For the record, this was probably the coolest spring break ever.

On the Wednesday morning after our flight home from Berlin, we went north to Belfast. Half of the classes I am taking here deal with the history of peace and conflict in Northern Ireland, and our program organizes a trip so we can kind of give a face to everything we've been learning about. Belfast is an interesting city, but also kind of sad because you can see how it was once extremely profitable and now not so much. We spent three days there talking to people involved in the conflict and touring the different Catholic and Protestant areas. We also visited the Titanic museum and then hiked a good couple of miles just to find Van Morrison's birthplace! (Sadly Van was not there as I had been hoping....)  

On Friday afternoon after touring the Parliament building, we took a bus further North to a little town called Portrush. Here we spent the weekend doing more touristy things!  Portrush is very small but probably one of the prettiest places I've ever been.  

Murals in Belfast

We witnessed a protest at the Parliament building! In actuality this wasn't that exciting.

Considered knocking....decided not to. 

Pretty Portrush!

Giant's Causeway!

Bushmill's Whiskey Distillery tour was great because it's still a working distillery, unlike the Jameson factory in Dublin. Also the bartender gave us extra drinks because he liked my roommate's panda iPhone case...

Looking down from the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge!

Me and my new friends...

Dunluce Castle

Me and my wonderful roommate Clara! 

Ironically, the best feeling ever was being back in Dublin because it's home now, and I can't believe I have less than 2 months left here! Which reminds me - I found a store that sells ranch dressing. Now if only Redcoat Tavern could start an international chain then I really would have no reason to come back to the US!