Dubrovnik - Du-beautiful

Ahhh...holidays. Sunshine, swimming, relaxing in beautiful surroundings....

This was the theme of today. Much like yesterday (and the days to follow I suspect) there was no pressure and no agenda except for some swims and an ice-cream (or two!).

I was out early this morning to do my lap of the old city wall....I was one of the first up on top of the wall so I had it all to myself for about half of it - truly peaceful in such a magical location.

Neve has fallen in love with prosciutto (although I think part of the reason is that she loves to say it with an accent and roll her “r’s” - so we bought some fresh bread, some ham and prosciutto and cheese for lunch….perfect.

The water at the beach was a little colder than the last 2 days – but still warm enough for even me to take a dip.

I must admit that we are the most over-dressed people on the beach. I have not seen another sun/rash shirt (on a child or adult) and I could count on one hand the number of women NOT wearing skimpy bikinis…..we have seen some particularly spectacular cases of sunburn – ouch.

Our 'overdressed' but sun-safe children....looking just a little bit "batman and robin" in their goggles!

Relaxing on the beach....thank goodness the apartment came with padded beach mats - the pebbles can really hurt (I have bruises on the soles of my feet!).

In the evening we went into the old city (which is literally only down the street) and had a ‘quiet’ drink in a piazza while the girls danced and entertained the crowd of nearby pigeons.

Chilling out with a beer (or two)

Neve and Eloise doing the 'marriage dance' (so they call it)

After dinner we had the obligatory ice cream (when a delicious gelato only costs 10kuna – the equivalent of about $1.50)  how can you say no?? Neve certainly enjoyed her chocolate one!!!

Tomorrow we pick up our hire car and head up the coast for some more adventure and to see if we can find a place that is even more beautiful than Dubrovnik. I could definitely come back here and spent a few weeks exploring the area…..one day…..

Dubrovnik - Eloise's 4th birthday

Today my little baby girl turned 4!!!

So Eloise was in charge of our days activities - so it isn't surprising we spent the majority of the day on the beach - stopping only to get some lunch (chicken nuggets and chips of course) and a birthday ice cream. I did search every bakery I could find in Dubrovnik but there were no birthday cakes to be found....Eloise was just as happy with the ice cream!

We managed to 'bring' a present all the way from Dublin Disney store for Eloise to open this morning.

My big 4 year old!!

She was almost as excited about the mermaid wrapping paper as the present itself.

A princess for my princess

















Shane managed to squeeze in a quick trip around the top of the city walls (I will go tomorrow morning if I can get out of bed early enough!), which shows the city from a different, but equally beautiful, angle.

I must admit this is the first time it has truly felt like a ‘holiday’ – I am SO glad I am out of “slaps’ reach” when I write this – of course it ALL has been a holiday…but I guess I am more like the children than I thought….it doesn’t feel like a ‘real’ holiday until you have sat on the beach and felt the salt air against your skin…..

It’s also the place where neither Shane nor I have any work to do (Chicago and Dublin) nor any giant list of things that I need to see (New York)…..the next few weeks are all about relaxing, swimming and enjoying the sun…anything else we see or do is a bonus.

Doing the pebble-beach "shuffle" ( it really is murder on your feet!)

Happy birthday beach babe

Even though we are on the other side of the world, Eloise managed to get quite a lot of birthday wishes which really meant a lot to her. She has decided that she is no longer a baby at 4 years old and I caught her this afternoon in her and Neve’s bedroom (did I mention how fabulous the place we are staying in is? It truly is a fantastic find – one of my best!). – she was making all the beds and folding all the clothes and lining up all the shoes…..it’s only taken me 4 years but I think I have trained her well!!!!!!!

Birthday lunch - Eloise's choice

Choosing her birthday ice-cream flavour....

Beats a birthday cake on a hot day.

Happy birthday my beautiful girl. We love you!

Dublin - Dubrovnik

Well.....they might have the same first 3 letters in their name, but Dublin and Dubrovnik could not be more different.

It's been a big day. We were up at 430am to get to the airport by 530am, for our 730am flight. Seasoned travellers Neve and Eloise were VERY excited to be starting a new adventure and to be going on another aeroplane flight (that makes 6 this trip).

We left cold Dublin behind (at a chilly 16 degrees) and less than 3 hours later, landed on the other side of Europe an in 32 degree heat!

We got into our apartment in Dubrovnik, amazed (but excited) at how hot it was…and also so grateful that our apartment is right across the road from the closest beach to the ‘old city’ of Dubrovnik! It is very beautiful to look out your bedroom window at yachts and an uninhabited island and the ancient walls of a magnificent city…!!

What we can see out of our apartment...

I don’t even think I had put our bags down before the girls were undressed and ready to put their cossies on and hit the water! It certainly was a far cry from the beach at Sandmount in Dublin.

