Upon arriving in Ireland, we took a train up to Dublin to crash after a long day of travel. Our first full day there, we could not help ourselves. We had to experience one of Dublin's biggest exports in the biggest way possible: we went to the Guinness Storehouse.
Free pint of Guinness after the Storehouse tour.
How's this for iconic?
After the Storehouse, we set out to explore the city. I had no idea that Guinness and Jameson (yes, as in the whiskey) helped restore St. Patrick's Cathedral and other iconic sites in Dublin.
Sir Guinness in all of his glory.
I also did not know that Dublin has two catherals: St. Patrick's Cathedral and Christchurch Cathedral.
St. Patrick's Cathedral
Apparently, St. Patrick's Cathedral was outside of the old city walls, so Christchurch Cathedral was the official cathedral of Dublin for a while.
After touring some of the city, we ended up in a pub on an older side of town, enjoying some jazz. No matter where we go, we always seem to find the jazz.
On our way home, I saw this little gem out of the corner of my eye, down a side-street:
It's anyone's guess if they're actually related to my husband's family or not, but it was really cool to see. Especially because, unknown to us, it was our last day out and about in Dublin.
Our last day in Dublin, my husband was not feeling well. We ended up staying in the hotel room. I ordered room service, watched bad tv, and read. Although I was disappointed we couldn't go out on our last day, it was nice to recuperate from our whirlwind trip and reflect.
I always adore going back to my non-stateside home and seeing family that I do not see nearly as often as I would like. It can sometimes be a hard pill to swallow, being so far from family. However, the situation has made it so I will always value my family and treasure every second I get to be with them. I always try to tell my friends not to take their family for granted for this very reason.
Treasure your family. Collect experiences, not possessions.
