I did it! I saw my first castle. It was wonderful – so tender and caring. And it lasted all morning! A first I’ll never forget!
Hohenwerfen Fortress
When we drove into Austria, the hardest part after visiting Innsbruck (read about it HERE) was choosing which castle to visit. We had already planned on visiting Salzburg next, so I carefully chose among the four major castles near the city. I settled on Hohenwerfen Fortress about 40 km southeast of Salzburg. The plan was simple – leave Innsbruck early and drive straight to the castle. We would spend an hour or so at Hohenwerfen Fortress and then head to our hotel in Salzburg. My plan was solid – but I underestimated how much fun we’d have at the castle, and we ended up staying nearly four hours.
The original fortification was started nearly 1,000 years ago and has withstood an interesting history full of war, civil unrest, fire and constant expansion and re-construction. The castle sits high atop a 155m rock in the town of Werfen, Austria.
The castle commands a view of the entire valley *stock photo
A watch guard’s view from one of the towers
The original fortress was commissioned in 1075 by Archbishop Gebhard of Salzburg (along with it’s “sister” castle Fortress Hohensalzburg, which we saw two days later). It was built as a stronghold during the Investiture Controversy, a beef between Kings and Popes that somehow lasted nearly 50 years. What were they were fighting over, you ask? The right to appoint church officials, such as Bishops and Abbots. I didn’t understand why this was such an important issue for the monarchies, but after reading a bit on the battle – I was not surprised to learn it boiled down to one of the three major “fighting follies” (as defined by me… term is patent pending). It always boils down to money (to include lands), ego (to include power and legacy) or a woman (self explanatory). Back then, the title of Bishop came with a substantial amount of wealth and land. And since a title was simply a commodity that could be appointed by a king… the monarchy could sell the title and make a tidy little profit. So, in this case – it was about money (although, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a woman in there somewhere).
In one corner, we had King Henry IV – a German King since the age of 6. And in the other corner, we had Pope Gregory VII (I’m pulling for him… his name makes him seem trustworthy. And probably good looking). The Pope essentially claimed that since the Roman church was founded by none other than God, it’s power to appoint Bishops lay solely with the Pope himself. King Henry (now a man) disagreed and vocalized it in a public letter to the Pope, essentially starting a 50 year battle-royale, beginning in 1075. And so the Archbishop of Salzburg (an ally of my man, Gregory) built three major castles as protection against the German king. The ending you ask? Well… everyone should know, you don’t mess with a Gregory! The Papacy gained the right of appointment.
Lower courtyard *stock photo
Even though this castle had a long and bloody past, our visit was rather tranquil and quite pleasant. At the base of the great rock (upon which the castle is perched) we had the option of riding a funicular (cable car) or walking up a path. Since it was early in the day and the weather was perfect, we opted to walk. Julia also enjoyed stretching her legs after being in the car for two hours.
“Look mom, I’m a hiker!”
Julia was definitely happier walking…
…and exploring!
View of the valley from the path
Entering through the gates
The castle’s main fortification walls
There was a house inside the gates that was inhabited – groundskeeper?
Admission to the castle (€11 per person) included quite a bit. A walking tour with audio guide, an impressive falconry display of flight, an illuminating exhibition on the construction of the castle, an interactive history of weaponry and a museum on the history of falconry. You can see why we were there for four hours!
Julia particularly enjoyed the audio guide
The falconry show was about to begin
Our timing through the castle gates was perfect. Just minutes after we bought our tickets, the flight show commenced, featuring many different types of falcons and other birds of prey. It was purely breathtaking.
The Falconer explains the presentation
She shows us the first Falcon
One of the falcons in flight
Naturally, the birds loved taking to the air
The Falcons got right in the crowd
My favorite part was the majestical eagle. The falconer had some fun with the crowds. He would prompt these great birds to fly just a few feet over our heads. It was a great way to start the castle tour.
The eagle – our favorite
He’s headed right for us
RIGHT FOR US!!!
Next, we moved on to the guided castle tour, which was in German. Fortunately, we got electronic audio guides that we used. The tour guide herself was trilingual so she was able to field all our questions. It took some time to navigate through the chapel, prisons, torture chambers, royal quarters, bell tower and more.
We’re about to go in!
Love the turrets
View of the monarchies chambers and courtyard
Birds in flight – another demonstration had commenced
The castle’s chapel, reconstructed in the 16th century
Bob here, simulates an archer at his post
This stone weighed 1/2 ton – no problem for me!
A device in the torture chamber
Our group crammed into the torture chamber
A scene along the tour
The loo – it opened straight down the side of the outer wall
400 year old wood floors in the bell tower
Jen and Julia climbing to the top of the bell tower
The bell would sound to wake everyone up
Julia tried to ring it
We spent some additional time walking around the various parts of the castle, including the main courtyard, and museums of weaponry and falconry. We also grabbed a light lunch at the restaurant in the original dining hall of the castle.
Julia in the courtyard
Playing on one of the unicorns (FYI – I nailed 4/5 rings from 12′ out)
Bell tower (reconstructed in 1826 after a fire)
Julia in the dining hall before her lunch
I was more than happy that my first real castle didn’t disappoint! Next, we headed off to Salzburg… a lot more on that wonderful trip to come!
Strange… not only do they not say, “g’day mate” in Austria – they speak German! Oh well, what’re you gonna do?!
