My parents arrived safely, albeit a little flustered and without their luggage, on Thursday afternoon after missing their connection in London. They picked me up in a cab on the way into town from the airport and we drove the half an hour to where they were staying. And then came the big question...well you live here..what do we do now? I didn't know. I barely even knew where we were (which is kind of embarrassing having been in the city for 6 weeks. As it turns out though the hotel was right near one of our favorite bars and I used it much like a ship uses a lighthouse--as a beacon of hope that I was somewhere near home and for directions to almost anywhere). They wanted Irish food and asked me where we ate all the time and so I listed off every Italian restaurant in the city explaining that "real Irish people don't really eat Irish food". Well real Irish Americans from Ole Miss at least. We found someplace acceptable had a nice lunch and walked around. Everyone but me (and my mother who had thoughtfully packed everything she would ever need in her carry on) felt dirty and tired, so after a bit of shopping and a quick pint my sister and my dad went back to the hotel for a nap and I showed my mom to my apartment. When we got back to the hotel mom decided she wasn't tired and we went down to the hotel restaurant for wings. She stayed up until 11:30...meaning it really was vacation! I had taken the day off work to meet them, and though I know they'll hate me for it I had a really nice day. I knew they were off running around the London airport trying to find their bags and directions and everything else while I slept in. I spent the morning downtown by myself where I printed off my tickets to the Open, bought a sweatshirt I'd been eyeing, sat in the Starbucks and people watched for a while, then went home for a bit of grocery shopping and a nap. Pleasant is the only word I can really use to describe it.
I stayed Thursday night with them in the hotel with the intent of getting up early the next morning to simultaneously take everyone shopping on the way to the airport to look for their lost luggage Luckily, all their bags arrived by the morning which made things a lot less stressful, so we went and had breakfast up by my work which my parents so kindly deemed "the ghetto." We finally got to the rental car place around 12 and this is where the fun begins. I'm not even a good driver in America where cars are on the correct side of the road so I would have never attempted this trip, but my Dad did surprisingly well (at least during the parts that I was awake...) and didn't even almost kill us until we were making a right turn into our B&B and he pulled out into oncoming traffic where he promptly threw his hands up in the air and just shouted "get this thing in reverse" as cars sped around us.
Mary, who owns the B&B told us about a really nice place to eat dinner and so we took her up on her recommendation. She was right and it was probably one of the best meals (if not the best) that I've had since being here. Kelsey and I (I realize now I've been referring to my family as if all 7 of you don't know them) split the chicken deliciousness (I don't remember its proper name but it was served on top of pasta stuffed with blue cheese and garlic and covered in a dreamy white alfredo sauce so deliciousness fits I assure you) and the crab claws. Stuffed and happy we found a bar that boasted Irish music. The 2 guys were amazing and we stayed and drank for a while before walking home.
Id been telling my mom how nice the weather had been lately, so of course the day we get up to hike the sky burst open and poured forth a river like you had never seen. It rained all day (the good thing about this only being that Mom didn't make us get out of the car at random places along the road to take pictures with any sheep or tree that she exclaimed was beautiful). We drove over to check out this really old Abbey and its grounds, and then just drove the rental car through along a scenic road that runs through a bunch of little towns. We stopped and ate and shopped and basically just looked around at the scenery. We all took naps, especially Dad who was tuckered out from driving, and then went to dinner where we proceeded to walk in and out of almost every restaurant in the town until we finally decided one was worthy. We actually went back and listened to the same guys at the same bar (yes, they were that good). This time we had better seats and stayed all night until the bar closed as I attempted to down Irish coffee and Baileys (Lets just say even the thought of whiskey makes me want to vom so I ordered wrong) and sign up for the Irish drum class one of the singers was offering. Sunday it rained again, this time throughout the whole drive into Galway. I had to catch the train to Dublin from there and Mom and Kelsey wanted to shop. It rained and poured until we finally gave up on shopping and sat down to eat lunch. As luck would have it, the sun came out right after we ordered. Figures....
You'll have to ask them as to what happened the rest of the week since apparently my parents and I had flip flopped responsibilities. I had to stay home and go to work, pack, and clean my apartment while it seems they spent the week playing outside and occasionally fighting with my sister. The highlights I received consisted of them attempting what sounds like a triathlon and visiting the Arran Islands and what my Dad now affectionately calls the "smores".
They all came back in town Thursday night and I took my sister with me to yet another birthday dinner (this time for my new bff kaitie) at TGIFridays. We moved onto free shots next door...and things progressed nicely from there until we got home around 3am. My parents said they had a nice night too...hanging out and apparently trying to identify people they know at the Temple Bar. Friday morning came early. I forgot that the Dublin Public Transportation system doesn't stop and go at my every whim, and though I thought it was a good idea to leave around 9:40 to meet my parents at 10, the bus schedule decided it would be better to leave around 9:10. So with wet hair and a full suitcase we ran for the bus and Kels got a real taste of what its like to live in Dublin. We rode the 44 out to Enniskerry where Powerscourt Gardens is located. Its this huge old mansion with every different type of shrubbery known to man. (It was really pretty and I'm probably not doing to justice..but I mean how many ways can you describe plants?) We rode back to Dublin and ate dinner at one of my favorite restaurants (Bewley's Oriental Cafe...the one that houses neither a cafe or orientals) And then I took the bus home to watch a movie since I was getting home late without my phone and I was leaving early the next morning for Cork. I talked to them yesterday and they had another safe flight and arrived with all their luggage. All and all....it was a really fun trip and I was so excited for them to get to be here and share this crazy experience with me.
Tune in for more about our trip to Cork...
Love to all...E
PS--Again I would post pictures but all of the new ones from this weekend are on my Mom's camera since she informed me I was a bad photographer.
I can't imagine that your parents and Kelsey would fight... :) Was she able to keep up with you guys in the pub? That's probably a stupid question to ask!!!
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