March 17th and 18th. R&R in England and Hello Ireland.

We spent the morning at my Mum's favorite grocer in England, Waitrose.  It was fun to go grocery shopping and feel like a couple locals.
 
One of the coolest kids in England... my cousin's son spends his afternoons with his Nana, my Auntie Glyn.  So we got to see him a few times during the trip.  This is him coming to meet us on our way to his place for dinner.
 
In the middle of a remodel which will nearly double the size of the house. Cousin-in-law Guy was giving me all the details of the remodel.  We then had a wonderful final dinner in England. So glad we got to see this family again, wish we could have spent an evening together with each of my cousins.  This trip really let me know how amazing my family truly is.  They are all kind, loving, open and fun.  When Melissa and I go back to England (when, not if) we look forward to more time with family and less as tourists.
 
This was one of our favorite places in England.  Auntie Glyn and Uncle Brendan's sitting room. Every evening in London we came home and chatted, well into the night. Discussing everything from healthcare, politics and history to Disney movies, family plans, and religion.  This was truly our "home away from home".
 
Auntie Mon took us to the airport for our flight to Ireland (before 6 AM)... which meant Uncle Brendan and Auntie Glyn didn't even have to get dressed for the day. If you didn't believe she was my mother's sister this is the picture that proves it. I think fluffy pajamas and matching fluffy silver hair must be genetic.
 
Saddest moment of the trip.
 
Goodbye England, we'll miss you.
 
Hello Ireland!
 
We spent the first day in Dublin. It was cold, gray and a light rain came and went all day.
 
Garden of Remembrance. The first thing we saw in Dublin and one of the most beautiful places in the city.
 
 
 
A little gimmicky, don't you think?  Well, it is the day after St Patrick's Day! 
 
Not sure if this is an interactive sculpture, but Melissa thought it was comfortable. In the middle of the courtyard on Marlborough Street.
 
The Ha'Penny Bridge over River Liffey. Built in 1816 and featuring a beautiful Irish redhead at the very center.
 
We loved the Elderflower and other cordials at Auntie Glyn's, so only natural that I would chose Elderflower juice in Dublin.
 
The juice went great with this sandwich. Irish beef, cheese, and local bread.  This little café was in the basement of an apartment building just across from St Stephen's Green, where we enjoyed a lovely stroll through the park.
Us, and geese, at St Stephen's Green.
 
The strangest and least impressive castle of our trip.  Dublin is a very different place to London.  Every step you take you can see the centuries of oppression. You'll have an old church or park surrounded by what appears to be 1970's apartment buildings.  The city has a very subdued, almost depressing, atmosphere.  It is much more a built to survive, rather than built for beauty capital city. 
 
Inside the gates.
 
Behind me is the carriage house.
 
It was cold and rainy, and Melissa and I were having a bit of an argument. It turns out neither of us wanted to see Dublin. She wanted the Irish countryside, but when she told me "I want to visit Ireland" I heard "Let's go to Dublin." So when I booked a hotel in Dublin she thought it was because I wanted to see the city.  We worked out the misunderstanding over lemon poppy seed cake and hot chocolate.  We also learned a valuable lesson, next time we'll talk this through at home before we book our trip.
 
We had fun in Dublin and there were some beautiful buildings.  But the real purpose of our time in Ireland would happen the next day.

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