Left to Our Own Devices

So one thing we took away from the Jury's Inn was a heavy distrust in wake-up calls. My roommate Lily and I were relying on a wake-up call for 7:30am so that we could make our 8:30am bus departure to Glasgow. This, however, did not happen. We woke up at 8:35am, petrified at the time, and rushed downstairs as quickly as possible to find the group had left us. So, we were left in what some would deem a predicament and what I would deem an adventure.

We had Dublin to ourselves for the day and loved every second. We hit the National Art Galley, the National Library with texts from the 1100's and even ancient love letters, the National Museum for a second round and Dublin Castle. Dublin Castle is just surreal, with its raised ceilings, stunning chandeliers and remnants of a lifetime straight from medieval texts. We strolled through the beautifully kept parks and took photos of everything from the tulips to the gorgeous grandparent-grandchild pairs throughout the park. We thought a luncheon at Trinity College would give us the best experience and were shocked to find that they serve beer in their dining halls! After lunch, we went for a stroll around campus and were stopped by a group of guys drinking beer in the middle of the cricket field. They thought we were Irish and for the second time in the day, Lily and I felt like locals. This soon changed when the gorgeous weather we had been experiencing changed to what we had been expecting: cold, hard rain. Then we certainly looked like outsiders in clothes not meant for such weather and expressions that betrayed our thoughts.

After doing some homework (surprised?), we headed to The Temple Bar for the most amazing night yet. The traditional Irish music was the best background to a night of new friends and pure excitement and love for the Irish culture. We danced through the night, sang our hearts out and made friends with everyone around us, old and young. The night continued on at Fitzsimmons, an even more traditional Irish bar and one we deemed our group favorite. So sad to leave this place!