The journey from Portland to Paris by air went as smooth as could be. Great service, smooth skies, an early arrival, and luggage to be claimed. Then it was a TGV (i.e., Train à Grand Vitesse, or “high-speed train”) for 300km southeast to Angers, France. Sue, the AHA International host who has helped to arrange things, was at the train station as planned. A short stroll to the hotel, time to refresh, and crêpes for dinner in a bit…a decent first day overall. Tomorrow brings meetings and data collection, which is what prompted this trip, so it’s good to finally be here and ready to go…exploring the quaint city of Angers is also in order.
A quick update while we wait to depart Paris…at least for now. 😉
We had our last breakfast on Rue Cler; croissants, coffees, and a hot chocolate for Abbie. Then we walked the very short distance to L’Hôtel national des Invalides where there is an Army Museum and Napoleon’s mighty tomb. It was another spectacular campus of buildings, and the kids seemed quite interested in the war history, especially that of WWI & WWII.
We strolled back to Rue Cler for lunch at the Chinese restaurant from yesterday. Then we went next door for delicious gelato and coffee. We should have time to grab one last crepe before taking the Metro to the bus to the airport. Then we should land in Dublin around 11:15pm, only to depart about 12 hours later.
We have been talking with the kids today about all we’ve done and what they’ve enjoyed the most. Abbie’s list of favorite destinations from first to last goes France, Ireland, Scotland, and England. Jackson’s and mine goes France, Ireland, England, and Scotland. Reed’s is Ireland, France, Scotland, and England. The kids both loved the Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Blarney Castle, and Alnwick Castle. I need more time to reflect on all we’ve done before I can create my list. I think we have lots to keep talking about and lessons to learn from this time away together. It has been a gift!
Today we checked off a few more items from our priority list for what to see during our visit to Paris. We enjoyed café au lait ($8 each!) and croissants around the corner from our lovely hotel and then set out for the Metro. We went to Île de la Cité to experience La cathédrale Notre-Dame, or the spectacular and enormous Notre Dame Cathedral. We considered going up the bell towers, but the line was very, very long, probably a 90+ minute wait (& no queue jumping privileges with our Paris Pass). We instead waited in a super long, but fast moving, line to go into the sanctuary. A service was in session, so we sat for a bit to take it in. Then we traveled around the outside hallways, admiring the architecture, stained glass, and monuments along the way. It truly is a marvelous structure – we learned that it took 182 years to complete!
After we viewed the inside, we walked along the Seine to view it from the outside. The gardens are beautiful, the flying buttresses are incredible, and the ornate detailing is phenomenal. I particularly like the “green guys” (i.e., the Apostles) climbing up the spire. In preparation for our visit, Abbie has been watching The Hunchback of Notre Dame repeatedly, and we did so together two nights ago in our hotel. We kept our eyes open for Quasimodo and Esmerelda! 🙂
Next we walked over to Sainte-Chapelle, Reed’s and my favorite cathedral that we’ve seen…like anywhere on the planet. It was built in the 13th century in a medieval gothic style, and it contains one of the most extensive collections of 13th c. stained glass anywhere in the world. We again didn’t have the line cutting privilege with our Paris Pass, but we met a nice woman and her 12-year-old daughter from Southern California while we waited. She approached us and asked about Abbie, as her daughter is also from China. It was fun to talk about our experiences of getting our precious daughters years ago.
Jackson’s reaction to the grayscale window
Sainte-Chapelle isn’t large like Notre Dame, and you actually have to go upstairs to get to the main chapel, which is kind of cool. The windows that surround it are amazing in both color and story, going through both Old Testament and New Testament stories. There seem to be hardly any walls connecting the windows…you are surrounded by colored glass. Unfortunately, about 1/4 of the windows were behind construction walls undergoing an extensive restoration process where the glass is removed, cleaned, and reinstalled, with new lead where needed. And this included the huge rose window, which was masked by scaffolding covered by a partition with a grayscale image where the window would have been. 😦 The kids were a bit underwhelmed, especially after waiting in line for awhile, and I can’t say that I blame them. Perhaps they will return one day to see the whole thing in all it’s glory.
