... travel across Ireland by herself

I spent five days traveling across Ireland; I went to Dublin, Cork and Belfast. I flew into Dublin and then took trains from Dublin to Cork, then to Belfast and back to Dublin so I could fly back to Paris. Ireland is amazing, everything is so green, the people are so nice and the history is so interesting! I spent my time in Dublin trekking across to find the Dublin Castle, a viking history building, the cathedral, the shopping street, watching a Gaelic game, exploring Trinity College (with the book of Kells) and of course all the pubs in Dublin. The gaelic games are the irish version of american soccer but you can use your hands and there are multiple ways to score. if you get a "field goal" that is worth 1 point but if you get a "goal" as in soccer you get three points. I watched the game between Dublin and some other team in red and tooted my vuvuzela quite a bit, I was of course going to for Dublin! At Trinity college there is a very famous book called the Book of Kells, it is reported to be the most beautifully illuminated manuscript in the world; not that I have seen every illuminated manuscript in the world but it was quite exquisite. You can find out more about the Book of Kells here. Of course the pubs in Dublin are a must see, I mean what else are the Irish famous for besides leprechauns and drinking right? I watched the USA v Ghana game in a pub and then the next night the England game as well. Very riotous and very loud and most of all VERY fun!
I left for Cork at about 9 AM on the train out of Dublin and it took three hours to get there, Just looking at the intensely green landscape was amazing because it defiantly does not look like Texas in the summer. When I reached Cork I checked into my hotel and walked to a pub, in the rain, to get lunch. At this pub it was just like yousee in the movies, all the 'regulars' are sitting at the bar and then woosh a new girl walks in (me) and of course I get all the questions "Where are you from" etc. These are all guys old enough to be my grandpa and one of them thought I was from Kansas.... ummm okay? After lunch I went out to the Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney stone! It was so cool, there were some tourists there although I have a feeling that if it wasnt raining there would have been more. Any way so I climbed to the top of the castle and kissed the stone, which you have to lay on your back and lean backwards over the side fo the castle to get to the stone. There is a person holding on to you but still... scary and fun!
The next day I left Cork at 5AM to get a train to Belfast. Once in Belfast I walked to the Queen's University and walked through campus and then went to the Botanical gardens, which is where the iconic gazebo is. Then it was off to the Ulster Museum where I learned about Ireland's past and the time of Troubles. After the Ulster museum I took a black cab tour, which I would highly recommend to anyone who si going to Belfast, and my tour guide Tom took me all around West Belfast where the Peace Walls are and the War Murals. He was telling me that since he is Catholic he would not have been able to set foot in the area by the murals about ten years ago because he would have been shot. It was so shocking to learn that this sort of tragedy was going on just a short time ago.

The entire trip in Ireland was so wonderful and eye opening and it really taught me a lot. I know Jane wasnt happy but it was one of the best times of my life!