Do you ever find yourself in a place where you feel at home and your heart feels happy? You then think to yourself, yeah, I could be happy here. This place just happened to be Westport, Ireland.  Granted it could change as I plan to go everywhere and find many more happy places, but for now, Westport is my happy place. 

 

 

 

 

 We started driving through these astounding hills and valleys.  I was a little disappointed as it was cloudy starting the day out.  However, a little prayer can bring the sunshine out if you just have a little faith.  And with that, the day was filled with beautiful clouds and blue skies. The sun sent its rays out on the hills and colored them with a yellow green grassy color and the rocks casted shadows behind them leaving you with a beautiful polka dotted landscape.  as we kept driving down the winding Irish highways, we had to stop a couple times for sheep in the middle of the road and a little lamb estranged from its mother.  A couple times we would drive around a hill and suddenly I would have to take in a deep breath to realize the beautiful landscapes I was witnessing. 

 

 

The waters were like glass, reflecting every gentle breeze in the branches. I could see the vibration of the colors in the water.  We stopped along side the road to take pictures of the high hills with clouds creeping off the tops, water falls and rivers winding and cascading down the side of them and sheep grazing at the bottoms. We soon drove along to Kylemore Abbey.   We stopped for about 20 minutes, took pictures then hopped on the bus and soon we drove to the base of  Ireland's tallest mountain.

 

 

 Croagh Patrick Mountain.  It is a holy pilgrimage that people go on, but only on certain days of the year.  Nine of us brave souls however, decided to cease the day.  We sweated, struggled, tripped, and fought long and hard up that big old hill (since Ireland doesn't technically have mountains).  We made it to the top of that "mountain".  Right when you thought you were halfway there, you only found out you still had another hour to go.  With wet, loose rocks and practically on all fours because of the steep, vertical incline, we reached the top.  The view was absolutely breath taking.  There was a church at the top.  Looking beyond for miles and miles and miles, you could see the ocean, rolling hills and little towns.  By the time we made it down the mountain to sea level, it was easier to breath but our muscles felt like jelly.  As soon as everyone made it down the mountain(4 hours later), we drove into Westport.

  Westport is a cute little town with a town center and a river cutting it in half with delicate bridges and beautiful walkways.  We walked on the 25mile trail behind town but only for about 3 miles.  It took us on a winding pathway weaving between tall tree forests that breathed in the wind.  We then came along to Westport House.  A very beautiful Victorian house. I could picture women in their intricate lace dresses and lavish hats, walking on the stony paths looking at the water and sitting under the shade of the broad old twisted trees.  There was a field of sheep behind the old house and a trail that led us out of the countryside right into the center of town.














 Westport has my heart. The scenery and all the water and greenery around Westport was picture perfect.  When one would think of Ireland with rolling hills, grass, sheep and water, one is basically picturing Westport.