The Big Project: IRELAND

Almost anywhere in autumn's October/November crossover is enough to make you want to get your camera out to capture the reds and abundant oranges, but I have just returned from Ireland, and discovered a different shade of green.

Becky and I booked the trip last minute, securing flights, and hostels. Pretty much everything else was left unplanned. We had an outline of towns and cities that we wanted to visit (which we did), but that is the most exciting and invigorating way to see somewhere new. Organised fun is not in either mine or Becky's parameter.

Quay street, witgh someone trying to find the right key.

The Claddagh is the harbour on the Atlantic coast, and alongsied it are sn array of beautiful cottages each differently coloured. I found this vintage BMW, and thought it looked at home in the harbour.

The river Corrib estuary into the Atlantic

A 4 piece traditional Irish folk band busking on bank holiday when we arrived.

We flew into Dublin on a cold, wet typically Irish morning. After a fairly bumpy plane ride, we then took a 3 hour coach from the airport to Galway. As we have a friend over on the west coast, we thought it would be a great excuse to combine a catch-up with some culture. We only had 24 hours in this city, but by far, this was not enough!! Whenever there is Guiness involved, time very quickly evaporates! Guinness is so much tastier in Ireland. Apparantly, it is to do with how the Guinness travels, and the pipes that connect the tap to the barrell. In Britain for example, a pint doesn't really leave a white 'heady' residue on your glass as you drink it. It should! The city of Galway is fairly small, packed with little backstreets with local businesses. Very accommodating for tourists, still it retains it's culture and class. For instance, the first pub that we visited, had a flautist and a drummer just 'jamming'. That made the Guinness go even faster.

It's a duck's life.

On Monday eve, we set off on a 'GoBus' (10 Euro) to Dublin. I didn't get many snaps that evening, mostly as we were checking out Temple Bar, and going from pub to pub, drinking pint after pint listening to Irish folk singers. Temple Bar is a real tourist trap, non more so than 'The Temple Bar', or Oliver St. John Gogarty's, which are nearly 6 Euro for a Guinness. None the less we still had a great night, dancing, singing and drinking. We had booked a day trip with 'Paddywagon Tours', who do trips anywhere between half-day and 5 day trips. We went to the town of Kilkenny, and stopped off along the way at glourious Glendalough, in the Wicklow mountains. Our bus driver, Aaron, was 21 - but full of charm and charisma, we very all soon forgot that he was far younger than the youngest people on the trip - me and Becky at 27! He had a microphone, and spoke at about 75 percent of the time we were on the road. He was very informative, and told us many things about local and national culture. Including that the Wicklow mountains are a hideout for Dublin's criminals, and it's most famous criminal 'The General', stole some paintings and has buried them up there somewhere. There is a 2 million Euro reward for finding them! Kilkenny is a small city, but very dominant in the sport of Hurling, a national game, similar to Lacrosse. Manchester United have won the EPL 19 times, and are deemed the most successful club in the world in soccer, but Kilkenny have won the All-Ireland Hurling final 35 times! Must be something in the water. Each town is associated with their own colours for GAA, and Kilkenny's are orange and black. Almost every car, pub, house, young lad, mother, lampost that you walk past sport these flags/colours. Probably because they're the best! Glendalough was picturesque and charming, while Kilkenny revelled in it's own sporting achievement. Both are beautiful parts of the world.

The monastic village of St. Kevin.

St Kevin was a priest who wanted to become closer to God, and lived in Glendalough by himself until he died, surviving on water and nettles!

The round tower at the monastic village

The Wicklow gap

Becky at Kilkenny castle.

An over exposed Kilkenny cathedral, but it looks gothic so I didn't delete it!

On our final day, we visited the Guinness storehouse, which was my highlight of the trip. Until you go there, I don't think it's possible to realise what a unique and proud drink Guinness is. From collecting barley by hand in 1759, to the famous commercial of horses emerging from out of the sea, the Guinness brand really has taken the world by storm. As you move up a floor, you learn a new part of the drink's history. In 1959, to mark the bicentenery of Guinness, they dropped 50,000 bottles with messages inside, in the Atlantic ocean. These bottles are now said to be washing up off the coast of Canada, I would love to get my hands on one! Finally, you get enjoy a free pint of the black stuff, at the top of the storehouse that overlooks Dublin. I cannot recommend this tour enough. All in all, Ireland is so charming and rich in culture, it's hard to leave.