On the Hunt for Four-Leaf Clovers

In England, you have a two-week long spring (Easter) break and I decided to take advantage of my free time and travel! First on my list was Dublin, Ireland (meaning I have been to all of the countries that make up the United Kingdom).

April 4th:

I started my day off strong by taking the 8:30 train into London Kings Cross and the underground to London Heathrow, which all in all, took about four hours. Once I was at the airport, I checked my bag (because apparently when you fly Aer Lingus you can check your bags for free), headed through security, grabbed a burger at The Wonder Tree World Food, and was on my way to Ireland.

Our flight was a bit delayed, so I ended up landing in Dublin around 5 PM. There's a bus that goes from the airport to the hotspots of the city, so I took that to a spot that was only three minutes away from the hostel I was staying at, Generator Dublin. I dropped my things off before heading to my first tour - a Panoramic Night Bus tour that showed you some of the Dublin highlights.

The tour ended and I headed to an Irish souvenir shop across the street where I bought some postcards and a recipe book for different ways to cook potatoes. After making my purchase, I went next door for dinner at a place called Flanagan's Bar and Restaurant where I ordered a traditional Irish stew. Then, I took the 25 minute walk back to the hostel to enjoy a drink and some live music before preparing for bed.

April 5th:

I got up early the next morning and headed towards a little cafe called Craft Coffee Roasters where I ordered a latte and a chocolate croissant before heading off to explore the city. My first stop was the Christ Church Cathedral gardens, which were very quiet and beautiful early in the morning. Then, I made my way to Dublin Castle. Dublin Castle is very Gregorian, and unlike the other castles I've seen in the past.

After the tour of the Castle, I headed back to Christ Church Cathedral, which was now opened to the public, for a tour and to see the Magna Carta. It was dimly lit, but it was cool to see a cathedral that old - it was originally built in 800. After my first church tour, I went to Saint Patrick's Cathedral for another tour. This one was far grander, it seemed, and had a lovely park in front of it. There was also lots of beautiful stained glass.

After three tours, I was hungry so I went to get lunch at Taste Food Company, where I had a chicken caesar sandwich, before going to The Little Museum of Dublin where I get a map to take a self-guided tour of Saint Stephen's Green and a guided tour of The Little Museum of Dublin. It was cool to see different pictures from throughout Dublin's history and to learn more about the city.

After my tour, I walked a short way to Cafe en Seine, a cocktail bar that's designed to look like it's on the banks of the Seine river. I enjoyed a drink before it was time for my final city tour, a Viking Splash Boat tour. You get a driving tour around Dublin and then the car drives into the water and you get a tour of one of the canals. I saw the Facebook and Google headquarters, Bono's three studios, some beautiful homes, and Bono's apartment.

After my tour, I went to Drury Buildings for a quick dinner and then headed back to the hostel for an early night. I had to be up early the next morning for my next adventure.

April 6th:

I woke up at 3:30 AM to get ready and finish packing before meeting my taxi at 4:00 AM. I got to the Dublin Airport in about 15 minutes because the roads were completely empty. I had checked in online and was supposed to check my bag, so I thought that the process would be quick. Unfortunately, all of the self check-ins were shut down and the app had crashed, and there were only four employees.

Because I had check in early, I got to go in the priority lane. I checked my bag, got my printed boarding pass, and went through security quickly with no trouble. Once I was in the airport, it was a lot more crowded than I expected. There were people drinking (at 4:30. AM.), rewatching football matches, and waiting in long lines to eat breakfast.

I went to Butler's Chocolate Cafe for an iced coffee and a chocolate croissant before heading to my gate to wait for my flight. Next stop? Germany!

In Order: Traditional Irish Pub: Christ Church Cathedral; Furniture in the Dublin Castle; St. Paul's Cathedral; Pond in St. Stephen's Green; Walking Through Dublin.