Dublin Day 4+5

'Sometimes a city is more than just a city'

I finally spent the fourth day in Dublin itself and took the time to explore this fascinating city.

I chose the Free Walking Tour by Yellow Umbrella and I can really recommend it! We gathered at the 'Needle' in the city center of Dublin and as a group, we went from one interesting spot to the next. We saw not only sights and famous places or buildings - our guide told us about Irish history, his love for Dublin, and many lively anecdotes scattered throughout the city. Truly a wonderful way to get to know a new city! And a great way to strike up a conversation with new people! I had a nice chat with a couple from New York during lunch, and even after the tour ended, we visited a smaller museum nearby together. After that, I strolled around the area of Temple Bar and enjoyed the old buildings and streets in peace, without the tourist crowds that gather there in the evening. I had a cozy but funny evening at the hostel bar with the French guy from our 10-bed room.

Day 5 had another excursion! (Wow, I had quite a few of them) This one started a little later but with bad weather and a bad mood. Being on my feet all the time (+ little sleep) was taking its toll on me. My mood improved when we arrived at our first stop - a sheep farm. We got to watch sheepdogs in action. The interaction between humans and dogs as well as dogs and sheep is super interesting, and the training the dogs have to go through is not to be underestimated. But it's worth it! It's amazing how two short, different commands can get the animals to move an entire herd exactly as they want. I was impressed! But the highlight was definitely the calves. After the dog training, we were allowed to hold calves in our arms. Very young and super soft sheep calves! It was great! Not easy to pick them up, but they were so soft (sooo cool!) and the touch was so delightful.

Next, we went to the Lakes of Glendaough. A very beautiful landscape that reminded me of home with its forest and the hiking trail (that we had to take to reach the lakes). To keep it really typical Irish, it started raining heavily - but not before I took some good pictures! The monastic site in front of the lakes was also impressive and very, very old (and I mean really old). One of the oldest stone crosses, over 1000 years old, was also there. The old crosses in Ireland are different from most other Christian crosses and have a circle around the beams. The Celtic cross is a mix of paganism and Christianity, which prevailed in Ireland.

Next stop was Kilkenny, an old town with narrow streets and a beautiful castle. Unfortunately, I fell asleep on the way there and felt quite tired afterward. Power nap, my foot! After taking some photos and walking through some beautiful streets, I waited for the departure on the benches (city center and castle park). Nevertheless, it was a very nice trip! Back in Dublin, I bought some souvenirs (it was my last evening in this great city) and since I was near Temple Bar, I stayed there to have dinner. I found a nice restaurant with delicious food, the Guinness Stew was really good! (I had the traditional Stew the day before). I was exhausted but I couldn't resist taking a short walk before going to bed. With the Dublin air in my lungs, I returned to the hostel and packed my backpack. The next day, I would be heading to Galway, and although I would have liked to see more of Dublin, I was already incredibly excited about the next destination.