Sarah & Her European Adventure: Kissing Stones in the Emerald Isle

Taking a break from the paper writing, I decided to finally update on the trip to Ireland (I promise I'll be better updating on the home stretch).

Rule #1: You can't lose each other if you wear matching outfits.

Dani & I seemed to miss the memo to wear sneakers, jeans, a blue rain jacket and carry a green L.L. Bean backpack on our journey to Ireland. Good thing Virginia and Nate matched though - if Nate wandered off (he has that tendency...) we could just show someone Virginia and say "But a dude," and we'd get the point across. Traveling to Ireland was pretty smooth. Well... up until the landing in Cork and the 50 minute taxi ride.

Rule #2: Make sure you take advantage of the stupid tourist things - like the worst statue of John Lennon ever made.

Back in England though, us Beatlemaniacs had to get a tourist picture in the John Lennon Airport. Coolest airport ever (solely for its love of Lennon & crew).

Rule #3: Learn to be a true Irishman (or woman) and drink Guinness, Beamish or Murphy's.

To the dismay of parents and grandparents, I sucked it up and got a Murphy's at a real Irish Pub. And I drank it. And enjoyed it. And realized that Murphy's (the darkest beer you get before Guinness) was good and I was turning into one of those people from the British Isles... and then I stuck to Budweiser because it was surprisingly cheap.

Rule #4: Become truly Irish and try some Jameson... and try to make the least disgusted face possible.

Nate insisted on making us completely Irish and bought us shots of Jamie. The three girls stared at the glasses with the little amount of liquid in it like it was the elixir of death. But we all took the plunge. Dani and I split ours up to make it less horrible (or double the pain?) but in the end, Virginia actually took it the best like a champ (she took Dani's other half), and Nate looked like he was going to keel over for the next 10 minutes. It must be the Irish blood in us girls.

Rule #5: The Shandon Bells are actually in the Goldfish Church.

We didn't have enough time to ring the bells, but we did stay in the hostel directly behind the church. When we received the directions it said it was behind the church with a Goldfish on top. We were like WHA??? because our churches have crosses and bells on the steeple. There really is a goldfish... oh the Irish. I was hoping to find a church with a silver loaf of bread on top, but alas...

Rule #6: Learn to do AWESOME grafitti (American grafitti just isn't cutting it)

We discovered this amazing grafitti. Check it out (you have to look REALLY close)

Rule #7: Go to the Blarney Stone when it's sunny :)

Oh yeah, we picked a great day to see the Blarney Stone. Especially because it is outside. The grounds of the castle are AWESOME and we had a great time exploring (or in Nate's case, breaking rules).

Rule #8: Yeah, the Blarney Stone is ALLLL the way up there. You gotta climb

Hey Dad, forgot to mention the stone was at the top of the castle. For some reason I was under the impression it was in one of the caves and it was just a difficult reach you had to bend down backwards to kiss a stone and for liability reasons t

here was someone to hold you. HA! That's a hike...

Rule #9: Break rules.

Yeah, Nate thought that he could just be Tarzan in the castle. We really can't take him anywhere (and you thought I got rid of Jake...)

Rule #10: Kiss stones for the gift of flattery.

I tried to explain to Mr. Bodyholder, that I really don't think flattery is that necessary in my life and I'm not big on kissing but he disagreed with me and forced me down there. I think I kissed it. Barely. Nat

e on the other hand

informed us that it tastes awful. We informed him he didn't have to lick the stone, but I guess he really needs some flattery.

Rule #11: Experience Blarney

It was a super cute village and I could definitely see myself living there. However, we were surprised that Ireland reminded us more of home than England. Not the culture but the actual la

ndscape. Is that even possible?!