Barcelona

February 28, 2018 by Savannah Herring

Barcelona, Spain
October 9th-13th

In Waterford we headed to the bus station so we could get back to the airport in Dublin. From Dublin we flew to Barcelona. We eventually made it to our hostel pretty late at night. It was dark outside and we were exhausted from the day of traveling. Taylor and I decided to call it a night and start fresh in the morning. Our little hostel room had a balcony and two beds that filled the entire room. It was cramped but a cozy place to sleep.

In the morning, Taylor and I walked around the city. We were in no particular rush and wanted to leisurely explore our surroundings. I had never been to Barcelona before so it was nice to not have any obligations right off the bat.

We were hungry for breakfast and stopped into a little corner shop. The tables were adorable and had different spices/grains inside the glass table top. And.. YES, I ate cake for breakfast.

We ended up heading towards the water and walked along its beach for quite a while. The town was busy but you could find quiet areas here and there to really take in the moment. The water is so close to the city. The art and history that filled the city was mesmerizing. This little art nut was more than excited.

Along the beach, we stopped at El Pacifico to have Paella! I did not realize we were in for such a presentation. It was very good... but I did learn that Paella isn't my favorite. Our server was so generous and brought us Limoncello at the end to top off our meal.

After lunch we walked to a mall that was halfway across the harbor. We crossed over a bridge that closed often throughout the day as sailboats were constantly arriving or leaving. This was definitely not the place to be stuck if you were in a hurry. Each side of the bridge filled up quickly as we waited for the boat to pass. Once it did, swarms of people carried on their way to the other side. It was more interesting that it sounds in the blog.

Later that evening, we found a little tapas spot to have some dinner. We really grew to love the self serve toothpick tapas restaurants. The wine was VERY cheap and the tapas were enjoyable. The place was crowded and we were lucky to have a little seat.

Later that night, Taylor found a restaurant where the entire inside was decorated as if you were outside. Trees had tables attached to them with little ponds with running water collecting along side. The restaurant further surprised us as there was a small area set up as if you were in an old time haunted house. I didn't get pictures.. but there was a mirror where if you looked long enough you would see a mans reflection appear... with child's bed frame and old toys laying on the ground next to it. A doll house. You get the picture. We were glad to have stopped by this place!

The next day we had plans to go to an afternoon wine tasting. We decided to walk around and see portions of the city we weren't able to see the day before. We did a lot of walking before we decided to stop for a ham and cheese sandwich. For some reason, this sandwich was very satisfying.

Once we finished lunch we had to figure out how to get to the meeting spot for our wine tasting. We walked a long way to be where we needed to be at the right time. We made it to metro station and there were quite a few people around.. we didn't know which on was our tasting guide. After a few confusing moments, we found who we were looking for and were on our way.

This tasting was much different than the ones we had been on before. We were told that we were going to stay in one place and the wine (along with meats and cheeses) were going to be brought to us. Two thumbs up. We had a great time getting to try many different types of wine from an organically produced facility. Thank you Hallie and Patrick for the suggestion! It was well worth every minute.

All their wine had taps like a beer bar. We ended up getting a bottle each that we could fill up with whatever we chose and brought them home with us.

Overall, it was a great time with great wine, and great cheese. After our tour was over, we asked our guide what we should do next. He mentioned a French restaurant that his friend owned and suggested if we go there to tell him he said hi. Well, that is exactly what Tay and I did. We walked our way to this little French restaurant where we stayed the remainder of the night. We had a blast!

After all of this time around wine and food, Taylor and I were ready to head home and call it a night. We walked back to our hostel and immediately hit the sheets. We had booked a city walking tour early the next morning and did not want to miss the opportunity to learn about the city!

We met our tour guide and were split up into groups. I was beyond excited that I was going to be able to see the works of Gaudi in person!

Casa Batlló

While on our walking tour, there was a parade through the streets. It happened to be National Hispanic Day in Spain. It was such a beautiful, colorful surprise.

On our walk back home, Tay and I got a pizza from a little shop up the street from our hostel. A quiet night in was needed before we got ready to head out to Granada the next day. Granada holds a special place in my sisters heart.

