O.K. So, we started out vacation in our typical family fashion, running late. We hired a limousine to take us down to Boston, and we made the driver wait around for half an hour or so. It didn’t really matter though. Having a limo take us to the airport was brilliance, because after the scurrying around to make sure we packed everything it was nice to just chill out in the back. The driver made good time, and we arrived at Logan airport approximately when we originally wanted to.Standing in line at the ticket counter made me realize that much of our trip is going to be taken up waiting for planes or other forms of travel. After a relatively quick 30 minutes in line, we then found out our flight would be an hour and a half late leaving Boston. We made the best of it by grabbing a bite to eat at the only real sit down restaurant in side the security check and by walking several laps around the terminal. This was wonderful, because Zoe had yet to see so many planes and be able to say (I think), “Pane, pane”, repeatedly.
At boarding time we jumped ahead of the masses, using the baby card, and sat quickly in our seats. We got comfortable and waited for the others to load, which was good, because not half an hour into the flight Zoe conked out. The flight was uneventful except for Zoe waking up with about an hour and a half left.
We landed in Shannon at about seven in the morning, which felt weird because we had boarded the plane at eight o’clock at night. Customs was a breeze, and we made our way to the car rental counter. Getting a mid-sized car, we then had to acclimate our selves to driving on the other side of the road and shifting with our left hand. It was fun - only clipped a couple of tress on the side of the road and rubbed a few curbs.
Taking a circuitous route up to Connemara we stopped in a couple small villages for food and sightseeing. The cliffs of Mohr would have been better if it hadn’t been raining and we had brought our rain gear (not even one umbrella, doh). We made our way to our first lodgings, the Ballynahinch Castle Hotel.
Talk about a beautiful place. Even in the rain, its grandeur shows through. Walking paths that lead around the grounds take you through the mystical woodland and along a winding river full of torrential rainwaters.Upon returning from our hike we changed and headed to the pub to have some dinner and drinks. Getting to the reception area we asked some other guests if they
wouldn’t mind taking a picture of the whole family in front of the castle. After the quick picture, Karen said to me, “I think that one woman looked like Jennifer Aniston.”I said, “Which one? Where?” as we were seated in the pub. I turned to look, but Karen thought I was being obvious. At that moment, Owen Wilson walked into the pub and sat with the same group of people. I have to admit I then had a hard time not looking over. We ate our dinner quietly, and I noticed that Owen and a chum went into the T.V. room to watch the Euro match. I soon decided that I would buy him a pint and watch the game with them. We had a good five minutes or so watching the match and chatting. It was a really cool way to start our vacation.
Tomorrow horseback riding before the rain for Marina and Karen, while Zoe and I head to town to find some rain gear and an ipod fm converter - Irish radio is almost all talk.
