Ireland Day 1

Well, we made it!  We flew Aer Lingus from JFK to Dublin.

 Which seemed like a really fast flight...about 5 hours.  None of us really slept on the plane.  It left New York at 5:20, they served dinner around 7 and by the time that was all done we hit some turbulence over the Atlantic and you KNOW there was no way I could sleep!

The Dublin airport is very nice.  Extremely clean.  In fact, this whole country is extraordinarily tidy!

The airport was all decked out for Christmas and had these adorable benches with different Santas.  You know who, just had to have her picture made!

We had to go pick up our rental car...from Dooley Rental Car!  We upgraded because Scott knew the cars would be small and we have a family of 5.  They went on and on about how nice the cars were that we were renting and how big they were.  OH my word.  It feels like we are driving in a toy car!  It's a Skoda hatchback!

 Dad and Scott drove around the airport for a bit trying to figure out the whole driving on the left side of the road thing.  The kids had to go to the bathroom and needed a drink, so our first actual stop in Ireland was McDonald's at the airport!  However, it wasn't like any McD's I've ever been in in my life.  Waaaay clean.  Much simpler menu, with all kinds of things you don't get in the U.S.  The kids loved it!

Mandy in the "computer lab" at McDonald's!!

After that we had a near 3 hour drive from Dublin to Adare.  We are staying at the Adare Manor Hotel and Resort.  We are in a 3 bedroom, 4 bath villa.  The place is huge!  Full kitchen, living room, sun room, office and each of the 3 bedrooms has an ensuite bathroom.

Gigi and Papaw have another on just like it next door!  We seriously could have brought a few friends!

It is very pretty here. And, it is truly as green as you've heard.  When driving through the countryside ( and its all countryside) it looks like a green tone on tone patchwork quilt.  Lots of rolling hills and fences.  Massive trees with ivy and moss growing everywhere.

When we arrived in Dublin it was 4:20 am here.  So it was only about 8:30 when we got to the hotel. Everyone was wiped out.  But, Albert the concierge for the villa guests, was amazing and had our villas ready in about 30 minutes.

Scott had made friends with a lady on the plane.  I know you're shocked right?!  She has spent every summer for 27 years here in Ireland and now has a home here.  She told us to get there and eat breakfast and then take a 3 hour nap.  Then, to finish our day and go to bed at regular bedtime and that then we would be on local time and not jet lagged.  So, that's exactly what we did.  We got up at 1:30 everyone changed clothes and freshened up and then we went out to explore the village of Adare.

The villages here are very small.  It's literally a Main Street.  Lots of pubs and a few shops. This village is known for all the thatched roof houses and buildings.

 We did a bit of walking and shopping and then decided on an early dinner.  Our new friend Albert had recommended Sean Collin's Pub for dinner.  The pub thing is awesome.  First, it's like eating in someone's living room only with a bar.  There were people of all ages in there and several families with kids.  Sean, the owner, came and sat with us several times before the dinner rush and gave us lots of advice on what to do and when to do it.  Dinner was outstanding.  The girls had chicken nuggets and chips (fries), figured tonight wasn't the night to press trying something new when they were tired and jet lagged!  Thomas and Pap had fish and chips and the rest of us had big bowls of Irish stew.  Total comfort food and perfect after a long travel day.  No one rushes here.  Dinner is a long unhurried experience.  Albert remarked that the Irish "like to sit over dinner."

Sean the pub owner! And, yes, that is a rugby match on the tv!

The green stuff that looks like guacamole is "mushy peas" and yes, that's exactly like it appears on the menu and it is a most accurate description!

Sitting over dinner! 

After dinner we walked back to a small grocery to get a few essentials for the villa.  There are no automatic coffeepots here, only french press.  Gigi and I headed to the coffee aisle while Scott and the kids checked out the candy and cookie aisle!  Everyone had a blast filling the basket with things they wanted to try.  We have quite the crazy assortment in our new little kitchen!  Scott saw this and thought it was a sporting goods store and started to head in...it's a betting establishment!  This is where you go to place a bet on a game or a race! Clearly wasn't what he thought it was gonna be!

We are headed to bed a little early tonight to get caught up on our sleep.  Our plan tomorrow is to head out for a "big Irish breakfast" that's how you order it evidently, and then to head up to the Cliffs of Mohr.  Our friend Sean at the pub gave us a list of places to stop on the way for tea and of villages to make sure not to miss.

So far everyone is enjoying themselves and our first impressions of Ireland did not disappoint!

Irish Blessings,
Leslie