Doolin

December 28, 2016 by Savannah Herring

Doolin, Ireland
October 3rd-6th

Taylor and I ate breakfast at the hostel before we went to catch the bus to Doolin. Once we got on the bus, it was three hours before we made it to Gallway. It was here that Tay and I had to figure out how to get to Doolin. We were dropped off at a bus station but after asking a few locals, we figured out we had to go to a different bus station to get to Doolin. We saw a bus in the distance (the last bus in a long line of coaches) that was labeled Doolin and we started to run.. literally. We didn't want to miss it knowing there wouldn't be another bus for a long time. Once we made it, the bus driver was clever (rude) and charged us much more than he should have. We chose to let it go because we really wanted to make this bus. A few bumpy hours later mixed with a couple of close call collisions we were in the tiny town.

Once we made it, we immediately checked in with our hostel and got settled into our room. We had a lot of space and decent WiFi so we were happy. Its the little things. We called the family to let them know we arrived and then headed out to see what this little town had to offer. When I say little, I mean VERY little. There are 4 bars/restaurants, 0 stop lights, and a lot of open land. This place is definitely one of my favorite places of our entire trip. It was cold and a little rainy as we walked to one of the nearest restaurants for a bite to eat. Again we were thanking ourselves for getting those jackets back in Dublin. Unfortunately, once we walked into the restaurant, they had just finished serving lunch and it was going to be a while before dinner. Originally we were going to wait it out but we were too hungry. We headed back to our hostel and got ham and cheese croissants to hold us over. Once we were back in our room, we began to make a plan for the next few days.

Eventually we were hungry enough for dinner and ventured back out into the elements. Our hostel recommended a restaurant called McDurmotts because they had the best live music on that particular night. We set out on the mile long walk and took in the peaceful serenity of our surroundings. This place has more shades of green than I knew existed. It is very beautiful. We made it to the bar and found a seat right away. Apparently we were early because the place filled up shortly after we arrived. We both ordered a beer and looked over the menu. I decided to get the lamb shank special and Taylor got soup and soda bread. My meal probably could have comfortably fed three people it was so huge. Of course it was okay because it was so delicious.

We eventually gave up our table and moved to the bar so another party could sit and enjoy a meal. The music hadn't started yet so we got another beer and waited. My sister and I aren't very good with our timing we figured out. We were getting sleepy and eventually paid for our meal and drinks all before anyone started playing music (music was to start at 9:30 pm). We told ourselves we would do better the next day and called it a night. Walking home in the dark in a town with little to no streetlights while cars drive on the opposite side of the road was an intense experience. The cars were fast and blinding. It wasn't until later that we realized they are used to people walking on the streets and it became a little less intimidating.

We made it in our rooms and got our clothes ready to drop off the next morning. We saw a place on the way to the restaurants that advertised washing laundry for very cheap! This was a plus since the last time we washed clothes was in Paris.. Eventually we hung up our wet clothes to dry and hit the sheets. Traveling is tiring.

When we got up the following morning, we got ready to drop our laundry off on the way to see the caves of Doolin. We chose this day to see the caves because we knew it was going to be cloudy and rainy. According to the map, the caves were 4km away. We were a little ambitious and decided this would be a good morning walk. After about 30 minutes of walking up and down the hills, around the winding roads, and dodging traffic, we found this to be a little more than we bargained for. We toughed it out and made it, dreading the walk back the entire time.

Taylor carrying our laundry to the buildings you see on the right.

Taylor walks much faster than me.  I am always trying to keep up! — Taylor walks much faster than me. I am always trying to keep up!

Once inside, we immediately bought tickets and waited for the tour guide. We walked around the little gift shop and familiarized ourselves with a little history of the caves. They were discovered in the 1950's by two young college students who spent a lot of time digging their way to the center. Our tour guide showed up and we started our tour. We wore hard hats and got to see the largest stalactite in the Northern Hemisphere. It is over 30 feet long. CRAZY!

Our tour guide overheard Taylor and I telling some people in our group that we had walked to the caves from Doolin. After the tour, he offered to drive us back to Doolin which was on his way home. I know my mom is screaming at me while reading this.. The people in this town were so nice and this is just one example of many more that we encountered. He dropped us off at the restaurant we wanted to eat at and wouldn't take a cent that we offered (for the tour or the ride). The people in this town were like no others. We walked inside McGann's Pub and were the only people here. Both of us got the soup and shared some nachos. It was SO good. We made plans to come back to this restaurant that night for dinner.