We descended back down into the Metro (to the very cool Cité station) and took the #1 line to the Charles de Gaulle stop. We ascended from beneath the city to the majestic Arc de Triomphe. It really is a spectacular view, right from the escalator out of the Metro. We were right on the Champs-Élysées, one of the most famous streets in the world. We descended again to go through the tunnel under the huge rotary street that surrounds the monument. Up once again and we went straight for the queue – this time with cutting privileges. 🙂 We climbed the 284 stairs up one leg of the Arc to the top. This is one of the best views in all of Paris – the Eiffel Tower on one side, Sacre Coeur on another; the Grande Arche at La Defense on yet another. It was spectacular.
La Défense from the Arc
We descended the stairs down the other leg and then walked around the Arc. It really is hard to get it in a photo when you are right next to it – it is so HUGE, standing at 164 feet high, 148 feet wide, and 72 feet deep. It has ornate detailing on every surface and huge sculptures on its legs. It was commissioned to be built by Napoleon in 1806 – talk about a “Napoleon Complex!” Beneath the Arc is the tomb of the unknown solider from WWI, complete with a burning eternal flame and decorated with flowers. It really was an awe-inspiring experience, both for the kids at their first viewing and us at our subsequent viewing. One quick note, if you want a fabulous view of Paris from above, this is about the best place to go. You miss the long lines at the Eiffel Tower and the view, unlike Sacre Coeur, is unobstructed.
Back on the Metro to our neighborhood to find lunch. We returned to Rue Cler, this time enjoying Chinese food (including beverage), for only €7.5 each; a truly remarkable deal. However, there was a gelato shop next door that we indulged in and blew the budget (€3.6 each!). It was well worth it and perhaps even better than our Grafton Street gelato spot in Dublin. I guess we are quite a bit closer to Italy here. 🙂 What was really nice is you could choose as many flavors as you wanted, even in our small dishes. I went with caramel, chocolate, pistachio, and coffee, and they shape it like a rose when you get it in a cone as I did (check it out at amorino.com). Reed and I also got really good coffee; I think we will return tomorrow.
The boys went back to the hotel, and us girls did a tiny bit of souvenir shopping. Abbie wanted some Eiffel Tower earrings, and we had been searching for non-dangling ones (my rule). We were successful, and I even found a little glass pyramid for Jackson, reminiscent of the ones at the Louvre (with the Eiffel Tower etched inside).
Speaking of which, we returned to the Eiffel Tower tonight a bit before 10pm to view it sparkling. On the hour, from just after dusk until 2am, it twinkles for five minutes. Lots of people gather in Champ de Mars, the long park between Ecole Militaire and the Tower. It is a festive atmosphere with music, drinking, and laughter. We found a patch of grass and joined the party. Right on cue, it dazzled the crowd…one of my favorite things about Paris: how it dazzles me.
Backing up a bit, we went out for dinner at the place we scoped out last night. It didn’t go so well. the snails were not a hit (Jackson did at least try one; Abbie chickened out), the cheese pizza had a LOT of funky French cheese on it (even made me gag), and the bill was exorbitant. Oh well…I guess we are doing our part to help out the French economy.
Tomorrow we will pack up, explore the city a bit more (Hotel des Invalides & Napoleon’s Tomb), and then head to the little Beauvais airport to fly back to Dublin before returning home Wednesday (not sure when we’ll have a chance to update the blog). Even though I would love more time in Paris, I think we all are ready to go home. Thank you in advance for your prayers for “journey mercies”!
Cafe au Lait breakfast
Hotel de Ville
Mom and Abbie in the Notre Dame line
Dad and Jackson in the Notre Dame line
Taking in a service, Notre Dame Cathedral
Joan of Arc, Notre Dame Cathedral
Rose Window, Notre Dame Cathedral
Eucharist, Notre Dame Cathedral
We made it… and the kids enjoyed!
“The Green Guys” – The Apostles
Metro entrance on Île de la Cité
Sainte Chapelle
Abbie and Mom in Sainte Chapelle
The chapel’s most spectacular window…printed in grayscale 😦
Jackson’s reaction to the grayscale window
Metro stop under Île de la Cité
On the way to the Arc de triomphe
Sacré-Coeur de Montmartre from the Arc
La Défense from the Arc
Eiffel Tower from the Arc
Abbie spying away
Avenue des Champs-Élysées from the Arc de triomphe
Today we had the Musée du Louvre and Musée d’Orsay on our agenda. We all slept well in our cozy Parisienne hotel, and we left around 10:30 for breakfast. We enjoyed croissants and coffees on Rue Cler again before we headed down to the Metro. Two short Metro lines later, and we ascended into the Louvre.