Innsbruck, Austria
After we spent four wonderful days in the Dolomiti mountains (which you can read about HERE and HERE), we planned an impromptu trip to Austria. The Dolomites span across the northern end of the Italy, just south of Austria. A quick google search confirmed that we could arrive in Innsbruck in under three hours and the opportunity was too good to pass up. Once we explained our plan to visit Innsbruck to Claudia’s cousin, Angelo – he suggested we also stop by Salzburg. Well, what’s another couple hours drive and another day or two? After all, we didn’t think we’d be back in Austria anytime soon.
I spent our last night in Canale D’ Agordo (Italy) booking an Innsbruck hotel, researching tourist attractions and planning our itinerary. I was up early, with breakfast in my belly and our luggage in the car by 8:30am. We got on the road at 11:30am.
The GPS took us on small streets winding through the mountains, as opposed to the faster Autostrada – and that was perfectly fine with us. The drive into Austria was probably the most pleasurable drive I’ve ever undertaken. While I loved chauffeuring my wife and baby, I must admit that I did envision instead riding my motorcycle; and sadly missed my poor Harley, sitting all by it’s lonesome in Maryland.
View from the road departing the Dolomites
A two-lane tunnel shooting through the mountain
Jen and I were awe-struck by the mountainous scenery; but also impressed by one noticeable phenomenon. Once we crossed over the border into Austria, there seemed to be a castle or fortress at every turn. I was nearly giddy – I’ve been on a caste-hunt since I moved to Italy. And now I was as excited as a boy on prom night, knowing my first castle was just around the corner.
We were greeted by a castle almost immediately upon entering Austria
Older fortresses lined the newer road
We arrived in Innsbruck around mid-day and checked into our hotel. We set out to walk and enjoy some of the sights the city had to offer. Our hotel was centrally located (thank you, booking.com), so we wound slowly through the old city toward the funicular (cable car up the mountain). Innsbruck has astonishing mountains surrounding the entire city, and we intended on elevating ourselves high enough to command a view of the entire city.
The Old City in Innsbruck
Great architecture
A pretty church peeking out
Along the way, we saw signs for the city zoo – an attraction I had read was enjoyable for families. Since it was on the way, we decided to let Julia have some fun of her own. What we didn’t realize was the trek was going to be quite challenging by foot.
Talk about your uphill climb!
We were tempted to stop here, but we pushed on
We continued to climb for over an hour on steep vertical streets until we finally arrived at the zoo. We eagerly entered, excited to take a break from the climb up the mountain. Oooohhh… so sorry! Since the zoo was literally built into the side of a mountain – the zoo itself wound upward still. I guess that explains why the mountain goats had one of the most impressive exhibits (and one of my favorites).
Alpenzoo – we made it!
Majestic wolf – he had just finished dancing with Kevin Costner
Large brown bear who got within feet of us
Julia wanted to play with a bear of her own
There was a petting zoo for Julia, who always loves getting a chance to pet the cute farm animals.
“Stop watching moooo eat!!!”
Adorable lil guys!
“Uhh, mom – these guys are a little scary”
Stopping for a quick drink
“Momma, guarda (look)!”
As we wound our way through the zoo’s path, we spotted various bird sanctuaries just off to the side. Everyone had the option to enter and get face to face with various birds (without any glass or cages). I opted to go in each one, but Jen has a small fear of birds so she didn’t go in any of these exhibits. However, strangely enough – the path eventually led us directly into one of these sanctuaries. There was no going around it, so Jen would have to confront her fear. Well, how bad could it be?
As we were walking through (a distance of maybe 20 yards from beginning to end) we first noticed the bird’s lunch – recently digested and lying about four feet from where we were walking. It did not help Jen discover a newfound confidence in these winged mammals.
Lunch?! Ummmm, are we next?!
Next, we came face to face with the great bird itself, taking a drink after it’s lunch.
“Oh, he doesn’t look so bad”
“Well, he’s coming closer”
“Umm, and closer!” (at this point – he was hissing)
Here is Jen, gripped by fear and making a dash for the door
This guy was clearly not happy we had come into his world. He perched atop a nearby rock and hissed until we both cleared from his home. I couldn’t help but laugh at Jen’s gripping fear coming full surface. That is, until I had to walk past him myself. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I hugged the right side of the wall. Next, we came to another one of these death cages. Only, this one was marked by heavy chains!!! What is this?! Some kind of torture zoo?! What type of carnivorous bird was in this exhibit?!
What lies behind the chains?!
Nothing but a bunch of these cute, little guys. WHEW!
After we finished at the zoo, we walked the short way to the funicular. The ride up was fun and the view was truly worth it. We stopped to get a bite for Julia – something that proved to be either a mistake or a wonderful turn of events (depending on how we decided to look at it), as we missed the final cable car by mere minutes. We started the long walk down, a bit nervous about how long the walk might take.
The funicular station
Jen and Julia at the base of the station
View over Innsbruck
The beautiful mountains surround the city
We thought it wise to follow a sign to the zoo, quite some distance below. I knew I could easily get us home from the zoo and so following the sign (as opposed to the actual road) seemed smart at the time. We had no idea this particular route would add a significant amount of time… but also give us a memory of Innsbruck we’d always cherish.
A sign we saw later, noting the path
We didn’t seem to notice as the road narrowed, and then the pavement disappeared. We were too taken with the beauty of nature and the view of the city in the twilight.