REAL swimming this time!

Floating in the ocean with a view to the old city...

A great cool off in the ocean cleared the cobwebs and we then headed out for a late lunch at a nice little café overlooking the town.

 Another swim in the afternoon (and those who know me, know that to have even 1 swim in the ocean is pretty rare for me – so have 2 in a day means the water must be pretty warm!) and then we wandered into the ‘old city’ which lies within huge ancient walls.

Inside the walls there are countless little alleyways, enough to get happily lost in for days. It is even better than I had imagined.

Inside the city walls

Gorgeous little alleys

Poor Dublin….it isn’t that it isn’t a fantastic city…I loved Dublin…but the time had come for somewhere warm and a bit more exotic….Dubrovnik has provided the perfect solution!

Dublin - the last hoorah

Today is our last real day in Dublin....tomorrow morning we fly out to Dubrovnik, Croatia. It's been just over 3 weeks and we have had an awesome time - even beginning to feel like 'locals'....but I must admit I am looking forward to warmer weather and swimming in the warm mediterranean.

Yesterday Neve and Eloise had some time apart in the morning. It isn't that they are not getting on - just the opposite really....they have played together SO well and truly are best friends. But just to calm things down a little, Shane took Eloise into town for some father/daughter bonding while Neve and I went for a big walk down to the river to take another look at the tall ships, where Neve had a ride on a pirate ship and then we took part in a music show before walking into town to meet Shane and Eloise for lunch.

The rain started at lunchtime so we did a quick dash around town before heading home to warm up and dry out.

Today started out cold and wet. But (as is typical in Dublin) the rain stopped and the sun came out briefly - before the clouds came back. Since this was our last day, we went into town for a final walk around. We all bought warm jackets in preparation for our time in Switzerland in October - which seems ridiculous since we are about to spend the next few weeks in 30+ degree weather - but who can resist a sale! We then wandered to the Temple Bar area and went to THE Temple Bar, where we enjoyed the true Irish pub experience....

Eloise acting a bit 'fishy' in the Temple Bar

Eloise was highly impressed with the local performer at the Temple Bar...

 She insisted I take a photo of the Mickey Mouse bag....

The whiskey list at the pub

After we were kicked out of the pub for drunken rowdiness (hmmm.....sure) we walked through to another pub where we had lunch. It was pretty quiet (until we got there) but they still had Irish music playing. Neve's Irish blood means that she can't help but tap her feet whenever she hears the fiddle and flute of an Irish band....

So while they were waiting for their lunch Neve and Eloise gave us their rendition of an Irish jig...

I think Neve is going to miss Ireland the most out of all of us....

We walked back home through town....past the statue of Molly Malone (or 'the tart with the cart') and a happy leprechaun.

A quiet drink at Shane's favourite pub and it's farewell to Dublin and Ireland.  Ireland is great, Dublin is fantastic....it's been 'grand'.....

Dublin - viking splash!

So....we went on the Viking Splash bus tour.....finally!

It was actually really great fun - one of the best things we have done in Dublin!

We got there for early for the 10am tour - the girls were SO excited. There were actually so many people booked on the tour they needed 2 buses.

We got on and put on our 'viking helmets' (Eloise STILL insists on calling them 'My Kings') and were ready to go. We were told the rules of Vikings which included the fact that we hate the "celts" and had to roar at them at the best moments as we drove past (including when they were about to sip a coffee at a cafe - cappuccino celts, and those taking pictures of the bus - paparazzi celts....but we were NOT allowed to roar at the 'guarda celts' - the Irish police). We had a few practise roars and we were off...

Our two little Vikings!!

It was great The tour guide was very funny and the girls were VERY excited when we had to stop and put on our life jackets for the 'splash' into the water......

Eloise kept her helmet on the whole time - even though she had to hold it on to stop it falling off!!!!

After the tour was over...we walked back down to the Liffey River to the Tall Ships festival. I tell you - the Irish have turned it on for us...the Horse Show last weekend and the Tall Ships this weekend....

There were at least a dozen tall ships anchored down the river, with food stands and rides and face-painitng amount another things.

The obligatory face painting....why can't they stand that still and quiet for me????

A mermaid princess and a butterfly

A 'turn' on the swinging chairs (or whatever they are called)....










We walked along the river and crossed the bridge the Irish affectionately call 'The Stapler'....

We timed our visit to perfection - with the last of the tall ships - and the biggest - pulling into the river as we were there. We watched as the bridge was raised and the ship glided underneath. A truly spectacular sight. Neve was desperate to go on-board one of the ships but they were not open to the public today (as the first day of the festival)....maybe tomorrow.

We will go and take a further look tomorrow. The adventure continues.