Easter in Dublin

On Friday, the four of us flew from Zurich to Dublin in the morning. The flight went very smoothly, and we were at our hotel by noon... a great start to the weekend. The kids loved seeing the cab driver drive on the other side of the car, and kept on remarking, "Mommy, everyone speaks ENGLISH here." We checked into our hotel, which was located right in the center of town - a really perfect recommendation from the Shader's, and also an indulgence to stay at the Westin and be treated to US pay-per-movies and TV.

Our first order of business was grabbing some lunch, so we walked into the Temple Bar area, which normally is quite a pub scene. But as this was Good Friday, none of the pubs were allowed to sell liquor - thus, none of the pubs were open. No worries for us, as we had our sights set on only one location - the Hard Rock Cafe (or the "Rock Cafe," as our kids call it). We enjoyed an incredible lunch and loved the sights and sounds of our new "home away from home."

After lunch, we attempted to walk around town a bit, but unfortunately, we got caught in a huge, cold rainstorm, and so the gang overruled me and we headed back to the hotel. After drying off and warming up a bit, we jumped in a taxi to head down to the Shader's for dinner. It was about a 30 minute ride to their place in Sandy Cove - the ride is really beautiful, as much of it is along the coast. Really pretty, and by the time we arrived, the clouds had cleared and we were treated to this view from their place.

The Shader's have a great home right across the street from the park and ocean, and the views (pictured above) are incredible. Inside, we were thrilled to see Alton, Shannon, Sophia and to meet baby Dru for the first time. We had a really nice afternoon and evening there, and Shannon made us a superb dinner. The kids loved playing with Sophia, and Kate in particular was very impressed by how "big" Sophia had gotten since they had last been together in September.

On Saturday, we spent the day sightseeing in Dublin. The weather cooperated with us, and the morning was clear and dry. We took advantage of the clear weather, and walked around most of the neighborhoods near our hotel, stopping for bagels for breakfast and lunch along the way. We also boarded a Viking "duck boat" (the kind of bus that turns into a boat and sails in the water for part of the tour).

The kids had to wear viking hats and growl (ARGGGGH) every time the driver asked them to - they loved it! The tour was great, and gave us a very good overview of the city... and the harbor.

After the tour, we walked over to St Patrick's Cathedral, which was absolutely stunning. We stopped by Christ Church, and then walked along the river for a bit.

The weather took a turn for the worse and started to rain - so we ducked into a Waterstone's book store, where we found true heaven. Jay wandered around the bookstore for awhile, while the kids and I set up camp in the children's section, surrounding ourselves with our favorite books and reading for hours.. literally. Since English speaking books are a rarity in Zurich, the spots where you can read are just not kid-friendly (like a typical Border's or Barnes and Noble). The Waterstone's was exactly like a Border's... so fun to spread out and just read... We ended up purchasing quite a few books, all at bargain prices compared to Zurich.

On our way out, the kids spotted the Easter bunny, so we grabbed a quick photo with him before heading back outside. For dinner, we returned to (yes) the "Rock Cafe." Everyone won - the kids were happy, which meant we were happy... and all of us enjoyed munching on our favorites. We got back to the hotel early, which allowed time for a family movie (Ice Age 3) before bedtime. It was a really perfect day.

On Sunday, the kids awoke to find the Easter Bunny had visited them, showering them with gifts (thank you, grandparents!). They also received the LARGEST lollipops ever made (pictured below). Since they had both given up lollipops for Lent, we thought this was only appropriate.

After playing with the Easter goodies, we headed down to Sandy Cove to meet Shannon and Sophia for Easter Mass. The kids got to participate in a processional, and they all behaved really well during the Mass. After Mass, we walked over to the Shader's for a great Easter Egg hunt, followed by lunch (and dinner!) at the Shader home.

It was a really relaxing afternoon, and the kids were spoiled rotten by more candy and easter eggs than they could possibly eat.

While the Shader kids took a nap, we headed out for a walk along the ocean. The kids loved playing on the beach, and also loved watching all the Dubliners take a dip in the frigid waters to celebrate Easter... we're told this happens every day - crazy to watch it in person! Brrrr...


On Monday, we woke up, had breakfast, and then flew back to Zurich. The flight was easy, and we were back home by 4:00pm, which was absolutely perfect. It had been such a nice weekend - so nice to be with our wonderful friends the Shaders, and to see how they are all doing there. And so nice to have a little "taste" of home - between the language, the familiar brands, the book store, the Westin, and all the great food, we really felt like it had been like visiting the US. A welcome treat!