dublin, Ireland

| pretty architecture |

| a sneaky shot of the Trinity College Library. (spotted all over Pinterest) |

| Trinity College campus |

| the river Liffey after a storm |

| views from The Gravity Bar |

| colourful doors are a bit of a thing in Dublin |

| best friends since the 7th grade |

If you ask me, it doesn’t get much better than visiting friends abroad. Especially if said friends have been a part of your life for the better part of fourteen years (holy!). Having “locals” give you a personal tour ultimately means you get to see the very best of the city without a ton of prep-work.

Having almost an entire week with virtually no plans was a nice departure from the go-go-go of the Scottish leg of our trip. We were able to take in the city at a leisurely pace, stopping often for tea and pints of Guinness.

While we naturally took part in some of the must-do activities (the Guinness brewery & high-tea at the Shelbourne obviously being on that list), we also had the opportunity to experience the lesser-known tidbits that Dublin has to offer. Things like incredible restaurants (hello 777 & The Pig’s Ear for starters), vintage shopping and adorable local pubs tucked in back alleys. Jess and Ian graciously put us up in their apartment for the week which not only helped us stay on budget, but brought back memories of childhood sleepover and proved to be a ton of fun. I’ll let them know if any of you need future personal tour guides, knowing them they’d be happy to oblige ;)