A Taste of Ireland

Greetings! One of the items on my Fall fun list is to travel to Ireland in October. This will be my first visit to Ireland. Like any first experience, what's exciting for me is the anticipation of what's going to be my first impression of the country, what I'll actually experience, and how my days are going to unfold until I return home.

So I've been doing some planning for my trip, and now that I've booked the essential flights, accommodation, and train tickets, I'm day dreaming about my four main stops in Ireland:

A) Dublin: I imagine that the city centre is compact, walkable, and that her history and architecture will enchant me. I also imagine visiting Trinity College library (the Hogwarts library!), the National Gallery to view some of the finest arts for free, Dublin Castle, and Guinness Storehouse where I learn how to pull a pint of Guinness and drink it, too. Maybe I'll take a picture of the Molly Malone statue. Maybe I'll get to visit Howth peninsula, a possible day trip from Dublin, and in my day dream, a picturesque place.

B) Cork: I imagine taking the train from Dublin to Cork and I'll get a good view of the Irish country side. I imagine to explore Cork city, the English Market, one of the oldest markets (1788), and maybe a visit to the Blarney Castle. I read that Cork is a friendly city. I hope to experience that friendliness here and throughout Ireland. I dream to have enough time and good weather to take a day tour from Cork to visit the famous Cliffs of Moher and/ or the Burren.

C) Killarney: I imagine taking the train from Cork to Killarney and again I'll get a good view of the Irish countryside. I dream of hiking in Killarney national park, seeing the famous Ring of Kerry without too many tourists (LOL), and visiting Ross Castle. I dream to have enough time and good weather to explore Dingle peninsula for some of Europe's most spectacular scenery, and/ or Slea Head, Europe's most westerly point, I can almost touch America.

D) Dublin again: I imagine that I'll return by train from Killarney to Dublin, and end this unforgettable trip at one of Dublin's many pubs before flying home the next day.

It is fun to dream, explore, and discover. Our ability to imagine is a gift!

What fun destination did you dream about recently? If you have been to Ireland, please share your experience.