Dublin 2 days in

Mom wrangling Hill boys on the flight to Toronto

Otis did sleep for about 4 hours on the overnight flight.

I write from the dining room table at our airbnb in Dublin (in Ballybough, pronounced "Ballybuck"). We've made it through two fairly intense days and nights, and have really enjoyed our first day out of the very strange and very real twighlight of jetlag. Before leaving, I read a few kid-travel blogs, and I think I've heard from a few people sharing tales of first days; the rumours are that kids are pretty jetlag resilient. I guess I just took that and filed it away in my optimism brain compartment, because let me tell you: maybe the kids are fine with the jetlag. But these two parents, starved for sleep after an initial sleepless night flying, are NOT OKAY WITH JETLAGGED KIDS. Otis was up for 5 hours after we were ready to sleep. Brian and I tag-teamed, and Otis was so lost that all he could do was alternate between raging, and squirming. Poor dude! Thankfully Tricia came down from her attic retreat just at the right time, and took a shift so B and I slept with a fitful Russell between us (hurray for the village!!). Otis finally went to sleep - just after his usual Victoria bedtime.

But you know what else works in our favour? We're so recently out of our own sleep-deprivation-due-to-infant-child that getting a final stretch of 4 hours of sleep was enough to carry us through a great day! 

We're a 20 minute walk into Dublin and we spent the morning at Trinity College. It's an interesting city-scape here. Brick row houses, fairly short. Few gardens in the enclosed front 'yards', and no food gardens at all. We were surmising that maybe it's because there are a ton of affordable local Irish food options available - even in the convenience stores. So if there's a focus on local food in the city, it's in the production of local food in existing agricultural practices. That's my guess, anyways. I look forward to heading out into the smaller towns to see what we learn there! 

Janet & Tricia lifting a glass at The Celt - our first night out

River Liffey

Our neighbourhood

Trinity College was beautiful. We visited the old library, and the book of Kells. I didn't really get to sink into the displays because Russell was running around like a wild child - but I did love the glimpse of the natural pigments display (incredible colours from minerals, plants). But I was really there for the library floor. It smelled like you might imagine - wood, books, a little churchy. Russell was still a loud boy, but the security guard upstairs kindly smiled and said "He's all yours, it's the only time he'll get away with running around in a library. Let him enjoy himself!" Oh thank you, kind people. We're doing our best! After our erudite explorations, we walked to the Rugby pitch where my Grandpa played in '52-'53 and the boys raaaaan and ran. Mom and Tricia searched for Grandpa's school records and actually ran into an elder professor who had family ties to us through his great-great-grandfather. He told us to connect with Helen Boxwell in Wexford. What are the odds? I guess we'll learn soon enough!

Someone at a pub the night before commented on how we all look alike (the Boxwells, I presume).
This is at Trinity College

Self-Portrait

Rugby! 

I'm finishing this post in the morning and am happy, oh so happy, to report a good full night's sleep all around! So the jetlag story that I would share would be along the lines of "well, I hear it can be different, but it might be wise to expect a rough first night."

Today we're going to the Guinness Storehouse! A little touristy, yes, but... well, Guinness. 

Loving the adventure.