Ireland 2013-Part I

In early May of this year, I fulfilled a life-long dream and took an amazing and life-changing trip to Ireland.  The trip was all the more special because I got to share it with my boyfriend, Shawn, my brother and his wife, and one of my best friends.  The five of us trekked (well, OK, bussed) all over the place-from Dublin to the midlands, to the Ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Moher, and all the way up to Northern Ireland.  I have far too many pictures to share at once, so I thought I'd break it down into several blog posts. This first one is from my absolute favorite part of the trip, which was our day-trip to Northern Ireland to see the Giant's Causeway.  We went on our last day in Ireland, when we had a free day that we could have spent exploring Dublin--but I made everyone get up very early to be on a bus at 6:30 am, to take us on a 4-hour ride up North.  I had been slightly obsessed with this geological phenomenon for awhile, as well as others like it around the world.  I even did a few pieces that were partially inspired by the hexagonal-shaped volcanic rock columns that make up this otherworldly landscape.  But there was nothing like seeing and experiencing it in person.  No photographs can do it justice, or give you a sense of the strange beauty and vastness of it (this was a commone theme among a lot of the places we saw).  I'm still not sure how, or if, this place will find it's way into my work.  Maybe it won't.  Either way, it was an unforgettable experience, and I hope you enjoy these pictures.

Next up: Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge...stay tuned...