June 2016

We made our first European trip with the kids (and together as a couple) this summer.  Phil attended a conference there and we added on an extra week.  It all began with a ticket snafu.  The airlines had no record of us when I called to confirm two days before.  After many hours on the phone and 2 sleepless nights, we were able to rebook with only minor flight changes.  It was a fantastic trip.  Ireland has never been on my bucket list, but I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. 

Our first night at the Butler House in Kilkenney.  Sasha prepared the water toast for us.

Our first Irish breakfast in the Kilkenney Castle stables.  Jack had is first chocolate croissant and is hooked for life.

Lots of drizzling off and on but not too much rain overall.

Kilkenney Castle

Our first of many Irish playgrounds; this one on the castle grounds in Kilkenney

At a living history tour in Killarney National Park.  The Irish schoolmaster sang a lovely lilting Irish ballad for us.

An old castle across from our B and B in Kinsale

Playground while we waited for a table at Fishy Fishy restaurant in Kinsale

Afternoon coffee and pastries

A horse and carriage ride in Killarney National Park

Torc Waterfall which we hiked to through a moss-covered forest

Tradional Irish pub music and sticky toffee pudding

The day we drove around the Ring of Kerry was our most brilliant sunny day.  We stopped at 3 different beaches and got meals and snacks in little villages along the way.  The most enjoyable day of the whole trip.

The beach at Carol's Cove

Jack had a big feather collection going on

The extensive free chocolate sampling at the Skelligs Michael Chocolate Factory on the Ring of Kerry.  We bought a chocolate tableau of the famous island seen from the mainland where the last scene from the latest Star Wars movie was filmed.  We munched on that chocolate the rest of the trip!

Sasha's cairns across from the Butler in Arms Hotel where we stopped for a lunch of cheese board and chowder.

The windiest place on Earth

The Kerry cliffs

Ancient stone circle fort that we were allowed to climb all over

Bunratty castle

Castle playground

Jack's floorbed at Gregan's Castle Hotel, my favorite lodging of the trip in the Burren. 

Breakfast at Gregan's castle

Many games of croquet on the lawn

Cliffs of Moher

Afternoon tea and scones and board games at Gregan's castle on a drizzly afternoon

Sasha mimicking the sheepdogs at the farm where we saw the sheepdog demonstrations.  She did catch that sheep eventually.

Powerscourt Hotel where Phil's conference was.

While he was at the meeting in the morning the kids and I spent time on the grounds, playing giant chess, swimming in the indoor pool

Powerscourt Gardens

Powerscourt Waterfall

The Skelligs Michael chocolate tableau

Tearing around St. Stephen's Green in Dublin on one of our stops off the double decker tour bus

The River Liffey in Dublin

A Guinness on the top floor of the brewery after the tour on our last day in Ireland.