I walked to the drivers side forgetting they drove on the opposite side of the road.  He laughed at me and asked me to go to the other side. — I walked to the drivers side forgetting they drove on the opposite side of the road. He laughed at me and asked me to go to the other side.

When we arrived back at our hostel we took the opportunity to rest. The morning walk we really took it out of us. Eventually we made it back out to McGann's and had a great dinner. According to the locals, this was the place for music tonight. The pub filled up quickly and the music started playing. We ended up sharing a table with a couple and left shortly after we were finished. It was crowded and there were many people looking for a place to sit. The food was great as well. We ended up walking back to the bar we ate at the night before to see what was going on there. We got a seat at the bar and ordered a drink. They had music as well but it wasn't nearly as crowded as McGanns.

Taylor and I aren't considered night owls, that's for sure. We always seem to make it to bed by 10 o'clock. Of course we were fine with this considering tomorrow was a big day for us. It is the thing I was most excited to do in Ireland! We needed a good nights sleep before we were going to head to the Cliffs of Moher!

The next morning I was so excited I couldn't stand it. We walked all the way to the end of the pier to catch a bus that would take us to the cliffs. The weather was very windy but very beautiful considering the gloomy weather we had the day before. We took our time and couldn't help but take pictures of our surroundings. My words and our photos do not do this place justice.

We caught the bus right in time and made our way to the cliffs. This was a short ride. We were told we had a few hours before the driver would be back to pick us up. Once we got to the cliffs, you couldn't really see how magnificent they were right off the bat. We walked up to see the light house first. As we got closer, we definitely realized we were in a beautiful place.

After spending some time at the lighthouse, we decided to grab a bite to eat before making the journey to the cliffs. There was a cute little restaurant where I got a salad and Taylor got a soup. She really is obsessed. It was unique being inside the restaurant because it was built into the side of the hill. It was very efficient and overall a really neat place to look out at the scenery.

It is impossible to describe the feeling while being on the edge of these cliffs. The wind was so strong it felt like it could lift you right off the top. The view literally takes the breath right from your lungs. Taylor and I walked as far as we could along the edge of thes cliffs until we had no choice but to turn back to make our bus. Eventually we were the only people left to experience this once in a lifetime opportunity. It was so hard for us to walk back. This quickly became my favorite part of the trip. I am truly blessed.

The lighthouse we were standing at in the previous pictures.

It was so windy.  This is a little pathway that we could walk along for part of the way. — It was so windy. This is a little pathway that we could walk along for part of the way.

Again, no photo will do this justice. Hands down the most incredible moment I have ever experienced up to this point. When we were finished visiting the cliffs, we rode the bus back to Doolin. Taylor and I picked up our laundry and made our way back to the hostel. We decided to go to the only restaurant left that we hadn't eaten at. We had a nice little dinner and walked the mile back to McGann's for a night cap. We enjoyed a beer and listened to some more Irish music.

We walked back slowly knowing it was our last night in this little town. We had plans to leave relatively early in the morning to head out to Limerick. Doolin was a success.

Peace & Love,
Savannah

Dublin

December 06, 2016 by Savannah Herring

Dublin, Ireland
September 30th - October 3rd

Once Taylor and I landed in Dublin, we went in search of public transportation. We found the bus we were looking for and hopped on. In case you are wondering, many of the hostels we book give us decent directions from wherever we arrive. It is very helpful and saves us time once we get there. That being said, this is one of the times we had to rely on google to get us there. Unless you are a local, its hard and sometimes impossible to figure out which stop you need to get off at. There aren't signs, overhead notifications, or a screen to tell you this is where you get off. It took about 45 minutes to get to our stop. We were greeted at our hostel by a lovely staff and brought our things up to the room. It was cute and simple.

