Traveling with Michelle: 2014

The final part of our journey was the journey home. We were up early, ate, put on our backpacks, and walked to the airport bus. Then at the airport, we had "pre-screening" for entering the United States. Instead of going through customs when we arrived in the US, we went through immigration and customs in Dublin. Long lines and twice through security. Randy was even "randomly specially selected" for more intense security. He had his bags checked by hand and a pat down. Joshua had a pat-down this time too. I had one on one of our other flights and one on the way out. This one was much more polite and respectful. When we arrived in June, I was ushered through without even the metal detector because I was helping Joshua. They asked if I was his mom, then let both of us through a special gate! Not this time!

After all of that, we had a short wait for our flight, then off! We received a meal, two beverage services, one water service, coffee/tea after dinner and a "snack" shortly before landing. For each beverage service, we received the entire can of soda instead of a tiny bit being poured into a glass of ice. That's where all of that extra money goes to! The snack was an unusual sandwich with turkey, lettuce, cheese, some sort of white sauce, and cranberry sauce. A little too much cranberry, but good.

We had a long layover in Philadelphia (3 1/2 hours). We spent part of the time playing hearts in the middle of the waiting room on the floor. That helped pass the time. I also had received an email from my district saying that I had to fix a paperwork problem--a parent had requested a change on their child's educational plan for next year. So I took care of that as well. Then the short flight to Minneapolis. We took the light rail to our local stop, then walked the mile home in the humid but not hot weather. Shelby's boyfriend met us on our way back and gave her flowers and candy when we arrived at our house.

While we were gone, there had been torrential rains and we had read of many of our neighbors and friends having flooded basements and sewers backing up into their basements, so we were understandably a bit worried. But, no problems! The house was stale and the basement smelled a bit musty (but that happens normally too). The yard is a jungle, as usually is the case when we arrive back from our vacation. We had dinner, then, 22 hours after we had woken up, went to bed. :)

The cat sitter brought Simba the next day, Randy got groceries, and we began the job of taming the jungle that is our yard. That may take the rest of the week! We are still suffering a bit from jet lag; we are up late, but have been unable to sleep in, waking at 7 or 8 (or earlier) each morning. Now we begin the lazier part of our summer break!

Wednesday, 9 July 2014

The title is a "Friends" reference (Joey and Janice's Day of Fun). Anyway--today was the children's planned day. Joshua and Anneliese worked very hard last night planning today. They made up a list, checked the guide book, brochures, maps, and online. They then presented this list with times and admission fees to Randy and I. We said that all of their ideas were doable but that they should map out a schedule, keeping in mind opening and closing times. Well, they did, including a timetable of how much time we would want to spend at each one. Shelby provided some input as well. We suggested a few ways to streamline the routes to make them a bit shorter and more direct.

After breakfast at the hostel, we set off for the Four Courts. It is a courthouse. We had to go through security, including a scanner for our bags and walking through a metal detector. We were also told, no photos!! So, I didn't, though I wanted to. They judges and possibly the lawyers were dressed in robes with white collars and Anneliese even saw one in a powdered wig! In the main rotunda, there were four doors leading off--courts 1-4 with numbers on them. The building was modeled on the Pantheon in Rome and thus there was an oculus and pillars out front. We walked around and were tempted to go into a courtroom, but we didn't want to cause an international incident! There are more courtrooms and the supreme court in an addition off the back of the rotunda.

Four Courts

Next we were off to Smithfield Square. It was a marketplace in the 17th century and until it's renovation in 1997, it was lined with inner-city farmyards with livestock. The renovation included lifting the 400, 000 cobblestones (120 years old), cleaning them, and relaying them. They tried to schedule concerts there, but the first ones held had the residents complaining about them. Right now, there is a small playground at one end (somewhat neglected) and a large space. I think the space needs fountains, benches, and other seating to make it a more inviting space. Today, there were some tourists at the playground, the rest was empty.

Our entire family was on this at one point, spinning very fast!

The lights light up in different colors throughout the year such
as green for St. Patrick's Day. They also are set up with
torches, but those are rarely used.

On to the Garden of Remembrance. This remembers those who died in the cause of Irish Freedom. There is a poem about remembering the sacrifices, but that they were made to give hope. It is by the statue.

The shields and weapons represent the fight for independence.

On to a large metal spike. it has many nicknames--most of them relating to sex and phalluses (of course). Joshua was very excited to see it.

Joshua is trying to hold it up--a weird optical illusion makes it
look like it's going to tip over.

Shelby wanted to see the post office because she learned about it last year as the site of the Irish Easter Rebellion of 1916. She created a graphic story about it for her English class. Of course, we forgot to buy stamps for our postcards while we were there! Guess we'll have to give them out by hand when we get home!

