Pack Your Bags, We're Going To Ireland!

There was a bit of a gap there between the last two entries, eh?

Well, there's a reason.

I just went to...

Woo!

The kids graduated from college this year,

so we decided on a nice family vacation to celebrate.

Since it's already starting to blur together,

I thought I'd go day by day, and hit a few of the highlights.

Day One

My mom has long lamented the sulky behavior of my sister and me

when we traveled to Europe together back in the early eighties,

so I was apprehensive that the Karma Boomerang would smack me on the back of the head.

 I took a picture at the airport,

to have proof that there was a least a moment when both my offspring were smiling.

  

Well, in The Boy's case, at least not frowning.

The two flights were loooong, of course,

but not too uncomfortable, 

and were made more bearable by the little TVs in back of the seats.

But, what the heck, Air Canada?

Is that something I want to see to help me relax whilst hurtling through the sky?

When we arrived, we were absolutely amazed by the green, green countryside.

The brown, dry hills at home in California were literally ablaze,

but here it was nothing but soothing emerald.

The Girl, with her namesake flower.

However, the lovely countryside was hiding something truly terrifying:

THE COUNTRY ROADS

Dun Dun Duuuuuun!!!

They were literally no wider than a car

and sometimes not even that:  the hedgerows would smack against the windows as we drove.

The Sweet Man took one for the team and was the designated driver, 

and although we would all eventually get more comfortable

with driving on the other side of the road,

the first day was especially harrowing.

We finally arrived in Inistioge, County Kilkenny at this place...

... where this was the view from the window...

... and this was who greeted us.

***   ***   ***   ***   ***

Next Up:

we throw the guidebook out the window,

and see the General Lee in a tiny town.