City view as the sun sets
A portion of the funicular
When the path started making sharp turns and the branches and rocks started bouncing Julia’s stroller more than a lowrider with hydraulics – we realized we made a mistake. As it turns out, our Italian is far better than our German. The signs we saw pointing toward the zoo were for mountain bikers – we had begun a trajectory that wound us deep into the woods, on a steep descent. There was just enough daylight to keep Jen from worrying too badly and so we made light of the situation. I pointed out the positives – it was certainly a much more direct route down the mountain… and when else would we have an opportunity to hike through the hills in Innsbruck?
The path here was still fairly simple
It got a bit trickier – I took over the stroller
At one point, we found a vast clearing in the woods used as a small campground. I reassured Jen that if we couldn’t find our way out of the woods, we had a wonderful place to camp. She reminded me that we didn’t have any camping gear – I refrained from joking that our love would protect us.
A clearing along the way
Charming old bridge we passed by (but not over)
Back on a solid path, nearly at the bottom
It was dark by the end of the journey
We crossed one final bridge to get back to the city
At long last, we made it the base of the mountain just as the sun had set. We rejoiced at our good fortune and decided a celebration was in order. Since Julia was already fast asleep, we grabbed a bottle of wine and had a little party for two in our hotel room.
The main clock tower, back in town
Innsbruck is simply wonderful and we would love to have been able to spend more time there. But I had already planned the next day, andHohenwerfen Fortress (my first castle) was calling my name.
If you have never tried Risotto, I think it is a must. It’s delicious and a great way for us to change up lunch from our typical pasta dishes. Since this has been our first week of spring weather I wanted to make a spring risotto with beautiful seasonal asparagus.
Risotto with fresh asparagus
My mom used to make this for us a lot as a kid growing up in the spring and summer, so I was excited to make this for Greg and Julia. I was pretty happy with how this dish turned out. I served with a fresh salad of fennel and our meal was complete. Even Julia ate a huge plate. This dish is a great way to get kids to eat their vegetables. I hope to post some other risotto recipes soon (like pasta, there are many different ways to introduce new flavors). I hope your enjoy this as much as we did.
INGREDIENTS (serves 4)
>Olive oil
>One (1) small onion (diced)
>Four (4) cups of chicken stock
>Nine (9) palms of arborio rice (two palms of rice per person, with one extra for good measure). This is roughly two (2) cups of rice
>Two (2) cups of asparagus, pre-cooked (best to blanch to preserve color and texture). Cut into 1″ pieces
>Between half (½) and a full cup of white wine (depending on taste/quality of wine)
>Roughly one half (½) a cup of grated parmesan cheese and then additional cheese for the table and garnish
>Third (1/3) stick of butter
>Salt to taste
Fresh ingredients
>Heat chicken stock in a pot.
>On a separate burner, heat olive oil in a large flat pan with high sides. >Add onion until it is softened and translucent. While the onion is cooking, add a dash of salt. This could take a little over 5 minutes. Don’t allow the onions to brown.
Cook onions
>Add the rice and mix together. Stir until the rice is toasted (but not brown) about three – four (3-4) minutes.
Add the rice and continue to stir
>Add wine and continue to cook the rice.
>After a minute, add a ladle or two of the stock, stirring the rice continuously until the liquid is absorbed.
>Continue stirring and ladling the broth for approximately fifteen (15) minutes. Be sure to taste as you go and add salt accordingly. The rice should be al dente and creamy.
Ladle in the stock
>Before you add your last ladle or two of stock, add the asparagus and stir into the rice.
>Remove from heat and stir in butter and Parmesan cheese. Cover and allow pan to sit for five (5) minutes.
Add the asparagus…
…and cover
>Serve right away and top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
Enjoy!
PLEASE NOTE – Cooking risotto requires constant attention. Make sure the table is set and everything else you are serving is ready before you begin the rice. I have made that mistake before!
I recently realized that our “Home Cooking” section of the blog was growing the slowest throughout the entire site. I’m only partly ashamed to admit that the one consistent about our trip is that we’ve been indulging in some of the most amazing food we’ve ever had. However, my OCD recently kicked in when I noticed all our food posts landed in the “Restaurant” or “Jen’s Kitchen” sections. So, in an effort to right this wrong… here is one very memorable home-cooked meal we hosted a little while ago.
Eugenio brought a wonderful Champagne
Jen has a warm and wonderful family, with whom we love spending time. Recently, her cousin Eugenio drove from Torino to spend time with us and get reacquainted with Julia. He brought his lovely girlfriend, Barbara as well.
But enough jabbering… this post is all about the food and drink!
Let’s pop this cork and get the party started!
The night Eugenio and Barbara arrived, we set out a light dinner – just some typical Italian antipasti to nibble on, as well as some regional snacks we all like to enjoy.
Eugenio brought the Champagne
I think we’re going to need a bigger table
Oh wait, there was a free corner – let’s fill it with food
The next day, we had Jen’s cousin Massimo and his beautiful family over for a proper meal.
Vitello (veil) roast from our local butcher…
…after a nice sear
Antipasti for our guests
Claudia and Eugenio horsing around
Wait – who hit who?! Love both their expressions
Jen made a delicious prima (first course) – pasta pomodoro
Yummy!