We had already purchased our four-day Paris Passes and had them mailed to us in Dublin. These passes allow entry into about 60 museums, cathedrals, and other exhibits around the city, and some come with “queue jumping” privileges. Now the first Sunday of the month is “free museum day,” which we knew ahead of time, so we expected big crowds. Our lovely passes came to the rescue for avoiding very long lines just to get inside. We were super glad to have them.
Energy level good… ready to go!
The Louvre contains over 14 kilometers of exhibit halls, and we had absolutely no intention of thoroughly covering them. Reed and I had been before, so we mainly set out to see the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo this time around. We made our way through the halls and crowds and were able to get good views of both. We also saw Wedding at Cana, Winged Victory, and many, many other paintings and statues along the way. I think the kids enjoyed the marvelous structure of the Louvre itself (originally built as a fortress in the late 12th century under Philip II, & Louis XIV didn’t think it was grand enough so he moved out to Versailles!), as well as the cool glass pyramids (circa 1988-1993). Jackson is reading The Da Vinci Code now, so he had that additional interest when exploring.
We went on foot across the Seine and over to the Orsay. This is Reed’s and my favorite museum (and we went to a LOT of them on one of our trips here to come to this conclusion), but our children don’t feel the same (which is completely okay). 🙂 The Orsay is housed in what was a train station built for the 1900 World’s Fair. Again, the building itself is spectacular, especially its famous giant clocks. Like the Louvre, we had an efficient plan in mind, only hitting floors five and two for some of the really big names in the art world. Monet, Renoir, and Van Gogh top the list. I was very moved seeing these famous pieces, while at the same time I felt guilty for not knowing more and teaching my children more about art.
We strolled along the streets near the Orsay to find a suitable lunch spot. It is quite expensive eating in Paris, as you can imagine, so we try our best to be a bit discerning (and we ask for tap water as a Coke is about $6!). This time it was Italian pasta, which was delicious. We stopped at a souvenir shop to get sunglasses for the kids (great Paris souvenir), and then we headed to the Metro for our next stop: Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur.
Basilica of the Sacre Coeur
We love this bohemian neighborhood and the artsy feel it has (watch Moulin Rouge if you haven’t!). Again, it was super crowded and fairly hot at this point in the day (& the energy of the younger half of Team Mueller was fading fast). We walked up hundreds of steps between getting out of the Metro and then up to Sacré-Cœur, which is at the highest point in Paris. We tried to take in the view of the city amidst the crowd, and then we went into the famous domed basilica. The 4:00 service was just starting, so we sat down for a bit. The sound of the huge organ filled the space, and the nuns lead the crowd in song. We didn’t stay the whole time, but Reed and I were thankful to have a few moments of reflection in such an amazing holy setting.
We took the Metro back to our neighborhood, played some cards, and shared crepes for a snack (Abbie and Reed went with plain sugar while Jackson and I had Nutella and bananas). Later, Reed and I went around the corner for dinner, scoping out a place to take the kids tomorrow night. We brought home a baguette, French butter, brie cheese, and a chocolate tartine for the kids to share…they were delighted. And, the consensus was we like Irish butter better. 🙂
Tomorrow we have Notre Dame and Arc de Triomphe at the top of our list, as well as a return to the Eiffel Tower around 10pm to see it sparkle. I could get used to this…j’adore Paris!
Energy level good… ready to go!
Winged Victory (Nike of Samothrace)
Dodging the crowds, Jackson turns at the Mona Lisa
Dad told her to do the “Mona Lisa” – hmmm, not quite?
Main Pyramid (from inside Louvre)
Venus de Milo (Aphrodite of Milos)
Medieval Louvre, Salle Basse
On our way out
Photo credit to Jackson
Louis XIV
The Seine
Abbie outside d’Orsay
Jackson outside d’Orsay
Abbie entering the Monet hall (Woman with a Parasol in the background)
Don’t think we were supposed to take this….it’s called ‘Poppies’
A view from the clock at Musee d’Orsey
Nice shot, Jackson!
