I know it's Tuesday and I'm getting a little behind on this blog, but I have a whole bunch of adventures from this past weekend to write about. I'll be writing in sections for your benefit as well as mine, and because I need to go watch the Presidential inauguration in just a little bit!
I'll begin with this past Friday, which was our big group trip to Glendalough. Glendalough is an old monastic settlement. The name is Irish and essentially means "between two lakes" because, as you probably guessed, it's between two lakes (lough, or loch in Scottish, is lake). Built in a series of circles, it was supposedly founded by St.Kevin in the 6th century. Basically it consist of ruins of the church, a gate house, a few other small buildings, and a round tower that is in pretty good shape for being so old. The place is also a giant graveyard, with plots and headstones spanning from the 6th century up until the 1950s. One of the things Glendalough is most famous for is the Celtic crosses throughout the grounds.
Above are pictures of the round tower. 
Me, Rachel, and Jackie on the Glendalough grounds
Above is St.Kevin's cross, an example of a Celtic cross (although the decorative designs have mostly eroded)
After we toured Glendalough, our sociology teacher Frank invited us all to take a walk with him. But in true Irish fashion, he had to insult us first, saying the weaklings could return to the parking lot and the rest could go on a light walk.
Through this experience and one I had later in the weekend, I've realized that when the Irish say "light walk," what they really mean is something close to climbing a mountain.
Frank brought most of us through some paths in the surrounding woods. The place was absolutely magical and simultaneously kind of creepy. Everything was covered in vibrant green moss and there were dozens of waterfalls. When you imagine a fairy tale version of Ireland, this is what you are most likely picturing. If I was going to see any magical creatures in Ireland, this would have been the place to do it. We saw a really pretty white horse, which we then dubbed a legitimate unicorn, because it seemed more appropriate for the setting. After an hour and a half of upward climbing, we came to the top and the view was breathtaking. As usual, pictures won't do it justice. Even in the winter, with a lot of the trees barren, Glendalough is picturesque, especially when you look down at the ruins from such a height.
Casie, Colleen, Jackie, and Me by the waterfall
After Glendalough we took the bus back to Dublin city center and caught Bus Eireann to Galway, a four hour ride. Galway is on the west coastline of Ireland, directly across from Dublin. Still, it shouldn't take four hours to get there. I can't help but chuckle at the highway system in Ireland. What they call a "major highway" is actually a two lane road. The Bus also makes a million stops, probably because if you say to the bus driver, "Hey, can you take a left here and stop at my house?" the likelihood is that he will oblige.
More on Galway to come shortly...
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