The secondo, our vitello (veil roast)
Alessandra (Massimo’s wife) made a beautiful torta
We picked up some chiacchiere
Eugenio got some additional pastries
Julia’s cousin Bea, enjoying her ice-cream
Julia stole a taste
Everyone was so stuffed we needed a break with some scotch
It’s not a party unless you serve a second dessert
It was a wonderful weekend filled with too many delicious treats. Hopefully you were able to enjoy as well.
You may have recently read HERE about our trip to the Dolomiti (Dolomite Mountains) to visit Franco and Claudia over Easter weekend. What I wasn’t able to fit into that post, was all the imagery we captured of the most spectacular mountain range we have ever seen.
Hilltop view – I had to trespass to get this shot
Mountain view from “Claudia’s” bridge in Canale D’ Agordo
We extended our trip in Canale D’ Agordo (Claudia’s hometown) by a day, because the three days we planned was barely enough to just scratch the surface in this region of Italy. Claudia wanted to show us not only her town of Canale D’ Agordo, but also the surrounding towns. We would like to now share them with you.
The day after Easter, we went to neighboring Gares, Claudia’s actual hometown. While she was born in Canale D’ Agordo, she grew up in Gares – a small town with barely a couple hundred residents. The only doctor in the region was in Canale and so she was delivered there, in her mother’s home. The very next day, her mother bundled her up tight and walked the some 10k back to Gares through a snowstorm to bring her home.
Sheer mountain range in Gares
Claudia’s cousin’s restaurant sits at the bottom of the valley
Today, her cousin owns a wonderful restaurant, at the foothills of a large mountain range. Not only was it a treat to eat some of the regional cuisine, it was wonderful to spend time with her family and see this incredible valley.
An incredibly charming restaurant
Special VIP reservations
Franco demonstrating the high-tech weight, functioning as a door lock
When you live in the mountains, this is your futbol field
The “field” at the base of the mountain
After lunch we walked all through Gares, a voyage that only took a couple minutes by foot.
Julia sporting a fun hat for the mountains
The main street bend in Gares
Part of the house next to Claudia’s original home
I crack up when I see these little guys driving around
Poles mark the roads atop all the snow
Since we had extended our trip by a day, the next day we went with Franco and Claudia to see some of the other nearby towns. First, we went to Agordo – also in the same Province of Belluno. This town; at a lower elevation, displayed a striking contrast to the previous towns, which were still covered in snow. Green grass had already flourished in the center of town, showcasing a completely different juxtaposition with the mountainous backdrop than the previous towns, still primarily all white.
View from the center of Agordo
Main church
Franco and Claudia walk with Julia
Julia can’t get enough of the fountains
The chiesa (church) in Agordo is of significant importance to the region – and proudly displays it’s high stature by featuring two bell towers (as opposed to the standard one).
Two bell towers
A prominent family of Agordo, Familia di Grotta (the Grotta family) owned a large villa in the center of town. They adorned the outside wall of the villa with the Mutt di Grotta (the Mutes of Grotta) – different “mute” stone statues that represented various traits (poetry, agriculture, astronomy, etc.).
Mutt di Grotta
Perhaps this guy represented philosphy?
We took a quick detour to visit one of the Luxottica factories, just outside of town. Haven’t heard of Luxottica? Well, have you ever walked into a LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut or Pearle Vision? No? OK – perhaps you’ve put on a pair of Oakley, Ray-Ban or Revo sunglasses? These are all brands owned by the company. And even if you haven’t worn one of their brands, you’re sure to have worn a pair of glasses by Coach, Chanel, D&G, Ralph Lauren, Tiffany or Versace (to name a few). They don’t own these brands, but they do make their glasses with exclusive licensing agreements. The company moved it’s headquarters to Milano, but their factories all still remain in the Belluno region and is the main employer in the area.
The Luxottica factory
I’d fight hard for a corner office to get this view
Amazing how the landscape changes in the various towns
After touring Agordo we drove to Alleghe, a beautiful lake town with a very unique history. The town of Alleghe, which surrounds the lake and runs all the way to the foothills of the mountains is actually much younger than many of the nearby towns. The town was re-built “brand new” in 1771 (young by most measures here) after a severe landslide buried the original town under today’s vast lake. The original town remains buried forever under water. When the lake’s water level falls low enough – you can see the original church’s steeple peeking from atop the waterline.
We love seeing the Italian flag – reminds us we’re really here
View right from the lake
Jen and Julia soaking up the scenery
We were glad that we stayed the extra day to enjoy all the additional sights – we hope you did too.
This year we took full advantage of living in Italy and went to the Pope’s Church for Easter! Only, it wasn’t in Vatican City and it wasn’t the current Pope. But it was still his church! If I may explain…
Jen and Julia in front of the church in Canale D’ Agordo
If you’ve read a few posts (or know us), you’ll know that we’ve been fortunate enough to live in Jen’s parent’s condo while in Italy. Even more fortunate is that Jen’s Zio (Uncle) Franco and Zia (Aunt) Claudia live above us. This means we’re eaten countless meals upstairs (she’s a wonderful cook), have built in baby sitters, tour guides and translators… basically we have a third set of parents and new besties.
Franco and Claudia both have interesting life stories. We’ll save his for another post.
Claudia was born and raised in Canale D’ Agordo – a town in the Dolomite Mountains, one of the most spectacular places on earth. The Dolomites are a large mountain range in northeast Italy. In 2009 the Dolomiti were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This means that the mountains are a site with significant importance (and beauty) and are therefore, protected. Interestingly enough, I have just now learned that Italy is home to more UNESCO World Heritage sites than any country in the world. After living here a short time, I cannot say that I am surprised.
