The Green Island

Entry 1, Ireland

Well, I can definately see why it's called the Green Island!

I've spent the last five days hiking around in Macgillycuddy's Reeks, a mountain range in Count Kerry, in the south-west of Ireland.

The nature is amazing, there's something magnificent to see everywhere you look, a new mountain-peak, another beautiful lake, or a vast flowermeadow.

I've been on the top of Ireland's highest peak, the Carrauntoohil, which is 1038 meters high.

I've been sleeping in a tent, which I gotta admit, isn't to comfortable, but the days totally are worth a uncomfortable night in a tent.

Today, though, I've been lucky enough to get a bed for the night. I was visiting the Muckross Lake, a lake situated in the famous Kilarney natioal park, and when I was looking at the Muckross House, a old mansion built in 1843, the owner himself, Henry Arthur Herbert, walked out of the front door, and started to talk to me. When I told him I was hiking through the Kilarney national park, sleeping in a tent, he offered me to sleep there this night.

I gratefully accepted, looking forward to spare my sore back for another hard and cold night in the tent.

Mr Herbert told me to watch out, though; there are supposed to be ghosts in the Muckross House..

MsF

Entry 2, Ireland

I was totally exhausted after spending the last five days hikinh through the spectular Irish wilderness, and the one thing I really wanted was to find a hotel with a good soft beds, and sleep out. I decided to go to Dublin by train, and I checked in at the first descent hotel I found. I just had the time to brush my teeth and undress before I found myself flat on the bed.

I woke up 15 hours later, feeling better than ever, and after a quick lunch (I was too late for breakfast), I was ready to explore Dublin.

I spent the day walking through the streets of the city, looking in some shops, and talking to some of the inhabitants of the city (you just gotta love that accent!).

The next day I went to visit Dublin Castle. It is a marvelous building, and I just couldn't believe that most of it was built in 1260!

Afterwards, I figured I had to visit a traditional, Irish pub, seeing it is one of the things the Irish are known for. The atmosphere was cozy, and I walked back to the hotel in a considerabely better mood than when I left it.

After a good nights sleep, I took a cab out to the airport to catch my flight back home.

I've spent a great week in Ireland, and I'm sure I'll return!

MsF