My Trip to Ireland - Day 8

Today we ventured out of Belfast and in to Dublin for St. Paddy’s Day! It was a very long day. Our train left Belfast at 6:50 am. Let’s just say I fell asleep as soon as I sat down on the train. So we’ll just move to…the arrival in Dublin’ yay!
We seriously had no game plan. And a game plan is crucial with this bunch. After walking around, we decided to get a good “seat” for the parade. So 2 hour before the parade starts, we find our spot and stand. And wait. And get annoyed with people around us. Apparently the European thing to do is show up 30 minutes before the parade and shove your kids to the very front so they can see. Then they say “excuse me, can you move so the children can see?” this did not settle so well with the Americans. We had been standing there for 2 hours so we deserved our spot. And I don’t want kids kicking me, stepping on my feet, and smacking me in the face with their flag. It happened. And then I got the pleasure of having some short woman behind me who would shove her camera in between Hailey and I and just snap away, having o idea what she was taking pictures of. Her camera got caught in my hair twice and hit my in the head 6 times, while the camera lense cover kept hitting me on the should and check. Ashlyn was not a happy camper. So I managed to gently push her back. Or swat the lens cap away. Or get in her pictures. Evil? I don’t think so. But the parade was awesome and unique..and bizarre. But awesome.
After the parade, we decide to venture around Dublin. Our goal was to go to Temple Bar….well…that didn’t happen. The streets we so packed, we crossed a bridge to get away from it all. We decided since we were walking, we might as well visit the Jameson Distillery. Best choice we made all day. We decided we might as well pay for tour since we were there. Right before the tour, they had asked for some volunteers. They tell us these volunteers will be taste testers. Taste testers?! Sign me up! Hailey and I were both chosen out of our group to be 2 of the 8 taste testers. Let’s just fast forward to the taste test. Don’t get me wrong, I learned a lot of the tour. But the taste test was way more fun! After the tour everyone got a complimentary drink. We all picked Jameson and cranberry. Hailey and I are taken to this table were we have three shots in front of us: Jameson, an “American whiskey” and a “scotch whiskey”. Our tour guide makes it clear to everyone that we are to sip the samples and reminds the Americans that these are not shots. After we sample one, then another, then back to one, then on to another, we pick our favorite whiskey. Of course we all pick Jameson and our guide gives all of us a certificate. Well let’s just say that with the lack of sleep and food, Hailey and I were feeling gooooood. So good that we managed to place our cocktail glasses in our backpack…whoooops…hahaha. Genius, right?!
After Jameson, it’s time to head back to the train and make a pit stop to get some gifts. Hailey and I start walking and mom keeps insisting we are going the wrong way. I was 99% sure we were going the right way. Well let’s just say she gets testy and convinces us we are going the wrong way so we turn around. We walk 10 minutes in the “correct” direction and come to find out….we just walked in the opposite direction of where we needed to. So we turn around, again, and start heading back. We are trying to rush through the streets that are covered in drunken ridiculousness….let’s just say that we made it in to the train station 30 minutes before the train was scheduled to leave. Lucky for us, the train was already there so we boarded and left 15 minutes early. We made it back to Belfast and we are now sitting around thinking about all of the packing we have left. I honestly have no idea how I am going to get everything back to the states. Wish me luck!
Well that about does it for my journey in Ireland. I’ll write a blog later about my thoughts on the trip. But now it’s time for me to enjoy my last night in Ireland!
Dublin

At Jameson

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