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Published: July 29th 2009
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Leon in the park
St. Stephens Green park in Dublin Wicklow Mountain Adventure
15/05/2009
We decided we wanted to get out of the hustle and bustle of gorgeous Dublin and take a tour through the countryside. To make sure that we get space for the tour we got up really early, and very glad we didn’t go to the club last night. We took the scenic route through St Stephens Green which is the nearest park to where we stayed and were amazed at how beautiful it is! It’s like a little Eden in the middle of Dublin, with huge trees, small walkways and bridges over the streams that criss-cross the park, there is even ducks and swans on the water. It’s still early and the fine drizzle and mist made the park look like it escaped from a fairy tale. It’s 7°C, but because there is no wind, it’s not really that cold, or maybe we’re just getting used to the colder weather.
We are thrilled to have the last two available seats on the mini bus. Our guide welcomes everyone and sets off to start the tour at Dublin Bay. It’s cold and very misty and we can’t really enjoy the scenery that
Melinda is the park
St. Stephens Green park in Dublin we would have had on a day with better weather. When we got back to the mini bus the driver was kind enough to give us an alternative to the tour, he said that he knows a lovely cosy little bar where we could sit by the fire place and have some drinks while he shows us photos of everything we would see on the tour and tell us all about the places. We thought the Irish sense of humour was funny and everyone laughed, but I think deep down everyone was considering the tempting offer!
We were off again and drove around Dun Loaghaire and Killarney where we were shown the street Bono from U2 lives in and Enja’s castle, the castle is her actual home! No wonder she sings like a faerie since she lives the fairytale life all little girls dream of!
From there the actual tour starts. Our first convenience stop is at an old wool mill, not much to see and do but we take some pictures of a charming old bridge and Melinda picks her first clover. We travel to Glendalough “Valley of two Lakes”, deep within the mountains south of Dublin
Leon in Dublin city
Waiting for the tour bus. and visit a spectacular 6th century monastic settlement, with the famous Irish Round Tower and its many High Crosses (this is actually an old grave yard, and looks kind of spooky with all the mist around). We take a one a half mile walk in the forest surrounding the monastery that takes us to the lake where scenes from the Braveheart movie were filmed. We met some enchanting faeries on our walk that warned us abut the mischievous pixies that also occupies the forest, we then high five’ed them and we all laughed. The old green forest and huge lake is calm and peaceful.
Back to the mini bus and the tour continues to Wicklow, our drive through the mountains were really beautiful and we saw sites and building that featured in movies like Ballykissangel, King Arthur, Excalibur & PS. I Love You, were filmed (if you have not seen last mentioned movie yet, make a point of watching it, one of the best we’ve seen in years! Just remember your tissues, you WILL cry). We stopped for lunch at a quaint little town, but the pub was a bit commercial for our taste after our country tour so
Dun Laoghaire Harbour
Located about six miles southeast of Dublin City Centre we settled at for a bench outside a house, where a lady served toasted sandwiches and tee. Melinda met an older Irish gentle man on the hunt for white chocolate that started chatting about his sister that lives in South Africa and he commented on how strange it is for him that people in South Africa has people that does the house work, the gardens and even cook our meals. We are one of the few countries where people have help in their homes, the man suggested that we are lucky and lazy and I have to agree. I would love to have some help around the house!
On our way back to Dublin we notice that it must have been lamb season not to long ago, since every where you see sheep there are at least two lambs per sheep, we figure that this must be the year of the Gemini, or that most sheep just have two lambs at a time. We are further amazed at how lazy the sheep are. At first we thought that the lay down to keep warm, but after we noticed half of then sleeping on their sides like dogs with their
legs stretched out in front of them, we are convinced that they are just really lazy!
Back in Dublin we have to rush to our Hotel to be at the pick-up point for the Aircoach bus that will take us to the airport. Leon seems to think we are running late for the flight and we gobble down an extremely over priced meal on the airport and run to where we then proceed to wait about an hour before we actually board the aircraft. We had to eat so fast that we have no idea how the food tasted and this was officially the first and last meal we didn’t get a word in between bites! For those who know Melinda, you will realise that this is also a new age miracle since for Leon and Melinda moments of silence is far apart and few in between. Luckily we had the trip back on the plane to London, to catch up on the conversation we missed.
Jaco picked us up from the airport and we had yummy peanut butter kit-kats and were off to bed since we once again had to get up before sunrise. Thank you Jaco,
Lake in Wicklow
Not sure what the name is, too much info to write down while the driver is talking. for letting us wake you up at 05h00 to drive us around gives you the best big brother in the world award!
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