No Sleep, No Problem

I cannot believe we are already completed DAY FOUR of Ireland. To be fair, days one and two were combined into one long 48 hour day with approximately four hours of sleep. Side note: Aer Lingus has some tasty food!

On the first/second day – lets call it “fecond” we started off at Lough Tae on our way to Glendalough. Lough Tae was one of the most beautiful sites I have ever seen. It’s glasslike appearance and ombré color gives the impression of the infamous Guinness Glass. Refer to: below.

Here, the seven of us and our tour guide participated in a “Grounding” led by our leader, Sophia. She helped us not only get in touch with nature and one another, but also ourselves. It was very powerful and special, as we could all feel the energy within each other.

Next, we arrived at Glendalough to experience the crystal forest. If you believe, you might find a few fairies hiding within the quartz. The hike up to the forest was a short one, but a tad steep, so my legs were definitely feelin’ the burn.

The highlight of Glendalough for me was when I found a white quartz in the shape of New Jersey. I hadn’t even realized it until after I took the picture.

However, we also got to feel the energy spiraling around the round tower, and in the crystal forest.

Again, Stephanie led a lovely ceremony using a maraca and drum to help us become one with the earth and its core. It was peaceful and moving, and once we were done, we cleansed our feet in the stream of water that flowed beneath us. The days were already more spiritual than I had imagined, and I was loving every moment!

At night, we walked around Dublin to explore the city. It was absolutely stunning! The colors, the lights, the people, the pubs, the everything. It was so quaint and charming.

Plus, I got to have my first Guinness, Kahlua coffee, and gelato of the trip. Hoping they weren’t my last either (they weren’t because I’ve continued to have a Guinness any chance I get).

Yesterday, which was day three, was my favorite day so far. It was the 25,000 step and calorie tour of Dublin. We started at the Mercy International Center, where we had a lovely and sweet tour guide named Sister Carita. She explained to us the history of the house and Katherine McCauley. As I said in my first post, this brave woman built the house in a wealthy area of Dublin to help, as well as educate, those in need.

After non-stop salivating from the delicious homemade scones and tea we received, we headed to the National Museum of Ireland. There was so much history that we could all feel it. It is known that when you first walk into the museum, under the dome is high energy. Sophia and the other group leader, Jeff, said their heads were spinning! Inside the museum, there were lots of interesting pieces that held a lot of meaning, stories, and emotions behind them. My favorite were the gold necklaces!

Once we left the museum, we went to the Book of Kells at Trinity College. The Long Hall was the highlight. The sunlight hit the books just perfectly, so that they appeared gold.

The next stop, we had the option of the Gallery of Ireland or the Guinness Storehouse. Being the 26-year-old that I am, I went with Guinness. It was the best decision of my life, and one of the coolest things I had ever seen. No tour guide is necessary to learn all there is about Guinness, its ingredients, process, advertisements, history, etc. Plus, the tour ended with a free pint and option to enjoy it in their 365 degree view of Dublin.

Because one Guinness wasn’t enough, we went on a pub crawl that we booked through our hostel. It was so fun to see the varieties of bars and meet interesting people from all over the world!

Today, we woke up early to leave for Boyne. We saw New Grange and Knowth. These sacred “tombs,” which is in question on what they are actually for, are covered with symbols drawn on rocks from other rocks. These rocks weigh tons, and were all placed so that they could never be removed. Although we were originally told the sacred places were 5,000 years old, it is more likely that they are up to 11,000 years old.

New Grange

Knowth

Once we left Boyne, we went to another place in Slane called Hills of Tara. Here, there were two tall hills, both with high energy. We chanted “om” as we meditated in a circle and felt the energy brought about by the stone that stood tall in the center of one hill.

The night ended at the Slane Castle for dinner, which was absolutely “grand,” as my fellow Irish would say. Can’t wait for the next adventure tomorrow!

Xx, Kelsey