First Stop: Dublin City!

Today marks four weeks since my husband and I set off on the greatest adventure of our marriage (...besides the marriage itself, of course, which is another post entirely...):  Ireland.  To us, the most heart-breakingly beautiful place our feet have ever walked upon together.  We've longed to make this trip for about three and a half years, and although I'm sad it's over, I have the strangest confidence I'll see it again.  In the meantime, I'll delight in the memories my camera caught.

After a long and somewhat exhausting flight (which landed us first in Toronto and London), we finally set foot on Irish soil outside the bustling city of Dublin.  Here are a few highlights of our time there:

Day 1

Even charming European cities don't slow down for tourists. 

OK, maybe they do...

... if they're made of wax.

Or if they're heading here:

A delightful afternoon in St. Steven's Green.

Where we met the delightful Mr. and Mrs. Swan and their delightful brood of signets.
Yes, friends, signets. This is why I win door prizes at baby showers...
(Though it's actually spelled cygnets.  And this is why I lose spelling bees!)

Everybody together now: "awwwwwwww..."

Now back to the bustling marketplace!

Fresh flowers!  Come an' get your flowers!

 And if you're looking for beer, as this man apparently was, you'll find it in kegs here!

A bike for the road, anyone?

Our first taste of Irish shepherd's pie, with a side of chips, of course.
(If you don't have at least 2 servings of potatoes in each meal, you're not in Ireland.)

And finally back to our place, the Grafton Capital Hotel, to spend our first night this side 'o the pond.

***

Day 2

Irish soda bread for breakfast, anyone?  (Uh, yeah!)

Even an old ally is full of color.

Post Office (in Gaelic).  This one really is for Mom, postal woman she is.  ;)

Another market full of fresh fruit and flowers...

 Can you tell I really take these pictures for the beautiful people they capture?

Street performers are the blood of Dublin city life. :)

Crossing the River Liffey...

With my hunk 'o hubby :)

Then off to the Tourist Office.  Yep, that gorgeous church is now the domain of the likes of us.

And then to Trinity University, where we found this fun piece of art.

Now back toward Grafton Street.  But who is that guarding it?

None other than the infamous Molly Malone :)  

(If you don't know her, you need to listen to more Irish music!)

Sign: Horse and Carriage Only

Ireland's Starbucks: Insomnia.  Now that's accurate advertising!

Boy, would we have liked to get in here!

We couldn't resist taking a few shots of ol' Oscar Wilde and some of his best lines.

My favorite:

 "I find it harder and harder every day to live up to my blue china."
Well said, well said.

Of all of Dublin's famous doors, I couldn't resist this one.  Pretty in pink!

And nothing like closing our first stay in Dublin with some fish and chips and an enthusiastic procession in Temple Bar over Mexico's big win in the World Cup.  I can hear it even now: "Mexico! Mexico! Mexico!"

Tune in later for our next stop: the gorgeous Glendalough.  I can't give pics of our tour consecutively, but I'll try my best to keep this series going (maybe once a week?).  Let me know if you enjoyed the tour; that'll encourage me to take the time to do it again!  :)