Dublin and Co.

So we've been in Ireland for the last four days now. It's hard to really describe how Ireland has been for both Tori and I... I guess you could say we were ridiculously, and irrevocably UN impressed. We blame it on an array of reasons... Firstly, we've come from France, FRANCE, the most aesthetically beautiful and proud country in the world. In France, our jaws were dropping at every sight, the people were passionate and spoke of their city and it's history with pride. Here, in Ireland, you are predominately surrounded by farmland. Our experience of Ireland is as follows; Paddock, cottage, rock, repeat. The locals were lovely, I'll stress that point, but all there really is to do here is go to the pub. It's all we've been asked really, "have you had the Guinness?" In France, we were being told stories about revolution, of Napoleon and of centuries of stories. Here we are told of potatoes and little stone walls.
Here is the problem, as far as I can work it out; the magnificence of France has kind of plunged every thing else in to mediocrity for us.
To make matters worse, we have had a tearfully poor experience with our Paddy Wagon Tour. The hostels they had us in were ones of mixed dorm rooms so they were stinky and crowded and noisy and just yucky. Then to the tour itself! We probably spent a collective of four hours outside of the bus in the three days of touring. We drove, drove, drove, and stopped for twenty minutes at the sights, then forty for lunch. Then off to another dingy little hostel.
Oh yes! the showers! You don't get to choose a temperature. Just take what they give you.
On the plus we managed to see a few of the desirable sights, the Blarney castle, the cliffs of Moher.
So, in closing, Ireland, not up to par with France. We can not wait to move on to the UK, where we'll have our own rooms and decent showers and everywhere wont smell like cows. Love you all. M.