Where do I begin? Where did I leave off? So much has happened already.
Since my last post, I have left London. The last days in London were the best. We saw so much and were able to go back to some of our favorite places. Both Maggie and I fell in love with two places: Tea Pod and Serpentine. The Tea Pod was a quaint tea house near Tower Bridge, tucked away behind Butler’s Wharf. It was an gem, undiscovered by the many tourists who swarm London every day. The second, Serpentine, was a Kitchen and café along a pond in Hyde Park! What attracted us to it was its appealing atmosphere. Inside was full of warm colors, where couches and wooden tables were a warm invitation to sit down. The menu itself included coffee and a variety of teas served in pots! The food ranged from fresh fruits and pastries to smoked duck salad with figs, strawberries and gooseberries, which I ordered, which I’d recommend to anyone who might have the privilege of visiting Serpentine on their next trip to London!
Our last day in London was my favorite--I think it was because by that time I had already had a better, more general idea of London. We visited a beautiful church--a whole in the wall sanctuary--that had a beautiful Mass! Beforehand we had stopped quickly at store to grab some fruit, cheese and wine for a picnic after! We found St. Henry’s Square not far from the Church where we sat on a bench underneath the sun and enjoyed our cheese, fruit, and wine! It was delightful. On our way back to the Tea Pod, we traveled by foot, as we did everywhere throughout London with a few exceptions, to St. Paul’s Cathedral on towards Somerset House. Housed here was Courtauld Gallery! The collection in this Gallery was quite extensive. Some of my favorites were Seurat, Monet, Manet, Renoir, and Degas!!! I enjoyed this so much--as I have such an appreciation for art. We crossed Waterloo bridge to Gabriel’s Wharf, which was full people eating good food and shopping at the many vendors. It was extra crowed because it was a Sunday. Maggie and I stopped for Pimm’s and Lemonade to drink while we were walking!
I’m amazed at how much we walked! We decided to walk everywhere so that we could see more (and save money)! We must have walked miles and miles a day! I’m glad we did, even though our feet felt it each night.
Early Monday morning, Maggie and I made our way out of Kings Cross YHA hostel to Euston station! Our next destination: Dublin! I’m so glad that we decided to travel by train and ferry to Dublin, because the scenery on the way was so worth it. The entire train ride was fully of beautiful English country--full of rolling hills and farmland. Some of the English farmhouses had so much character. Sheep and cows freckled the lush, green pastures!! It was breathtaking. Arriving at Holyhead port, we were greeted by a biting breeze and cool mist. I knew we were near the Irish Sea--I could feel and smell it! I was so excited to finally see Ireland--I think even more so that I was to see England! The bus drove us onto the ferry. Upon entering the ferry, we were surprised to see carpet and leather seating. It was humongous--like a cruise ship! We definitely enjoyed our journey across the Irish Sea, although Maggie felt a little of sea sickness! Surprisingly, I didn’t.
Traveling on the bus from the port to the heart of Dublin, I was surprised at the differences between London and Dublin. Dublin isn’t as clean as London. Maybe it had something to do with the cloudy weather, but Dublin seemed more grey. The buildings were more grey--they weren’t embellished with lovely flowers as were most of London buildings. Dublin is definitely not as large as London is, so getting around is a lot easier. We arrived at our hostel about five minutes later: Paddy’s Palace. It was a couple of steps down from our clean, chic hostel in London. As I climbed down the stairs into the basement-like area where our room was, I knew that it was going to be a different experience from London--a more authentic hostel experience. We have a ten person female room. There are five bunks and the bathroom is down the hall. The bathroom has two stalls, two sinks and one very small shower. I’m not going to lie, it’s not them most sanitary place, but I’m a traveler--I must live with flexibility and be open to taking every experience as a learning experience. I’m really working on being more free-spirited!
We didn’t waste any time. We dropped our luggage off in our room and headed out to find a pub! By this time it was getting dark and raining! We were prepared with our umbrellas! We happened upon “The Celt”! From the outside it looks like a little whole in the wall. We thought we’d give it a shot. We went it and were pleasantly surprised. The night proved to be an authentic Irish experience--we listened to authentic Irish music, at authentic Irish food, and Maggie drank authentic Irish Guinness--and our drinks were FREE! After our first drink, we tried paying and the bar tender said that we should have another--it was on the house! So we did! I’m liking Dublin A LOT so far! If every pub experience is like this, we’re going to have a cheap stay here in Dublin!!!
It was so fun because Maggie and I were able to converse about our journey so far. We both agreed we’ve learned so much already. Having this opportunity at the time it came out has proven to be perfect! I think it has been helpful having traveled before--I have been able to grow in different ways and see things in a more mature light. One thing we both realized, is that Europeans thus far--at last the English and the Irish--have a deeper appreciation for life. They love conversation--good conversation! They love to enjoy walks in the park, tea with friends, and a pint at the pub. They’re so friendly and approachable! Even if they were to just meet you for one night and know they’d never see you again, they’d devote just as much time getting to know you!
Today, Maggie and I awoke early to get a start to our day. We decided we would see the majority of Dublin--or what we wanted to see of Dublin--today! It is definitely do-able in one day, especially since we’ve been used to walking so much already in London. We started off with Trinity College, then St. Stpehen’s Green where, again, the park proved to be a truly enjoyable experience--swans, ducks, and pigeons. I just wish I had some bread to feed them! We stopped by Cleo’s--a wool store full of lovely sheep wool sweaters and scarves! Next we went to St. Patrick’s Cathedral--a breathtaking sight, although the inside wasn’t worth going to see and not worth paying five euros for.
Next, Guinness Storehouse! What an experience! I enjoyed learning how Guinness is processed and brewed--quite an extensive process. You’d be surprised at how much goes into a making the much loved Irish beer. It tastes SO much better than an Guinness in America--it doesn’t travel well. You haven’t tasted Guinness until you’ve tasted authentic Irish Guinness. We got to pour our own pint--my favorite part!
We headed to Dublin castle! What a beautiful building so full of history. We strolled the streets, window-shopped, and stopped inside shops and café’s that looked fun! The Temple Bar area was one of my favorites--so many cute café’s, bars, and shop! We even stopped at Moore Street Market where we bought a fresh English apple to snack on!
I’m enjoying my traveling experiences so far. I’ve already learned so much--it’s overwhelming. I’m trying to be open to mingling with the locals. Traveling, in a sense, asks you to step outside what you know--your comfort zone--to experience others. By learning about how others live, you learn a lot about yourself. I hope to grow to be more open minded and free spirited! I want to live like them--I want to enjoy good conversation and enjoy life!
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