By danirendon9
I've been living in Ireland for almost two months now, and it still feels surreal that I am not in the United States and won't be for another two months. It's the longest I've been outside of the country, and to be honest, I have yet to become homesick. Once you get past the fact that home is across the Atlantic ocean and about a six hour flight away, you realize how much closer to the rest of the European world you are.
Since I've been in Ireland, I have traveled within the country, as well as to Iceland, London, and Paris. Next weekend I will travel to Brussels and Amsterdam, and later on to Budapest and Prague. Without trying to make anyone too jealous, I'd like to document my travels in hopes of inspiring everyone to maybe get out of their comfort zones and start traveling! Traveling is the best way to gain new experiences, meet new people, take part in different cultures, eat good food, and make unforgettable memories.
The first place I visited outside of Ireland was Paris, France. I was there for a weekend and got all the essentials in which included the Louvre, Versailles, Eiffel Tower, Arch de Triomphe, Notre Dame, and of course macarons and crepes. The entire experience was all so surreal, I'm still in awe I was there to witness all the landmarks. Here are some tips when visiting:
- Buy all your tickets online in order to skip lines and save some time.
- Plan to spend an entire day at Versailles. The palace and gardens spectacular and deserve an entire day to be really appreciated.
- Familiarize yourself with the metro and use it anywhere you to go. The big tourist destinations aren't necessarily next to each other and this is the easiest form of transportation (as well as the Tube in London).
- Visit the Eiffel Tower at night. In the day it is equally as impressive as it is by night, but something about the twinkling lights and dancers nearby, make it all the more magical.
Next up was Iceland. I landed in Reykjavik, where I was immediately introduced to dramatic scenery and impressive architecture right in the city. Everything is quite expensive, so I would just be aware of budgeting and the ISK to dollar rate. After exploring the city, I took a tour to see the Northern Lights. The Northern Lights are an unpredictable phenomenon and you shouldn't be disappointed if you don't catch them on your first night. Most tours offer complimentary tickets for the next night if you're unlucky the first time around. So make sure to plan this trip for the first night just in case you miss out!!
Luckily, I got to see the dancing green and purple lights my first time around and was completely amazed. The tour guide had informed the group that the lights were believed to be elves dancing in the sky and it wasn't until I actually witnessed the colorful swirls in the sky, did I understand exactly what he meant by 'dancing.' The next day I toured through southern Iceland, saw astounding waterfalls and glaciers, as well as a black sand beach near the small town of Vik. The short weekend I was there for was definitely not enough time to experience all there is to do in Iceland, so I'm excited to go back.
Some few fun facts about Iceland include:
- If you want to bring a dog, it must be quarantined for at least six months beforehand.
- The plague and rabies have never been found in Iceland.
- The only actual native animal to Iceland, aside from birds, is the arctic fox. Polar bears are usually found floating on icebergs that come from Greenland and Reindeer were introduced by a Danish king. There are only two types of field mice and the rabbit was introduced a few years ago.
London was only an hours flight away from Dublin and very cheap- not to mention very worth it. London was never at the top of my bucket list, but now I can't wait to go back some day. It was a beautiful city with plenty to do. It was on the more of the expensive side, but each of the attraction was worth it. The London Eye is the tallest observation wheel in the world (it's not meant to be called a ferris wheel) and it takes about thirty minutes to do a full trip, so you can really take in all of London from a bird's eye view.
I also took a boat cruise on the Thames, which if you enjoy learning about history, is very worth it. I also spent half a day at the Tower of London where there is plenty to do and enjoy. There are museums scattered throughout the medieval village, and is even still inhabited by people! Ravines are also reside within the walls and it is said that if a ravine ever leaves, London will collapse and fall to ruins. No one actually knows where that legend originated, but they're not taking any chances. The jewels were also very impressive, given that two of the stones from the world's largest diamond can be seen there.
The British, Modern Art , and National Gallery Museums, are all worth the trip (also free) and contain pieces from Van Gogh, Monet, and statues from the Eastern Islands. Most of London's beauty can be appreciated by walking along the river and by the Elizabeth Tower (where Big Ben is located) and through the street markets. It was really so much fun, and a weekend is definitely not enough time.
Moral of this blog post is: If you're in Europe take advantage of all the great places to visit. There's so much to experience and new things to see, why spend your time in your dorm room watching Netflix?