The Big Barnes Family Trip to Ireland and Italy, 2005

In which Susie, Elizebeth, and their uncle Sean lead the rest of us (Cris, Marilyn, Bill (aka "Poohbah"), and Grandma Lu) to the Irish Dancing Competition at the Irish Open!


The girls show off their brand-new solo dresses before we go.

First in Ireland

We flew out on Saturday May 28 from Albuquerque through Chicago to Dublin, arriving on Sunday the 29th. We rented a 7 person SUV (a Hyundai Trajan, equivalent to a Santa Fe I think) and headed off. We stopped in Dublin to find the Millenium Towers apartments, drop off a couple of bags, and have lunch. We then took off across Ireland towards the south and the beautiful little town of Kinsale. After negotiating the torn-up streets for a half-hour, we miraculously found parking right behind our B&B.

Kinsale


In Kinsale in front of the colorful Gallery B and B.

On Monday the 30th we took a history tour of the town, and then climbed the hills overlooking the harbor where we took some beautiful pictures.

Kinsale Harbor


Dad and I had gone up the winding rode, but we all came down the very steep path: some came down faster than others!


We had lunch in the Snug at the Blue Haven (lots of great Fish and Chips!)


I went for a bike ride with Elizebeth (couldn't get the tandem for Susie). That late afternoon I drove the adults out to the beach at the west neck of the Kinsale head.


Sean asked, what are Sand Worms?

Off to the Irish North

On Tuesday the 31st we drove north to Limerick, and then over to Bunratty Castle on the River Shannon. We spent most of the day, leaving only a little before 4 p.m.

Picnic at Bunratty Castle


Marilyn, M'ie, and Sean in an Irish Garden at Bunratty Castle.


Bunratty Castle

I drove like mad, and made it to Clonkeen Cottage in Clones (pronounced KLO-NESS) just as night fell about 10:30 p.m. After a lovely sleep, we visited Theo MacMahon in Monaghan and then headed down to Newgrange.

Newgrange is a 5500 year old megalithic site that for 9 minutes on the morning of the winter solstice the sunlight gets into the middle. Amazing.

Everyone going to Ireland should go to Newgrange! 5500 years old!

The Irish Open


Suse and Elizebeth at the Irish Open Dancing Competition.


The Celtic de Santa Fe Team. They finished second in the Dance Drama Competition, and everyone got a lot of experience.

Dublin


We met up with Margie and Ellie in Dublin. We had a great lunch: Guiness Stew (complete with beer can tab), bangers and smash, and Irish Stew.


A view up O'Connell Street towards the Dublin Spire, with the various monuments to the martyrs of the Irish revolutions in view.


Touring Trinity College in Dublin. We had bumped into Celia and Mikaela and toured for a while with them. We liked how we "bumped" into friends all the time in Dublin!

Note Dad's nice car, and the beautiful Oregon Maple transplanted from America and doing very well.


Elizebeth meet Hagrid at a big toy store in Dublin.


We all had fun at the Dublinia Museum.


View from our 9th and 10th floor Penthouse at the Millenium Towers Apartments (see stayDublin.com).


The last night we ate up our leftovers with a huge meal of omelet, white and black pudding, and various meats and potatoes.

Off to Italy

On Tuesday June 7th we took Sean and Lu to the airport, and they left for home while we flew to Rome.

After dinner we wandered down near the Trevi Fountain, and Poohbah and his moustache met their first gelatto.

On Wednesday the 8th we did the Time Travel Elevator, and after cleaning up and having a coffee at the Piazza Nationale, we did the tour of Campodiglio Hill, the Forum, and the Colesseum.





We concluded with the Moses at San Pietro in Vincolli, and then some wonderful pizza at a recommended hole-in-the-wall.

On Thursday the 9th we did a huge walking tour:

Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navone,

the Tiber River, Piazza di Populi, Borghese Gardens, Spanish Steps (and the American Express office I remembered from 1968!) and then home for siesta. Home was the Hotel Giardino on Quattro-venti Maggio (24th of May) near the Quirnale Palace.


That night we had dinner with Selina, Paula, and Will on a Rome Rooftop.

The next day we all toured the Vatican Museum and St. Peter's together with a guide, Leila.

Finally, the Saturday the 10th we "did what Bill wanted to do" and went shopping! I got kangaroo leather loafers, Marilyn got a leather jacket, and the girls got beautiful fashionable Italian dresses.

Shopping was hard work! We have some wonderful Gelatto di San Crispino. Their fruit flavors are the best.

Later while others siesta'd (Susie got the flu which she eventually gave to Elizebeth and I) Mar and I did one last bit of sightseeing.
Then we had one last great dinner, with a wonderful bottle of wine. Dad really enjoyed his shellfish!

Finally, we flew home on Sunday the 11th. Great trip!

The following weekend we celebrated Father's Day with Selina, Paula and Will at the Grant's Corner Inn, with the girls wearing their stylish new Italian dresses.

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