Abbie, mastering the Metro
A few stops to go and we’re at Montmartre
Abbie has taken a liking to the Metro
Made it up so many stairs… and that was just from the Metro
Friday at Trinity was quiet…the kids and I were home all day while Reed toured Kilbeggan Distillery, where one can find the oldest working pot still on the planet and enjoy a guided tasting of four distinct Irish whiskeys (or so I hear). While there, he enjoyed a guided tasting of four of their whiskey’s (check in with him if you want to know what he was able to try). Jackson rested up for the next leg of our journey, and it seems to have paid off as he’s feeling pretty good today.
We said goodbye to Trinity bright and early today as we caught a 4:00am bus to the airport. It was raining pretty good as we walked and waited, so we were a bit soggy by the time we got on the bus. This was the first real rain our whole time in Ireland, so I’m glad I finally had a use for my rain jacket that I brought all this way. 🙂
Anyway, as Paris is Reed’s and my favorite city in the world, we wanted to share it with the kids since we were relatively close. We took a cheap Ryanair flight from Dublin into Beauvais Airport, which is about an hour outside of Paris. The tiny airport reminded me of one in Waterloo, Iowa, though Beauvais does have passport control. We hopped on a bus and enjoyed the French countryside for awhile (& did some napping).
Jackson’s first cafe creme
We took two metro trains to our favorite stop (Ecole Militaire), dropped our luggage at our hotel, and set out for some coffee and snacks. Jackson really liked his cafe creme with four sugars…so much so he even let me get a picture of the moment! We had croissants, eggs, and coffees…very Parisienne. Then we headed to the Eiffel Tower, something we all we looking forward to. We had built it up pretty big to the kids so I was a bit worried they might be let down, but it completely lived up to expectations. It truly is a marvelous structure…blows me away every time I am near it!
We spontaneously decided to do a Seine River cruise, and it was a great way to show the kids some of the big sites in an easy fashion. Seeing the Musee d’Orsay, the Louvre, Notre Dame, and all the wonderful bridges and architecture was just awesome. I think the kids are starting to understand why we love this city so much!
Abbie’s got a new hat!
We got checked into our hotel, which is just a few minutes from the Eiffel Tower (the kids even have a view of it from their window!). It will be a great home base for the next thee days while we explore the city together. We got some crepes right next door and we have some wine for later. I feel very happy in this city of light…j’adore Paris!
Oldest working pot still in the world (Kilbeggan Distillery)
Cask house, Kilbeggan Distillery
Smelled delightfully of the angel’s share (Kilbeggan Distillery)
Early flight!
A favorite…
Jackson’s first cafe creme
My first treat!
Abbie was so excited; Jackson was impressed!
Abbie’s got a new hat!
Taking it in.
On the Seine
Pont Alexandre III (aka, fancy Paris bridge commemorating Franco-Russian friendship)
Thursday was busy with site visits for me. I went to Peamount Healthcare in the morning to see what Jamie has been doing, and I visited St. John of God in the afternoon to check in with Jamieson. Both places provide services for individuals with intellectual and other disabilities. The students have been doing good work here while being immersed in the Irish culture (it hasn’t just been about pubs and tours!).
Reed stayed home with the kids while I was traveling around Dublin and its outskirts. Jackson now has the Irish cold, so that is a bummer. Hopefully he will be better quickly and it will avoid me completely!
Tony, our AIFS guide, and our students
In the evening, the students and Tony met up at our apartment, and they headed out (along with Reed) for some “trad,” or traditional Irish music. We presented Tony with some thank-you gifts, including a Concordia fleece jacket that is a bit too big for him (he wasn’t quite what we had pictured back home when we gathered our items!). He laughed about it and said now he looks like an American tourist. 🙂
While out and about in Dublin, I took a few pictures of signs and symbols. The photos are tagged with captions, but I thought I’d go into a bit more detail since I don’t have much else to share today.
Official Dublin Flag
The flag of Dublin says “Áth Cliath,” which is Irish for “fording point” on the River Liffey. The name “Dublin” originally was “Dubhlinn,” which means “black pool.” Where the Dublin Castle Garden is now located used to be a small lake for mooring ships. As the city grew in the early 1700s, the lake was covered over. I like the shades of blue on the flag, alongside the castle and ship (and imagining a lake beneath the city!).
