Best ways to spend great time in Ireland!

Ireland is one of the most beautiful country I have visited not just in terms of landscape and natural beauty but also the people there are just one of a kind, the most friendliest and happiest people I have met. When I went to Ireland for two weeks in the beginning of October, I did not really research a lot and just asked the locals around for recommendations. Everyone was so nice and helpful, it felt amazing to be on my own for the first time travelling solo. I thought it would be nice to share my experiences and recommendations for anyone who is visiting Ireland. Depending on how many days you have in Ireland you can plan a trip around it. Here are a few things I loved the most during my trip!

Walk till you drop in Dublin

Dublin is a super busy city , mostly can be explored by walking around the city. It does have lots of touristy things to do just like any other city. My favorite things to do while I was there was enjoying Butler’s Hot Choclate, watching scenic sunsets by the leafy river, relishing the healthy vegetarian meals at Tang, exploring Phoenix park with the beautiful deer and the lush green St Stephen’s park where I would sit for hours together. At night I loved hanging at bars with live music such as the Brazen Head and Church bar. The city seems overwhelming and bustling with tourists but once you start getting the hang of it, its enjoyable and all worth it.

Experience Irish countryside at Wicklow National Park

They say the real beauty of Ireland lies in the countryside. The best part is its accessible from Dublin by tour buses that take you out to the countryside if you don’t have a car there. I used the services from the Wild Rover tour and they were very entertaining. The bus travels to the small city of Killkenny which is a small cobbled stone town and then takes you all the way to Glendalough in Wicklow mountains which is landmark to early monastic settlement remains naturally preserved in a valley.

Priest’s home

Graveyard

Monastic Ruins

Glendelough Lake

Church ruins

 

Visit a sheep farm at Glendalough

The last part of the wild rover tour was something I was most excited about.  It was the visit to the sheep farm and interaction with the shepherd about the sheep dog demonstration.  It was amazing to see the dog follow the whistles of the shepherd , run and herd the sheep. I also got a chance to get so close to the sheep and pet them. My day exploring the countryside left me wonder struck that Ireland is so beautiful.

Sheep hug

Sheep Dog Demontration

All kinds of sheep

Relish the live music and great food at Galway

The Hueston train station was the hub to hop on the train and travel to the different little cities. One of the weekends I traveled to Galway, which is the cultural heart of Ireland. It is in slow paced cities such as Galway, you experience the real Irish culture. Bustling with tourists, Galway was a hub for great food and music. The Kitchen, Pasta Factory and Dough Pizza were some of my favorite spots in the city for food. The street music was very lively and enjoyable too.

River Corrib

Latin Quarter

Visit the local coastal towns of Mahalide, Howth, Dun Laire and Bray

Just about less than an hour away by train, Dublin is sorrounded by various beautiful coastal towns. I visited Mahalide and Dun Laire, both pretty towns surrounded by the ocean. Moderately cold fall weather and the leaves changing colors made it even more beautiful.

Explore the Killarney National Park

My favorite out of everything that I explored during my two weeks in Ireland was exploring the Gap of Dunloe in Killarney. Everything was just so magical about this place including castles, horse carraige rides, colorful sheeps and just the most stunning landscape ever. It was two trains away from Dublin and took about 3 hours to reach there but was a totally worth it visit and my absolute favorite part of the trip.

I also have individual posts on each of the above places if you are specifically interested in any one of them .Please share if there was a part of Ireland I missed! I would love to read.

My first yoga retreat at Wellspring Farm, West Bend, WI!

It’s hard to remember for how many years now I have wanted to go for a yoga retreat. Finally the studio I have been going to practice for the past 4 years organized their first retreat this spring. I was hooked to it the very moment I heard about it and couldn’t wait to experience it. The retreat was in an organic farm called Wellsprings in West Bend, Wisconsin. My two favorite teachers at the studio organized it and the retreat was at about 2 hour drive from Chicago in the woods of Wisconsin.

I went there with my two other friends. As soon as we reached the retreat center, we could see the stream of water flowing through the forest and immediately felt closer to nature. Our host was very welcoming and greeted us with her lovely laughter. We got out of the car, stretched for a bit, unloaded our luggage into the dorm and did a quick tour of the farm. We enjoyed gazing at the chickens in the farm and strolling along the farm felt great after the long drive. Soon after we met the other yogis who joined us at the retreat. We all together, about twelve of us introduced ourselves to each other at the dining area while savoring the delicious lasagna served by our host, Mary Anne.

