The queen is coming!-Ireland

Ireland is full of green...everywhere you look it is full of a deep vibrant life that is so fiercely natural. The wind will blow a cool (sometimes too cool)breeze through your hair and sneak on every corner of your body. The cool mists, tall trees, the rain all bring this sort of sleepy dreary energy that makes you never want to leave. The sun fights to be heard too and it consistently has shown a never surrendering face...revealing majestic rainbows and a depth to the nature and the green that one had no idea was even missing until it is seen.
The people are a bit more complicated, as people tend to be. The leftover feelings of resentment were very strong towards the crown (of England for ruling them for many years)and were all too evident with the protests on the street. The economy has really struggled there and there has been many immigrants and emigrants in the past 50 years complicating the culture. The queen did in fact come to Ireland while we were there and it shut down most of the city. Unfortunately, that did effect our trip a bit and it made it both exciting and a hassle to tour. A monarch from England has not ever visited the Republic of Ireland and no monarch has visited Ireland for 110 years.
For Sarah and I, Ireland was also filled with music and the pleasure of a wonderful Irish family. The Grangers were simply wonderful. They had a beautiful home and were the most generous and kind hosts that could be.
The highlights of the touring were the outside of many buildings such as Trinity college, the Guinness factory and sneaking into St. Patrick's Cathedral where Handel practiced and "The Messiah" was first performed as well as where Jonathan Swift was the dean (author of Gulliver's Travels). We met wonderful friends at the museums and pubs...hung out with a number of Americans who might see again (8/8).
Due to the queen our second day in Ireland we avoided the city all together, we still counted 74 gaurds just on our way from the Granger's home to the highway. The security was paramount; the largest Ireland has ever undertook. We had the opportunity to drive to Glendalough, some Irish lakes. You can take trails around the lakes as well as see ruins and rolling green mountains on your way. The glaciers have left these lakes when they moved many years ago. There are tall green trees, soft cool mists, fluffy sheep, yellow bushy flowers and tall green dewy grass.
Ireland is unique, and we will never forget it.