Over the doorway

This was across the street and was so tacky I
couldn't help myself!

Then we walked down to the river and to a ship--the Jeanie Johnston. On the way, we saw a famine sculpture.

This is the Samuel Beckett Bridge--I believe it is shaped to look
like an Irish lyre. At least that's what it looks like.

The ship is a reconstruction of a real ship from the time of the potato famine. It primarily went between Ireland and Quebec. It brought imports from the new world here (timber, etc) and took passengers the other direction (to Quebec and America). It wasn't built for passengers, so they had to rig things up like removable walls and berths so that it could could be used alternately for non-human cargo. The ship ran 16 loads of people between 120 and 240 people each time and none of them died, which is incredible. They said that it was because they had a really good captain (who didn't try to cut corners at the expense of the passengers) and a really good doctor. This replica ship has gone to Quebec and to other ports, but needs work to make it able to make the trip again which they are trying to complete. They also research the passengers, trying to find out what happened to each of them. A few times descendants of the passengers have come to visit the ship which they love. I didn't have high hopes for the tour, but it was very informative and the "tour guide" was incredibly knowledgeable. All those names and dates and facts--wow!

This is the size of one of the berths and is meant to fit 4 adults;
two children would count as an adult. So theoretically, you
could have two adults with their four children in one berth.

looking up at one of the masts

Our tour guide

After the ship we found a store with a sandwich counter and grabbed warm sandwiches and juice then took them to a nearby park (Merrion Square Park) and ate. There was a cool playground there, so we all played.

Anneliese posing on the way to find lunch

The park

A sculpture, each body part of the monster also formed a chair to sit on

This carved stump has a little door leading inside.
The man on the ladder is installing a plexiglas top
on the stump. Cute!

A big swing we all had a turn on! it is really freaky to be pushed
up high, you end up looking backward. But very fun!

All of us except Randy had a turn on this dish that spins. The cool
thing is to move your limbs in and out of the dish as it is spinning fast.

It was going really fast!!

After the fun break, we walked on with the intent of going to the National Museum of Ireland--Museum of Archaeology and History, but we ended up at the Natural History Museum. Anneliese and I started to go through what seemed like the right gate, but we were stopped and asked for our credentials; turns out we were trying to get into parliament! The nice guard pointed us out and around the corner and we ended up in the Natural History Museum. A guy I talked to at the hostel last night said that the Natural History Museum was like going back in a time machine to a 1950s museum, but that he really liked it. I wasn't quite as charmed as he was, but it was cute in a retro/classic kind of way. One of the rooms had three floors the galleries (kind of like a really cool library), but visitors weren't allowed on the upper floors. The reason given was that there were no emergency exits. They evidently are building a new museum (or rehabbing the old) to make sure every exhibit is able to be seen and will have special windows to ensure they exhibits aren't harmed by sunlight. One room with big trays to look at pinned bugs (like in the British Museum), had little covers over the cases that you had to lift off so that what was inside was protected. We didn't spend long at the Museum, but it was free admission, so that was OK.

Shelby is being the deer!

Onward to St. Patrick's Cathedral. Joshua is so happy to finally be going into a cathedral! The inside wasn't incredible, but the windows were very pretty and I loved the Lady's Chapel. It is dedicated to "Our Lady" (the Virgin Mary) and is very light-filled and peaceful. When some of the Huguenots fled to Dublin, they let them use that chapel.

Door of Reconciliation at the cathedral. They had actors acting out
historic argument and handshake of the Butlers of Ormonde
and the FitzGeralds of Kildare. It is evidently where the
phrase "chancing your arm" comes from. (I've never heard
it--maybe it's Irish?)

A really cool spiral staircase

Lady's Chapel

After this, we walked toward Christchurch and went to what used to be the Synod House for Christchurch Cathedral. It is a museum now, called Dublinia. It focuses on Dublin during the Viking days, Medieval Ireland, and Archeology. I think it is best suited for elementary-aged kids, though ours had a great time! It is nice that everything is touchable (great for young children) and it is interactive (great for older children). They get to try on chainmail and clothing, answer questions, watch videos, etc. Randy didn't really like it, but I thought it was interesting and liked that the children liked it. Anneliese's comment afterward was that she really liked it, but she would have liked it even more if she had been about 5 years younger. We spent about 2 hours there, but kind of rushed through parts of it. We divided up, with the children going together, but drifting apart sometimes, and Randy and I each going seperately. I often met up with one or more of the children intermittently. To exit the museum, we had to go across the Medieval bridge connecting it with Christchurch and then exit out of the Cathedral. :)