Canale is in a valley surrounded by two mountains
Beautiful scenery at every turn
A statue stands near the center of town
The pedestrian bridge leading into town
We’ve been coming to Italy for many years with Jen’s family and I have always wanted to see the Dolomites. I have a strong love for the mountains, most likely due to my love of skiing. I have always been excited to see the Dolomites because they were bound to be at least a little more special than Sugarloaf or Wisp Mountains. They did not disappoint!
Canali D’ Agordo in the foreground of the Dolomiti mountains
Each year, Franco and Claudia spend several weeks together in each of their respective hometowns. Luckily for us – she invited us to join them for part of their trip, over the Easter weekend. This was great because we had no idea what we were going to do for Easter. We were also excited because her town, Canale D’ Agordo was the home to Pope Giovanni Paolo I (Pope John Paul I). Let that sink in for a moment… her small town of roughly 1,000 people was the hometown of the Pope. That’s like saying, “yeah… the President used to live right next to me… here’s his house” Only, he’s not just the leader of a single nation, but rather the spiritual leader of the world.
Pope Giovanni Paolo I – a hometown hero
Pope Giovanni Paolo I has an interesting history. He has the unusual honor of being the shortest reining Pope in history – just 33 days as Sovereign of Vatican City. He is also the most recent Italian-born Pope. It is widely whispered, even today – that his death was not due to natural causes (if you’re a fan of conspiracy theories, you can click HERE to read a few). This cloud of mystery and short reign does nothing to dispel the love and connection that people of Canale and Italy feel for Giovanni Paolo I, The Smiling Pope. In fact, the very next Pope adopted the name of Giovanni Paolo II, to honor and respect his predecessor.
Albino Luciano (as was his given name) was ordained a priest in 1935 and served for a time as the parish priest for the town church (also, one of the main churches in the region), Parraocchia di Canale D’ Agordo, the church you see pictured below.
Parraocchia di Canale D’ Agordo – a 550+ year old church
Jen and Julia in front by the town fountain
We arrived in Canale on Saturday – just in time for a wonderful lunch at Claudia’s home (the home where she was raised). Then she left us to walk around town as she went to help clean the church for Easter’s big service. We walked around the wonderful town, and bumped into about 30 of her cousins along the way.
Julia ridin in style with one of Claudia’s cousins
Julia strikes a pose
On Easter Sunday, we attended a wonderful service (where we understood everything that was said in Italian) in the Pope’s Church, Parracchia di Canale.We walked the short 200 yards back to our beautiful hotel, where the Easter Bunny had left Julia a surprise.
Our hotel on the right
We had her Easter basket ready for her
“What’s that up there?! Is that for ME?!”
“A soccer ball?! Well, I’ll just take this.”
“Don’t worry, I got THIS pops”
“I told you I got this!”
She loved her soccer ball, until she saw her chocolate chick
Which she loved so much, it’s head fell off!
“Here, Nonno Franco – take a bite. Please, it’s my pleasure”
Afterward we went to the town square, where they had set up an outdoor festival. We danced, we ate and we drank.
The festival in the main piazza (town square)
Coin tossing competition – you try to toss your coin into an egg
The winner is the person that sticks the most coins in the eggs
Julia “chill-axing” at the festival
Later in the day, we went to one of Claudia’s cousin’s (another cousin) restaurants and enjoyed some more delicious food.
We started with some antipasti
We each ended with a wonderful dessert
Even Julia got dessert out of a cup featuring her new favorite cartoon (Barbarapappa)
Day three in Dublin brought no less excitement than either of the first two days. If you haven’t read about the first couple days and are interested in reading about this wonderful vacation in sequential order, you can read about Day One HERE and Day Two HERE.
Julia getting ready to go outside for some fun
We had booked a return from Dublin on Monday morning so that we could enjoy the famous Saint Patrick’s Day Parade and all the corresponding festivities on Sunday. We had heard for quite some time that the People’s Parade was a wonderful sight to behold and that we should arrive early. Fortunately, our hotel was directly along the parade route. Even more fortunate was that we were given a room with a direct view of the parade.
Street level action
View from the room
Jen continued to tell me from the moment we woke that we needed to be standing along the parade route early. Everything she read said that should stake our spot at 9:00am for a 12:00pm start. I was far less excited about standing dormant for three hours with a toddler. And I’m notoriously famous for playing the risky game of “see, I was right” (me) versus “I told you… you never listen” (her). I lost track of the score years ago, but I’m willing to bet I’m in the lead. Unfortunately, I lost a point in this round.
Julia got in her “pouch” to watch in comfort
I had convinced Jen that the light drizzle would delay people’s arrival. I also reassured her that our pivotal view of the route would allow us to descend from our room and claim a prime spot as soon as the crowd grew. My theory proved to have merit when I checked the window at 10:00am, only to see a few stragglers standing by the gates. Twenty minutes later, I glanced down again – not expecting much change. I was wrong. The first row was already full and a second row was filling up quickly. We rushed to adorn ourselves in green and headed down – just in time to sneak a 2nd/3rd row position (depending on which way the crowd was swaying).
Of course, we got dressed in green
Mixed into the crowd
This was the first year that the famous parade opened it’s gates to people from all around the world. 8,000 participants from Brazil to Finland, New York to Hong Kong created their own floats and costumes to symbolize the pride they had in their customs and traditions.
