Last weekend, I was lucky enough to travel with two of my close friends to Ireland, a large portion of my heritage. Although my last name is of German descent, I am also descended from many strong Irish men and women. I was so excited to finally see Ireland and all it has to offer.

The first day we spent in the Dublin city center. Walking around, passing pub after pub followed by used bookstores galore, I immediately fell in love with the city. On several street corners, there were small bands playing live Irish music. The sounds of the city filled my ears and the smell of delicious potato dishes swirled into my nose. I flipped through countless old, used novels and fingered through famous record albums. I walked past the Dublin Castle, Christ Church and made my way to the Guinness factory, where I took a tour and filled my own pint.

We ended the day with a delicious meal and crowded into the Temple Bar amongst Irish, New Zealand and Germans to listen to the beautiful live music while sipping on some traditional Jameson whiskey. At several points, my friends and I would turn to each other and mouth: “Let’s move here!” with ferocious sincerity. I felt at home in the crowded bar singing along to classic Irish, British and American tunes.

The next day we traveled by bus to the Cliffs of Moher. I have never been a fan of heights, but standing on those edges, all the fear drifted away. We stopped along the way in small fishing villages and took in the local sites. The Cliffs of Moher were the most beautiful natural structure I have ever seen. They are massive and looking down onto the aquamarine waters crash upon the sides of the cliffs should be terrifying, but instead it is just pure beauty. We made a final stop at a small castle where I bought myself a Claddagh ring with my birthstone placed inside the heart. We grabbed a traditional Irish dinner followed by another bar with once again phenomenal live music.

Seeing a part of your heritage is always interesting. In a way, it sort of explains the dynamics of your family and shows you where you came from. I enjoyed every single minute of my time in Ireland and hope to travel back very soon.