Dublin: Day 1
I'm doing this routine of yoga and a nourishment (usually juice or a smoothie) every morning, and I couldn't just not do it in Ireland. So, of course, I got my yoga boogie on in the Dublin airport once I landed at 9.30am. I felt a little funny doing it at first, but felt so refreshed and awake afterwards - esp. after having travelled for over 6hrs and slept little in the past 24hrs.
After taking a bus to the city centre, I met Garrett at the hotel we were staying and off we went to breakfast at the Elephant and Castle, an absolutely charming little restaurant with the most mouth wateringly succulent sausage I've ever tasted. I've never had finer ground meat - it practically dissolved on my tongue. I would soon come to learn that Ireland has the best food on earth (at least out of anywhere that I've eaten. I'm firmly convinced this is because of the way they raise their animals: no factory farm bullshit. Just fresh air, green grass, and humane conditions. It really does make all the difference in the world. Every single meal I ate was absurdly good.)
It's named thus because it is believed to be the place St. Patrick did his first baptisms. It is generously patroned by the Guiness family, and Jonathan Swift is buried there. There is also a statue that happens to look like my college friend, Charlie :) In the below pictures, you will again notice the elaborate decoration, even detailed in the tiled floor. It's really quite breathtaking.
We also checked out an exhibit in the Old Library about Brian Boru, the first Emperor of Ireland. It was a fascinating series of tapestries and pictures explaining his rise and fall, and Garrett and I both believed it would make a great Pixar film.
After seeing Trinity, we walked around Dublin; saw Grafton street and St. Stephen's Green - a lovely park with a family of swans living in it. We then hit up a couple of pubs and, all in all, had a terrific first day and night in Dublin!