Day 2We woke up a little rough today, feeling super jet-lagged! But we are strong Architecture students, so we persevered ;) We of course had to fit a nap in, but what can we say?? Dubh Linn Gardens | We found this hidden gem right next to the Dublin Castle...it is a beautiful, enclosed green space with a winding brick "pathway" that when viewed from above, is actually a Celtic symbol. The large building in the background is the Carriage House for the Dublin Castle. St. Patrick's Cathedral, Part II | This was by far our favorite place on our trip so far! Words cannot describe the beauty of this historic Cathedral. Between the stone details, stained glass windows, and beautiful, ribbed vaulted ceilings, this building was breathtaking. We thought this was a Catholic Cathedral, but were surprised to learn that it is actually an Episcopalian Cathedral (one of the first major religions of the Irish). The church was built in 1191. The pictures definitely do not do this building justice. Trinity College | What a neat university! It was founded in 1592, and has a beautiful campus with cobblestone pathways and a collection of both Georgian (? Our guess) and Modern styles. It was so interesting to see the students sprawled out on the grass, just like home. Several of the buildings were abundant with natural light, and there were recycling and conservation notes throughout the campus. National Museum of Archaeology | Beautiful building with a LOT of history inside. It was fascinating to see artifacts from the Viking era, a few mummies (664-525 BC), a wooden wheel from 400 BC, and gold jewelry from 3000 BC (oh my gosh!). All of the major museums throughout Dublin are owned by the state and have free admission (good for us!). Dinner at Sheehan's Pub | Katlyn couldn't leave Dublin without trying authentic corned beef and cabbage ;) Temple Bar | Definitely a tourist attraction, but great music! Becca couldn't resist another Guinness, and Katlyn tried some Jameson Irish Whiskey! Day 3It's our final full day in Dublin until the end of our trip! We walked 10 miles today, exploring the areas surrounding the inner-city. We are so glad we did, because we were able to see the non-touristy parts of the city where people actually live their daily lives! University College Dublin, School of Architecture, Regional and Urban Planning and Environmental Studies | Because of the beautiful weather, we couldn't resist walking the 3+ miles out to this university! The Architecture School is on a separate campus from the rest of the University, but was still fun nonetheless! We went through the awesome wooden entry doors, and explored the building looking for architecture studios! We were surprised to see that there weren't a whole lot of people at all..not sure if they are out for break or just don't have classes on Fridays? Either way, it was fun to look around! Their Architecture Building reminded us of our own back in Champaign...old and creaky, winding staircases, and surrounded by beautiful architectural elements. Lunch at the Power Tower: Burman and Wallace | Right next door to the University campus was the "Power Tower...a HUGE office campus building with a restaurant smack dab in the middle of the courtyard! We wish we could have gone inside to explore, but made do with looking at the green features on the exterior (window shading devices, green spaces, inner courtyards, etc.) St. Stephen's Mall | We were drawn to walk through this unique looking building in the middle of Dublin. The amazing glass ceiling let in an abundance of light into this bustling mall! Christ Church Cathedral | Today they had several local vendors set up in the grounds surrounding the church. Of course we had to buy some goodies to bring back home! We weren't able to tour the inside of this church, but it was breathtaking. And of course it had awesome doors ;) (Are you sensing a trend here?) City Council Building | We are SO glad we went inside here! Katlyn noticed a green roof on the first day and was determined to go back to check it out. It was open to the public, and we wandered around, admiring all of the interior plants (they had a whole area of tropical plants!), wood paneling, and natural light from the glass ceiling. We couldn't access the green roof, but were able to catch a glimpse thanks to a nice Irish gentleman we met along the way :) He suggested we go down to City Hall next, so that's where we went! City Hall | We walked by this massive building a million times and didn't know what it was until today! We went inside and were amazed by the beautiful and intricate dome. There was a lot of detail throughout the main room, with mosaic tile and massive sculptures commemorating important figures in Dublin's history.
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Day One in Dublin is almost complete! What a whirlwind these past two days have been. Our flight was painless (we even met a lad from Ireland!), and we arrived in Dublin at 7:30 AM (1:30 AM back at home...). We knew it was a gonna be a good trip when it started out with free wine and gelato at 38,000 feet up! The city of Dublin is colorful, eclectic, and lovely. The people here seem extremely friendly. We are staying in the Temple Bar District, a bustling, young (and touristy) area, and it is in the middle of everything! We can't wait to see the rest of this city. We survived our flight and made it to Dublin safe and sound! It didn't take us long to find cool sights in Dublin! We were dropped off on O'Connel Bridge, and the adventure started there! Irish Breakfast at O'Neills Pub & Kitchen | Baked beans are a breakfast item? We don't care, they were good! Of course we couldn't get through a meal without potatoes...fried hash browns and fried potato cakes (what tasted like cheesy garlic mashed potatoes breaded and fried...enough said) Dublin Castle | Even though we had to lug our bags (we weren't able to check in to our Air BnB yet...) this place was breathtaking! St. Stephen's Green & Fusilier's Arch | An amazing thing about Dublin is the fact that even in the middle of the city, there is no shortage of green space! This park was beautiful. St. Patrick's Park and Cathedral | We were blown away the moment we rounded the corner and spotted the Cathedral. The sheer size of it is amazing enough, but the grounds surrounding the cathedral were green and bustling with families and children. We weren't able to tour this day, but we are planning on coming back before we leave! Marsh's Library | An amazing library that was established by Archbishop Marsh in the early 1700s. We couldn't believe that this was still the original library with all of the original books, the oldest prints dating back to the 1400s. We even got to try out an authentic quill! National Library of Ireland Chippers | We couldn't get through a day in Dublin without trying good old fashioned Fish & Chips. SO delicious! Finished off with Guiness at Stag's Head Pub
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