5th DAY: Gallway and County Clare

                                GALLWAY AND COUNTY CLARE

Our last day was perhaps one of the sunniest day we had in the entire trip. So that was pretty awesome. It so sunny that we could put our sunglasses on! So everybody did.. of course..

First we went to Gallway, where we explored the small city while it was still waking up. Gallway was a very interesting and pleasant city. We took the time to sit in coffee shops, and enjoy the morning listening to some musicians playing in the street and enjoying the calm atmosphere of the town.

Then we went back to the bus and had a sightseeing drive passing threw County Clare. Because of the nice weather, we made a lot of stops to take some pictures. We also passed by a lot of small town and saw a bit of the typical Irish architecture. But mostly we just couldn't get our eyes off the beautiful landscapes.

Then we stopped in one of those small town to get something to eat a chill out a little bit. Some of us even practiced their Irish dancing while having lunch.

And so we pent a really amazing last day in Ireland that ended with a great mood in Mullingard where we stayed in a very nice hotel.

We most really say, that the entire trip was absolutely amazing, every minute of it, and so we a great-full that our teachers took us there. 

4th DAY: Inishmore

                           THE AARON ISLANDS: INISHMORE

So the day after our visit to Causey farm, was in the sign of a long journey to the Aaron Islands. We road by bus with our great driver John to the ferry, that took us to the famous Aaron Island: Inishmore. The Aaron Islands are composed of three islands : Inishmore, Inishmaan and Inisheer. They are totally isolated from the rest of Ireland (electricity was brought to them only in the second part of the 20th century). Just a few locals actually live on the islands. Most of the young people went to Australia or America, following a dream of a better life.

Then mini buses drove us under the hill, which we were about to climb by foot. A brave demand by the way.

Well, even if we were really tired, when we were getting higher and higher we were noticing the beauty of the landscape, absolutely breathtaking. This place was stunning. Only the wind was extremely strong  we were actually surprised it didn't took us away..

The look we had from up Dun Aengus, was fantastic. It's one out of many reasons, that motivated Irish people to emigrate in the hard times of the crisis. The open landscape, with the sea that could take them, well anywhere must of been a very attractive idea...

The way down wasn't as easy as we expected, we had to be careful not to fall or disturb some angry cows.

Down there came up our favorite time of the day: free time! We were able to buy some souvenirs. We could choose from a lot of woolen products made by a local lady. The inhabitants of Inishmore mainly speak Irish. So we heard some people talking in Irish, a language that only a few people know how to speak.

Our mini buses took us then threw the island to show us some interesting parts of it, including old cemeteries. Then the  mini bus driver stopped to show us a group of seals that can only be seen there. Finally we had planned to spend some time in a great woolen shop, but unfortunately it was closed, and so we had to stay in a local bar to wait until the ferry came back, because it started RAINING! OH IRELAND, so beautifull but the weather.. ah! 

3rd DAY: Causey Farm

THE CAUSEY FARM

           The next day, was perhaps one of the funniest day of the entire trip.

We arrived around 11 o'clock to a farm called "Causey Farm" where we were supposed to experience a typical day in the rural Ireland. Well, kind of.. The hole day was planed to show us some typical Irish activities and customs.

           The first thing we got to do was make our own bread, that we would later eat for lunch. So there was a certain anxiousness not to mess the bread up, otherwise we wouldn't have anything to eat.. The breads turned out to taste amazing.
       
 After baking our lunch, we went to look at a newborn lamb, and some really small but incredibly cute puppies. Then the guide took us inside one of the buildings and started teaching us a traditional Irish dance. It was something totally new but very impressive. We had a lot a fun, but after  finishing one song. Everyone was starting to feel their legs hurting. We even managed to get Wenzel tired, and that's something! But it was definitely worth it, and it's probably something we wont ever forget, or at least we hope so..

          Just before lunch, Donaghah took us to the back yard, where he gave us wooden stick and a baseball. And also equipped us with a hockey helm, just for safety and then started teaching us an Irish sport called hurling. We he showed us what we were supposed to do with the stick and the ball, we kind of stared realizing that if the ball hit us at that speed, that little helm would probably not protect us very much..
Even so, the game was hard to play in the mud, so we stick to trying to hit the ball with our wooden bat.

         
After a perfect meal and a really, I mean REALLY good soup, Donaghah took us back to the farm, where we all tried to milk a cow. It was a little bit scary, but in a funny and unforgettable way.

            Then we all drove in the trailer of a tractor to a unknown place, near the farm. The ride was very bumpy and made us all recall that song we used to sing when we were younger "old MacDonald had a farm... ia ia oh!" Donaghah showed us a lot of interesting things there..

           

2nd DAY: Dublin

                                        Dublin! 

          So the next day, we visited the great Dublin city and we were fortunate to be able to have a very nice guide, who showed us the city, some doors and a suspicious Oscar Wilde sitting on a rock.

          Then we visited the Trinity college and its great and stunning library that includes the Book of Kells. The moment we stepped into the library, it would seem like if we were in a movie,
It was exactly what anybody would image under the word library.. 
The Book of Kells was created by Celtic monks around the 9th century and is named after the Abbey Kells, were it used to be .
          Trinity college is perhaps the most famous university in Ireland, it's a very prestigious college, so we found our self lucky to even have the chance to visit it.
     
          After the visit, we had some time to get something to eat. The driver, John, let us at the Grafton Street, and everybody went wondering in the streets, searching for a place were they could get something to eat that wouldn't cost a fortune, because to be honest Ireland isn't the cheapest country.. 

         Then we went to visit the Guinness storehouse. 
The Guinness brewery was founded in 1759 at the St-Jame's Gate in Dublin, Ireland by Arthur Guinness. 
The Guinness storehouse on the other hand opened in 2000 and is located at the same place as the old brewery..







Guinness is an Irish dark beer, very tasty. 
The Guinness storehouse is very well structured. Every visitor is able to see how beer is made, every single step of the way.
We were able to see the ingredients used for the making of the beer, and even try serving our own glass of beer. 

         The Guinness storehouse have 5 circular floors. The walls are decorated with old advertising posters, that can later be purchased at the gift shop.

         It was a very interesting visit, and we most certainly enjoyed our day! 

1st DAY : The arrival

       We began the trip a little bit worried if everybody was going to arrive in time to the Prague airport Vaclav Havel. When we arrived to Dublin, the same evening, we could say that we were almost dead. Well you know, fatigue, rain, cold and kind of really hungry.  We just wanted to arrive to the hotel, and reset our bateries

      
      

Hello!

Welcome!

If you are intrested in traveling, and mostly in Ireland, then you are on the right place!

We've just returned from our amazing school trip across Ireland, and we are about to tell you how great it was and how much fun we had!

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