I am so glad I decided to come to Ireland, I love it here. The landscape is amazing. The weather has been gorgeous except for two days. I love the food, delicious soups and stews, I have missed good food. Everyone speaks English and the people are so nice, always smiling and looking you in the eyes, greeting you as you go by. The people were so polite and almost seemed shy, which is a nice change from Spain. I felt totally safe the whole time and there just was a sense of innocence about Ireland. The flight was fine and my friend Jessica and I arrived Friday around noon. The great thing is we gained an hour coming here. We got our rental car and I was assigned the job of navigator, which I have to say I am not qualified for here in Ireland. The roads aren´t marked very well and they have these roundabouts that are a bit complicated. Jessica was trying to just concentrate on staying on the correct side of the road. We had some scary moments when I would look up from the map and say ¨Jess you need to be on the other side¨, one time I actually grabbed the wheel and she said ¨Oh shit¨, and once we were safe we collapsed in giggles. Luckily no one was hurt, the poor locals are used to us tourists not driving that well. We went to Doolin for our first night and stayed at a great hostel there. Doolin is known as one of the best places in Ireland for live authentic Irish music. We went that night to hear some music and it was really good. I was pinching myself thinking I am in Ireland listening to the local music drinking Guinness this is the life! The pub got so packed and people were slamming the beer, it was pretty crazy. Jess and I split a big bowl of Irish stew, yummmmm! The next day Jess and I drove around and saw the amazing sights around Doolin. The Cliffs of Moher were so beautiful and a nice hike. There were lots of signs warning to not get too close to the edge of the cliffs as it was like a 2,500 feet drop off to the water below but there were people laying on their stomachs looking down over the edge, I got a pic but I was scared for the idiots. Jess had to leave Sun morning to go back to Barcelona, but I met some great people in the hostel and a group of us left Sunday to go to Dingle. On the bus ride to Dingle you have to transfer 3 times. Doolin to Ennis to Limerick, to Tralee and finally to Dingle. At the transfer at Tralee one of the guys Ben and I were inside the bus building chatting away as we had 45 min until the connecting bus left. We got caught up in our conversation and walked out to get our bus and found out we had just missed our bus. I really enjoyed hanging out with Ben he was really interesting and appealing. We laughed at our situation, and asked one of the workers when we could catch the next bus and found out there wasn't one until the following morning. I wasn't thrilled about staying in Tralee but I think Ben was excited to have me to himself and he said lets go look for a hotel. He had been camping out staying in his tent in Doolin so a hotel would be a step up for him. The worker at the bus station said Hold on I will see what I can do. He called the bus driver on the bus we had just missed, and had him pull over to wait for us, and drove us about 10 minutes to meet the bus. It was so amazing! I was shocked at the kindness of strangers in Ireland, not to mention he was really good looking!! That Irish accent is very sexy and their eyes have that twinkle that just looks like trouble. Of course most of them drink like fish so no wonder their eyes twinkle. I got in the front seat of the car and the driver and I chatted away as he was taking us to the bus, him telling me all about himself and Ireland while poor Ben and his tall frame of 6 2 was squished in the back seat. He asked us how long we were travelling in Ireland, I replied Oh no we aren´t together we just met at the hostel, I had to keep my options open, which is so silly as he probably had 10 kids at home as the Irish do tend to breed, it is not unusual to see a minimum of 4 kids with their parents. He was nice to look at and to talk to on the way to the bus anyway. When he let Ben and I off at the bus which was waiting for us I felt a little embarrased walking onto the bus as they had been held up and were just sitting on the side of the road because of us. As we got on the bus and were walking down the bus aisle one American woman said snottily ¨How did you ever get them to hold the bus for you?¨ and I smiled and flung my hair back, put my head close to her and said ¨Oh don´t tell anyone but we are celebrities.¨ Ben and I giggled to ourselves poking at each other as we took seats far in the back away from the others. I was so grateful and amazed how they went out of their ways for us. Ben said to me ¨That would never happen with Greyhound in America.¨
Dingle was an amazing small town and I went to hear the live music and drank with Ben and this other girl Lara that had been in Doolin with us. I became good friends with both of them, I love meeting people at hostels, they are both from the US. I went out on a boat to see the famous dolphin Fungie and he swam right next to the boat jumping into the air, it was amazing. I had sticky toffee pudding which has to be one of the best desserts ever!! There were so many nice people at the hostel, it was about a mile from town and we would walk back home after being at the pub and the stars were just amazing. Their are bunches of stories but it takes forever to type them out. I will try to type more about Dingle later as a lot happened and it is a great town.
Today I am in Killarney and the weather was gorgeous and so I decided to rent a bike and ride around the beautiful national park. I had a wonderful ride for about two hours it was so much fun to be on my own in such nice clean air and nature. I had just arrived at one of the castles I wanted to see and it started pouring down rain, just buckets and buckets. I waited for it to stop but it wasn't letting up and I was about 10 miles from town. I had been riding behind a nice Irish family on my way to the castle and they were waiting under the overhang with me and they had two small girls and they said they were getting a taxi back to town and asked if I would like to join them. I was so soaked and freezing and so I agreed and had the nicest conversation with them on the way back to the bike shop, they wouldn´t let me chip in for the taxi ride, their little girls were so sweet asking me lots of questions. I met two nice Aussie girls in Killarney and we went to hear the live toe tapping Irish music which I really like, as you are listening to the music 3 hours just flies by. I was so happy in Ireland but I was pretty cold wearing about 5 layers of clothes as I am used to Spains hotter weather. I like Guinness and Beamish and Bulmers which is a apple cider that is sneaks up on you like Sangria. I love the Irish people and will go back again, I could see myself living there sometime in my life. It actually reminded me a lot of Oregon and I am glad I went at the end of my trip as I wouldn´t have enjoyed it as much if I went right after leaving home.
I started typing this in Ireland but couldn´t get through it so right now I just got back to Spain and am exhausted but I did get a little nap which helped. I was too busy having fun to type it all out. I am moving out of my apt tomorrow and am going to stay with my friend Jess. My roommates and I are going to have a farewell dinner for me which will be nice. I am trying to Detox from the alcohol and heavy foods in Ireland so tonight is going to be low key. I have decided to go to Amsterdam on this coming Wed to the Sun before I come home! I just can´t resist, and one of the Aussie girls I met in Killarney is going to try and meet me over there. Flights are so cheap I want to take advantage of it, $60 round trip, who cares if I don´t get any sleep I can recover once I get home! = ) I have tons of pictures of all my new friends and the beautiful sights so I will put them out on my website when I get home, I can´t believe it is so close for me to come home!! I do look forward to seeing everyone but I think I may be infected with the travel bug.. I have met so many people that have had so many amazing adventures and there are so many places still yet to see. Hope everyone is doing well. XOXO Marci
