Stockholm

I'm starting to think I'm Scandinavian. My build, hair color, complexion, and family tree wouldn't suggest it, but just like Copenhagen, Stockholm feels right. Reuben and I spent a long weekend here last week, and had a great time. Most impressive site was probably the Vasa Museum, an entire building dedicated to a restored 1600's war ship. The world's oldest continuously operating theatre at Drottningholm Palace was also a highlight. Oh, and how could I forget the changing of the guard? Sunshine, water, and excellent food made for a good escape from dear, dirty Dublin. More pictures of Stockholm

Wow, did we need that blue sky

Dublin Hiking - Cruagh Wood

Still have yet to find any great trails in the Dublin area. Most are soggy forest roads.... beautiful pine smell, but a horrible mess to hike. The closest comparison I've seen in the States is West Virginia hiking. Next up - Mountains of Mourne......

Glimpses of Dublin through the fog

Sea Safari

Having had a few visitors now, we've started to experiment with recommended tourist spots and excursions. This way we can test out our suggestions and not send anyone on a crappy tour. The Dublin Sea Safari was on the agenda for a sunny Sunday afternoon several weeks ago. I thought this was going to be a sort of 'cruise' out to Ireland's Eye to see the birds. Turns out, it was more of a 'high speed adventure' in a big inflatable raft. They send 2 boats out at a time, and they chase each other and ride each other's wakes. The 2nd boat on our trip was full of 12 yr old boys who wanted us to act like pirates. Needless to say, not a leisurely nature cruise kind of thing. In any case, it was a gorgeous day, and we saw some great wildlife. Jellyfish, lots of birds (including puffins!) and seals. I'd recommend it if you're not shy about riding some waves! The rest of the pictures are here.

Did I mention you shouldn't be out to impress anyone on this tour?

Rock of Cashel, Ring of Kerry

Our next destination on the Ireland tour was Co. Kerry and the famous 'Ring.' For this trip, it was just me, Mom and Dad - - Reuben had headed off to France for the L'Etape du Tour bike ride. On the way to Killarney, we stopped at the Rock of Cashel which was truly impressive. The rest of the afternoon we fought our way through rain and fog to Killarney, the home of all things Irish. Next day we started our tour around the Ring of Kerry. Luckily, just as we pulled out of the parking lot, a group of several hundred road riders blocked our way out.... charity ride! I say luckily, because that gave us the opportunity to GO THE OTHER WAY. And I must say, I'd recommend touring the Ring clockwise, as we were forced to do, vs. the more popular counter-clockwise way. Other recommendations: Stay in Kenmare (vs. Killarney), visit the Skelligs and Victoria Island, and DO NOT visit the Bog Village (bad tourist trap)!! Even though the weather was not the best, I still enjoyed cruising around with Mom and Dad - we had plenty of time to catch up! Rock of Cashel Pics; Touring the Ring of Kerry Pics

Lovely ladies and the Lakes of Killarney

Dublinia

Being an American in Ireland, it's possible to convert to tourist mode whenever you want. It's a great thing. In any case, with Mom and Dad in town, we became full blown tourists for a day in Dublin. We covered a lot of Irish ground in one day! First, we stopped in to Dublin Castle for our bit of history. This, of course, allowed us to check off the 'cultural' requirement and head straight across town to the Jameson distillery. (Mom and Dad had gone to Guinness earlier in the week for their inaugural pint.) Once we'd tested the latest batch, we made our way toward Temple Bar and enjoyed a pint, some Irish music, and a boxty dinner. A stroll down Grafton Street, a visit with Molly Malone and a stop at Stephens Green ended with tickets to Riverdance at the Gaiety (I told you we covered a lot of ground). All in all, a fabulous, touristy day. The next day we had to rest and recover, only managing to venture out for Reuben's birthday dinner and a stop at Trinity College. Photos of our epic Dublin day

That Molly Malone never fails to draw some attention

The Polsters Land in Malahide

In early July we had a great visit with Mom and Dad here in Ireland. The first few days we spent closing the quarter (me) and recovering from jetlag (them). It was a good opportunity to explore some of our local areas, Malahide and Howth. We had a gorgeous sunny afternoon on their first day in town, so we took an afternoon ride out to Howth where we watched the seals and browsed the farmers' market. Another evening early in the week, we took an after dinner run out to the Malahide estuary to see the birds. More photos of Howth and Malahide

Those estuary swans can be nasty

Giant's Causeway and the Antrim Coast

In June, my brother Chris came to visit with his girlfriend, and we took a weekend break to the North of Ireland. The Giant's Causeway and the Bushmills Distillery were the main attractions. Basically, the Giant's Causeway massive pile of volcanic stone, all regularly shaped, so they look like they were constructed by man. Legend has it that the giant Finn McCool had the causeway built as a land bridge to Scotland where his lady love lived. Whatever the real story, it was a unique and beautiful site. The northern coastline itself is beautiful - in an odd way it reminded me of Hawaii (without the warm temps). Dramatic cliffs covered in green. More photos of the north coast

Look out for Finn McCool! Not only was he a romantic, he also appreciated a good pint