Dancers from Brazil
Stagecoach from Austria
Sweater?! From… Norway?? Canada??
We watched the parade from the street for about an hour – but soon decided a little sitting and Guinness should be on the menu. I took Julia to the room while Jen ordered a couple of pints from the hotel bar. We had a great view of the parade and with the space to spread out – Julia couldn’t help herself from dancing.
We were thrilled that we got to see the parade at street level, but I think we were all thankful that we were able to also watch from the room and still join in the festivities.
Julia watching from above
Cheers!!
Julia and her momma
Paddy’s Day gear
Hugging my Irish princess…
… and teaching her bad habits I’ll live to regret!
Just a small crowd
After the parade wrapped up, we walked across the street to the Temple Bar area for lunch and another pint. Not a good move on Saint Patrick’s Day. Temple Bar is the “party” district of Dublin and the atmosphere was that of 1,000 fraternity houses melded into one. We couldn’t find anywhere to eat and had to settle for the only quiet place we could find. A wonderful restaurant that served the exact type of food you want to eat when you’re in Ireland… Chinese food! It certainly wasn’t part of the plan (I would have happily eaten fish and chips for every meal) , but it worked out just fine.
Julia got a lollipop after her lunch
We walked for quite some time more and crossed the river toward the northern end of the city to get away from all the chaos and explore some new areas. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, but admittedly we longed a bit for the carefree fun of our youth – what with all the rebel rousing around us. We were just about to walk into the Brazen Head, Dublin’s oldest pub (est. 1198) when the line instantly tripled (one in one out).
The Brazen Head (est. 1198)
We continued on and found a quiet, out of the way pub. It certainly didn’t have the atmosphere we were looking for (it actually looked rather boring) – but we could rest assured no one would try to use Julia’s head as a coaster. By chance (or Irish luck), I decided to poke my head into one last pub as an alternative option. I came out with a grin from ear to ear. “Jen, come on! It’s a pub for kids!”
Our “Pub for Kids”
It really wasn’t a pub for kids… but the loud music we heard blasting was for a kids dance competition. And the candy they were passing around was for the kids. And the cider they were offering was for the kids. And everything else was for the adults! What a perfect place. It turns out, we found a locals pub and they were hosting a place for families to participate in the partying without having to leave the kids behind. Everyone was so sweet to Julia, she instantly made friends. We also made friends with a nice Irish lass, Victoria and her mother. We enjoyed talking to her, and pretended to understand her mother. Even though we spoke the same language – we were far apart in accents.
You have a baby…in a bar?!
Great juxtaposition, huh?!
“I think I’ll take some… CANDY!”
Happy family – I claimed their Irish blood for the day
Our friends
Our new friend, Victoria who was very sweet to Julia
We finished our final day in Dublin completely content with our trip. The only regret was not booking a ticket to stay longer in Ireland. We both eagerly agreed that we would happily come back to one of our new favorite cities.
About to get on a plane – no one told him Paddy’s Day was over
We arrived in Dublin on Friday with plenty of time to enjoy the day, which you can read about HERE. We woke up Saturday even more eager to get started after everything we had seen the day before. We enjoyed a wonderful breakfast of eggs, soda bread and black pudding (blood sausage) in our hotel’s restaurant. As Jen drank her fresh-squeezed orange juice, I poured over my cheesy, hyper-animated tourist map of the city. I came to two conclusions – animated graphics of tourist attractions are as helpful as pictures on a menu at Denny’s. That, and we were going to do a lot of walking!
A helpful reminder to Americans that they drive on the opposite side
I had a route strategically designed to maximize the enjoyment of our walking tour. I imagined the original architects of the city would be proud of my clairvoyant understanding of their intentions. But Jen had a different plan – she wanted to go to Merrion Square to scout a kids festival she had read about (a few miles due east of where I wanted to go). “Sure thing, honey – sounds perfect!!” Ladies and gentleman – I’m no rookie.
We departed from the hotel and walked along Nassau Street (no via‘s or strada‘s in Dublin) toward the 250 year old Merrion Square, largely considered one of the city’s finest parks. The city had set up the, Big Day Out which included street theatre, music, fun zones for kids, workshops, arts and crafts, etc. A perfect place for a family… if it were open. We had gotten a bit too early of a start and arrived ahead of the opening. I consulted my map and re-routed our course. Our primary destination – the Guinness Factory… with a few “pit-stops” along the way. You know, things of lesser importance such as the infamous St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Dublin’s Castle. Only a few impressive, historical sights were in between me and my freshly brewed pint.
Walking west in the southern section of the city, we passed the back-side of Leinster House (currently the National Parliament Building) and then Department of the Taoiseach (the most impressive in a complex of Government Buildings), sights we took in through the gates along Merrion Street.
Department of the Taoiseach
Leinster House
We passed by St. Stephen’s Green and subsequently the St. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, which houses the largest indoor clock in Europe (according to the advertisement on my map). While the building was beautiful and everyone loves a giant clock… it wasn’t enough of a draw to lure us inside.
St. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre
We crossed over South Great George Street, which houses the South City Market (also referred to as George’s Street Arcade). The Victorian-style indoor market was originally opened in 1876 and re-built as it stands today after a great fire in 1892.
