

So I hope you'll understand if I just scatter a few pictures here from what I was doing a year ago...

<3

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The Fourth Day: Tour to Cork

And by Tour to Cork, what I really mean is Blarney Castle, because that was the main attraction of the day, although we also visited the graveyard where a tomb for the Lusitania and its victims is held, Queenstown, and a couple of other small stops along the way.

We started our trip at about 5:30am, leaving our hotel in Dublin 4 to make our way to Dublin 7, where Heuston Station (our meeting point) resides.  

Of course...there was a stop for tea on the way, a drink which I learned to love while in Ireland. While in America, the masses crave coffee early in the mornings, Ireland stops for a cup of tea with milk before work in the mornings...and, for that matter, throughout the day.

And so, I joined them.  After all, when in Ireland...

 All my life, I expected Ireland to be this enormous, green expanse of absolute beauty.

And trust me, the country delivered.

My brother may have wanted to scream at points because of it, but throughout the week, I was constantly photographing flowers and grass and trees and fields.

 Blarney Castle in the distance.

At this point, it started misting, but by the time we made it to the castle 10 minutes or so later, the rain had stopped, and the skys cleared.

At the front of the castle was a relatively small area where people had signed the walls.  We looked, but couldn't find any white paint or markers to sign our own names.  

So I settled for taking pictures.

 The watchtower which apparently surrounded the entirety of the castle at one point.

 The view from a window inside the castle

 H. Smith.  - the first name ever signed to the castle walls.

 For the greater part of our climb to the top of the castle, I was to struck by terror to take as many pictures as I normally would have.  This was at the top of the castle though, where we waited to kiss the stone.

 And now, we have the Gift of Gab.

Can you tell?  Aren't I more eloquent than I was pre-Ireland.

 Badger's Cave

 Lunch in the town where Blarney Castle was.

 ...and our friend, the snail

 In Queenstown, the type of houses that Toblerone bars are named after.

...made me hungry for some chocolate!

 This small town was the last port of call before the Titanic set sail for America.

 A "small" church in Queenstown.  According to our tour guide, what can be considered a large church in America is the size of a small-town church in Ireland.  

Ater seeing this, I believe him.

While exploring the church, Corey and I (and a few others from our tour) almost missed the bus because we got so consumed taking photos of the inside.

Angel of Death statue given by America to Ireland after the sinking of the Lusitania.

 If ever I was to find a Leprechaun, it would be at the end of an Irish rainbow...

 a pub back in Dublin

<3

The Third Day: Cruise the River Liffey

The gods of out-of-country tours decided to reward us on our third day in Ireland, figuring that being up at 4:30 the previous day warranted a day of sleeping in.  

So, on Tuesday we had a tour of the River Liffey planned.  The tour was only 45 minutes, and left every hour on the hour.  So we decided to sleep in a bit, and go at 11am.

The boat was an entirely enclosed vessel...it did not for good pictures make.  

I did get a few good ones though. And then, for the first time since I can't remember when, I just sat back and enjoyed the tour without a camera lens to my eye.
And after the tour, brother and I went on our own little walking tour of the path alongside the Liffey.  (because I can only go so long without photographing all the beauty around me)

And now, I bring you an abridged Ireland history lesson.

The seagulls were all over Dublin.  And while on our first day, brother and I couldn't understand why, by the time we took this tour we understood.  They came for the River that all of Dublin is built around and upon.

 According to our tour guide, the O2 is the big stadium in Dublin - it's where concerts take place, comedians bring laughter to the masses, and politicians greet their people.

 This is part of the Famine Memorial in Dublin.  We could see it from the boat, but I needed a closer look to get any kind of pictures.

 Apparently, Ireland lost 2million citizens to the famine - 1 million to death, and another million to immigration.

 Remember the tale of the troll under the bridge? 

I didn't, but apparently Dublin does.

Every so often along the Liffey, there's another bridge allowing people and cars to cross.

This bridge was built to look like a harp - the country's national symbol.

 During the famine, this boat when back and forth 14 times transporting immigrants.

It was the only ship that, in all its trips, never had a single casualty.

 My first experience with crepes :)

I ordered the lemon and sugar one.

(the jury is still out on how I feel about it)

<3