Is green my new favorite color?

Last week found me gallivanting around Dublin with my friend Jamie. We had a few days free from responsibilities in Granada, so we decided to take a trip up north and visit a country where English is the language.

I am very fortunate to have two friends living in Dublin; Taylor Foy was a great help in helping us find our way around and figuring out transportation, Hillary Kramer also provided us with wonderful information and was even nice enough to let us crash at her house for a few days.

It was a bit shocking to arrive in Dublin after spending two weeks in Spain, the climate is definitely different. After getting over the initial shock, the cool wet weather was a welcome change. We were fortunate to only have only morning of heavy rains, the rest of the week was beautiful.

Jamie and I spent much of our time wandering around the city center, perusing through the shops and admiring the architecture. We did take advantage of a Hop-on-Hop-off tour around the city; by doing this we were able to cover a lot of ground in a single day. One of my favorite places had to be Phoenix Park; it is 1700 acres of beauty. We spent a few hours enjoying the sights there, and finished up by sipping a cup of tea at the tea house in the park.

We also took a ‘bay and castle tour’ one afternoon, embracing the opportunity to see Ireland outside the city. While I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful sights, it also opened up my eyes to the beauty that exists back in the states. As I gazed at the red maple trees and their changing leaves I was reminded of the trees near our home in Iowa. Driving through a residential area of Dublin made me think of the pretty streets in Colorado Springs and Lincoln. Seeing the water on the coast took me back to when I was on the coast of Maine for my brother’s wedding, it also reminded me of Okoboji. Traveling abroad has not only opened my eyes to other parts of the world, it has also opened my eyes to what is back at home.

Other highlights from the trip include a trip to the Guinness Factory, a walk around St. Steven’s Green, a visit to the statue of Oscar Wilde in Merrion Square, a tour of the Dublin Castle, and an excursion through Kilmainham jail. It was an amazing trip!

Nevertheless, all good things must come to an end, and it is now time to settle back into life in Spain.