ireland

i have much to post about, including lots on my (amazing) vegas trip and all the painting that has been ocurring at my new apartment...but since those of us that blog know that a post isn't quite as exciting without pictures (and i am currently at work which means my pictures are on my computer at home) i decided to get myself pumped for my upcoming trip to ireland.

i fly to ireland on friday, september eleventh (scary, i know) and i return on september twenty-sixth. while i will have to work every day from 9-5ish, i will have every night free and two weekends to explore.

if you are curious as to just how crazy this world is, i encourage you to search in my previous blogs for february 9th, 2009 - as well as february 1, 2009 (#3): in both of these blogs i conveyed my desire to visit ireland. interesting, eh? and here i am...ready to head to the green hills and NOT ON MY TAB. brilliant.

because my two weeks in ireland will exist because of extensive training for my job, i haven't had much to do at work, as of yet. so in my spare (all) time, i ordered two guidebooks (rick steves ireland, and lonely planet dublin...because i couldn't make up my mind)and i will probably have read them cover to cover before i even step out of the country.

check out these interesting facts from the dublin guidebook:

-in the summer of 2007, it never got above 59 degrees and it rained 59 days straight (did i mention how thrilled i am that the weather will be chilly while i'm there!!!? hello pashminas!)

-there is no smoking inside anywhere in ireland (unless it's your house, of course)

-dublin is the 16th most expensive city in the world (good thing i'm not paying!)

these are some places i definitely want to visit (within the walls of dublin...more to come on all of ireland later):

Irish Museum of Modern Art



Hill of Howth



Moore Street Market



St. Patrick's Cathedral



Temple Bar



so who knows if i'll actually make it to all these venues...and i'm positive that i'm about to find a million more places i want to see as i continue my reading today...