We were hungry but had no idea where to go. Also, it was raining so we wanted to stay close. We asked the front desk of the hostel where we should go for dinner. He recommended a spot that was close by and we were on our way. We were about 5 minutes into our walk when the rain picked up. This is when we realized our rain jackets weren't exactly rain proof. We were soaked and cold when we made it to the restaurant. When we got here, we walked in and saw it was completely packed. Not a single space for us to sit. We were tired, wet, and hungry by now and had no intentions of battling anyone for a table. We set back out into the weather. Occasionally we had to stop under a few awnings to make sure our phones were dry enough to keep working. Finally we made it to another restaurant and the staff was kind enough to direct us to a table upstairs. Most restaurants we found out were pubs first and restaurants second. The restaurant was called the Bankers and turned out to be pretty good.

Taylor ordered vegetable soup with mashed potatoes and I got Fish N Chips.

Once we finished with dinner we put on our soggy jackets and headed to the Temple Bar area. We found a bar, The Horseman, playing live music and headed inside. We knew every song. Taylor and I bought a couple beers and felt like we fit right in. We met some nice people and had a fun time. Its interesting how hard it is to understand English with an Irish accent.

After a few beers we headed back to the hostel. It had stopped raining by then and we couldn't have been more thankful.

The next morning Tay and I had two goals: 1.) find warmer jackets 2.) find a post office to figure out how to send some things home. The longer we traveled, the more we realized there were many things we wish we didn't have to carry with us. We decided to look for jackets first. There is a store named Pennys we spent too much time in. Its huge and full of deals. We ended up getting jackets here for a very cheap. I think Taylor's was 15 Euros. Nuts! Once we finished shopping we went in search of a restaurant Taylor had done research on. It was called The Lotts Cafe Bar. We got a cute little table upstairs next to a Grand Piano. There was a Gaelic Football match on later this afternoon so most of the tables were reserved. We each got a local craft brew and settled in. Taylor got beef stew and I got Bangers N Mash. Its safe to say this was the best meal I had while staying in Dublin. SO GOOD.

After our delicious lunch, we ventured to the post office. The guy behind the counter was very helpful. He told us to go grab all of the things we wished to send and bring it back to the post office. He was going to help us from there. So, that's what we did. We walked home, assessed our belongings, packed up what we wanted to send, and headed back to the post office. The man we spoke to before held true to his word. He helped us figure out which packaging to use along with what the cheapest way to get it back home would be. Taylor ended up sending two bags home and I sent three. (These ended up making it home within a week!)

We went back to the hostel feeling like a giant weight had been lifted off our shoulders. Believe it or not, dropping a few pieces of clothing gave us more room in our bags along with making our packs feel much lighter. Mom and dad were at Grammy's house this weekend so we got to chat with her of Facetime. Moments like these were so special.

Tay and I hung around our hostel until it was time for dinner. We headed to another restaurant Tay had researched. It is called Merchants Arch and was right on the edge of the Temple Bar area but still on the river. Again, we ate upstairs while listening to Irish music downstairs. I had a Caesar salad (Irish food is heavy and I needed a break for the night). Taylor got soup and soda bread. All I heard her say before we got to Ireland was "I can't wait for soup and soda bread." She wasn't kidding. She got this at every meal, you will see. We went back to the hostel as we had two tours planned for the next day.

The next morning we planned on going on the "hop on hop off" tour. We didn't plan on hopping off though. We just wanted to hear about the highlights of the city that we knew we wouldn't be able to make it to. We sat on the top level and got a lot of wind in our faces. It was a good tour for what we paid.

Once we got off the tour, we searched for yet another great place Taylor looked up. It was called Queen Of Tarts. We waited a short while before getting seated. The food was absolutely worth it. I got an Irish coffee, soup, and a sandwich. Taylor got hot chocolate and soup. Because this was a dessert place, I had to try something and ended up getting a chocolate Guinness cake.

Occasionally, Taylor and I felt the need to get some extra walking in and this was one of those times. At first we were looking for a place we were supposed to get a free Guinness offered to us by our tour.. never found the place. We gave up on that plan and decided to walk to the Guinness Storehouse. The tour was interactive and kept our attention the entire time. We took some photos in a photo booth which put our faces into old Guinness adds. It was a fun time. If anyone knows me, they know I love Guinness. I was in heaven.

We walked home in the dark. The city is pretty, especially at night. We knew we would need to get some food before the night was over so we went in search of noodles in a box. We were successful! Tay ended up getting a burrito at the place next door. We brought it back to the hostel and ate it up before heading to bed. We had a bus to catch the next morning!

Peace & Love,
Savannah