TLDR – We meet up with Michelle’s Friends Maria and Kathy at the Herbert Park hotel and took them to Dun Leery via Dart, Dublin castle via Dart, then back to our house via LUAS for some dinner.
Hooking up in the morning
Michelle received a message from Maria slightly before 0800 indicating Maria and Kathy would be ready soon to adventure with us for the day. We planned on spending Sunday with Maria and her sister Kathy, but we did not plan on them being up and ready to go so early. With a new goal in front of us, we rushed dressing and feeding the kids and were out the door for the LUAS about 0820. We rode the LUAS to Beechwood. After detraining we crossed over the track towards the coast. The walk towards the Herbert Park Hotel came in at 25 minutes according to the GPS. Near the end of the Herbert park, we came upon a playground. The kids and I stayed at the playground and played while Michelle walked the rest of the way to the hotel to meet her friends; maybe 3 minute walk time.
The slides were wet and fast. The kids complained a bit about getting wet but the excitement of the speed quickly got them over it. The Hotel is about 3 minutes away. It was not long before Michelle returned with Maria and Kathy. Maria asked Mila if she remembered her. Mila says “Ya you are the lady we had pancakes with” The last visit to the sates we met Maria in Redmond town center at the Pancake house for pancake breakfast. We’re planning to take the DART to Dun Leery (too lazy to spell it correctly) From where we are it’s 14 minutes to one station and 15 to another. I picked the 15-minute away station because we get to walk over the river Dodder on the way. The river had swarms of small bugs hovering around we had to walk through – so many tiny little black flying bugs.
Dart headed South – Dun Leery
As we were approaching the Dart we saw the arms down blocking the roadway indicated a train was near. When we made it to the station we realized it was our train the arms were down for; 20-minute wait for the next train. Oh well, good chance to catch up. Maria managed to get the girls plenty loud making faces at them. The train ride was mostly calm, as calm as it can be with four terrorists all excited for adventure. We detrained at Dun Laoghaire station and walked along the water for a bit. Instead of walking out the pier the group elected to hit the park for some snacks and kid playtime. Maddex and I had a 10 pack of pork dumplings to start the food off.
Maddex went back four more times to buy more pork dumplings over the course of the visit to the people’s park food market. The kids seem to like the dumplings and Maddex enjoyed walking over there on his own to buy more. Next stop was Crepes where the girls bought a number of crepes filled with chocolate and other things. Khaleesi hid in the stroller and ate her crepe unnoticed by everyone else fighting over the other two crepes in play. The girls covered their faces and jackets in chocolate, few places were left untouched by the time the crepes were gone.
From the park, we walked to the Forty-foot end of the beach. About halfway there Maddex needed the toilet. He and I high tailed it to the James Joyce museum to use their toilet. When we returned and met the girls back at the beach cove area Mila immediately told me she needed the toilet. Took all three girls back to use the toilet. Chatted with the gals working the museum front desk they asked “Back so soon with three more, you going to come back with any more kids later? ” I let them know this was it, I hope.
Headed into Town
The kids were all jumping on the big rocks around the beach saying Parkour. Eventually, Khaleesi’s shoe got stuck in a rock and she fell on her face. After the screaming died down we decided it was time to move away from the rocks. Maria and Kathy voted to head back into town and check out Dublin Castle. We walked a bit to the Dart and rode to Tara station. From there we walked along the water until we came to the ally way near the Ha’penny bridge with the empanada shop on it. I bought a few empanadas for the kids and I to eat; Peppered steak and steak and gravy – We used a free Soda voucher Maria picked up from the singing empanadas man in the street to get a soda with the steak bread things.
When we walked by Empanada man I showed off what we bought and he yelled: “Have fun eating my sisters” followed by an evil laugh and a dance. The guy was having fun, no doubt. We sat down in the castle courtyard and took a break. Khaleesi and Roxi were both sleeping. Khalessi in the stroller and Roxi in the backpack. Down Dame lane back to Grafton where we made one stop for Kathy to buy a shirt for her sister, then carried on to catch the LUAS home. Back at home we chatted around the table and had dinner from Romayos until it was time to put the kids to bed, and for Maria and Kathy to leave – Bye! have fun on your week-long Paddy Wagon trip see you next week
Bonus pictures
