Ireland! Part 2!

Before I write anything! If you have not read the last post I published about Ireland, look to your right (on the side bar) and read that one first! That way you are all caught up  

NOW. We shall continue with our adventures in the Emerald Isle on Thursday!!!

We got up super duper early, got ready, packed the bags, had some grub, and then we left to be there when Dublinia opened so we could be the first in, and hopefully out! Since we had to fit in everything as we were leaving Dublin that afternoon. So, we went to Dublinia, which is a museum that explains the Viking and Medieval times in Dublin. It was really cool and fun inside, as it was rather interactive. And me, being the child at heart that I am, just had a hay day.  

Why hello there my knight (or Viking) in shining armor. . . . . . .  

For all those (maybe broken) D’s. . . . . . .

I shall protect you. Just le me get a smaller helmet so I could actually maybe see something. . .

At your service!

Next, we headed over to Christ Church Cathedral, one of the oldest in Dublin. It was WAY more impressive than St. Patrick’s. But the coolest part was definitely the crypt. .

As there was a mummified cat and mouse! They say that they are the original Tom and Jerry. They were found in an organ pipe, and it is said that the cat was chasing the mouse. Or the other way around. . . .  

Part of the church.

We then headed to the Book of Kells on Trinity College campus. We walked around the campus for a bit, and then we went into the library, where the books are held. It was so so cool to see them! I mean, the detail is just amazing on them! No photos were allowed though. Sorry! But really very cool to see!

After that, we went to this house, called Number 29, which is a restored house set up like it was back in the 1850’s! Then, Becky and I literally walked across Dublin back to our hostel, since there were no buses, and dang, I have never walked so fast. I was so nervous that we were going to miss our train, so the last little bit, I ran back to the hostel. Haha. In the end, we ended up having 10 minutes to burn, once we picked up our bags, made it to the tram, and then got to the train station. We then hopped on the ridiculously expensive train for Cork! Cork is called the “tropics” of Ireland, and is down on the southeast corner. Once there, we wandered through the town in an attempt to find the bus station. We then proceeded to get on the Irish version of Greyhound (don’t worry, it was no where near as sketch as Greyhound) and we took a 2 hour bus to our castle!

When we were planning this trip, we said that we had to stay 1 night in an Irish castle. So, we found this one, saw that it was in Cork and booked it. Then, Wednesday, when we were looking up directions, we realized it was in Cork County, which is basically the whole southern part of Ireland, and not in Cork. So, hence the need to take the 2 hour Bus Ireien across the country. Haha. But it’s the experience! It was actually a really beautiful ride!

At the start of our bus journey!

And then, we arrived at our castle!!! Check out this room! Those windows look out over the Irish Sea. So legit. 4 poster bed, old furniture, and the lady who owns the castle, was bringing us tea and serving us food. I could so get used to this. I truly felt like a princess for the day!

SILK SHEETS! THERE WERE SILK SHEETS! Yes. Yes. Yes. I was in heaven. Ah.

Our bedroom is the one up on the 3rd level of that tower. This was the castle. It was so cool all throughout the inside, because it looked just like a castle back in the day! Ah. I LOVED it. This needs to go on everyone’s bucket lists.

After we ran around the room screaming and calmed down, we headed out for a nice little stroll in the Irish countryside!

Our castle!

Beautiful life.

The coast!

We woke up bright and early the next morning to this amazing sunlight! Getting out of the amazing bed with silk sheets was rather difficult, but we managed. We then had an Irish breakfast, served to us in the banquet hall, and after stuffing our faces (with some class of course) we headed to the bus! Haha. Our fancy getaway ends with the Greyhound bus back. Classy. So we headed back to Cork, 2 hours on the bus, and once there, we got on another bus for Blarney!

At Blarney Castle!

At the top of this castle is the legendary Blarney Stone! You have to hike up these really scary and narrow steps to get up there! But you can go anywhere in the castle! So we went and discovered!

Climbing through the dungeons of the castle! It was a little bit of a low ceiling. . . .

In the “Family room”

The “Banquet Hall”.

So, once we got to the top of the castle, we went over to the Stone. Now, I had no idea what kissing the Stone entailed. I thought it was just some rock that you kissed. Not lay down, grab some little  bars, slid down upside down and kiss it.

As we were waiting in line, panic broke out. I was flipping out. I mean, this is a big deal if you are scared of heights. But I knew I had to do it because otherwise, I would regret it. So, I sucked it up and layed down. I begged grandpa (as we shall call that sweet old man who didn’t let me die) to not let me die and then attempted to grab that bar with my sweaty hands. My heart was racing. Haha. It was intense.

So, basically you have to lean back and scoot yourself down to the stone. Meanwhile, you are hanging out over a 5 feet gap that drops down 7 stories. Not scary or anything. . . . But alas!

I KISSED THE BLARNEY STONE!!!

And I shall now have the gift of eloquence.  

Becky kissing the Stone!

This is the point where I was able to calm down and stop shaking with fear. Haha. Survivor!

Becky and I after kissing the stone!

Love it. The signs that they had around the castle were great.  

We had some time to burn, so we climbed a tree!

And to finish off, we went to the Blarney House. People still live in it today, but it is open to the public for a few hours each day in the summer. So we went in! It was AMAZING. I am in the current process of devising a plan so I can somehow inherit this house. I mean, wow. Talk about a nice house. Once I move in, I’ll fly you all out for a nice Irish/American Thanksgiving feast.  

After we finished touring the house and walked around the gardens, we headed back to Cork, where we had some Subway (YUM) and then took yet another Greyhound bus across Ireland. This time, it was 4 hours long up the coast, to the harbor where we would catch the ferry that I am currently on! We stayed the night in this adorable bed and breakfast, and then the owner drove us to the docks, so we wouldn’t have to worry about buses and all. Irish people are SO NICE! I seriously love that country. So, as I write this, I am on a boat. On the Irish Sea. Headed to England. Hope you all have a fantastic weekend and I will update you all soon!

Love Always, Laura

P.S. IN 1 WEEK FROM TODAY, MOM, DAD, AND BECCA WILL BE IN SWITZERLAND!!!!