Hi again!
UCD gives students a two week spring break in March, and my friends and I took full advantage. We booked a wild travel spree in which we hit Prague, Budapest, back to Dublin, then Rome and Barcelona.
Let me start with Prague. The architecture was absolutely stunning. Between the Prague castle, the churches, and the cute, light colored houses that filled the city, I can see why people enjoy living there/ and why it is such a popular study abroad destination. The city is lively and full of happy people. The essence of Prague can be seen in the John Lennon wall, a beautifully graffitied wall with quotes from John Lennon and other messages and names overlapping one another.
Next we we took a short cheap flight to Budapest. There we saw a market, beautiful architecture, and yes, the infamous Baths. The baths were very fun, essentially a giant hot tub which was nice on a sunny cold day. My favorite thing we did was the House of Terror museum, and museum that goes through the history of Budapest and their role in World War II and then communism in the cold war. It was chilling and fascinating,I highly recommend.
Next, I flew back to Dublin for St Patricks day. This was probably one of my favorite things I will have done abroad because I saw so many people from my hometown, studying abroad in other countries, just walking the streets of Dublin. Live music poured out of every pub, and the parade went through the streets for the entire day. I was proud to show off Dublin to all my friends from High School, and give them a taste of the charming atmosphere and kind hearted people.
Ok, now bear with me. I then flew into Rome, where I had an amazing time seeing all the typical touristy things such as the Vatican, Colosseum, and Trevi Fountain, all with a gelato or pizza in my hand, The food was unbelievable, and the sights were breathtaking. St. Peter’s Basilica as well as the Vatican were overwhelmingly beautiful.
I ended my trip in Barcelona, where I spent the days sleeping in until 12:00 pm and staying up until 5 am. The culture and vibe of Barcelona was much different than the other countries in that people were just happy, stress free, and kind. I even got to the beach. My favorite part was climbing the bunkers at sunset and getting a view of the entire city.
I am exhausted, however these past two weeks have been unforgettable. I am so grateful for this opportunity to see the world.
I look forward to sharing my next adventure with you all.
xoxo
Kelli Murray