SOOO IN LOVE WITH IRELAND!

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Dear friends and family -
I have decided to move to Dublin, Ireland. You are welcome to visit any time of the year.

Love,
Theresa

P.S. I think I have an unhealthy obsession with Ireland at this point. I write to you from the airport since I am so early that I am not even able to check in just yet. I guess I have to leave in a few hours for London...which makes me sad haha. I'm sure I will fall in love with London just the same. But we'll see about that!

A little about my weekend in Dublin...

Arrived before lunch Saturday morning and took a bus to catch the DART train system to Dun Laoghaire (pronounced Done Leary) to find my hostel. After having lugged my luggage up the stairs and being settled, I called up my friend Susan who picked me up and we drove to a local restaurant for some lunch. Cutest restaurant ever with a fireplace and Christmas decorations. It was great having lunch with Susan and her sister, Sinead! After that, Sinead and I took the train back in to the City Centre and I went to the National Museum of Archaeology and Artifacts... Where I saw 4000 year old stuff!! *surprised face*... what kind of stuff, you ask? things like pots, weapons, jewelry...the oldest "stuff" i've ever seen that is for sure.

Later that evening, after dark (since it gets dark here in Dublin at 4:30!! it was pitch black at that time....because Ireland is so far up north, that JUST happens here!) I proceeded up through Trinity College area and made my way to Grafton Street where I spent the remainder of my evening. Grafton Street is the shopping district. It is kind of a quaint Irish street meets Michigan avenue sort of thing...but add into the mix that it is a pedestrian street, it's cobble stoned, there are flower vendors everywhere, and lots of funny Irish shops. I got to go to Mark & Spencers which is apparently a big deal department store. I found a cute hat there so that was good. I got some hot chocolate at the cafe there and it was probably the best I've ever had haha. The only church off Grafton was historic, beautiful St. Teresa's wouldnt ya know... so I actually got to attend mass this weekend AND the wonderful Irish choir was amazing! After wondering the area and Grafton Street until around 9, I went back to my hostel on the train and went to the pub next door. I met Rohen and Matt there...both from Melbourne, Australia. I got to try a "baby Guinness" as my friend Molly advised me to do there.

Turns out Matt and Rohen were the nicest guys ever and I did all my sightseeing on Sunday with them. We started up at O'Connell St and saw the famous Spire and walked along the Liffey River. We ended up taking a self administered tour of Trinity College and then ended it by seeing the Book of Kells which is the oldest written, preserved text in the world. It just so happens to be a gloriously decorated bible from the 9th century from Kells, Ireland and it was really neat. We also got to tour the Long Room and see all kinds of old books and interesting things so that was fun. We then walked back down to Grafton St to pick up some sandwiches and I bought some Percy Pigs haha which are like little piggy fruit snacks which are apparently kind of popular here as well. We went to O'Brien's for some lunch and ate it in St. Stephen's Green park which is like our Central Park basically. From there we walked up to Dublin Castle for a quick look, hopped over to St. Patrick's Cathedral, and then finally walked all the way to Guinness Storehouse for a tour. Apparently we snuck into the tour without realizing it...so, one in the same, we got our tour but had to pay for a Guinness at the end instead of receiving a free one. It was really cool to be all the way up top of the city in the brewery.

From there we caught a bus to Temple Bar...which is the city's "party central" with just rows and rows of pubs...the boys wanted to watch the soccer game between Chelsea and Manchester over a pint haha. Well that was fine...I tried an Irish Coffee at the cafe portion of the pub. It wasn't too bad haha. And I'm starting to enjoy soccer because everyone here watches it.

We picked up some dinner to cook at our hostel...pasta.... and then made it back home to Dun Laoghaire. I was supposed to visit Susan and Galij at their house but unfortunately it was sooo late that I just hung out with Ro and Matt, packed, and got a lot and lot of rest for my early cab.

And here I am now...about to leave to London. Lots to do to, no more time to write.

I will post pictures later this week!!! And I will let you all know how London goes for me.

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!!! Mine was spent at TGIFriday's with the crew and a few school friends from the states...

Love,
Theresa

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