 

After dinner we had our first yoga class which was more restorative and relaxing in nature. The artistically built yoga barn felt like a sacred place to practice yoga. The sun was setting and it was getting dark when we practiced our restorative flow surrounded by serenity of nature in the lovely barn. It felt great to stretch after the long car ride and immediately after we started to collect woods to burn for the bonfire. As some of us tried to start the fire, others gathered wood and it felt like a great community. Conversations and s’mores were the best part around the fire. As we all bundled up around the fire to keep us warm, time just flew past and it was bed time.

 

I was super pumped for our next full day at the retreat center. We started off with a two hour energetic yoga flow followed by breakfast at the main house. While we ate oatmeal topped with pecan and maple syrup from the farm, we watched colorful birds by the large tree come visit for food. Mary Anne explained us how she feeds 87 different species of birds in her farm specific to their needs. After breakfast, we had some free time to explore the area. We used this time to explore the Kettle Moraine state park that was right around the corner. The drive to the park was really beautiful with vast stretches of rolling hills. As the weather got warmer, we enjoyed walking up and downhill of the Parnell Tower Loop Trail at the state park.

As soon as we returned, we enjoyed the fresh lunch and headed to our yoga nidra class which as guided sleeping meditation. The class felt right on time as we all craved rest after the long hike. I remember napping for an hour or so before we all got out to get our hands into the dirt and help Marry Anne with some of her garden work. We also enjoyed taking vary many yoga pose pictures at the garden area. Soon after the pictures we had our inversion workshop at the basement where we learnt about body alignment while being upside down in hand stands and head stands. The class was enjoyable and it was fun to practice and help each other to get into inversions.

 

Soon after we all were hungry again and ready for dinner. It was starting to sink in that the yoga retreat was coming to an end and I was trying to embrace every present moment while it lasted. Soon after we had our restorative yoga class while the sunset and then bonfire right after which felt much warmer than last night since it was a warm day. We then set up our tent right next to the fire and were ready to camp that night and sleep outside. I was so excited as it was my first time to experience it. I loved the sight of the stars while I was going to sleep and the sunrise woke me up early morning. The noise of the crickets frogs nearby also were very distinct. The birds started to chirp early morning too.

 

That was the last day at the retreat and I remember starting to wrap up and sit down to write my journal about how grateful I was for this experience to meet and share space with like-minded souls who practice yoga, write journals, dig gardens, eat clean and laugh their heart out. We had a brief meditation at the end which felt just right. We also had a sage ceremony to instill positive vibes with in us. As we started to wrap up and pack, I felt so nostalgic, thanked everyone around and felt a special bond with everyone whom I didn’t even know two days ago.

 

This trip has definitely hooked me to yoga retreat trips forever. It was short yet sweet getaway into the woods with my favorite activities. What are some of your favorite things to do? I would love to read. Please share!

 

 

Visit to the Mount Olympic National Park!

Out of all the National Parks that I have visited, my favorite so far has been Mount Olympic National Park in the Pacific North West. Crystal clear lake water surrounded by tall evergreen trees all year round, Olympic peninsula is one of a kind. City of Port Angeles borders the Mount Olympic National Park and is right about 3 hours from Seattle which includes both drive and ferry. There are so many scenic spots in this huge park but we were very limited because our visit was just about two days. Nevertheless we still tried to make the most out of our short trip.

Rain forests have never failed to fascinate me and therefore I was inclined towards visiting the Hoh Rain forest by Forks. As we made our way to the rain forest, we drove past Lake Crescent and enjoyed magnificent views of the rainbow while it rained and shined. We did stop by for a couple of beautiful pictures with the backdrop of mountains, rainbow and lake.  As we got closer to the rain forest, our roads were covered with huge trees and we wondered if the trees talked and shared with each other just like us. It was such a memorable drive which finally led us to the rain forest area. It started raining heavily as we got ready to hike with our rain jackets and hiking boots.

I did read that rain forests are the most beautiful and green while it’s actually raining and I was lucky to experience it as well. The heavy rain did not stop us from exploring the trails of Hoh. The Hall of Mosses was the first loop we hiked and it appeared to be a rain forest right out of a fairy-tale jungle. The giant trees covered with Mosses reminded me of the jungles in the story of Rapunzel when she first stepped out of her castle. I also for a moment felt like stepping into the upside down world of stranger things. It really looked animated and lush. As we made our way through the trails we appreciated the fall colors of the forest. It was a perfectly rainy fall afternoon. As we made our way back getting lost through the trails looking for Salmon fishes in the river, we were ready to go spend a night at out farm house at the Acardia Inn.

