Its Halloween and it is so strange not being in the states. I’m on a study week break from classes which have been going on about a month and I’ve only had one assignment due! It is so odd not having constant homework but I am enjoying the free time. Since I wrote last, I went to the National Museum of Ireland- Archaeology Museum for my early Irish heritage class and loved it! There were so many fascinating artifacts that were far older than much of American history, which was an interesting thing to keep in mind while browsing. As an anthropology major who hasn’t picked a sub-field yet, this museum has me seriously considering archaeology as a career path. On top of being amazing and free, this museum is located in downtown Dublin, my favorite place to be. Dublin is so vibrant and full of these colorful street lights that shine in the nearly constant rain fall, almost making the rain more bearable.
I started my study week in Dublin with my parents and we are headed there now, in the car that my poor father is driving on the left side of the road, to finish the trip. After doing dinner in Dublin and a good night’s sleep, we headed to the coastal city of Bray to do the 5-kilometer cliff walk to an adjacent city, Greystones. The walk was long and a little muddier from when I had done it last (the first weekend after orientation) as autumn has taken over in the past few weeks and it is always rainy here. Luckily the sun was out and we had a beautiful walk to my absolute favorite restaurant, Las Tapas, for seafood paella and whatever else sounded good that day. From Greystones, we took on the back roads of rural Cork. The city center was packed for Bank holiday and we did lots of walking around the shops! My father lost his mind without WiFi and a TV, causing an impromptu stay the Bunratty Castle Hotel where we also did a traditional banquet dinner. Delicious. Next, we hit the road for Galway, stopping at and hiking the famous Cliffs of Moher before enjoying a dinner and night stroll in the city before deciding to change course once again.
I had hoped to take my parents to the Aran Islands as I had done with my friends, but due to rain, we thought it would be better to back track and head toward Cork and the Blarney Castle. Because it wasn’t a particularly sunny day, we pretty much had the entirety of the grounds and castle to ourselves. After a long and very treacherous ascent up the very old stone steps of the narrow, spiral staircases, my mother and I were able to kiss the Blarney Stone in the tradition of acquiring good luck. It was terrifying laying back over the opening and I don’t know that I would be able to do it again, although I would like to go with my friends at some point. Now we’re on the road back to Dublin, celebrating Halloween with a ghost bus tour and a night on the town before heading to the Clontarf Castle Hotel tomorrow and a pagan festival at one of the oldest cities in Ireland before my parents fly home on Saturday. I’ll miss them but I will be home in like a month and a half so I think we’ll all be fine.
Once back at school, I have a few assignments due on Thursday and lots of laundry to do, so I am trying to soak up every last bit of relaxation while I can.