On the Banks Of the Liffey

People many times before and since my return from Ireland have asked, “Did you go because you have family ties to Ireland?”

The answer is no. As far as I know noone in my blood-line is of Irish descent. I don’t know how I managed to come from Massachusetts and miss out on Irish blood but there you have it. I am not Irish. But I have long been a fan of Irish music and if there is any reason for going to Ireland beyond my daughter’s desire to go then that is it. The music  inspired me to the act. And I found it a profound thing that just about everywhere I went on the island reminded me of a song.

Dublin brought up this tune from my childhood:

 

We spent the day touring Dublin along the banks of the Liffey. At this point in the trip I was sleeping in short bursts as my arms were continually waking me up in the night, or maybe it was just jet lag manifesting. At any rate our touring was done by about three. Amanda napped. I soaked my arms and by six we were eating in the hotel restauraunt. I had a lamb burger. Yummy!

 

From Boston To Dublin And Wicked Tired

So these are the chronicles of my recent trip to Ireland.

I think I told you all before I left that I was tired. By tired I mean asleep on my feet with certain pieces of my anatomy in a constant gyration between pain and tingly numb. I badly needed this vacation.

My sister dropped Amanda and I off at Boston Logan sometime around 5:30 P.M. which gave us three and a half hours before our flight. We were through baggage check and security by 6:15 P.M. and that with me being pulled out of line for a full body scan ( yeah, I forgot my glasses in my shirt pocket again).

Us on the way to Ireland.

Us on the way to Ireland.

We ate supper at the café down towards our gate and then watched as our airplane pulled into its dock.

Ireland 005

Here’s a question. What do you do when you have three hours to wait for a plane? Amanda and I talked and talked over coffee, a thing we would do throughout our 12 days together. Perhaps that was one of the things I liked best about the trip…. the conversation!

Oh yeah and our game of “Whose Line Is It.”

Ireland 007

I love the prop game. If you think this is funny you should see me as Princess Amidala. That unfortunately is on Amanda’s camera.

Despite my weariness I think I slept for just over an hour on the flight to Ireland. My hands started throbbing an hour into the flight and when the pain ended a two-day long tingle session started in. Even in this though God provided. We landed and stayed in Dublin those first two days; So I was spared from gripping a steering wheel. By Sunday when I had to start driving my hands and arms were much restored.

Our rooms, in Dublin,were not quite ready for us when we arrived at the Hotel Alexander;  So we stored our luggage with the front desk and took a tour around O’Connell Street and Trinity College:

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By noon I was fading; By one o:clock or two cups of coffee later depending on how you mark time, we were in our rooms and I plummeted into dreamland for a few hours. Not even caffeine could keep me up! God knew I needed the rest and so He provided us with the most comfortable beds of the trip those first two nights. It was like sleeping on clouds!

Our resting place in Dublin.

Our resting place in Dublin.