Last year I took a trip with my dad to China, where his family is from, so I thought it would be nice to take a trip with my mom to Ireland, where some of her family is from - her mom's father's family, specifically.
Our trip was pretty short - we only had four full days in Ireland, but we definitely packed a lot in. We had a hotel in Dublin, but we trekked out west for a couple days to see the beautiful coast and countryside. But Dublin was fantastic in its own right. I'll definitely have to stay longer next time, I feel like this trip was only a little appetizer!
Wandering around Dublin our first day - here I am at St. Stephen's Green - my very own park! It was raining and I didn't take my proper camera with me, so these cell phone pictures will have to do.
Trinity College - beautiful!
The Grand Canal, right near our hotel - and my first Dublin Guinness, straight from the Guinness Storehouse!
Day 2 - a visit to St. Patrick's Cathedral
Super cool (and super old) architecture inside.
Next stop was Kilmainham Gaol, and very historical prison in Dublin. The cells housed some of the most influential figures in Irish history. If these walls could talk!
The main hall at Kilmainham Gaol - reminded me of The Shawshank Redemption.
That evening we strolled up to the Temple Bar, which was THE happening place for nightlife in Dublin. So happening in fact, that we decided to find a less crowded pub for a nightcap and some Irish music. Although we did meet a rather boisterous lad with a half-full bottle of wine that insisted we take his picture. He seemed like he was having a good night!
Day 3 - We made our way out of Dublin and into the countryside, Clonmacnoise was our first stop. It's a very old (544 AD old) monastery with all sorts of ruins, graves, and crosses. I'm not even religious, and I thought it was super cool!
On our way to the Cliffs of Moher, we stopped just to take in the views. Great panoramic landscapes, and of course, our trusty little Renault rental.
The Cliffs of Moher - and mother dearest!
Didn't want to get too close to the edge for this one...
Day 4 - our last full day in Ireland. As we left our little inn to find a spot that was open for breakfast, we came upon this rocky beach and could not let it go unphotographed!
Trying to time the waves coming in with my exposure, I grabbed my gear just before it got covered in saltwater. I think it's a cool shot, but dang that was a risky move.
The main street of Miltown Malby, where we stayed overnight - such a cute little town!
On the recommendation of a local fella we met at breakfast in Kilkee, we took the road less traveled along the coastline, and boy am I glad we did. It was super windy and quite cold, but very much worth it nonetheless.
Peace out Ireland! Until next time :)