We stayed at the Llama room at the Acardia Inn and I was beyond excited to wake up early in the morning to explore the farm house Airbnb. Early in the morning, we enjoyed the fresh organic eggs from the farm for breakfast. Our Airbnb owner Gail had about 70 pets in total in her farmhouse including 2 Llamas, 3 horses, 5 dogs, 10 sheep, 20 goats and 30 hens.  The sheep shelter was right next to our room and we really enjoyed feeding them the pallet food provided to us by Gail. I also did a farm house tour with her in the morning where she showed around the barn where she fed horses, goats and chickens. It was such a lovely sight and it was great to learn so much from Gail about the WOOF program where visitors from all over the world come to help her with her farm and barn work. I wish I could experience that someday too. Gail was so generous that she also gave away 2 dozen of eggs from her farm for us to take home.

As we checked out of our extraordinary Airbnb, we made our way to the lake trail of the Olympic Peninsula. As the roads were closed due to floods from heavy rainfall, we just hiked a short trail with gorgeous water views alongside the lust green forests. Running out of time we returned back from half way along the trail towards the lake, nevertheless I really enjoyed the precarious trails while it started to drizzle. It felt great to be so close to Mother Nature and I really cherished my short visit to the Olympic National Park. It was much more beautiful that what I had imagined and it caught me by surprise. I will definitely return back to enjoy the parts of the park that I missed this time.

Which is your favorite National Park? Please share, I would love to read!

Fall in the Village of Stowe, Vermont!

I have always wanted to visit the New England region during fall season and this year round I got an opportunity to do so. Vermont is one of the six states in the New England region located north of Boston at a distance of about 200 miles which is about 4 hours of drive. Surrounded by hilly mountains and abundant forests, Vermont is a beautiful place to visit during the foliage. As we reached closer to the hills of Vermont we could spot horses, cows and little picturesque barns along the way.

We reached Vermont later during the day as the sun was setting. Our Stowe Mountain Lodge seemed just right to soak the cozy vibes of the little village of Stowe. Our first day was pretty much low key. We spent time walking around for a bit exploring the resort property. We then returned to the resort restaurant Solstice for dinner where we really enjoyed creamy tomato soup and cheese raviolis. The restaurant overlooked strings of lights outdoor in a back drop of wonderful fall décor. All I remember is it seemed to be a perfect fall night.

Next day we were all set to explore the Village of Stowe. Our hotel concierge was very helpful and suggested us the Gondola and bike rides. We started our day hoping into one of the Gondolas right next to our resort. The Gondola ride was up to the Mount Mansfield which is the highest peak in Vermont at about 4395 feet. As we went up in the Gondola, we could clearly see the spectacular foliage along the way. All we could see was vast stretches of crimson orange forests. From the top the view was beautiful and the other visitors also chose to have lunch in the Cliff House Restaurant.

Once we returned from the mountain top, we made our way to rent bike and explore the Stowe recreation path which is a 5.5 mile preserved pathway for over 80 years and is known as one of the Vermont’s heritage. As we started our bike ride at Mountain ops sports gear, we rode along winding pathways into the unbelievably beautifully woods painted yellow and orange. We crossed 9 arched wooden bridges over the south branch river to make our way to the community church in the village of Stowe. We biked along long stretches of corn meadows. There was a huge sense of fulfillment biking in the paved pathways with colorful trees on both sides and making way to our destination. It was the best thing we did in Vermont. Almost all the pictures I have posted here is from the Stowe Recreation path.

Visiting Vermont during this time of the year was like a dream come true to me. I would really recommend this trip to anyone who wants to experience the true colors of fall. Which is your favorite fall city. Do share, I would love to read!

Romantic Gardens of Savannah and Charleston!

A trip to the southern historic districts of Charleston and Savannah is incomplete without visiting some of the oldest and most romantic gardens. During my trip to these two cities, some of the famous parks and gardens were in the top of my list of things to do. I was there for a short period of time and could visit three famous landmarks.

Forsyth Park is situated in the heart of the little city, Savannah is known for its fountain which was built in 1858 and resembles the fountains in Peru and Paris. The sight of the beautiful Spanish Moss hanging from the huge trees is just splendid. I visited the park in the middle of December and it was still so pleasant and warm to stroll around the park. The people were very friendly and the overall vibe of the park was lovely.

