As a pair of sunglasses from Wels I was very excited about going on a school trip to Dublin, Ireland, to find out more about the Irish way of life and also to see my owner improve his language skills.
When I arrived in Dublin, there was not much sun but fortunately, my owner put me on top of his head so I could join the amazing tour through Dublin. The bus driver showed us the most important orientation points in Dublin and so I got a first impression.
After a relaxing night at our host family’s place I could enjoy an awesome and sunny view from the top of the double-decker bus on the way to school where my owner and I attended informative lessons at Atlas Language School. The following two afternoons I was taken to Butler’s Chocolate Factory and Guinness Storehouse. At Butler’s I watched the students taste a lot of different types of chocolate and gain information about the production processes. Guinness Storehouse was very impressive as it looked like a pint at first sight. There, visitors were introduced to the brewery process and enjoyed the breathtaking view from the top of the popular sight, known as Gravity Bar.
On the next day, gorgeous George, one of the History students of Ireland’s most famous college, took us on a guided tour through the grounds of Trinity College and we saw the renowned Book of Kells and the famous library containing all the books published in Ireland and the UK since 1801. In the evening we went to the exciting Greyhound Dog Race where my owner was able to bet on dogs.
Saturday was a really rainy day, nevertheless my owner and his friends explored the beautiful Powerscourt Gardens which are located in the Wicklow Mountains. After a short trip to Ireland’s highest waterfall we went to Glendalough where we spent some time at the cemetery but did not continue our trip to the two lakes because of the heavy rain.
On Sunday I had a full time job when I was taken to Howth where the Prawn Festival took place. There, a wide variety of different kinds of seafood was offered and while my owner ate the delicious fish I enjoyed the breathtaking view of the sea. In the afternoon I had a great time at the Dundrum Mall and the city centre which are both ideal places for shopping.
On my last day, the participants used their newly acquired knowledge of Dublin to do a challenging but fun treasure hunt through the city with the help of some locals. The highlight of the last evening was listening to some Irish music and even learning some traditional Irish dances.
Tired and happy I got on the plane to Vienna. Packed in my case, I fell asleep and woke up in rainy Wels again. An amazing experience I will remember forever.
Sarah Mallinger, Natalie Pfeifenberger, Vanessa Pichler und Stefanie Schnell, 6b