Tag Archives: Ireland

Moving Around

12 Nov

Car rental in Dublin is so easy, unlike in the US. There is less paperwork required. Our spanking Ironman red hybrid SUV is comfortable, spacious, and easy to handle. With a built-in navigation system, finding our way out of the city was easy. The weather was good, and hubby drove along the non-toll roads toward Galway.

I am Ironman (hahaha) with this car!

When it drizzled, we stopped at a pub for lunch. I think we ordered too much. But then again, with the cold, we were famished. The portions always have a lot of chips (or mash) that we cannot finish, unfortunately, famish or not.

Lunch at this pub

We arrived at Galway by 3.30 pm, and just nice to check into our hotel. After a short rest, we headed into the town center. We were delighted to discover a Christmas fair at Eyre Square with things to see, buy, and food to savor.

Heading towards the Christmas fair

We had a good time browsing despite the large crowd and weather. For a change, dinner was at a tapas bar, with drinks, of course, to celebrate M2’s graduation.

The streets of Galway
We tried the Chimney Cake
Christmas atmosphere at the fair
Satisfying dinner

It was a long day, and we decided to call it a night earlier than usual.

The Big Day

11 Nov

Thursday was a chill day without any sight-seeing activities because it was the big day for everyone, M2’s graduation ceremony! After three years of hard work, determination, and dedication, it has come down to this moment!

The proud moment

The ceremony was very different from the one we experienced when we attended M1’s graduation in the US. Held in the campus auditorium instead of an open stadium, it was a cozy and personal affair. Both graduation ceremonies are moving for us nonetheless.

We could not be more proud as she had graduated with First Class Honors in her Bachelor’s Honors degree program. Our responsibility as parents to ensure both girls are well-equipped for the world is complete with this latest milestone in the family.

Day Trip to Belfast

10 Nov

We decided to take the train to Belfast for a day trip yesterday. The Weather app showed the temperature to be nine degrees Celsius, but actually, it felt like six degrees! Hmm, how to have more layers when I have five already?

The two-hour journey was pleasant. We had designated seats with our names showing on the little screen above. The landscape was a lovely mix of buildings, farmland, and seascapes. Very picturesque!

Picturesque journey

We arrived in Belfast on time, and when we walked out of the station, the whiff of cold air welcomed us. Brr. We had no choice but to make our way to the city center quickly.

In the spur of the moment, we decided to do the Hop On Hop Off city tour and bought our tickets from the bus conductor. It was an ideal way to cover more sights of the city without walking so much. But we sat in the open area of the double-decker, which made no difference from being exposed to the cold.

The city tour ended after an hour and 20 minutes. Famished, we ate the first thing we saw, Tim Hortons, a Canadian fast food chain.

I think Belfast is too cold for us. We decided to stay indoors, shopping at Primark instead. By four, we were tired and decided to head toward the train station because there was not much else to see. While it was nice to visit a new city, we all concluded Belfast was not quite the city for us.

Around Dublin

9 Nov

Dublin may be a city, but it feels less crowded, and the public tram transport, the Luas, moves slower than the Tube in London. People here walk and do not rush. It was a windy nine-degree morning, and we took the opportunity to walk around the city center yesterday.

I am not ashamed to say I wore five layers! Well, I had to bundle up to stay warm if we were to do Dublin on foot.

We also did the Jameson Distillery tour towards the end of the day. By evening, it was colder, and I sure was glad I had my layers.

Bye London!

8 Nov

Time passes when one is having fun, despite the rain and cold! We could not get to see all and do all. We left London this morning for Dublin, Ireland. And it will be colder. Shudder.

Well, got to take it in stride and bundle up to keep warm!

Losing Track of Time

2 Sep

Two days ago, we celebrated our wedding anniversary. When one is married for so long, like me, the tendency to lose track of time is prevalent. I have stopped counting how many years we have been married.

Typically, we would go to our favorite porky restaurant to enjoy a platter each and a bottle of wine. But this year, we opted for something different – going with Chinese food and no wine. No wine?! Yes, for a change. The spread was sumptuous, and the four of us had a delightful dinner as the restaurant was not packed nor noisy.

