10...9...8...7...

Happy New Year!! Brian and I rang in 2006 at Walter's Pub in Dun Laoghaire. We had some friends in town so it was nice to go out and celebrate. Walter's had a dualing pianos playing and the pints were flowing. At midnight Brian and I stepped outside to see if we could hear the boats in the harbor blowing their horns like they did last year, but it was quiet - that was the only downdside to an otherwise wonderful night.

 

Christmas in Ireland

This was our second Christmas in Ireland. I think we both enjoyed this one more than last year since we have more of a sense of home than we did last year. The tree looked great in the windows and we put lights on the outside of the apartment making it fun to drive up the street and know which was our home. The tree looked prettier since this year Brian had ornaments from his childhood on the tree as well.

Overall it was a quiet Christmas, just the two of us and a pile of presents. Brian woke me up at 9 am to open gifts and we had a great time going through everything. We had a great time.

Food in Rome: Nino (by the Piazza dei Spagna)

Everyone, if you're ever visited Rome (or indeed Italy), you'll be aware that Italy is full of restaurants. Here's my recommendation for the best restaurant we found in Rome.

Nino is a restaurant that's been in operation for about seventy years. Near the Spanish steps, it looks unpretentious and a bit boring when first noticed. But the food there exceeds anything else in the neighborhood -- it's perfectly prepared, Tuscan, with brilliant ingredients, little complexity, and great service.

It's also relatively inexpensive, four courses with wine for less than E45 each.
My compliements to the chef!

The Vatican

Coming down the staircase from the Vatican Museums, Brian caught this shot. Isn't she cute!

 

Hey! Dominick! Buon Natale!

On one of the Hills of Rome (I think the Palatine) we came across this street sign. It made Erin think of a famous Christmas donkey from long ago.

To quote from the song,

"Santa's got a little friend, His name is Dominick.
The cutest little donkey, You never see him kick.
When Santa visits his paisons, With Dominick he'll be.
Because the reindeer cannot, Climb the hills of Italy.

Looking over the Ruins of Rome

We seem to be forming a habit: visits to Italy in December. Last year we saw Venice, this year it was Rome. Needless to say, Rome is a great place to visit in December, relatively warm and not crammed with tourists.

A nice Japanese couple asked Brian to take their photo. He did it and then they reciprocated. Amusingly, the Japanese guy knew EVERYTHING about our camera and played with it for thirty seconds before taking this shot.

December 2005: Visiting the States

This December I headed to Houston for Mia's wedding. Brian wasn't able to come with me which was sad, but I had a good time.

Mia and I have come a long way since I dropped my books on her head in the 7th grade and I was pleased to be a part of her wedding day. She looked beautiful and both her and Young looked very happy.

This picture was taken before the wedding as she was getting ready for all the excitment.

December 2005: Anniversary Trip

Because Erin's off to the States this month and then we're both off to Rome, we decided to take our anniversary trip touring around Dublin. We had a great time!

At the end of the Jameson Distillery tour, everyone has a chance to sample Jameson whiskey in a pub onsite. As you can see, whiskey tastings can be pretty lively.

December 2005: Office Christmas Party

Well, there are office Christmas parties, and then there are office Christmas parties.

Some parties offer bum photocopies and rants at the boss.
Our Christmas party (for about 500 employees + guests) offers a five course meal, a great ABBA cover band, dancing until 4am, and free breakfast in the morning.

Erin and I were already a little full when that picture was taken. 8-)

 

November 2005: Hikes

With Brian starting his new job, travel is mostly out of the question this month. So instead we've spent our weekends hiking around Dublin. Since Dublin is surrounded by mountains, there are some beautiful hikes within a short drive.

Here's a photo of Erin up in the mountains. Doesn't she look cute!

 

Living in Greystones

This is a view of Greystones Harbour.
As you can see, the sea is something to see. (Hee)

We live about ten minutes away from this harbour but can see the Irish sea from our apartment.

October 2005: Moving and Changing Jobs

Why is the fall always a time of madness for us? Last year we were changing jobs, moving to Ireland, etc etc in October. This year we're moving house and Brian is changing jobs.

We've found a very nice (brand new, actually) apartment in a town called Greystones, about 20 miles south of Dublin. Although it's still being built, it will be brilliant once it's done, with limestone quarry tiles and wooden floors throughout.

In addition, Brian has taken a management role, where he'll be managing some of the UK marketing for one of the divisions of our company. He's very excited but a bit overwhelmed by it.

So October is going to be a little complicated for us.

Brian Goes Back to Edinburgh

Since Brian went to grad school in Edinburgh, it's always a city he looks forward to visiting. Two old friends, Ben & Ben, met up with Brian this autumn for a few days revisiting old haunts. Here they are in front of their old apartments, Edward Salvesen Hall -- over 400 years old and still in use today!

September 2005: Trips to the States

We both visited the States this month, but each took a different trip. Brian went to Nashville to visit family and friends, while Erin went to New York City to visit her old friends. By all accounts both of us had a good trip

Slipping away from Dun Laoghaire

Well, it's September and we're considering a move away from Dun Laoghaire. We're looking for a place farther south, where we can hopefully find more space and a better quality of life. Though we like DL immensely, a few issues (including exorbitant rent) are driving us away.


Though to give you some idea, this is a typical view of Dun Laoghaire. 

A Sidenote: Types of Guests

On another note, at this point in the year, we've had so many guests we can categorize them into four basic types, keeping in mind that each type can be mild or severe.

