HAPPY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO ME AND MY DEAREST DUBLIN! ONE WHOLE YEAR OF LIVING MY BEST (EXPAT) LIFE!
I’ve officially hit the year mark since moving to Dublin, and what an amazing year it’s been! However, this latest month of expat life here has been a heck of a stressful one, both in good and bad ways.
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Recently, we’ve been #blessed with fantastic, sunny weather in Dublin. Although Ireland isn’t known for having a warm, pleasant climate (because let’s be honest, IT DOESN’T), that doesn’t mean that it’s raining and miserable all of the time…only most of the time.
But really, although the cold and rain are not ideal and definitely gets old after a while, what I love about Dublin is how alive the city becomes on a beautiful, warm day. Especially on the weekends. Nothing is more miserable than being stuck inside at work on a gorgeous day, only for it to be raining all weekend. So if it’s a sunny Saturday or Sunday, you’re guaranteed to see the city buzzing. People flood to the parks, the canals, the zoo, and of course the pubs with outside seating (it is Ireland, after all).
But you’ll also find that people will make the most of the sun by enjoying one of Dublin’s many walking routes. There are some amazing landscapes just outside of Dublin’s city limits that provide great views on sunny days. But, there are also some amazing views to be seen right in the heart of the city itself!
From a light hike on a rugged coastal landscape, to a sunset walk along the canal, to a light morning stroll admiring 4-story Georgian houses….Dublin has amazing walks and walking paths to choose from. The walks vary in difficulty, length, type of views, etc. But one thing they have in common is that they are all PERFECT for a sunny, pleasant day!
Here are 5 walks for a sunny day in Dublin!
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I haven’t thrown together one of these “Top 5” lists in a while, but I’ve got Portugal so much on the brain lately so I figured now’s the time to share what you should do in Lisbon, ESPECIALLY if you’ve never been!
Lisbon was one of my favorite stops on my last Europe trip. After a month traveling through Europe, Lisbon was our last stop. And I was frickin’ exhausted by the time we arrived. But, when I got to Lisbon I was immediately revitalized by the city’s vibrant culture and bright, sunny landscape.
After visiting Lisbon, I’ve come to realize that Portugal may just be one of Europe’s most underrated countries. It’s pretty cheap, there’s so much to do, and it’s obviously beautiful. Lisbon specifically is such a feast for the senses.
Although I wasn’t in Lisbon for long, I managed to do some amazing things! So if you’re ever in Lisbon and have absolutely no idea where to begin, or if you only have a short time there and want to make the most of it, here are my recommendations of the Top 5 things to do in Lisbon, Portugal!
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Another busy moth of Irish life as an expat in Dublin, Ireland! Well boy, my March was FUN. It could definitely be considered the month of concerts.
Between seeing ADELE, Grimes, and The 1975 in concert, there were a few pretttty big events in Ireland. A little something known as St. Patrick’s Day, and the 100th Anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising.
So, it was definitely an fun and busy month!
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Right after the craziness of St. Patrick’s Day, Dublin went right into full-on 1916 mode – something that had been building up all year.
Easter Sunday 2016 marked the 100 year anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising. In 1916, Irish republicans wanted to end British rule in Ireland and establish an independent Irish Republic, so they strategically planned the Rising while England was really distracted by being involved in WWI. Although it didn’t “work” in the sense that it wasn’t successful in completely throwing off English rule, it was the most significant uprising in Ireland since the rebellion of 1798 and kicked off the struggle for Irish independence.
So there’s a short history lesson, and a little glimpse just as to why the 1916 Easter Rising centenary was such a huge deal not only around Dublin, but around the whole of Ireland!
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The day of all days to be in Dublin….the day I’ve been waiting to experience since moving here almost a year ago…
Or, Paddy’s Day, as the Irish call it.
(And just a PSA for all fellow Americans…it’s not St. Pat or St. Patty’s Day. It’s PADDY, with D’s. And saying/spelling it otherwise is a bit of a pet peeve for many Irish people. It’s OK, I was guilty once too.)
Although it involved a lot of crowds and a lot of chaos, it was something that every avid traveler should try to experience at least once in their life. Ya know, just for the craic!
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Summer is arguably one of the best times to visit the UK. Like Ireland, the UK really comes alive in the summer. Not only are the British Isles blessed with beautiful countrysides and delightfully temperate weather in the summer months, they’re also home to some of the best summer events and festivals in the world. These are just a few picks from my own bucket list of fun, must-see summer events in the UK that everyone should check out on their next visit!
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Although February is a shorter month than most, I managed to squeeze in a lot in these 28 29 days. Life as an expat in Dublin is still going extremely well. There’s never a dull moment and I’m loving every second.
From saying goodbye to a friend moving to Canada, to birthdays and house parties, to roommate dinners and work nights out, to moving apartments, to exploring more of Dublin and its thrift stores.. OH, and of course, a quick but fantastic little getaway to Strasbourg, France.
So yeah, one could say this month of Irish life was pretty dang epic.
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There’s an app for everything these days. As much as we hate to admit it, we are all addicted to our smartphones to some degree. One gadget has made our lives so much easier, by being a clock, a calendar, a calculator, a computer, a map, a notebook, a camera, and a phone all in one, and all confined to the palm of your hand.
Since the explosion of smartphones, hundreds and thousands of apps have been made to suit everything from basic needs to specialized hobbies. In this day and age, we can find an app for anything we need.
This has been especially useful for us avid travelers. Gone are the days of pouring over a huge map on a crowded street in Hong Kong, or frantically flipping through an English to French dictionary to try and translate a sign in Paris, or having to wander around to find a phone book to find the phone number to book a last-minute hotel in Berlin. No, our smartphones do all of that for us. And since we all have our phones with us at all times, we have access to a HUGE array of travel apps right at our fingertips.
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Ah, Camden Market. Where do I even begin? Oh, I know…this is one of my favorite things to do in London. I make sure to stop by every time I’m there. Honestly I’d go as far as saying it’s the best market I’ve ever been to. And that’s saying a lot, because I’ve been to a LOT of great markets. London has a lot of amazing markets which are all great if you’re looking for free activities in London. But Camden Market is one of my favorites!
A maze of food, souvenirs, vintage, trinkets….my actual happy place. There’s something for everyone here, and you could all day wandering around the web of vendor stalls and shops.
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