The sumptuous dinner menu

When the girls were away the past few years, we never considered dining at a Chinese restaurant, especially to celebrate our wedding anniversary. It would be hard to order for the two of us, being small eaters. But now that both girls are back, we can have more options for dinner celebration venues. Isn’t it wonderful?

Here’s wishing us a happy anniversary, good health, and happiness throughout the year!

Readjusting the Schedule

19 Aug

We are officially no longer empty nesters now that M2 is back. We are slowly adjusting to having another person in the house as we were so used to being just three. Everything needs readjusting – from my golf schedule, planning meals to cook, to doing the house chores.

Suddenly, there’s an extra person to feed and more laundry to do. But the addition means another person to fuss over with love, and at the same, help with house chores. Nice.

With the children growing up, we need to readjust our schedules to adapt to the changes. And so far, so good.

Homeward Bound

16 Aug

I cannot stress enough how fast time flies. Our M2 has completed her Bachelor’s degree and is coming home from Ireland today! Woohoo. Yes, we are excited.

After almost eight years of being three, then two, and then three again, we will be back to being a family of four at the stroke of midnight. Suddenly, all those years of hard work and separation are no longer an issue and seemed like a long time ago. We persevered in our situation, and both girls persevered in their education. They make us proud beyond words.

As always, I will be tracking the journey on flightaware.com in anticipation of her return. Oooohhhhh, be still my beating heart! I look forward to doing things and having both my girls around again. I’m anxious and will be so fidgety awaiting her safe arrival tonight.

The Year That Wasn’t Again

31 Dec

The never-ending year 2021 finally concludes today. I look back, and what a year it has been! I feel history has repeated itself, with the year being another year that fell short of expectations like 2020 because the pandemic has dragged on.

When the nation went into lockdown again in May, we were short-changed for several months to have a good year. And the lockdowns implemented under the Movement Control Orders (MCO) had so many versions, I lost track of it all.

But life goes on. With what we had experienced in 2020, we handled 2021 a little better. We became more accepting of the situation and were more productive, and the hobbies picked up in the year before continued. We also got vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus, and it was our passport to venture out (if needed) without hassle.

Towards the end of the year, I picked up another new hobby – felting. What fun this turned out to be! Felting is immensely enjoyable and therapeutic when I am not carving or crafting miniatures as it is a short and fast activity to complete.

Looking back, being home this time around wasn’t so bad because there’s so much to do at home, and I love it. There is no rush or fear but simply comfort and ease. As long as there is good time management, the days go by quickly.

M2 came back for her Summer holidays, and it was great to have her home. My cooking skills improved from last year, and there were many great mealtimes together at home as a family since we couldn’t go out at all.

Then M1 came home for good after completing her Master’s degree, and both of us are very blessed to have the family as a complete unit. But soon after, M2 returned to Ireland, and M1 started working. By the third quarter, we were juggling work, albeit not much, and playing golf when the country reopened to more activities.

But just when we thought things were improving with vaccination and economies opening everywhere, the world saw a new virus variant! The Omicron. The pandemic management globally was sucker-punched with this new development. Travels, activities, and economies were restricted once more, and many countries faced fresh lockdowns. When will this onslaught of the unknown ever end?

So we start 2022 with uncertainty again. I see no point in toasting the New Year for better fortune and goodness. Just brace yourselves to stay negative (Covid-wise) in a positive way, stay healthy, and stay safe. Goodbye 2021, I wouldn’t say it was the best, but we survived. Happy New Year, folks!

Oh, You Cutie Pies!

28 Dec

My latest felting characters are adorable! After I felted specific characters for the hubby and M1, I asked M2 what she would like. She requested a blue Miffy, the famous bunny from The Netherlands.

A Miffy for M2!

And so, I got right into it. My work speaks for itself. Adorable beyond words. I was so motivated by the outcome that I decided to make another Miffy. The second Miffy in yellow turned out even better!

Oh you cutie pies!

Dang, I’m getting good at this felting business.