-- We did it our way! --
In early August I spent a long weekend in Dublin, and asides from lighting digital candles I turned into a tourist for a few days. I was supposed to blog that week, but got stopped by a kidney infection that brought my temperature to an almost record high of 39.4C within a few hours. This is that long overdue blog.
The beauty of going from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland is that I get to keep many of the tastes and sounds of home, but still have to hate roaming phone charges.
We started off our three hour long roadtrip with me drowning myself in loud music. It ended that way too. We spent no longer than an hour at the revolutionary Muscular Dystrophy Ireland Home from Home before we took off to see Peter Pan at The Helix.
En route on the streets of Dublin we hit a far too well hidden speed bump. This caused me to come completely of my chair and fly in the air for a few seconds. I landed awkwardly on my right side and I ended up with a painful right shoulder, neck, side and hip. I three nights without much peaceful sleep as a result, and my hip still hasn't fully recovered as I don't have a fully formed hip. I'm more interested in more recent injuries now caused by a suddenly faulty mattress.
Of course, six hours without a cup of tea is completely unacceptable. Tayto and Tea became dinner, before I accidentally ran over some poor woman's toe while in a tight space. Peter Pan was highlighted by a little lad thinking it was Panto season and shouted that Peter was behind the rock during the Lagoon scene to rapturous laughter. The quote of the day definitely went to the nephew, who exclaimed that the cartoons were "speaking China" when I put an Irish language station on. A widespread relief washed over him when the iPad spoke English to him.
- Pre-Show tea!
The next day, asides from being Candle Day, was spent at the zoo. Belfast Zoo is built on a mountain and me driving on the hills gives me the heart rate of someone doing an Iron Man race! So when we get to Dublin this is always on the top of the list. Kian started presenting his own nature show in front of some of the animals to my amusement, and I found my Squirrel Monkeys. And I even managed to avoid getting wet! Kian and I were both crazy in our amount of fun, even if he did sit on my knee most of the day so I could cart him around.
I spent my 2013 SMA Candle Day in a zoo, yes. I also spent it talking to a new friend with Cystic Fibrosis from Dublin and putting a digital candle on my phone. I lit it as much in memory and support of all the Angels and earth warriors with SMA as I did for all other types of neuromuscular disease.
- Candle Day
The next day we got to visit Kilmainham Gaol, a former Irish prison. When I studied history as a GCSE student, I understood Americian, Russian and even Asian history without much of an issue. The very second that there was Irish history involved I was confused. I credit a local writer with the fact that I actually passed that section of the exam. When in Kilmainham I was in the spots where the people we learnt about met their death, and their futures. I saw their cells, and how they lived. The irony of it all was that it was so much more accessible than what I've been told of the modern day prison.
- Kilmainham Gaol
We then skipped over to the interactive medieval museum Dublinia, and I laughed the whole way through it. My nephew dressed up multiple times, and definitely looked like something out of How To Train Your Dragon.
- Viking Hut Family
From there, I assumed my natural throne as high navigator of the unexplored lands, and found my way to the Wax Museum, which presented me with one of my favourite things - science. Right down to Batman and the ejector seat which was invented by a local man from down the street.
- BatDude
- Ejector Seat Daddy
On our way back to the car we found the awesome Mr Simms Sweet Shop. It's safe to say I exited with enough sweets to last me the rest of the month. They also had pretzel M&Ms which delighted me to no end.
Our last day in Dublin was bittersweet, but gave me the best pizza in Dublin, cinema and my favourite picture of the whole holiday. It also reaffirmed my hate for cobble stones. I hate the things more now than ever.
- Kian and Angela impatiently awaiting pizza.
- Kian and me dodging the rain.
Of course, no trip to the cinema at the moment is complete without a picture with One Direction, however crazy you may look doing it. Dublin clearly knows that I'll be back soon to see those very people sing up a storm.
And with that, we headed home. We will be back soon, as my obsession with Wicked will lead me south in December. Until then, it's back to university in just over a week.
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