The Luggage Diaries: Sunshine Seizers

Sure there's Bono, but in Ireland, sunshine is the real celebrity. And it made a dazzling appearance today in Dublin. I'm talking upper 70s, clearest air, sunniest skies, steady breeze, heaven-LY. And let me tell you something--Irish people get flat-out giddy over a day like this. They just start lying around parks with their shorts and sleeves scrunched up as far as they can get them for some impromptu sunbathing on their lunch hour, men just go shirtless, people pack out patios of restaurants while the insides sit empty...and they head to the water. Oh, yes--I did say upper 70s. The same upper 70s we get in the southeast US around early April when my kids start asking to blow up the baby pool and I look at them like they're crazy. "Oh, honey--it's not nearly warm enough for THAT."

We had two points of interest on the itinerary today: a coastal excursion near Dublin to include the villages of Sandycove and Dalkey (childhood home to my dear friend, Lynn, and her family who are originally from this area) and then a stroll down Grafton Street, the heartbeat of Dublin's city center. I have always heard so many great things about Sandycove from Lynn and wanted to be able to see it for myself. What a great decision. Just a picture-perfect, BRILLiant day with so much wiggle room for the kids to make their own adventure and fall in love with the landscape of Ireland.... When we started thinking out this trip, we weren't really sure about what kind of structuring and planning would be best for the kids, what their interest level would be.... This was the way to see a new place with an 11, 7, and 4 year old. They LOVED it.

Full Irish breakfast: eggs, sausages, bacon (more like thick ham), half a grilled tomato, white and blood pudding ((shiver)), potatoes and sautéed mushrooms.

I went the continental route, which scored me this very yummy local yogurt in the sweetest glass jar and.....my first raisin scone of the trip--with cream and raspberry jam. Food moments don't get more precious.

The beauty contained in this photo cannot be put to words. If you look closely, you can see the vanilla bean FLECKS in the freshest whipped cream imaginable. FLECKS.

Minor annoyance with our rental car. It's a VW Caddy? No equivalent for this in the US. Aaand: it's ROYAL BLUE. The space is nice, but I'm a tad mortified as I feel like we pulled up to our hotel and anyone could've been forgiven for thinking we were some kind of delivery truck--local florist? Handyman? Locksmith, you presume? Eh, no. If you even remotely know me, you know this is a little hard. I am a "van snob" to begin with and now this. I have officially been humbled.

But no, it gets worse. the rear window wiper was stuck in the "on" position, even with the engine turned off--wouldn't quit wiping and spraying!!!! Literally, the Caddy Douglass delivery van was sitting in the hotel valet spot, wiping, spraying and leaving a massive pool of sudsy wiper fluid on the ground, like a figurative puddle of "pee." Argghhhhhhhhhh!! Dean had to end up driving the Caddy back to Thrifty in hopes of getting a new car, when all they did was fix the wiper and send us back on our way in the Bonnie Blue!!!! This is us for the next TWO WEEKS!!!!}

Looking out over Killiney Bay.

Of course, Walker is cute in this--but what really wows me is the plants and wildflowers that just grow right out of the massive wall of rocks. Beauty breaking through everywhere!

Braving the edge of the rock, getting splashed by the odd wave and then laughing about it :: LOVE.

See this? Truman and Walker could've done this all//day//LONG. Freaking out over "tide pools," spotting a seal in the water, picking out barnacles, exploring, adventuring. IN:: THEIR :: ELEMENT.

Just wanted my photo taken with the girl wearing the biggest bow in Dublin.

Finding a CAVE?? Are you kidding me?? These memories are getting etched right this minute as they sleep tonight. This picture was at the entrance to the cave. I said, "make your cave face."

The "home bake" shop! So quintessentially Irish!! This one was in Dalkey. Ohhhh, the scones--I could've gorged!

On our drive to Dalkey, we had just tried to emphasize the age of this place as compared to our own country. Case and point: the fabulous Queens pub in Dalkey (yellow building)--est. 1745. 1745! this restaurant is older than our country, kids.

Beers on draft at the Queens. And the bar is a giant u-shape with the same amount on the other side of the bar. Ehh, it'll do.

Sandycove beach and swimming hole--packed out!

Just some really cute little dogs! Soaking up the sunshine on their wool blanket!

Taken with my phone to send to my friend, Lynn, to show her where I was--right on the spot. Isn't technology wonderful??

One of Lynn's recs: Teddy's ice cream in Sandycove! And incidentally, Douglass family soft serve summer scouting mission, stop #3.

It's what to get at Teddy's: a "99--"soft serve cone with a Cadbury chocolate flake stuck in it. Not a chore to consume.

Once a gentleman-only swimming hole, now mixed bathing is permitted. Quite a few older gents in speedos and full-on wetsuits mixed with teenage boys...and several daring girls hanging around this place!

If you were to fill a glass with ice water and pour it on your head, it would probably be warmer than this water felt on my foot. Not even joking. And yet, not a shortage of people willing to plunge their bodies in it. Highly entertaining.

Irish people just don't care. They are "seizers of the sunshine." Get it while the gettin's good, baby. Stark white skin, not a tan in sight, speedos, not especially fit bodies on the whole, one girl in her bra and panties, whatever it takes--they will not go to bed tonight wondering whether they made the most of this day.

More beauty pouring out of rock walls....

The things to see and explore in this day were immeasurable. This is how to vacation with youngsters--ditch the museums and let them figure it out on their own.

I texted Lynn to find out her girlhood home address. She told me and--we actually found it!! I just adored seeing your old stomping grounds, dear Lynn!! Made me so happy thinking of a little Lynn girl walking around here!

Grafton Street was buzzing!

The essence of Grafton Street: Bewley's Cafe.

Price check on aisle 6: American woman named Lesli Douglass is causing a scene, proclaiming her undying love for the Marks & Spencer's food hall to total strangers. I freaking ADORE this place and ohh, how I've missed it.

Did I mention the verb, "ADORE?"}

I mean, they sell CRUSTLESS EGG SALAD SANDWICHES every day of the week, for heaven's sake!

These are the trees that line the drive to our hotel. they are truly magnificent and they demand to be noticed. Their trunks look like they have muscles to me. Awe-some.