Visitors and Ireland

Molly’s parents came to visit while the kids were on holiday.  It was really nice to see them.

Among other things, we went to Chatsworth House, the home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and a spectacular estate.  We’ve been meaning to visit for a while, so it was nice to have a chance to explore.  I particularly enjoyed the gardens, which were varied and extensive.

The maze was a highlight.  The kids took turns leading the group through the twists and turns and dead ends.  I could have spent quite a bit more time exploring, but the rain sent us into the house, which is also amazing.  The house is, often literally, covered in artwork.

There is still more I’d like to see at Chatsworth and the kids were disappointed not to play at the adventure playground and farmyard.  We may try to head back again soon.

But our big adventure while Gail and Dave were here was a trip to Ireland.  We rented a minivan so we could all fit in one vehicle and took the ferry from Holyhead, Wales to Dublin.  The ferry was pretty comfortable, though a bit crowded and a group of rugby supporters drank and sang songs while wearing pink wigs and other accessories most of the journey.  It was slightly irritating, but it does seem like there generally isn’t enough public singing in the world, and it was overall pretty entertaining.

We stayed at a hotel about half an hour from Dublin.  I chose it primarily because it allowed pets and, since it had been an estate house, there was some pasture land that we could wander around with Derby off the lead.

It worked out reasonably well and the kids enjoyed the swimming pool.  We had forgotten swimming costumes so we picked some up at a local department store.  Actually, they had cheap wetsuits, so we decided to get those figuring that most of the outdoor swimming in England requires a wetsuit since it never really gets very hot.  They’ll probably be pretty nice to have at Puffer’s Pond, too.

The next day, we decided to go to Glendalough in County Wicklow on the recommendation of our charming waitress at breakfast.  Irish hospitality is no myth!  She was so cheerful and pleasant and really made us feel welcome.

Glendalough, or “Valley of Two Lakes”, is located in a beautiful glacial valley just south of Dublin.  The drive through the rolling countryside was gorgeous.  We explored the ruins of the settlement that flourished in Glendalough from the 6th century until the 14th century when it was destroyed by English soldiers.

Sage is standing in the window of a church dating from about the 12th century to give a sense of the scale.  There were a number of other buildings on the site that at one point supported a large monastery.  The valley settlement has been a place of pilgrimage for over a thousand years.

Glendalough is also well know for it’s recreation and walking is a favorite pastime.  We set out with Derby to explore some of the trails.

It was a perfectly beautiful day!  Actually, the weather was amazing the whole weekend and really, most of the month of April couldn’t honestly be complained about.  It was kind of strange not having crappy weather to discuss in order to make conversation with folk.

Sage climbed up into a tree while River took pictures.  I’ve found it pretty much impossible to take decent pictures while walking with Derby on the lead, so it was nice to have a volunteer to document the walk.

We spent most of Sunday at the Dublin Zoo, which was amazing, but will have to be the subject of a separate post.  Actually, River took about 250 pictures and I haven’t had a chance to go through them yet…

On Sunday, we toured the Guiness brewery.  We are in Ireland, right?

Somehow there is nothing more quintessentially Irish than Guinness.   I imagine there is probably an Irish pub in every city in the world, but I think they save the best stuff for the Irish.  The brewery has changed quite a bit since Molly and I visited in, maybe, 1994?  The self-guided tour was interesting, but lacking in detail.  I’d have liked quite a bit more information.  But the Gravity Bar at the end is pretty amazing, featuring a pint and a view of the entire city.

Afterwards, Gail and Dave and I toured the Jameson whiskey distillery, which was very interesting.  I’m not a huge whiskey drinker myself, but I learned quite a bit, and as they say, a little knowledge can go a long way sometimes.   There was even a tasting at the end, comparing American, Scottish, and Irish whiskeys.  Overall, I highly recommend the tour.

Then we headed back to the ferry.  Sage and I spent quite a bit of time watching the cranes load this container ship at the dock while we were waiting to depart.  One of Sage’s many ambitions when she grows up is to become a truck crane driver, so she had a special interest.

Watching the colorful containers and cranes moving systematically back and forth had a soothing rhythm in the bright sunshine.  And a packet of Sage’s favorite salt and vinegar crisps certainly helps, too.

Containerisation has had a major impact on globalization.  There’s even a book about it: The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger.  Inspired by this book, the BBC is following The Box on it’s journey around the world.  But just aesthetically, I can’t help but find this industrial landscape beautiful.

Goodbye Ireland!

We had a great weekend and I’m sure we’ll come back to visit again someday.