South City Market -or- George’s Street Arcade
We arrived at St Patrick’s Cathedral early enough to enjoy some quality time before many of the other tourists arrived. In the year of it’s founding, 1191 – St. Patrick’s Cathedral was dedicated to the same Saint for which we now devote a day of drinking Guinness and dressing in green. The cathedral is Dublin’s second largest cathedral. Since there was no precedent for two cathedrals in one city – many believe it was built 100+ years after Christ Church Cathedral in order to replace the larger church just up the street. If that was the intent, they were unsuccessful in crushing the competition. They should have consulted Sam Walton’s Irish ancestors.
Saint Patrick’s Cathedral
Julia, who had been kissed by a leprechaun
My Irish lassies
The sky was simply beautiful over the cathedral
By the time the crowds descended on St. Patrick’s Cathedral, we had departed toward the Viking/Medieval area to continue our tour. We arrived at Christ Church Cathedral just as a light drizzle cut through the otherwise strikingly blue sky we’d enjoyed all morning.
Christ Church Cathedral – the larger and older of the two
A perfect time for lunch – and as fortune would have it, a make-shift food market had been set up on the grounds of the church. An easy decision was made easier because we are always huge fans of vendor-food.
Vendors in front of the church
Kilts are back in fashion this spring
After lunch we stopped by Dublin Castle which was sadly, a bit disappointing. We have had grand visions of seeing many of Europe’s castles this year and this was to be our first “real” castle. What we didn’t know is that most of the original structure no longer stands – only one tower from medieval times remains and it is now attached to a much more modern government building. Oh well, there’s still time for more castles – I don’t suppose they’re going anywhere anytime soon.
Dublin Castle – what remains
We had made the perfect loop to put us in line with the Guinness Factory, or Guinness Storehouse as it’s called in Dublin – about two miles due west. We still didn’t know quite what to expect when we made the left onto Crane Street, except that we’d be in for a treat. The brewery-site was absolutely enormous and filled with Irish charm. Outside of Las Vegas, there’s only one other “candy store” for adults – and we had found it!
Turn left for fun
Want to increase your “cool factor” – stand here
I was a bit nervous when we saw the size of the line (our two-year old has many wonderful qualities, but patience is not one of them). I walked to the front and realized that was only the first leg – it wrapped around the building in a depressing right angle. I was slowly walking back to ask Jen the inevitable, “should we wait” when fortune stepped in and saved the day. A Storehouse employee saw us with our stroller and whisked us out of line and in through a back door. He escorted us to a special ticket counter and then directly into the Storehouse. Thank you, Mr. Guinness for mixing in customer service with your perfect balance of hops and barley.
Guinness St. Jame’s Gate – our VIP entrance
I would highly recommend this tour to anyone! The Guinness Storehouse is a single building in a larger campus of buildings designated for brewing. Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000 year lease for the property, so you can rest assured there will be many more pints to come. The Storehouse is a modern architectural dream, with glass and steel set around a museum, shop and multiple bars.
Just a portion of the enormous campus where Guinness is brewed
“I’m so excited, I could dance”
You start the tour in the atrium, at the bottom of the worlds largest glass pint (which, if full could hold 14.3 million pints of the delicious black brew). The tour winds it’s way up four of the seven stories in the building and then back down to the first floor.
Escalator to start the tour
Part of the giant pint
The Store to buy merchandise
The tour…
Hops grown in one of two parts of the world
Water is critical in the brewing proces
An old barrel used for aging
Old barrels now serve as a gate to a bar
Quote by Rupert Guinness
At the end of the tour, you can sample a free taste of Guinness. It was funny to watch people go back again and again and again. Although a bit awkward when we kept running into each other at the bar!
I heard more consecutive glasses break than ever before
Just a taste…
Then, with your paid admission – you are entitled to one free full pint of Guinness at any of the many bars of your choice. We chose the most popular, Gravity Bar at the top of the building. The Gravity Bar offers panoramic 365 degree views of the city. On a beautiful blue day like we had – we couldn’t get there fast enough.
Imagine the most amazing club you’ve ever been to – great music, tons of pretty faces, and a wonderful mood. Then add the best views of an incredible city and free Guinness… and you’ve got a proper image of Gravity Bar.
Gravity Bar overtop Dublin
The perfect pour…
…complete with shamrock…
…and a mate!
Only trouble… Julia didn’t quite get into the fun. Whether it was the loud music, the packed room or the gaggle of buzzed patrons that got a kick out of seeing a baby in a bar… she lost it and could not be consoled. We took our freshly poured pints and descended down to a quieter level to finish our drinks. Since it is our intention for this blog to one day serve as a journal for our travels… it is my hope that Julia reads this (many years from now) and knows the sacrifice we made for her!
Julia couldn’t be consoled
“Well, maybe just a sip will help”
“Why would you give me that?! I’m just a baby!”
Since we had so much fun walking and sightseeing, we decided a walk back to the hotel was not the proper way to put a punctuation mark on the end of our day. I flagged down a handsome cab and thought we would ride back in high fashion. Only thing… these horses were trained to run, not stroll! Julia loved having the wind push back her hair and even pretended to drive for a bit. Good thing she’d only had a little Guinness!!*
Riding that horse like a boss!
Julia’s view
The wind was blowing her hair back
“Who’s next? Only 20 quid!”