The beautiful clock and “Árd-Oifig an Phuist” sign are on the O’Connell Street General Post Office (GPO). This massive building has an interesting history. During the Easter Rising of 1916, the GPO served as the headquarters of the uprising’s leaders (remember the likes of Patrick Pearse, and later Michael Collins?). The building was destroyed by fire in the course of the rebellion, and the facade is all that remains of the original building.
GPO and The Spire of Dublin
There was a pillar (Nelson’s Pillar) in the center of O’Connell Street adjacent to the GPO. However, it was destroyed by the IRA in 1966. The shiny “Spire of Dublin” now stands in its place…it is nearly 400 feet tall! There also is a marvelous statue of Daniel O’Connell in front of the GPO. He was a political leader in the first half of the 19th century who campaigned for Catholic emancipation. Leaders such as Mahatma Ghandi and Martin Luther King are said to have gained inspiration from O’Connell and his leadership style.
On more of a pop culture note, I included signs related to Starbucks, soccer, and a sandwich. I had a few minutes while waiting for my first bus to get a coffee. I happily bypassed the Starbucks for the more local Costa Coffee. It was delicious and satisfying (and it’s good to know that Starbucks hasn’t taken over Dublin!). While waiting for my second bus, I enjoyed reading the upcoming soccer (football) schedule of the Premier League. Wouldn’t it be fun to be able to watch all of those matches? Finally, while waiting for my fourth bus, I enjoyed a sandwich: tuna and sweetcorn on oatmeal bread, handmade in Ireland. Who knew that combination of favors would be so delicious? (Sorry, it was a quick transfer to my third bus and I didn’t get any pictures!)
The highlights of this quiet Wednesday were a talk in the launderette and a walk in the neighborhood around Trinity…both were shared with Reed, which makes everything even better.
In the morning, we visited the Trinity launderette to get everything washed up and ready to last the next week. While waiting on our clothes to dry, we talked with an older gentleman who was there emptying out the Euros from the machines (his son’s business). He had kind eyes and spoke with a thick Irish accent. He asked if I was Reed’s girlfriend or wife, and he couldn’t believe we’ve been married 17 years (said we look too young). He said he’s been married 44 years (pause)…to the same woman. 🙂
Then he shared that he has been told he’s got 18 months to live…he has pulmonary fibrosis. It runs in his family, and some have died from it at a much younger age. He said he is trying to keep a positive outlook and enjoy what time he’s got left. He keeps himself busy, and he has straightened up his behavior as he gets closer to the end and having to answer questions in heaven. He also spoke of the conflict in the world and how people just need to be kind to one another. Our conversation came to an end when he had to get going to the next launderette to collect the coins. We wished him well and he went out the door. We don’t know his name and will never see him again, but he taught us some big life lessons in the small time we shared.
After lunch at the Buttery, Reed prepped for his last class, and then he had some time before the students arrived. We set out for a pint at yet another pub, and then we walked around Temple Bar a bit. We headed over to Grafton Street for gelato, and then we walked back on Dawson Street. We strolled across campus and marveled at the architecture. We have come to know our neighborhood around Trinity quite well, and we are appreciative of the time we’ve gotten to spend here. I think this will remain a very special place to us, and we will remember the very special man we met here this morning.
Context for a great conversation.
Should we feel guilty about having gelato without the kids?
St. Stephen’s Green (top of Grafton)
Symbols of Ireland
Symbols of Dublin
Door of St. Anne’s Irish Church
Have loved our stay here
On the right, you can see the the sculpture representing science, divinity on the left
Tuesday was my birthday. Over the years, especially as a kid, I’ve celebrated my summer birthday on the road…mostly at the northern lakes in Minnesota or Wisconsin. Well, I guess this year tops those, being that I was in Dublin for the big day. My mom and dad left in the morning, and the skies were a bit misty, so it was kind of a dreary start. Thankfully, by day’s end, the sun appeared, my folks made it home, and we had a nice family time together celebrating.
