Monday, July 8, 2013

trying to say goodbye to Tuscany and Umbria

Pistoia, Florence, Siena, Montepulciano, Orvieto.






















This is impossible.

I don't know how to say goodbye.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

beginning our farewell

Here's some pictures of some cute kids I know to keep you happy while we head out on our next adventure to see Ben Harper and bid farewell to Florence and the Tuscan region.



Gotta give Uncle Matt credit for this one.
Have a really great Independence Day back in the US for me.

Monday, July 1, 2013

two weeks in Ireland in one blog post

We kissed the Blarney Stone.



We visited the coastal town where the Titanic stopped to pick up passengers.



We visited the Muckross House near Killarney.


We hung out with family members from Spokane who were there on a cool sister-city vacation because Spokane's sister city is Limerick, Ireland.



We found a waterfall.


And an old Abbey.



We drove all over the place to look at views like this one, the "Ladies' View."


This was my view for most of the trip.







We met up with Uncle Matt at the Cliffs of Moher.




We hung around Gallway.



We went to some long lost cousin's house for brunch and Irish Coffee.



We learned about the sport of Hurling.



Then we watched a Hurling match.



We visited Spokane's sister city.




And a castle nearby with a long lost cousin.




We saw a lot of whiskey.


We stopped in Adare for a quick bite to eat.



Then we hit up Dublin and Trinity College for some light reading in the "Long Room."



We spent some time in some pubs.



We learned how to pour perfect pints of Guiness.




We saw Saint Patrick's Church.


We walked around the streets of Dublin until our feet couldn't take it anymore.


Somewhere on our adventure, we stayed in a town called, Dingle, which was my favorite town. We took the kids to their aquarium, which was surprisingly amazing for such a small town. Wouldn't you know it, though, I didn't take a single picture of that place. Sorry.

And that is how your wrap up two weeks in Ireland in one blog post.