1) Laid-back but independent. These people aren't obsessed with seeing every sight, but if necessary they can arrange cabs, tours, restaurant bookings, etc for themselves. Good kind of guest. They're often more interested in recharging and relaxing. Brian's Mom and Dad were this kind of guest. Easy enough.

2) Laid-back but dependent. They aren't obsessed with sightseeing, being happy enough to watch Irish television, but are basically incapable of getting anything done themselves. So when we come home from work they've been sitting on the couch all day and want to spend the evening in activity but want us to plan it, arrange transport, pay for it because they've failed to get euros, etc. Nuisance.

3) Intense but independent. These people want maximum value from their visit and have a well-formed strategy for the trip. These are easy enough to work with because they can be left behind with some coffee and a key and they'll do well. Erin's parents fall into this category. Often have some good insights into what they're seeing and experiencing so they make interesting houseguests.

4) Intense but dependent. Want everything with no effort on their part. Want us to plan the perfect trip, be their personal driver, Ideally would like to be carried through the woods on my back. Enough said. 8-(

So if you're reading this, and you plan a visit, think about which category you are, and if possible, warn us in advance! Seriously dyed-in-the-wool Types 2 and 4 can stay away.

Amsterdam

We took mom and dad to Amseterdam while they were here. Mom always wanted to go and we had a great time. It was an amazing city and Erin and I are looking forward to going back so we can see more of it.

One place I strongly recommend is the Rijksmuseum (http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/index.jsp). It's being renovated currently so the best pieces from their collections are on display in a managable and well-organized display that takes less than three hours to experience.

I think Brian's Dad just got out of one of the "coffee" houses - wouldn't you agree?

August 2005: Brian's Parents in Ireland

Mom and Dad came to Ireland for a visit. It's only the second time they've been overseas so it's a big deal for them. This photo was taken at the Sunday outdoor market near our home.

We also took them into the Wicklow mountains for some sightseeing. As you can see it was a beautiful day and a beautiful spot.

They also had a few special experiences, including visits to a few stately homes and a trip to Connemara.

The Connemara Cow

This cow was minding its own business when Brian nearly drove into it. In Brian's defense, he was dodging a car behind him while the cow veered in front of us.

But it was still pretty funny.

July 2005: Connemara

In July we took a long trip to Connemara, a sparsely populated region on the west coast of Ireland. It is stunning and we wish we could afford a holiday home there.

 

June 2005: Waterford with Steve and Jane

We drove Steve and Jane around the country during their visit. We wandered down to Carlow, Kilkenny, and finally to Waterford to see the home of Waterford Crystal.


This is a master carving designs into the side of a crystal bowl. 

Powerscourt

This is the view of the Powerscourt home and lake. All around the home are serveral types of gardens that you can walk around. You can also tour the home but there isn't much to see since most of it was burned down in an accidental fire in 1977 and the sections that have been restored are now mostly stores and cafes.

Powerscourt with Mom & Dad

Powerscourt is one of my favorite spots in the Dublin area. So when mom and dad came to visit we had to take them there. There are several gardens to walk around and see - all of them are breathtaking and make you feel like your backyard is just a pile of dirt.

Here you can see mom and dad walking around...from the looks on their faces they are really enjoying it, or mom is saying "my allergies are killing me but I can't let Erin know that."

Lincoln in London

Who knew we would find American history in England!

London for a Day

One of the great things about living in Ireland is the cheap airfares we can find. We found a round trip to London to be so cheap we flew there for the day! It was wondeful to walk around London and get a feel of the things we would like to do when we can come back and spend more time.

For those that remember National Lampoon's Vacation - Big Ben...Paraliment.

Brian the Guard

Don't mess with a member of the Queen's Guards!

Edinburgh in May

One of our favorite cities is Edinburgh. Brian had such a great time showing me around and taking me to all the pubs he drank at while living there...I mean libraries he studied in while living there. ;-D

This picture was taken of us at the Holyrood House which is the palace that the royal family stays in when they come to Edinbugh. We didn't get to see all the rooms but it was a great tour and they had a lovely garden.

Easter Weekend

We spent Easter at home but still managed to get out and about. We headed to Glendalough which is an ancient Irish Monastery. It sits between two lakes and we have gone back several times just to walk around and enjoy the scenery.




This is just one of the many pictures we have from this trip and I really like it beacuse of the daffodils that are in bloom.

A piece of home

While in Kilkenny we found this pub. It didn't server Miller Lite or Shiner Bock, but it did display the Texas flag with pride!

Welcome to Kilkenny

We took a trip out to Kilkenny for a few resons - 1) it is the craft center of Ireland and 2) it is where Erin's great-greatgrandfather is from. While we don't know where exactly in Kilkenny he is from, it was a great city to visit and we found a lot of neat things there.

This sign is what you see as you enter the city and says "Welcome to Kilkenny" in Gaelic.

March Moving Day

So we returned to Dun Laoghaire after four weekends out of town but had no time to rest, as our possessions from the States arrived. That was good, because we needed so many items from the shipment, but bad because we spent a weekend moving junk around.

We both hate moving day. Since Erin and I began dating, we've moved Erin's stuff three times. However, it has a hidden benefit -- we've been able to go through things again and again and donate to charity. We have duplicates of many things because we've merged two households so we've made some charities very happy.

We still have stuff scattered around because we’re short of storage space right now. If you want to come and visit, give us some advance notice because we’ll have to empty some closets for you!



Brian doesn't look happy, but I think it's because he'd like to donate everything to charity.