Backing up a bit…I visited one of our students at her service placement site in the afternoon. Our host partner, the American Institute for Foreign Study, matched the students to volunteer placements based on their interests noted in their applications. Hannah, being a collegiate athlete (national women’s soccer champion and tournament MVP, in fact!), wanted to work with kids in a sports’ setting. So, she has been volunteering at kids’ camps at Surf Dock, a water sports’ school on the Grand Canal in Dublin. She has been having lots of fun in the water with the Irish kids, and I enjoyed seeing her in action. I took the bus to the canal but enjoyed a nice walk back as the sun had made its appearance by then. I got a couple of pictures of some favorite signs, along with a very decent latte, on my way home. I plan to visit the other students at their placement sites on Thursday.
Reed booked us a dinner reservation at Boxty, which is “totally Irish” and where they make interesting items out of potatoes, such as pancakes, dumplings, and cakes. It is located in Temple Bar, so we once again walked to our favorite little area along the Liffey. It was fun to try the different forms of spuds, along with a couple of new (to us) Irish beers. Jackson loved his ribs, and Abbie tried corned beef (not her favorite). The kids got me some gourmet chocolates and a cute “best mum” sign. 🙂 Reed got me a beautiful Celtic cross necklace…the perfect gift from Dublin. I’m a very lucky girl!
The rest of our evening was spent at our apartment, sampling chocolates and sipping whisky (for those of us 18+). Reed and I watched the 1991 Robin Hood Prince of Thieves classic. Why? Well, some of it was filmed at Alnwick Castle (we visited it last Thursday in northern England). The castle scenes were there, but they didn’t make up for the lame acting, bad accents, and awful mullet Kevin Costner wore. Gotta love the 90s. All in all, it was a very nice Irish birthday…I wonder where I’ll be next year?
Monday was my folks’ last day with us in Dublin. As I write this on Tuesday morning, Reed is headed with them to the airport for their flight back home. It was great to have them share time with us here. Since we live nearly 2000 miles apart and don’t share day-to-day life, packing quality time into trips like this is something we really love.
Mom and Dad came over to our apartment mid-morning, our typical routine by now as the kids enjoy sleeping in. Now you may think we would have coffee or tea together, but not this morning – it was whisky time! Don’t worry…it was just a little tasting, which is far different than actually drinking…and, it was after 11:00, which is the time whiskey can be served here. (You may have noticed the different spellings of whiskey…the “e” is in Irish [& American] whiskey whereas it’s not in Scottish whisky, i.e., Scotch.) Dad and I had to sample the special whisky Reed bottled for us in Scotland at Cadenhead’s. We admired the color, swirled it, and then mixed in a little water, as we had learned to do with this strong stuff (112 proof!). Then we tasted it…and…it wasn’t too bad! I think my Dad likes it a bit more than me…not so much the taste but the warmth after it’s down the hatch. (I think I’ll always be more of a tequila girl; sorry Scotch lovers.) It was fun.
On the River Liffey
After lunch together on campus at “The Buttery” (all 6 of us; yes, Jackson is still here, just avoiding the camera), I took my folks back to Temple Bar and its quaint cobblestone streets. I wanted to get them to the old Ha Penny bridge (mentioned in my first Dublin post), as well as the new Millennium Bridge. I really enjoyed strolling along the River Liffey with them. As we couldn’t find gelato in Temple Bar, we headed back up Grafton Street for one last “tub” as they call it here. It was delicious, and we are thankful for all of the walking we do so we can manage our gelato indulgences! (Side note…we have sampled both Irish and Scottish ice cream and find it doesn’t compare to the Italian stuff.)
Later in the afternoon, my parents and I walked up Dame Street toward St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The plan was for all six of us to take in the 5:30pm evensong service, but Abbie now has Reed’s cold so he stayed back with the kids. It is about a mile walk, and we left in time to visit Christ Church Cathedral along the way (the four of us went there before my folks arrived so it was mentioned in a previous post).
St. Patricks’s is larger than Christ Church; in fact, it is the longest medieval church in Ireland. It is known as “the people’s cathedral,” and it is the national Protestant Church of Ireland. It stands on an early Christian site where St. Patrick baptized converts in a well in 450 AD. There is a park adjacent to the cathedral where the fountain marks this place. The original church was wood, and the stone structure was built in 1192 and then expanded to make it a cathedral between 1220-1270. It’s still hard to wrap our heads around this history sometimes! You can read more about St. Patrick here – there’s good reason why he’s such a big deal to the Irish!
