No trip to Ireland is complete without a stop in Dublin. Rich in history, art and omni-present Guinness signs, this city has it’s own unique vibe. Why were we in Dublin? Why, to see PapaBarr and Miss Grace, of course! Along with seeing Aunt Casey back on the safari, we’d been trying to see more family, but it just hadn’t worked out yet. Now, though, it was time for a fine, fine family vacation. Perhaps just the first.
First, we had to get ourselves there. We saw this advertisement in the London tube as we were making our way to Ireland. The environmentally conscious might note the irony because Dublin is a bit smoggy.
Our first big ferry since, well, Seattle! We sort of took one in Chile, but that was really a cargo ship with some passenger slots. This reminded us of home. Well, home + a movie theater, bar, and casino. Otherwise, just like the Washington ferries.
It was a loooong commute and it shows on our faces. We got up when it was still dark out, took two trains, a subway, a ferry and a couple of taxis to reach Dublin. But it was all worth it….
…for this! Aaron and his pa – together again for the first time in a year! Blurry, but reunited.
We spent four days exploring the city together – some glorious fall days, some, well, more Irish rainy. Still, fun was made by all!
Curious about the feel of Dublin streets? Here you go!
Ohh, the fall colors were fantastic!
The parks were covered in golden leaves.
Outside the Marsh Library which was closed. Sniff. Sniff. There was a bank holiday so a lot of things were closed during our visit, but that didn’t stop us from having a great experience.
The biggest touristy stop we made was to see Dublin Castle. You kind of think “a castle is a castle is a castle”, but we’re learning that just ain’t so!
Pretty sure this is the ouside of Dublin Castle, but don’t quote us on that. The old buildings start to blur together.
This was inside the castle. The Guinness family gave the Irish government permission to use their harp logo…but required them to flip it’s direction! Not sure the US government would stand for that, so I guess it’s lucky nobody copyrighted the Stars and Stripes early on!
Quick aside: We brought a two-player version of a game called Catan with us on the trip. This version has a feature called “harp advantage”, so I’d yell ‘Harp Advantage‘ every time I saw the harp. Which was all. the. time.
Ok, maybe that was only fun for us, but it sure made us smile!
The ballroom in Dublin Castle. Back in the day, this is where debutantes who were deemed worthy were presented to society. How were they deemed worthy? Well, they apparently had to kiss the acting governor and HE decided if their kiss was good enough! Umm…yeah.
Hallway at Dublin Castle. Everywhere we turned were these fabulous patterns.
And more patterns. That’s looking up at a chandelier, if you’re curious.
We spent two days at the National Galleries of Ireland – (1) Art Museum and (2) Decorative Arts & History. Brilliantly, all the National Galleries are free and as a result packed with families. Free = people will come! Loved seeing the kiddos taking in art. Reminded us of the Smithsonian galleries in Washington, DC. Also, the galleries provide free stools and invite you to sit and sketch in the museums! That’s awesome! We saw a number of folks doing sketches of old silver pieces in the Decorative Arts area. You know that sort of thing seeps into the national culture and psyche.
The Art Museum is currently being renovated, so a few of the exhibits were like this.
….and like this guy. Luckily we were still able to see an exhibit on John Butler Yeats (father of the famous poet, W.B.) and some of the masters like Renoir, Monet, and Picasso.
The Barr Boys at the Decorative Arts and History Museum.
Another fabulous pattern, this one at the Decorative Arts & History Museum. One of Aaron’s favorites – just loves the cool tones.
It wasn’t all castles and museums and stuffy, high brow things, though. You know what blog you’re reading – bring on the goofy, fun stuff!
Queen indeed!
Introducing the family to the glory of Carcassonne! Who knew Grace was such a game shark? It was a great revelation. A week after they arrived home Grace and Papa Barr purchased their own edition. Can’t wait to play again, but now we know to not take it easy on Miss Grace!
Guinness. Like pisco in Chile, Malbec in Argentina, or chocolate in Switzerland, Anner prides herself on trying the local flavors. For the Guinness, she insisted it be in the right place at the right time: a crowded, dark, high-energy pub immediately after the Dublin Marathon would prove to be the lucky spot! Thrilled that Grace joined in, too.
At NoMapRequired we take no chances! Just sayin’.
Keep an eye on that one!
We had several really fabulous dinners out – always with the best conversation and a long run of belly-laughs.
In case you missed it, we also saw some AMAZING street art which you can enjoy on Aaron’s post here.
All good things come to an end, even family visits, but not before one last group-selfie. Amazingly, it was the best photo of the entire visit!!!
We had such a SPECTACULAR time with Papa Barr and Miss Grace! Thanks for visiting us!
Aaron, your dad looks great. Glad the 4 of you had fun together. Just remind me not to play cards with you sharks! I do so enjoy the way your visits and your blog reports mix art and architecture with fun, food and my two silly much loved niece and nephew. And speaking of ferries, I can tell the local ones will get more use once you return to the States. Carry on!