Kelsey's Travel Blog!
I travel not to escape life, but to be sure that life will not escape me! Come join me!
There is something incredibly inspiring and magical about Ireland and the Irish. I’m not sure if it is the storytelling, the natural musical abilities, the passion for their culture and their excitement in sharing it with others, or somehow a combination of all of them, but all I know is that Dublin, and Ireland as a whole, has truly inspired and excited me in ways that I have not felt since I hopped on my first transatlantic flight five years ago. Dublin, to put it in digestible terms, is where the fast-paced, vibrancy and attitude of the USA east coast meets the kind, hospitable, and open-armed west. It’s a place that both keeps me on my toes, and makes me feel incredibly comfortable and safe. It is a city where old tradition converges with a modern and vivacious spirit that, in my opinion, will drive Ireland to great success, once out of this recession, of course!
Although my time here in Dublin was short, only three nights to be exact, I was determined not to let Dublin slip out from under by fingers and to soak in as much of this incredible city as possible. We arrived in Dublin after the three hour bus ride from Cork and made our way to our hostel, the Times Hostel, on Camden Place in the Village Quarter of South Dublin. Camden Street, full of alternative thrift stores, casinos, and a few adult entertainment shops, was in a great location. We were in close walking distance to the Temple Bar cultural center, an assortments of restaurants ranging from Vietnamese to traditional Irish, Trinity College, and St. Stephan's Park. The Times Hostel is known as one of the top backpackers hostels in Dublin. Beds range from 13-35 Euros a night, depending on season and type of room. Every Saturday and Sunday morning, free pancakes were served to the hostel residents, along with free coffee and tea all day long. We could not have been luckier with our choice of hostel.
Where the art of creating the perfect stout was born, where U2 first made a name for themselves, and where everyone you meet should be featured in a stand up comedy show, Dublin, Ireland is both confounding and a pleasant surprise, which deserves to be known for more than just being a "Little London". Dublin has everything that makes Ireland great, yet it has something more that both inspires and captivates all who are fortunate enough to visit. It has the beautiful traditional Irish music, the vibrant nightlife in the cultural center of Temple Bar, the friendly people, and a home-y, small town feeling, yet with a bit of that city attitude I have come to love since living on the east coast. As someone who loves the hustle and bustle of a city, this is a place that I could, and would, easily call home. I feel like a young girl and in love, yet it happens to be with a city, with a type of music, and with a pint of that distinctly dark beer that put Ireland on the map in the minds beer lovers across the globe.
There was not better country in the world I could have traveled to with my best friend and her boyfriend. We were all on different schedules, so in Dublin, it became easier and less stressful when I would spend significantly more time by myself. Itching to experience the Dublin nightlife on a Saturday night, I immediately jumped at the chance to explore even on my own. I made my way with a few new friends to the late night club, Cooper Face Jacks, filled with both the young and reckless, and the old and... well.. still reckless.
The night was filled with extreme dancing and singing to a billion throwback songs from the 90’s with a Russian who spoke little to no English, and warding off drunken Irishmen when my new Russian friend would go outside for a smoke. I didn’t mind in the least, though! I was told from one Irishman that, although the Irish men aren't much to look at, they make up for it in charm. He couldn't have been more accurate! I was fortunate enough to engage in a great conversation about American vs. Irish politics with a local, and in the process acquired a new Irish friend, who also doubled as my chaperone and personal bodyguard on my way home, and I was safe in bed at around 5am that morning! It truly is spontaneity that makes traveling on your own so enticing, and this was no exception.
Dublin, Ireland January 12-15
The next morning, Sunday, I enjoyed a nice stroll through back allies and undiscovered streets throughout the south part of the city on my own before meeting up with the rest of the group. We went to see Trinity and got to see the Book of Kells, which was created by Celtic monks around 800 AD contains four of the gospels in the New Testament all hand written with beautiful, ornate pictures painted using paint created from berries. Painted by monks, it is considered to be a masterwork of Western Calligraphy, as well as one of Ireland's most recognized historical treasures, yet it was not exactly impressive. So, in other words, if someone is visiting and is looking to see historical Dublin, there are many places I would suggest to see before the Book of Kells, but Trinity College is a must see, so if you are in the area, you might as well take a look at this old piece of beautifully crafted history.
