first time since i was 10 years old
to travel without a camera.
traveling light this time,
armed only with a cell phone.
sfo to dublin
our hotel at merrion street (view from the bus)
jet lag? what jet lag? sleep is for old people. :)
dublin city and the river liffey
p.j., chemist, at the james joyce pharmacy. p.j. sang us a ballad and asked us to join him for a pint at kennedy's.
i thought he was delightful.
national gallery cafe and visit
parliament
notorious doors of dublin and the protected georgian blocks
centennial of the 1916 uprising
dublin castle yard
the chapel at the castle
bumping into our neighbor who literally lives five houses away
ancestor?
jameson tour and customized gift for gary
river liffey as we cross the bridge
bye bye dublin
hello kilkenny
our holiday house and car.
integrated appliances
first pub stop: kyteler's. old when christopher columbus
embarked for the new world.
scott and jennifer as guests on the local radio station kclr,
promoting international torch run for special olympics
kilkenny castle
butler house & garden
castle stables turned in to artists shops
kilkenny design centre
the gallery at kilkenny castle
some of our favorite food at left bank
cafe upstairs i want to go to next time
st. canice's cathedral and round tower
(1 of only 2 still climbable)
so we did.
view from the top
wonky phone lenses but here's the exterior and interior
the true focus of our trip:
parade time
my view from the back, holding the second torch
huddle
photo opps nonstop
lots of new friends
message from home during the festivities
presentation for special guests in the castle tower
presenting plaque to mayor of kilkenny
gary with athletes
some of kilkenny's special olympics athletes
two hours of this. there was no blending in.
the locals were incredibly welcoming and curious about the foreigner
family in back the owners of our holiday rental.
they were kind and gracious. on friday,
the family brought us two homemade apple pies,
still hot from the oven
notice the garda to left. this boy has lost his mum.
the officer was helping him call her.
a few more parade shots.
below, passing the international torch
between northern ireland and the u.s.
tour of the garda station and presenting the
chief superintendent with a plaque.
one more - for gary, who deserves a holiday for
all the details he coordinated for this
shenanigans.
wondering how long it took them to find all our magnets?
tower tour at the viking triangle, waterford (where the crystal comes from)
smithwicks brewery tour
(better than guinness if you ask me)
dylan, matthew, sarah, james, plus mandy and dave, n.i.
scott, patricia and i
this guy
last night in kilkenny
police association sponsors a meet and greet/finger food event
at the local pub by our holiday house
sophie, gary's daughter. not shown: johanna, gary's wife
subdued, quiet ride on the minibus back to the dublin airport
gary has early ideas about 2018. if so, we'll be back. :)
