Dublin Visitors: Round 2

Three weeks after my parents spent time in Dublin, it was Naber time! B's parents came over to spend a few days in Dublin, then we spent back-to-back weekends in Munich and Madrid (will cover those next). It was a jam-packed 10 days and even I was exhausted afterwards, so I can't imagine how they felt! However, it was, as always, well worth it. 

I know it's a common sentiment to be wary of the dreaded visit from the in-laws. Well, I'm extremely lucky in that sense, because I married into an amazing family (and I'm not just saying that because they read my blog ;) ). Since day 1, B's parents and siblings have treated me like part of the family and I am 100% myself around them. It's a wonderful, disarming feeling, and I have never experienced any dread; in fact, it's the opposite. I look forward to any visits because I get the same relaxed, recharged feeling I would experience around my immediate family. But enough brown-nosing, ha, I'll get to the trip... 

Similar to my parents' visit (Dublin Visitors Round 1), Karen and Dave arrived on a Thursday and I, still languishing in the work permit approval process, was able to be take them on my traditional walking tour of Dublin.

First, we walked through St. Stephen's Green, up through Grafton, to Trinity College, Dublin Castle, and made a pit stop in Temple Bar for some lunch and their first pint of Guinness in Ireland. Next, we toured the insides of Christ Church and St. Patrick's Cathedral - a first for me!

Above is Christ Church, located in the former heart of medieval Dublin and first founded around 1030. It contains the largest cathedral crypt in Britain or Ireland, which has been renovated and is open to the public today. 

Below is St. Patrick's Cathedral, whose timeline dates back even further, to around 450 AD. As with many sites in Europe, the history is unfathomable, especially coming from the States.

Both tours were fascinating and the interiors of both were beautiful! It was also a treat for me to be able to do something new in the city, so it was a first for all of us.

Next was the Guinness Storehouse, the famous brewery where Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000 year lease for £100 in 1759. I won't go into the detailed history, but it's definitely worth a visit. The museum layout is designed well and it's self-guided, so you can choose what to see. Of course, you get a free pint at the end -- you can pour your own OR go to the Gravity Bar. I always opt for the latter for the 360 views of the city. 

Such a photogenic beer, huh?

Gravity Bar - Guinness Storehouse

The evening consisted of a casual dinner at Foley's and some live Irish music. The next day, the three of us did the ever lovely Bray to Greystones day trip.

Start of the Cliff Walk - Overlooking Bray

Upon returning to Dublin, we had another relaxed meal with B and a pint at O'Donoghues. A lot of ground was covered in a couple days! Then, we packed and geared up for our trip to Munich for Oktoberfest... 

Dublin Day Trips: Howth

My first post in my Dublin Day Trips series covered the Bray to Greystones cliffwalk, at the southern end of the DART line. This next trip is the opposite end -- one of the northern stops to the DART line -- in Howth. 

Howth (pronounced hoe-th) is an easy half-day drip from Dublin, making it a common choice for tourists. While I'm partial to Bray, Howth is a cute town and the cliff walks also feature beautiful scenery.

It's located on the peninsula of Howth Head, on the northern side of Dublin Bay. The Norse first invaded Howth in 819 (the name Howth is thought to be of Norse origin). Originally a fishing village and trading port from the 14th century, Howth is now a bustling suburb that becomes quite busy on nice weather weekends.

In my opinion, the best way to get there is via the DART. You can drive, but the roads to Howth are pretty congested on a sunny day. The DART train also conveniently stops right by the harbor, near pubs and restaurants, and the beginning of all 4 walking loops along the cliffs. 

The loops range from easy to moderate to hard, depending on length and ascent. The distances span from 6 to 10k, with shorter walks taking around 2 hours, and the longest walk taking 3-4 hours (though I always find the estimates slightly exaggerated). Let's just say you can leave your heavy duty hiking boots and walking sticks at home, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to bring a rain coat. You just never know here!

I've only done the shorter walks along the cliffs, but you still get to see a lot of Howth Head, including the lighthouse, and are back in town with plenty of time to head to a pub for a pint and some seafood chower :) 

I'd recommend the Bloody Stream -- I know, it sounds weird! The name comes from a bloody stream caused by a battle, which now sits beneath the building. Aside from the strange name and somewhat touristy location (right beneath the DART station), it's a good spot for some local food before heading back into town.

Aside from the harbor and cliff walks, 14th century Howth castle is also nice to visit. Located only 10 minutes walking distance from the train station, it is definitely worth a look. 

If you have a few days to spend in Dublin, I would definitely recommend a stop in Howth. 30 minute train ride, scenic walking loops, and charming boardwalk/harbor area... an ideal day or half-day trip out of the busy city!

Southwest Ireland - Trip 2 with the Rents

After the 4 of us got back from our trip to Northern Ireland, we relaxed in Dublin for a rainy day. Then, taking advantage of my housewife status yet again, I joined my parents on a 4 day trip to the southwest of Ireland. B and I had been down that way before for our mini moon, but it was a different kind of special the second time around.

We left the Green Machine at home to avoid the added stress of driving stick on the other side of the road, and hired a car (car hire vs. car rental) for the trip. The first day, we drove down to Blarney Castle, just northwest of Cork. It was my parents' third trip to Ireland, but first time in Blarney. Not surprisingly, my parents opted out of kissing the Blarney Stone (Dad is just a bit of a germ-a-phobe!), but enjoyed climbing to the top and walking the extensive castle grounds.

