Guinness is Good for You

When I last left you, I was debating what to do with my week and a half holiday time, and if you have any significant level of intelligence, the title of this post should answer that question. But for my less beer-savvy readers: DUBLIN! My time here in London has been good, but full of schedules, budgets, and responsibilities. But my time in Ireland had none of that.

It was the travel feeling I was craving. When you wake up in the morning, and think, I could do anything today. When you're walking down the street with absolutely no objective, and the strange surroundings fill you with euphoric melancholy, and a longing for something you once had, but cannot remember. When you become genuine best friends with a stranger, but only for a night. When you stay up way past your bedtime singing songs with cute boys with guitars. But, most importantly, when you find that one moment, in the middle of everything or anything when the world around seems to stop, and you feel simultaneously like the most important and the least significant thing in the world. This is the feeling of traveling. This is the feeling I found in Dublin.

My arrival in Dublin, was not nearly as pleasant. After forgetting my sea-sickness pills at home, I faced a three and a half hour ferry ride across the rough sea from Whales to Ireland. Despite having a tax free shop on board that sold everything from Christmas ornaments, and tourist trinkets, to t-shirts, ties, and Rolex's, and of course booze, their shelf of medication did not include a single brand or option of travel-sickness drugs. That was a three and a half hours I was not keen to experience again, and despite having a week in Dublin, my first stop (after my nap in the hostel, of course) was a drug store to prepare myself for the ferry journey back.

My days in Dublin went much smoother. I met some fantastic new people, and even ran into some fantastic ones I already knew (One girl who stayed in the same flats/ apartment building as me in South Africa was staying in the same hostel!) I took a tour guided by some guy who will be appearing in an episode of  next season's Game of Thrones (Everyone in Ireland has auditioned for Game of Thrones, its a fact.) I toured the Guinness Storehouse and poured the perfect pint of Guinness (even though I struggled to drink it without making that "I smell a fart" face.) My exploring included Saint Patrick's Church, the tomb of the Saint Valentine, Trinity College, the Leprechaun Museum, O'Connell Street, and Temple Bar. I ate a full Irish breakfast, watched some Irish step dancing, (even tried some... on a stage... in front of people...) and most importantly PUB CRAWLS!!! And I learned that no matter how good for you Guinness is, the only way it tastes good is with a shot of black current.

St. Patrick's Church (Didn't go in because you had to pay. I refuse to pay to visit a church)

My tour group, led by GOT actor in light blue t-shirt and including new friends Sumi from Australia (to my right) Giulia from Italy (right of tour guide) and Elsebee from South Africa (in the front throwing up deuces)

Giving it a go at step dancing, because nobody else volunteered.

The "tomb" of Saint Valentine.