*No babies were harmed or really given any Guinness in the making of this post
We had exactly two trips pre-planned before we moved to Italy. One to Scotland with Jen’s family this coming June and the other; something way to good pass up… Saint Patrick’s Day in Dublin, Ireland! Jen suggested we participate in one of the largest parties in the world and I happily obliged. We booked a flight on a local carrier and headed to Dublin for a long weekend. I’m going to publish three separate posts dedicated to Dublin – too many stories and photos to fit all into one!
On our way to Dublin
We boarded our flight on Ryan Air from a small, regional airport. As it turns out Ryan Air (an Irish Airline) is simultaneously the coolest and the absolute worst airline on the planet. They offer low-cost airfare throughout Europe (great), but those flights are tricky to find and they nickel and dime you to death (not great). When you book your ticket, you have to navigate through 5 pages of extras that they try to trick you into buying (“would you like trip insurance for your goat?”). By the end, you’re too burned out to read their luggage policy and you might end up in a pickle like we did.
We arrived at the airport and were sent to a different counter because we hadn’t printed our boarding passes. €10 to print?? Err… OK, no biggie. That’s when I started to notice all the mini-luggage people were towing around (picture the novelty suitcase you would buy your 8 year-old). I glanced back at our behemoth US sized carry on bags and knew we were going to be in trouble. I didn’t even bother to try to cram it into the “your bag must fit in this cage” contraption and went to the desk to check them. AGENT: “Oh, you didn’t pre-check online? That will be €120″.
ME:“I’m sorry, I’m only on level one of Rosetta Stone – that sounds like you said one hundred and twenty euro’s for two carry-on bags?!!” AGENT: “Yes. That’s just for this leg of your flight” Gulp!
Jen and Julia boarding
With a €130 lighter jig in my step – we eagerly boarded the plane. The nickel and diming continued… “would you like water – €4″ (I’m not exaggerating). But also… “would you like lottery scratch offs and smokeless cigarettes for the flight?” Haha… hmmm, kind of cool. But I’m with my wife and baby, lady – no dice!
“Uhhh… sir, there’s a hole in the bottom of your plane!”
We departed the best/worst flight of our life and arrived in the center of Dublin. We were instantly taken with the cleanliness, beauty and charm of the city. We were going to enjoy this trip!! The forecast had called for rain, but yet the sun was shining as bright as all the red hair atop everyone’s heads.
We checked into our beautiful hotel, adjacent to one of the most popular parts of town – Temple Bar. Temple Bar houses street after street of wonderful pubs and restaurants. Admittedly, it may have been a location that suited us better 3 years ago (the partying can get a bit rowdy)… but it was still spectacular. On the other side of our hotel, we were flanked by Trinity College, one of the world’s top ranking universities established in 1592. When Julia asks, I’ll be sure to tell her that’s why I selected the site.
Our hotel
Temple Bar – too early for the crowds
Temple Bar pubs
Jameson and Guinness run this town
Enjoying Temple Bar
Temple Bar at night
We searched for a good pub to eat lunch and found the perfect place. Inside The Stags Head, the atmosphere was great, the Guinness was tremendous and the fish and chips were the best I’d ever had. Well, they’ve had over 100 years to get it right – The Stags Head was established in 1895. Julia loved the crowd she gained while feigning drinking her mom’s Guinness. We let her get close enough to get an adorable Guinness mustache.
The Stags Head est. 1895
Our first Guinness in Dublin
“Mommy, you’re so silly!”
“What’s all the fuss about?”
“Oh, now I see… delicious!”
Our food was wonderful. Here are some pictures of what we enjoyed.
Cocktail sausages and chips
Beef and Guinness Pie
Slow cooked Irish beef with roast vegetables in Guinness broth served with rosemary potatoes
Beef and Guinness pie
Traditional Fish and Chips
Fresh Haddock in a light crisp beer batter served with home-cut chips and a tartare sauce
Traditional fish and chips
After lunch we walked for miles and miles, taking in the sites and the festivities that seemed to be at every turn (a carnival, band, show or jokesters like these guys were everywhere).
Everyone was getting in on the fun
We particularly enjoyed walking down Grafton Street, a pedestrian street full of incredible shopping. If there is anything that I know, it’s that a crowded street full of pedestrians brings out the street performers!
Grafton Street – Dublin’s pedestrian shopping district
A fire juggler
He saw my camera and stopped performing to pose
The Irish are taller than the Italian
A little taste of Venice in Dublin
We passed through Fusiliers’ Arch into Saint Stephen’s Green. Fusiliers’ Arch was completed in 1907 in honor of the enlisted men and officers of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers that fought in the Second Boer War.
Fusiliers’ Arch at the northwest corner of St. Stephen’s Green
Saint Stephen’s Green is a picturesque park toward the southern end of the city. The perfectly manicured lawns matched the beautiful duck pond and stunning fountains with blissful harmony – a perfect backdrop for a curious 2 year old to run wild and wreak havoc! We chased Julia all the way into a playground we discovered and loved watching her have fun with her new Irish friends.
Saint Stephen’s Green Park
A little duck watching
A bridge spanning the duck pond
Julia by the fountains – she made her first wish
By the time the sun set we were thrilled to see another surprise. The “greening” of the city. During the St. Patrick’s Day festivities the entire city seems to participate in this tradition of green uplighting. All in all – we decided after a magical first day, we had the Luck of the Irish on our side (OK, I had to fit that in there somewhere)!
Custom House 1791
Trinity College
A Temple Bar pub
Temple Bar at night
Julia and Jen certainly loved getting in touch with their Irish roots and I was just happy to be a part of it all!
