It all goes past so quickly. As myself and J put it during the holiday, we had many "legs" each with their own distinct flavour. I'm a chronological type person (yes, it's true) so I want to give each leg it's own time and space over the next few entries. Let's start at the very beginning (a very good place, I hear)
IRELAND
Checking our bags straight through to Dublin was indeed a boon. Arriving relatively fresh and ready to commence the fun, the first "oh" moment came when collecting the hire car at Dublin Airport.
"Howya. D'ya have a car booo-ked already?"
I hand her the reservation.
"Grand - I need your credit card and loysence"
I hand her both.
"Soyen here, here and initial here tanks"
I do as requested
"Righ'. Here's de keys, you're in space 321. Get de curtessi bus outsye-yed to yer car"
I look at the bill. I reserved the littlest car for 8 days before leaving Australia and was quoted about Euro 160. The bill was for Euro 470. I nearly choked.
"Next plee-az"
Ireland may be in a deep recession, but deflation is one thing that has not yet hit home
After a night out in Dublin and a stay at the lovely and much better value Bewleys Hotel (Euro59 per night - can't go wrong) , we drove down to my parents house in the South East.
Highlights of the Ireland trip for me include our trip to Glendalough, a national park in County Wicklow and the scene of many happy childhood memories of family picnics taken there many moons ago.
Glendalough is an ancient monastic site where Saint Kevin (teehee) set up many buildings including the very impressive (and still completely useable although not accessible) round tower in the background in the picture below, which was built to protect the monks and scholars from Viking invasion over a thousand years ago. It's also an ancient graveyard full of lovely celtic crosses. And it's kind of creepy too...
My uncle P and aunt B threw a little soireé at their place to celebrate our recent wedding, which a lot of my family attended - this was a fantastic night :-)
One night in Dublin we went out for Chinese with V, got very drunk and laughed our way through the Peking Duck...
In Dublin I caught up with a longtime friend Noel, who has kindly offered us a week in his villa in Tuscany next year - so kind :-)
We wrapped up in Ireland a after a week and a fantastic lunch at my Aunt B's cottage. The weather may have been cold but the sun shone almost every day and my family and friends made it so much fun and memorable.
¡Vamos a Barcelona!