Although Ireland doesn't exactly do historical artifacts like the Greeks or the British, they do do pub night-life better than anyone. Although the British created the concept of a Pub, the Irish perfected it. Later that night, after doing a bit of research, I stumbled across a pub called O’Donoghues near St Stephan’s Park around 10:00pm and set up camp, pint in hand, for an enjoyable night of Irish music and casual conversation! After the session ended around 12:30am one of the guitarists came over for a chat to ask me where I was from, etc. I would never in my wildest dreams go to a bar by myself in the states, yet here in Ireland, it is not only a common occurrence, but incredibly acceptable, and you always end of having at least one person chatting with you by the end of your night. After a formal invite, they lead me to a really awesome bar called Bruxelles near the Temple Bar district and bought me a “Welcome to Dublin” pint. There are not many places around the globe where I am able to walk into a pub, by myself, and be invited out for the remainder of the evening, without hesitation. In Ireland, every stranger is just a friend you haven't met yet.
The following day, I was up and at ‘em bright and early even after the late night I had the night previous for a free walking tour throughout Dublin. As I said in my post about Galway, the free walking tour is the best thing that could have happened to backpackers since the creation of the hostel! As a lone traveler and ready to mingle and learn a bit of Irish history along the way, I met up with a small and intimate group of other tourists at Dublin’s City Hall for the New Europe Free Walking Tour around the city center. Our guide, a local coming from around the general Dublin area, is to this day the best tour guide I have ever come across. The way he told stories and Irish folklore was like nothing I have ever heard! I learned more in a three-hour tour than I would ever have learned in a semester in a university. We heard stories of the ancient Celts and the origins of the Gaelic language; the stories of the series of sieges that occurred in Dublin. Most importantly, we dove into Ireland’s path to independence; a very unique and dark journey that has shaped the Irish persona. I even had the pleasure of meeting a lovely American girl named Megan from California who had been living in Ireland for the past year! We talked all about the different options for Americans when it came to moving to Ireland, which is something I have become interested in following my degrees.
Following the tour, I met up with Sarah and Nick and had one last hoo-rah at the Guinness Factory. Surprisingly, I am actually beginning to gain an appreciation for Guinness, and, if I was feeling incredibly bold, I might even say that I like it! Anthony Bourdain wasn't lying when he said that Guinness was like liquid gold! I headed out on the town on on my own again, but this time to Temple Bar, the cultural center of Dublin. The first pub I came across was crawling with American tourists (something I make a point of avoiding at all costs) so I immediately made a run for it, only to run straight into a relatively empty pub, called the Auld Dubliner, filled with both locals and travelers alike. I was hooked when I turned to see an incredibly talented and incredibly cute Irish performer. Not only is this what American girls dream of when going to Ireland (thanks to Girard Butler in P.S I Love You), but also from a musical perspective, I was blown out of the water. Stephen Cooper, otherwise known as Scoops. LOOK.HIM.UP!! Here is a link to his page! Although my last night in Dublin before London was relatively tame compared to the past two, I could not have been happier spending it any other way: with good music and good beer!
Finally, the time had come to bid Dublin a temporary farewell and make my way to London for a few days to visit some wonderful friends!! Thinking about it now in my hostel in London, it is true the Dublin and Ireland truly captivated me, and I am fully prepared to do what is needed to return as soon as possible! Yet now is the time to look forward and enjoy yet another beautiful city filled with more vibrating and unique cultures, yet I can’t believe I am saying this, but London, Dublin is a seriously tough act to follow, and I’m not sure you can live up! ☺ Nevertheless, the adventure continues forward, and I must continue forward with it.
There is something great about meeting people who also like to travel internationally; it doesn't matter what nation is on your passport, there is an unspoken connection that bond you in ways that those who can't understand. The hardest thing about coming back to the United States after my international travel is that there are already 70% of people in your country (the percentage of American adults that don’t even own a passport) who are not only unable to relate to your experiences, but also not understand the pull and the addicting characteristics that travel holds. Yet when you come to a place like Dublin and are graced with great conversation with like minded people, it always reminds me why I love to travel as much as I do, and how there is often a disconnect between me and many of the people I meet. When traveling, someone you meet in one night will bring you better conversation and understand the way you think better than many of the people you have known for years. I am truly so fortunate to have experienced this.
