I should start this blog by saying I never had any interest in going to Ireland or Scotland. I always imagined them to be boring and only filled with large, green hills. After my recent exploration, I must say I was very much mistaken.
Ireland was actually one of my favorite destinations. I would return in a heartbeat. Ireland is a dark, bold green. It is homely, picturesque and all-around lovely. We went to Dublin and the Cliffs of Moher while we were there. Dublin was nice, but it is very comparable to Chicago. I’m from Chicago, so this did not make it incredibly exciting. I will say that our tour guide around Dublin was probably one of the best guides we have had. If you ever get the chance to go abroad, do as many free walking tours as possible. They are interesting, educational and immensely enhance your appreciation for whatever part of the world you are in.
Everything got interesting at the Cliffs of Moher. Next to the Swiss Alps in Switzerland, the Cliffs of Moher were one of my favorite locations. There really is no way to adequately describe how incredible it feels to be standing on those cliffs. It rained most of the day we were there, but for the two hours we had to explore the cliffs, the sky opened and we had the most beautiful sunshine. You truly feel on top of the world and at complete peace. Even looking back on our photos, it almost looks fake. It’s as if it can only exist in a fairy tale painting. It was perfect.
Scotland was, in one word, windy. I promise you, no matter where you have been in America, the wind is nothing like what you would experience in Scotland. There were several occasions in which I was almost blown over. Edinburgh was definitely more beautiful than Dublin. The old castles, cathedrals and the Royal Mile bring so much history to the city. Our thighs got quite the workout as the city is built on the side of a volcano. We did a ghost tour, visited a Christmas market and watched a street light performance. Scotland is also green, but a layered green from dark to light that reflects the old and new of the city. It was a lovely way to end our travels.
This is where the story ends. In less than two weeks, I’ll be back home. I’ll miss England and the people here like crazy. The problem with traveling is that you leave a piece of yourself at every place you go, and for me, a large piece will remain here. For the last time, my friends, live in color.
