Dublin, Ireland

We drove to Dublin for our last afternoon in Ireland. This post will no doubt be the least representative depiction of Dublin ever. We had a long drive and arrived around 3 p.m. with little to no energy. After checking in at the hotel, we wandered around the local neighborhood.

Our hotel was Bewleys Hotel, part of a small chain of hotels in Ireland and England. Our particular hotel was once an orphanage. The building has become much more swanky since becoming a hotel.

Beweleys Hotel, Ballsbridge

Posh fountain in front of the hotel!

After getting a map and some advice from the reception desk, we set out in search of a park and a playground. As we walked down the street, we ran into none other than the U.S. Embassy to Ireland. It was a welcome sight but we did not go in.

U.S. Embassy in Dublin

We also came across a memorial to the Third Battalion Dublin Brigade, many of whom died in 1916 and following years, liberating Ireland and presumably fighting other honorable fights.

Third Battalion Memorial

We finally made it to Herbert Park. The receptionist didn't know if there was a playground there but the children's keen senses soon sniffed out the fun.

Herbert Park playground

J did a lot of high (and not so high) climbing here, which was both exciting and scary for me. Some of the equipment didn't seem like it was put together quite right since he had to climb up one spot only to come back down the same way. Or he'd cross a climber and have no where to go on the other side. Maybe it was a creativity challenge.

J's not so scary climb

Much scarier climbing (scarier for me, that is)

L had some more sedate play, climbing up a ladder that actually went somewhere and spinning on a merry-go-round with a chair built into it.

All smiles (almost) all the time

L-go-round!

The playground also has a rather strange sculpture. We couldn't quite figure out what it was supposed to be. L came up with the most elaborate theory--it is "two dinosaurs because it is so colorful."

Open to interpretation

Any guesses as to what it really is are certainly welcome.

We wanted to visit at least one church while we were here. St. Stephens Church didn't look too far on the map. We navigated the streets, passing a few more embassies. J was running out of energy so we tried to go into the first church we came across, St. Mary's. It, however, was locked.

Blue doors made us blue because we could not get through!

We walked down the street to a more populated area and splurged on a taxi back to the hotel, where we had dinner and an early bedtime so as to make it to the ferry early the next morning.

So we didn't see Trinity College or Abbey Theater or St. Stephen's Green or St. Patrick's Cathedral or Dublin Castle or River Liffey. Not even the Guinness Brewery! Maybe we'll come back and do a "Dublin only" weekend before we return to America.