The evensong service was beautiful. A choir dressed in purple robes, a gowned woman with a scepter, and three ministers processed in. The organ played throughout and there were several songs, prayers, and scripture readings. We said the Apostle’s Creed and prayer of grace together. It was a good reminder to me of how long people have been relying on faith to get through life.
After the service, we walked around the nave a bit, looking at the graves and other ornamentation. Jonathan Swift (Gulliver’s Travels) and his wife, Stella, are buried here. The area in the front where the choir sits is adorned with swords, banners, and helmets, which is a bit surprising. They represent the knights of St. Patrick. We departed very content with what we had experienced; I hope to attend again this week with Reed and the kids.
Campanile, nearing dusk, Trinity College
We walked back toward Trinity and met Reed at a nice pub he had located for our last meal together. We enjoyed the beautiful setting in the old Ulster Bank, and we had some delicious food. Upon re-entering Trinity, we were greeted by a wonderful view of the campanile (detail on the architecture here or here). We then visited for awhile in our apartment, finished off our Irish shortbread, and then my folks said goodbye to the kids. It was a lovely last day together.
Highland blend, direct from cask, for Erin and Dave
Highland blend, direct from cask, for Erin and Dave
Highland blend, direct from cask, for Erin and Dave
On the River Liffey
An Irish Family (April, you need to be in this picture!)
Crest on Dublin Lampost
Cobblestone work at Trinity College
Cobblestone work at Trinity College
Cobblestone work at Trinity College
Christ Church Cathedral
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Baptismal font of St. Patrick (traditional)
St. Patrick’s Cathedral, nave
Graves of Jonathan & Stella Swift
Hit most of these!
The Bank Pub
Main entrance, open for more than pedestrians at the moment
Sunday was our last day in Edinburgh. We booked a “silver tour” (recommended for families) at the Scotch Whisky Experience. It is quite touristy, but since Reed got a wee bit of the real deal by going to Cadenhead’s, I thought we should take it in. The Whisky Experience is located right next to the castle, so we walked up the Royal Mile one more time amongst the crowds and raindrops. In this tour, you are educated about how whisky is made while riding along in a whisky barrel. There is a ghost that takes you through the steps, and you are immersed in the sights, sounds, and even smells (smoky peat!) of the process. It was well done and sort of like a slow ride at Disneyland.
After you depart your barrel, you enter a room with a guide (ours was very cheerful and animated) where you continue your education about the whisky regions in Scotland. You are given a scratch-n-sniff sort of card where you can smell scents in the whisky from each region. One of them smelled fresh like citrus, another kind of like bubble gum, and of course one was very smoky. Then it was time to decide which one you wanted to taste. The four grown-ups chose one of each so we got to try them all; the kids got a glass of Irn Bru, Scotland’s soft drink (an orange soda).
Next we entered another room where we were surrounded by the world’s largest Scotch whisky collection. Here we were told how to tip the glass, swirl it around, sniff, and then sip. I sure didn’t taste any of that citrus or bubble gum, but it was fun and informative. The one I disliked the least was from the Speyside region…I’m not going so far as to say I liked it, but I could appreciate it a wee bit. My dad liked the one from the lowland region; Reed loved them all but especially the Islay. My mom didn’t like any, and the kids downed their Irn Brus like good Scottish children. As part of the tour, you get to keep your sipping glass (Glencairn), which will make us a nice set at home (so come on over for a dram!). 🙂
We watched a little Commonwealth Games “lawn bowls,” packed up our stuff, and took a bus to the airport (even the bus seats are Tartan plaid!). The airport is surprisingly small, and we navigated the process much easier than when we left Dublin. We enjoyed a nice dinner while waiting for our plane; I had a pint of Caledonia, a Scottish beer, and Reed got ready to return to Ireland with a Guinness. Our flight was just 40 minutes or so, and our bags arrived safe and sound (no broken glasses or bottles!). Another bus dropped us right off at Trinity, and I got my folks checked into their room. They depart Tuesday, so we will share one more day together in Dublin.
Abbie in her very own kilt, complete with thistle tee, symbol of Scotland
Entering the Whisky Experience
Dad looks excited!
Explaining the evaporative process across the years
Major regions in the production of Scotch
Scratch-n-sniff generalizations by region
Reed in part of the Claive Vidiz collection (over 3000 bottles)
TeamMueller 
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