Ireland

Ah the land of green. It is so beautiful here. The next remarkable thing is how friendly the people are. The pubs are fun and the food is surprisingly good. It is wet with all the rain but I did have a few days of sunshine. My Aunt and I flew to Dublin and then took trains and buses to the countryside. It worked out pretty well and we didn't have to drive on the other side of the road. Here are the highlights of my time here. Unfortunately I don't have pictures yet because my camera battery died and I have to wait until I arrive in France tomorrow to recharge it.

Dublin
Nice city to walk around. We toured Dublin Castle, Trinity College and the Book of Kells, the Guinness Brewery, and the greens. We also took a day tour to Powerscourt Gardens and Glendalough. We also soaked in the pub music and atmosphere a couple nights, nothing wild though.

Kilkenny
We stopped here to visit the Castle and the Design Center. The Castle is beautifully restored and it is a nice town to walk around.

Waterford
We spent the night here and met some friends of my Aunt's friend. They were so nice to take us out for dinner and it was fantastic to talk to them. I learned so much about what it is like to live in Ireland.

Cork
We stayed here two nights, mostly because it was convenient for day trips to Blarney and Kinsale, but the town is alright. The market is nice and the college campus is picturesque.

Blarney
The castle is a bit overrated but the grounds are nice. No I didn't kiss the stone that thousands of other people have slobbered on. The Woolen Mills is very touristy indeed. The Avoca place near Dublin is better because you can see the weavers working and the food in the cafe is delicious.

Kinsale
Beautiful. We took a historic walking tour and then walked out the fort. The scenery, atmosphere and food here are all spectacular. No wonder my Mom and Dad liked their trip to Ireland so much. They stayed in Kinsale for a week.

An Daingan
Otherwise known as Dingle. We just took the bus to the town and walked around due to lack of time. It is rugged in the west and much wetter. It was pretty though.

Ennis
They deserve the tidiest town award. It is a quaint place with some great pubs.

Galway
Not much to say about the city other than it is wet. I took a tour to the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher today. It was great except for the torrential downpour on a walk through some pastures that left my feet wet all afternoon. The coast is rugged here as well.

I am leaving tomorrow for Paris. Overall I have enjoyed my time in Ireland and I'm glad that I came. I recommend it for anyone. I'll try to post my pictures once I get my camera recharged.

Austin, Michigan and I'm Off!

Austin: What a blast! Ali and Max had the best wedding weekend. Jodi, Adam and I had so much fun hanging out with you and all your friends. Austin is a neat city with a lot going on. I loved the Tex-mex food but not the heat. Jodi has many great pictures on her blog so I'll let you check them out there.
www.jodipicatti.com

Michigan: I've been at my Grandma's house near Ann Arbor for the past few days...relaxing and walking around the farm. It's nice to see all my relatives again. My Grandma is 93 and still cooking and going shopping and whatever else she feels like. She is amazing. My Dad is here too, to take care of the farm, mostly the animals, while my Aunt Cindi and I are in Ireland. Speaking of which, our flight leaves in a few hours. I'm off!