Five Irish Favourites.

The lack of Five Irish Favourites around these parts has absolutely nothing to do with a shortage of photos to share, delayed rather due to a serious stack of papers standing between myself and graduation. 7 more days! Seven short short days. (Just keep swimming school friends! We are so close).

The excitement of the impending celebration is dampened by the realization that my time on the Emerald Isle is dwindling. I feel like I just arrived, and more importantly, have finally found my groove here and adjusted to the randomness that ensues in Ireland. Trust me when I say there are certain things here that at first are difficult to wrap your head around. Eventually though, you will adapt the Irish mentality, relax and embrace any confusion or inefficiencies with a shrug and a laugh. Nothing phases the Irish! Oh, your office is closed from 1:15pm - 2:15pm, makes total sense. Mowing the lawn in the rain, might as well! A mechanical bull on campus, sounds about right. Free ice-cream outside the gym, yes please.

My five favourites this week are a celebration of the randomness that is Ireland. So random. I love it.

Judge Judy on campus as she is granted the Vice Presidency of the University College Dublin Law Society. Huh?

Snow in the brand new soccer stadium during the Ireland v Austria world cup qualifier.
Beacause who need a roof in a country where it rains 99.9% of the time? 

The streets of Dublin. No words.

The Sheepdogs in Dublin! Go sask!

 An arcade ride which simulates a roller-coaster. First reaction, how lame, we want to race! Second reaction, pure joy.

Now back to embracing the randomness that is Ireland for seven more days, soaking in everything I can.
Ireland, I am not ready to say goodbye.

Five Irish Favourites.

Our road-trip of West Coast Ireland is best remembered by the succession of breathtaking views. The idyllic rolling green hills partitioned by carefully placed stone fences, the warm white sand beaches, jagged shores and dramatic cliffs, all responsible for a perpetually drained camera battery. This week, my five favorite views from our adventure.

Who knew Ireland.
Waterford, Co. Kerry

This guy on the streets of my city.
Dublin

Neighboring castles, no big deal.
Blarney castle, Co. Clare

Welcoming spring. We beg of you, please make your way to the East Coast.
Co. Kerry

Captured from the car window. Unreal.
The Ring of Kerry, Co. Kerry.

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter weekend with family and friends, and (fingers crossed) some spring weather. Family, please think of me as you devour Grandma M's apple pie, lucky buggers!

Five Irish favourites.

This week has been a countdown, a countdown which has only two hours remaining on the clock. Tonight L arrives! J follows shortly after tomorrow. I can hardly contain my excitement!!!! Heading out to the airport now, have a lovely weekend everyone.

Discovering the Jameson Distillery on my walk home.

Preparing welcome packages for the boys.

It's a Christmas miracle! My basil plant has lived a WHOLE MONTH. This is quite the feat for me.

Fresh mussels for tonight's seafood feast. Help? So intimidated...

Five Irish Favourites.

Today is the one month anniversary of my time in Ireland! To celebrate, you guessed it, five favourites in and around Dublin this week.

They never get old.

The first signs of spring.

Eggs on everything.

Giving in and finally trying my first Guinness.

Mornings spent travel planning. My Canadian visitors arrive one week from today and I could not be more excited!

Five Irish Favorites.

If I used photos to accurately depict my week, you would be scrolling through images of a tangled blonde mop peeking out from bed, accompanied only by a massive pile of toilet paper, (kleenex is a student luxury), and a laptop burning through episodes of the Good Wife, because that's basically like studying law right... riiiiight?

I am so stir crazy I have ambitious plans of trying something touristy this weekend, a visit to the Trinity Library comes to mind. Time spent in a library seems the most acceptable way to avoid impending paper deadlines. For now, five more Irish favorites!

More coloured doors.

Attending classes in a castle.

Discovering this river by our home.

And lastly this terrible sneak photo of the Phantom of the Opera performance on campus.
The photo does not reflect the performance, the student's musical abilities blew me away.

Five Irish favourites.

Rainbow doors.

This cutey named Stella.

A warm escape.

Exploring the Irish country-side in a camper van, and always rocking this frizzy rain kissed hair. 

A Tim's discovery in Dublin!

Five Irish favourites.

I made it! I am here! It has been one week in gorgeous Dublin, and I am just finally figuring this city out. Thus far I have enjoyed aimlessly walking the windy streets, exploring the incredibly lush parks, essentially getting wonderfully lost. It really is so exciting to be in this new country. I am curious and anxious to soak it all in.

This post is later than intended due to my aversion to taking my camera out in the rain. However, I have quickly learnt that if you hold out for sunshine, you could be waiting for weeks. Here is to embracing running in a downpour, frizzy rain kissed hair, and living in rubber boots.

With that, the first of a new series, "Five Irish Favourites." Five images of the things I was excited to discover this past week.

Phoenix Park

Imagine my excitement in learning my new apartment is located directly across from the largest city park in all of Europe, (a huge thank you to F for finding our cozy home). At 707 hectares, (or 1700 acres), this lush area is three times the size of Central Park, and covered with running trails. Conceived as a Royal deer park, it is now home to over 100 wild fallow deer. I am in love with this park, morning runs feel like a gift.

The Guinness Brewery. Conveniently located right across the street from my bus stop.

Temple Bar

This infamous downtown area is just a quick bus ride or walk from home. The windy cobblestone streets are home to pub, after pub, after pub, each packed to max capacity and boasting live Irish music on the weekends. Exactly how you imagine Dublin.

My first beer in Ireland. Gasp, not Guinness.

Amazing seats at the football game.

S' boyfriend has season tickets for the Republic of Ireland football games, lucky us! The match against Poland was so fun; spent meeting new Irish friends, discovering just how many Polish immigrants are in Ireland, and cheering for the boys in green. (2-0 Ireland).

This week was full of so many firsts, making it near impossible to limit myself to five favorites. My mind is overflowing with exciting new discoveries and of course frustrated bouts of confusion, but more to come next Friday! Ireland and I, we're going to get along just fine. My restless, roaming spirit is so content.