This post is just a series of photos with little snippets of commentary because I'm in full packing mode. Let's not even talk about how bummed I am to be leaving. Or how much of a disaster zone the upstairs bedroom in Boulot/Lefevre house has become due to my packing. So instead, let's talk about my most recent trip with my Mom and Aunt Barbara. Here's a photo montage of our trip:
Day 1- Dublin:
First stop: St. Stephen's Green.
Mom with all the flowers, and I'm on the bridge from the movie "Leap Year."
Second stop: Guinness Factory Tour.
This is well worth the price if you are ever in Dublin...we learned all about the making of this Irish beer!
Of course, part of the tour is the tasting session...
I sipped on mine, not being a huge fan of Guinness. Mom clearly liked it.
Third stop: Christ's Church.
This is the oldest church in Dublin dating back to the 11th century. I thought the floor was really pretty.
We ate lunch in the crypt of the church.
These were some of our lunch buddies. Not creepy at all, right?
Fourth stop: Trinity College Dublin.
Isn't it crazy to think that I almost went here instead of doing the France program? While that program would have been interesting, this year in France has been an irreplaceable experience.
Day 2- Dublin to Killarney.
Upon our arrival in Killarney, we took a "jaunty car" ride into the Killarney National Park.
Apparently, Aunt Barbara isn't a big fan of horses.
Us in the Jaunty Car, and us with Paddy the horse.
Next stop: Ross Castle
They are so related.
First stop: Inch beach, which is essentially one long dune in the middle of Dingle Bay.
Second stop: the countryside.
These fields are known as "patchwork fields" since it resembles a patchwork quilt.
Mom with the Irish walls typical of that region.
Third stop: a view of the Blasket Islands.
Mom and I with the Blasket Islands behind us.
Fourth Stop: Beehive church.
This "beehive church" probably from the 7th or 8th century with the burial grounds next to it.
Fifth stop: Dingle.
Pretty boats and working boats.
Last stop: Murphy's pub.
We returned to our hotel/pub to do what the Irish do at night- have a drink and listen to music.
The Irish Band!
Day 4- Ring of Kerry tour:
First stop: view of the coastline.
The three travelers.
Second stop: to see a shepherd, his sheep, and his sheep dog.
Third stop: lunch
This is one of the views from around where we stopped for lunch.
It looks like a post card!
Mom ordered an Irish Coffee, and I tried some.
Day 5- Biking the Gap of Dunloe:
Aunt Barbara's bold fashion statement on the left. Us eating jelly beans on the right.
Riding towards the Gap of Dunloe.
Jay, our guide, and Aunt Barbara...the more "professional" riders of the group.
Mom with a waterfall we saw along the way.
First stop: to get coffee in a seaside town in Northern Ireland.
Interestingly, we had a "bomb scare" on the way up to Northern Ireland so we had to get off our train and board a bus to get us the rest of the way to Belfast. Exciting stuff.
Second stop: Castle ruins!
Third stop: lunch.
We ate lunch at a famous distillery, but it smelled funky.
Fourth stop: Giant's Causeway.
Finn MacCool is the Giant in Irish folklore who build the Giant's Causeway to go battle a Scottish Giant.
The three travelers climbing around on Giant's Causeway.
Walking around on Giant's Causeway.
Isn't this cool?
Sisterly bonding.
If you were wondering, we are pillars.
Mommy/Daughter picture on Giant's Causeway.
Fifth stop: The Carrick-a-rede rope bridge.
We all know how I feel about heights. Especially those that move in the wind.
Mom crossing like champ.
Looking back towards the coastline from the little Island.
Aunt Barbara and I crossing back. I like how we both have a freaked out expression on our faces.
Day 7- Hiking the Wicklow Mountains:
View of the lakes and the mountains.
Look how green it is! Just like I always imagined.
Mom and I trail blazing the way.
Me with one of the lakes.
Although she looks wildly unexcited, she really loves this plant (pronounced "gorse").
Mom and I on top of a mountain.
Eating in the wilderness with quite a view.
Walking along the edge of the mountain. No warm and fuzzy feeling there.
At the bottom of the mountain again, along the lake.
Monastic ruins.
And that about sums it up! It was quite a fun trip, and it was a great way to end my current stint abroad.
This blog post is the last that I'll write since I am leaving Issoudun tomorrow (the 9th) and flying back to the U.S. on Thursday (the 10th). If you have actually made it to the bottom of this extensively long post, and if you have been keeping up with my blogs through the year, I'd like to thank you- as I've said before, it makes it so much better to write knowing that people are reading my blog. I have greatly enjoyed my time abroad and I know that I will miss it, but all good things must come to an end, right?
So, as always, keep in touch. And now that I'm returning to the US, I'll have a phone and be in Eastern Standard Timezone, so it will be much easier to do so!
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