IRELAND

The long awaited.... 3 year planned..... 8+months pregnant vacation to the motherland.... ND season opener... HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!!! I have been snapping away, uploading, editing, and posting as fast as my hands can work, and as quick as the 'high-speed' internet decides to work over here. 

This will be a several part installment with as many pictures as I can squeeze in at one time. Don't forget to scroll back to older posts just in case you missed some of the excitement.

And so the journey begins... 

After an uneventful haul to DC, a quick hop over to Boston found us looking at a 7 hour layover with nowhere to go.... the answer? 

FIELD TRIP!  Here's a couple shots of Ashley stretchin' it out and soaking in some rays on the waterfront in Boston...

After another 6 hour flight in the premium no pay bulkhead seats, we arrived.... 7:30 A.M. Dublin Time.... exhausted, loaded up.... ready to go

we quickly met up with our driver Aidan Ryan (Mom's response: "COULD HE BE ANY MORE IRISH???)

Our initial fears were of a 14 passenger van.... Oh No..... we have a 9 passenger BUS!

please place seatbacks and tray tables in.... wait a minute... this is our bus and we can do WHATEVER WE WANT!

Being jetlagged is no fun. We figured we had two options.... 1: catch up on sleep   or 2: find something else that will take the edge off!

We may have only been in Ireland for 2 hours, but we've found our first distillery. Kilbeggen whiskey distillery is the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world and just happens to be the answer to our problem!

Someone has to be a packleader and trendsetter.... Mom is on a mission

Tired.... sober.... pregnant.... STILL A TROOPER

A short time later after some naps and some sightseeing, we made our next stop at clonmacnoise...

Then it was off to Galway (our first destination) and a quick stop by salt hill and the surrounding beaches.

Captain Lee and his wife Debbi were eager to show us around Titanic

our room in galway

OUR VIEW!

It didn't take long before we were at the famed Kings Head for the trips first pint of Guinness!

just a sip and a pose!

Even though Chris is the only one who's seen it, apparently the film Quiet Man was filmed in the area and this was a replica of the house.... photo op?

We were then on to Killary for our harbor cruise

HAT BROTHERS!

yes I'm pregnant... yes I'm holding a big bag.... yes I will still take your camera, hold your bag, and direct you around for a group photo

Only the richest sheep live by the water

After our cruise, we were on to Kylemore Abbey.... Just because they took a vow of poverty doesn't mean the nuns can't live in a paid for castle!

nothing but a little bit of daily irish rain to keep you on your toes!

Night number 2 involved staying in... of all things.... A CASTLE!

no key cards here... old fashioned keys and helicopters in the front yard!

Add caption

Ashley was kind enough to explain the in's and outs of the bidet

Mom explained that if this was a castle, then she must be the queen..... She asked the pregnant servant to do some sweeping...

The pregnant servant had other plans!

What does one do in the castle yard??? Twirl of course

Grammy saying hello to the little prince to be

one last goodbye before boarding her chopper

Oh.... and that brown water that comes out of the sinks showers and toilets???? Don't worry. it's natural. in fact, it's kinda good for you

Some more pictures from 'the other castle!'

kylemore abbey's view from the front door

Killary pics

killary harbor

Killary

SHEEP

Along the drive there are many 'famine houses' left untouched from the Irish Potato Famine. Still to this day, people will not touch them.

Day 3 CLIFFS OF MOHER

The sky's were gray and the sea was angry that day. 6 weary travelers boarded a vessel determined to reach the famed cliffs.

Pregnant women get the boring seats on the inside (as per Patrick's request)

Doesn't it seem fitting that on a rough day with some 'mild irish swells' we would be on a vessel named 'tranquility'?

Aidan awaits our return

sometimes it's just easier to take a boat!

We've arrived in Dingle! Our beautiful B&B overlooking the Dingle Bay

beautiful irish countryside

And what would a pregnant blogpost be without a belly shot at the Cliffs of Moher!