Work and Play

We are very lucky that John's business brings him to London a few times a year and I'm lucky that I am able to tag along!  We usually try and plan vacation in Europe either before or after since we're already over there and this time, it was vacation in Ireland with our friends Mark and Morgan.

First up, the play part of our trip!  We spent 8 nights in Ireland and drove from Dublin to Kilkenny to the Ring of Kerry to Galway and back to Dublin.  We saw lots of beautiful countryside and had a great time enjoying the company of good friends.

*please excuse the picture quality, seems we may need a new camera

Kilkenny Castle

Mark, Morgan and John 

Mark, Morgan and I in one of the many pubs we managed to find 

A little town close to Kilkenny called Inistioge - very picturesque!

John and Morgan at Jerpoint Abbey

And the beginning of the cave we decided to venture in to - the warning was to watch out for bats - yikes!

This was supposed to look like a Buffalo - had to take a picture for my CU girls - what do you think? See any similarities to Ralphie?

On our way to Cork, we stopped at the Rock of Cashel - problem was, it was pouring rain and a lot of this is outdoors... 

A warm and dry stop for lunch in Cork

Next up was our stay in Sneem, which was in the Ring of Kerry

We spent the first day driving the ring - a good 7 hour day of driving.  John was a trooper on these roads, especially at the end when the tour buses were coming straight at him.

I couldn't resist this sign!

At the end of the night, we had dinner at the hotel.  John and Mark were trying some different whiskeys.  The bartender was trying to get them to drink it neat - not an easy feat.  John resorted to what he knows and loves, a little Bailey's - the bartender was joking with him with the 2 huge straws

We had a beautiful room at the Parknasilla Hotel - these are some of the views from the balconies that wrapped the room.  Truly unbelievable to wake up to this in the morning!

John on one of our balconies....so pretty, even with the rain and fog

John got a real kick out of the fact that our bathroom had original Thomas Crapper & Company sinks and toilets.  This gave him a real chuckle. 

The view from the road.....
Next we were off to Galway, stopping in Killarney on the way.  The lakes here were just breathtaking, if we ever go back, I would definitely spend some time here exploring.

The Torc Waterfall was one of the highlights for me.  Nestled in the Lakes of Killarney, it's just beautiful and peaceful

We took a car ferry across the Shannon River on our way to Galway - a little chilly out of the car 

We had another fabulous room at the G Hotel in Galway - complete with a fireplace and fabulous view.  They even gave us cupcakes upon check-in, definitely the way to a pregnant Samantha's heart! 

The view from our room of the Galway Bay

Being here reminded me of the time I spent in Ireland with Jenny - we had the best time that trip and it brought back all happy thoughts :-)

I can't believe I didn't get a picture of the Cathedral - it was just beautiful.  I kept saying to John that it was in such good shape - turns out that's because it was built in 1965!  

Only John and I would find an Italian wine shop in Ireland - by this time we were done with pubs, so opted for a lunch of cheese, crackers and wine (sparkling water for me).  It was a great stop though because we got a wonderful, non pub, dinner recommendation from the woman who runs the shop. 

After 2 days in Galway, it was off to Dublin.  We finally ditched the car and headed to the Guinness factory for a tour and, of course.....

...a taste

The bar at the top of the factory has a 360 degree view of Dublin and your ticket gets you a free pint

We spent the next day walking all around Dublin - we stopped at St Patrick's Cathedral,  Christ Church, took a stroll on the other side of the Liffey and a walk through Trinity College - with a little shopping in between, of course!

On the way back to the hotel, we walked through St Stephen's Green - a beautiful, well manicured park. 

These flower beds reminded me of being home in Allenhurst - just like mom's look like at 12 Spier!
We had a great time in Ireland - the country is beautiful and the people so friendly!

Next up on our adventure was the work part for John - don't feel too badly for him, our first stop was the quaint town of Sandwich in the English countryside where John played 36 holes of golf at a little club called Royal St George.  Not only did he play in this outing, but he actually won the prize on the second 18 - not too bad for a days work!

I spent the day exploring Sandwich - it really is a quaint little town, I walked the town twice in 30 minutes!  After being on the go in Ireland, it was nice to sit back and relax for a day.  Joy was playing in this tournament with John, so I was able to spend part of my afternoon with David and Jackson, which was lovely!

Sandwich - really a pretty town, just not a whole lot going on.

The park bench I spent some time sitting on and soaking up the sun

Then we were off to London where John had meetings - now we can call this part work.  Luckily he enjoys the people he does business with in London, so it's always nice for him to get back here and see them face to face.  

I spent my days wandering the city and doing a "little" shopping.  For any of you who have been to Bermuda, you know that the shopping here is really non-existent.  So, when away, I feel the need to take advantage....especially with the baby coming and little Nora at home!  

London has quickly become one of my favorite cities in the world.  I love the mix of the old and new, the fact that you can be walking down the street and all the sudden Big Ben or Buckingham Palace comes into view, yet the city is as modern as any.  This trip, we stayed in Mayfair, which was a wonderful location for me and an easy commute for John to get into the city.  I really spent most of my time exploring Mayfair, Soho and Covent Garden - taking all the recommendations my British friends on the island have given me over the past few years.  

The LaHuta's were also in London with us, so I met up with David and Jackson one morning and went to the Natural History Museum, a much needed break from the shops!  It was nice to be able to see them a bit throughout our trip.  

No trip to London is complete without a stop for tea - this time, I went back to the Landmark Hotel for tea - the space is so light and airy, I just love it! 

And on our last night, we had dinner at Scott's, which is an old London seafood restaurant.  It was the best meal I had while we were away - and we finished it with a pavlova - meringue filled with whipped cream and topped with berries and figs - heaven!  Afterwards, we went to the Connaught Hotel Bar for a drink (well, a drink for John and a sparkling water for me) - what a cool spot!  Next time we're in London, we are coming back - these bartenders are amazing, I would love to try one of their tasty concoctions.