Originally at: https://nivedita1220.wordpress.com/2017/08/16/ireland/
Caveat: You can see the pictures using the given links even if you don’t have an account on Facebook.
Amidst the vivacious music, radiant culture, breathtaking landscapes, and amazingly warm people, I lived a journey in Ireland that I will always look back to when I need to believe in life! Ireland gave me what I had been craving for ever since I was born – motivation & space to be myself! As I roamed around the streets of Ireland, I saw that one can be highly humble, passionate, and sincere at one’s work, and still have fun. I saw that one need not be filthy rich to have a good standard of life. I noticed that the street-side artists can be more passionate, talented, and fun than many well-established artists in similar areas! I realized that music is more than just an art form, it can be a chord that connects an entire nation together, intimately. I saw how coming together to celebrate in pure joy can heal and resurrect your soul! I saw in Ireland what I had thought of to be only an ideal – a tribe knit closely with love, joy, celebration, andawesomeness!
I always fancied visiting Ireland, maybe it was something about their coffee, music, or men! Ever since I saw Gerard Butler in ‘P.S. I Love You’, I had to visit Ireland and witness the well known ‘Irish Vibe’! Well, I did, and I couldn’t be more smitten by it! ❤
I can go on and on about the places I visited, the people I met and the things I saw, but I believe it would be a longer-than-necessary blog post then. So I’m just briefly mentioning my itinerary in Ireland and giving a gist of what I felt there. ????
Day 1 @ Ireland:
I landed in Dublin, and after a long wait at the immigration finally got to meet my cousin & his wife! Best Part of the day! However, when the wind hit me, I was morally crushed! I wasn’t prepared for that kind for cold-summer! I gathered all the courage I could, layered myself with clothes and forgot about the weather as soon as I stepped into the cute double deck bus. Right in front of me sat a couple who seemed to be madly in love ;). The first look of Ireland was calm, green, and laid-back. I loved it instantly! We reached City Center in 35-40 minutes. We deposited my luggage in Ned Kelly Sports Club & Casino. Right, a casino that opens at around 11:00 am, has luggage storage facility, and offers free juice, coffee, & cookies! After winning 10 euros in Roulette there and after having a delicious brunch (Pancakes with Maple Syrup & Irish Coffee) at River Bar, I visited Malahide, Bray, Killiney, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin City Center, Temple Street, Temple Bar, & Ha’Penny Bridge.
Day 2 @ Northern Ireland
Pictures: https://www.facebook.com/nivedita.tiwari.988/posts/1574443195913648
Went to Dark Hedges (featured in GOT as The Kingsroad), Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge, Giant’s Causeway, Dunluce Castle, Titanic Museum, Belfast, Peace Wall. Came back to Dublin City Centre, had a heavenly nutella crepe at Gino’s, & watched salsa at River Bar Salsa Classes.
Day 3 @ Dublin
Pictures: https://www.facebook.com/nivedita.tiwari.988/posts/1581768048514496
After two days of continuous hopping, I decided to take the third day relatively slowly. I bought a Lyca mobile sim for Ireland. I walked the streets of Dublin, totally smitten by its life, passed through the Fitzwilliam square and reached St. Stephen’s Green. After clicking hundreds of pictures of the various colored lilacs, swans, pigeons, and swimming dog, I reached the end of the park and saw the beautiful Dublin Unitarian church. I walked up to the Little Museum of Dublin & really enjoyed having a sneak peek at Dublin’s history in the literally little museum! I decided to go back to the St. Stephen’s green and sit for a while. While I sat there, I observed the passers by. Kids with their nannies, college students in groups, office going people who were there for a quick lunch break, couples, and tourists. I couldn’t help but write a journal entry there! I moved on to Trinity College. In the evening, I met my cousin in city center where we shopped a bit. We decided to have dinner at Langkawi Malaysian (we are crazy :D) and we ended up loving it!
Day 4 @ Galway ❤
This is the day I shall talk most about in my life because this was the day I met the bravest version of myself! We had planned to rent a car to drive to Galway from Dublin. We walked up to the rental and I loved watching the life around me. Kids going to school, handsome men dressed in suits walking to work, smart women walking in high heels and sipping coffee on their way to work, some people jogging, some walking their adorable dogs, and some tourists (like myself). We took the car and started to enter the countryside, leaving behind the city. I was in awe. I loved the countryside. It was all I ever dream of – peaceful life, a lot of space to live and breathe in, amazing standard of living, and visible contentment on people’s faces. After we hit the highway, I had this inexplicable desire to drive! To my surprise, I asked my cousin and he agreed. Next thing I know, I am driving on Wild Atlantic Route, at the speed of 115 – 125 KMPH, overtaking other vehicles, singing, laughing, & living a dream! For anyone to understand why this meant so much to me, I should state that even though I know how to drive, I have never had the confidence to do so in India! We reached Cliffs of Moher and I was awestruck at the serenity and beauty of that place! To my surprise, my cousin had arranged for a cruise! The change of perspective of the cliffs that I got from the sea was spell-binding! On our way back, we had a flat tire on the highway. I changed the flat tire and to my relief, an Irish gentleman also stopped by to help! ❤ It was a day I covered the least number of sites, and the day I got to see more of myself than the external world. :-)
Day 5 @ Dublin:
My last day in Ireland was definitely an emotional one. Even then, I decided to cover maximum places I could to make the most of the day. This is the day I understood what the coming days of solo traveling would look like! I walked up to the National Museum of Archaeology, National Gallery of Ireland, Kilmainham Gaol, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Guiness Brewery, and lastly went for shopping at Penneys and at Carrol’s Irish Gifts. I actually got lost that day when I was trying to reach Kilmainham Gaol. And that’s when I plugged in my earphones, started the Rick Steves Audio guide, and listened to Ireland’s history while I walked towards the Gaol (45 minutes walk), which closed down the minute I reached there! ???? I learned a lot about problem-solving, and managing my emotions in times of crisis that day!
On Day 6, I left Dublin for Glasgow, Scotland. I was very emotional, since I had developed a very deep sense of affection for Ireland. But, I had to move on, and so I did. At the airport, I bought two souvenirs just for myself because I wanted to carry as much of Ireland with me as I could!
I don’t know when and how, but I will visit Ireland again. Until then, loads of Irish blessings for me and for all the Irish people! ❤