Ireland!

It wasn't long ago that we wouldn't have seriously entertained the idea of world travel.  Not for us.  Not as something real and possible.  Certainly not any time soon, for Heaven's sake.  We're strictly peasant stock.  Proudly provincial.  And poor.

But, in a curious turn of events (which has flipped the pancakes of our minds as well), we find ourselves consulting  maps constantly in an attempt to keep up with where on earth our children are.  It seems that all of a sudden there are Davises scattered all over the globe:  Paul, because he's a Marine Officer, has been to Afghanistan and back -- and is now scheduled for a six-week mission to the Middle East sometime soon again;  Michelle recently accepted a short term position as an au pair in Austria, of all places; and now Dominic is flying out to meet her for a week's vacation in Ireland.  Mind you, it was his parents' instigation that fueled the idea -- and paid for it.  It was something we wanted to do for Dominic before he goes back to the seminary at the first of the year and we found ourselves in the unusual position to be able to do it.  So, what the hey!  You only live once!  And this was practice for the trip Dan and I are determined to make ourselves someday -- who knows? --  maybe not even too awfully far in the distant future...

  And -- let me tell you, it's been a blast helping the kids out with the planning!

Shelly-n-Dominic, circa 2003 in CA
-- their  last vacation together.

There were a couple challenges to work with, of course, a limited budget being one obvious obstacle to high living.  And, since Dominic and Michelle won't have a car in Ireland,  they'll  have to get everywhere on foot or via public transit. With big ole backpacks on their backs most of the time!  (Oh, to be young and not to worry about throwing your back out while toting backpacks around Ireland!)



Here's the basic itinerary, for those who've asked:

1) They start out in Dublin tomorrow at an historic hotel in old Dublin, then move to a youth hostel on Friday night . We were able to reserve them a two-twin-bed private room at the hostel for safety, and the price was still very reasonable! 
2) To be sure and be near Mass on Sunday, they'll take the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) to a suburb on the south end of the big city, where they'll be staying in a Bed and Breakfast in view of the harbor -- and a walk to Mass at St. John's -- until Monday. 
3)  Then they get to figure out their own lodgings and itinerary for a day or two. We figured that by Monday, they'll have a good idea of which way they'll want to go and explore -- so left it up to them. High on the list of possibilities is a train ride down to Wicklow to explore the countryside in the southwestern end of the island.  But, who knows!
4) Wednesday finds them (better find them!) back in Dublin, ready to fly out again on Thursday -- Dominic, home to Colorado; Michelley back to Austria until the first of December.

AND THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION: Are we worried about them?  OF COURSE! Are you kidding?  But, really... Not too TERRIBLY much.  Dominic and Michelle are both fun-loving, but responsible young adults - -and they're together; where one falters, the other will likely step up if needed.  They have a credit account and a strict budget, but Dominic's carefully parceled out their pennies, so we're not worried about that too much. He brought a whole backpack full of protein bars, and most of the places they stay will at least serve them breakfast -- so they shouldn't starve! We're also arranging a contact person at the church -- just in case of emergencies -- and they have a phone plan that works for Europe, so will be able to Google maps and train schedules -- and send pictures and texts home...  So, yeah.  I'll be wearing down the phone lines to St. Christopher and St. Michael (Shell's patron) and Pope St. Pius X (Dominic's name patron in Religious life), and St. Patrick, and St. Brigid, and their Guardian Angels, etc., etc.,... But, it'll be in the way of a precautionary measure, doncha know.

This photo was Dominic's last text to us, as he boarded the airplane in Denver,
though he didn't actually say "Bye."  He said:  "Stromboli!  Yum!"

So.  Where are they now? Dominic left Denver this morning and is scheduled to arrive in Dublin around 7:30 a.m. Dublin time tomorrow -- just three hours from right now! (They are seven hours ahead of us there.) And Michelle leaves Austria on Wednesday morning for a short hop over to Ireland. We'll all be watching out for picture texts recording Dominic's meeting with Michelle just before lunch, their time -- and then we're hoping they'll be good about sending us updates on all they get to do and see. Seriously.  We are living their trip vicariously here! 

We really are.

 QED: In sympathy celebration of Dominic and Michelle's getting to taste the native food as they explore the land of our forebears, we're serving the cuisine of the British Isles this week (had "bangers and mash" tonight!), and are immersing ourselves in all things Irish (and/or British).  We're studying the geography of the Islands (especially Ireland), listening to Irish radio on Pandora, and reading up on everything the Big Kids send us via text about their travels.  Just waiting now for those texts to begin -- hopefully tomorrow! I'll try to post some of their adventures -- and maybe some of our Anglo-recipes, as well!  Stay tuned!

Here's to the land of the shamrock so green,

Here's to our lad and our darlin colleen,

Here's to all those we love dearest and most.

And God bless old Ireland, Heaven's outpost!