Blarney Castle

After Blarney, we drove through Cork down to stay the night at a B&B in one of my favorites, Kinsale. We had a great seafood dinner (some of the best scallops I've had) at the White Lady Hotel, then meandered through the quiet, narrow streets and followed the melodic sounds of live Irish music to a cozy pub for a pint.

Great pic!

More Guinness for Mom

The next morning was beautiful and sunny, and we took the opportunity to explore Charles Fort, a 12-acre star-shaped fort, built in the 1600s on the edge of Kinsale Harbor. IT happened to be the weekend of the World Sailing Championships, so we watched hundreds of sailboats pouring out of the harbor to the sea. Very cool!

Charles Fort - Kinsale

Charles Fort

Next, we drove straight to Killarney and, after stopping for a nice lunch at the Hotel Europe (gorgeous views from the terrace), took a carriage ride through Killarney National Park and saw Muckross House, Muckross Abbey, Torc Waterfall, and couple of the lakes. This was my first carriage ride, and definitely the right place for it. It was a fairytale -- at least until my irrepressible horse allergy brought on the sneezing and itchy, bloodshot eyes. Still worth it!

On the carriage in front of Muckross House

Lakes of Killarney on drive to Kenmare
One of my absolute favorite shots in Ireland to date

After Killarney National Park, we drove to Kenmare for the evening. In the morning, we started the Ring of Kerry bright and early and made it out to the Dingle Peninsula by afternoon. It was all as stunning as the images in my memory and reminded me why Dingle/Slea Head is my favorite place in Ireland.

We ended the day in the coastal town Ballybunion, a new stop for me. Known for great golfing and 14th century castle ruins, it was the perfect stop for the evening. We strolled along the beach in the morning and visited the castle (all that remains is a wall along the cliffs) before starting our last day of travel.

Our last stop was Adare, a quaint village just southwest of Limerick, filled with charming, thatched roof cottages and shops. We saw an old Abbey and the Adare Castle, did a little souvenir shopping, and had lunch before traveling back to Dublin for my parents' final weekend in Ireland.

It was a special trip that I'll always cherish. Not only was I able to see more of the country, but I was able to do so with my parents. I feel very fortunate for the experience and only hope I'm able to do the same with my family some day.

Northern Ireland & Donegal

One of the many beneficial parts of having visitors in Ireland is that we also get to travel more and see other areas that we may not have seen yet. On my parents' visit to Ireland, we got to take a trip to Northern Ireland and the Antrim Coast, yet another stunning part of the island.

We packed up our car, AKA the Little Green Machine, and set out Friday evening after work, planning to get to the coast by night. Well, that would've worked if a hay truck didn't catch on fire and cause the major northbound highway to close. Only in Ireland! So, we followed the advice of our go-to Ireland guru, our friend Phil, and spent the night in the coastal town of Carlingford. It was unplanned, but turned out to be a charming little stop.

Antrim Coast / Carrick-a-Rede

The next morning, we left early and drove a couple hours to the Antrim Coast and made our first stop at the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. The bridge spans 20 metres and is 30 metres above the rocks below, connecting the mainland to Carrick-a-Rede island. The pictures are below are deceiving because the bridge was much higher than it looks! 

My Mom assured me the bridge didn't shake when you walk across. She also was the only one on it in a previous visit... different story during busy season! I'm not scared of heights, but it's unnerving walking across the rope bridge, staring down at the rocks below and feeling the bridge bounce up and down as the maximum capacity is reached!

View from bridge

After Carrick-a-Rede, we stopped at the Giant's Causeway. According to legend, the columns are the remains of a causeway built by a giant. The story goes that the Irish giant, Finn MacCool, was challenged to a fight by the Scottish giant Benandonner. Finn accepted and built the causeway across the North Channel so the giants could meet. Finn's wife then disguises him as a baby, and when Benandonner sees the size of the "baby," he believes that his father must be monstrous. Benandonner flees back to Scotland in fear, destroying the causeway behind so Finn can't follow.

Now, my Geologist of a father would be happy to explain the real reason the causeway formed. The fascinating pattern of polygonal columns were formed from volcanic activity 50-60 million years ago, caused by rock crystallization under conditions of slow cooling. There are identical columns across the sea in Scotland, hence the giant story.

Whichever story you choose to believe, it makes for some gorgeous scenery!

Next, we made a short stop to view the coastal remains of Dunluce Castle, then drove another couple hours back into the northern part of the Republic of Ireland to stay the night in the town of Malin in Donegal. 

Dunluce Castle

Brandon & parents - Dunluce

On Sunday morning, we took a scenic drive to Malinhead, the northern most point in Ireland, for more views of rugged beauty. The route we chose was drawn on a map by a sweet, local woman named Mary. She said, "you'll feel like you're driving through someone's backyard, but you aren't, so keep going!" Ha! She wasn't kidding...

The so-called "road"

Finally saw sheep on the road!

Malinhead

After Malinhead, we made a short stop in Buncrana for a nice walk, then made the trip back to Dublin. All in all, it was a fantastic weekend! One word to the wise: to anyone braving a trip in a small car, on the other side of narrow country roads, with their nervous parents in the backseat, good luck to you! Ha. It's an experience in itself ;) Though in all sincerity, it was wonderful to be able to view more of scenic Ireland with my husband and parents by my side.

Malinhead - Northern most point in Ireland