The oldest public garden of America, Magnolia Plantation and Garden in Charleston is one of the most romantic gardens I have ever been to. It is a huge garden with romantic bridges, giant trees with Spanish Moss and swamp lands. There are different trails that one could take to explore the garden. I loved walking on the white bridge and the swamp plantation around it.

Middleton Place is a land based plantation that overlooks the river and stands right next to the Magnolia plantation. There are horse carriage rides that takes tourists around the garden and provides brief history of these old garden. The best time to visit these gardens is spring and fall. I always try and fit in nature in one form or other into my trips because I have a special inclination towards mother nature. Is there anything you feel about strongly and manage to include in all your trips? Do share. I would love to read.

My Thanksgiving trip to Portland, Oregon.

Thanksgiving is one of the best time of the year to travel. This year thanksgiving took me to visit my aunt and uncle in the North West Pacific of the US. We drove to Portland from Seattle over the weekend. Our drive was about three hours and we enjoyed watching the stunning snow covered peaks of Mount St.Helens and Mount Hood on our way to Portland.

As soon as we reached there, we made our way to the Columbia River Gorge scenic area which encompasses numerous waterfalls in the midst of Mount Hood forest area. We started hiking a short trail that stretched from Wahkeena falls to Multnomah Falls. Our hiking trail was along the Columbia River and overlooked the huge trees by the river. After trekking for about half a mile, we caught a site of the Multnomah Falls which is the second tallest waterfall in the US and the tallest one in the State of Oregon. To get a closer look view of the waterfall we climbed up to the bridge located halfway through the falls. I could spot some of the visitors all the way at the top of the falls.

Overall my trip to the scenic area was very refreshing, away from the city on a chilly yet sunny day. I and my family had a great time in the woods and I would recommend this visit to all the nature lovers who would like to take a short get away from their day to day city life.

White Water Rafting in the Arkansas River!

White water river rafting is one of the most thrill water adventures one can experience in a river. Higher the rapids, more is the fun. I and couple of my friends went for white water rafting in Arkansas river earlier this year. We did the Class 3 rapids because none of us had real rafting experience and that was a good choice for beginners. We were trained to raft in coordination with each other in calm water before we hit the huge waves down the river. The waves were intimidating as they came through and we had to keep rowing strongly to get through them. We had a great time in the water and our guide was super nice to help us out every time we got stuck along the rocks in the river. We would all cheer up as a team as we passed through the rapids. We crossed about 7 rapids in all , the initial ones being class two and later ones class 3 I would definitely recommend this adventure for all the those who are fond of water sports and next time it is going to be Class 4 rapids for me 🙂

Leaf Peeping, Best part of the Fall season!

The lovely colors of fall are here to brighten our lives. Every year during this time I tend to visit one of the forest preserves nearby to enjoy the magnificent colors of this season. Lately the weather hasn’t been so harsh and it is lovely to take a stroll looking at the trees that are slowly shedding the colorful leaves, Maple , Oak, Bald cypress to name a few. This year I visited the Morton Arboretum, a forest preserve which is about an hour away from Chicago. It was definitely worth a visit as we drove around 16 miles to see the spectacular hues all around the preserve. We also hiked for a bit along the lake Murmao there. A very well spent day overall and one of the few last outdoor days for me in the next couple of months 🙂

My lovely little Garden :)

I have always loved gardening since my childhood. I adore flowers and greenery more than anything else. Now that the sun is out and the weather is warm, the perennial plants in my pots are starting to grow. My little garden has both annual and perennial flowers. I usually plant some new annual flower plants every year to have a mix of different colors. I combine creepers and flowers in a pot together as they flawlessly complement each other. The creepers make their way up the railings and look perfect as a backdrop to the lovely flowers.

I also have fondness for indoor plants that help purify the indoor air. English Ivy, Boston Fern, Golden Pothos and Peace lily are some of the plants that help in filtering and cleaning the indoor air. I have all of these plants sitting either in my bedroom or living room. The best part of the indoor plants is that they need very little care. I also happen to have the “Tulsi” plant which is a symbol of Goddess in India and possesses great medicinal qualities. Here is a recap of the pictures from past three years that I have enjoyed gardening and I look forward to enjoy more of it in the coming years.

After all life is all about finding out one’s passion and enjoying it to the fullest. What are your passion and hobbies ? I would love to know 🙂

Year 2013

Year 2014

Year 2015