hansen-family

[hansen-family]

Ireland between lockdowns

It’s been a good while since posting since there hasn’t been much travel to speak of. We’re thankful that our family is healthy and have been through a few lockdowns in Ireland since the start of the pandemic. When travel between counties was allowed we used the opportunity to get around Ireland a bit.

July - County Sligo and Donegal

We took a trip North and stayed at a the Diamond Coast Hotel on Enniscrone Beach. One of the best soft sand beaches we’ve experienced in Ireland and it was a great get-away. We took the back roads through the countryside and packed in lots of short stops in the town of Sligo, Rosses point, the town of Donegal, and the Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery. On the way home we stopped in Cong, which is famous for the filming location of a John Wayne film “The Quiet Man” 

August - Ring of Kerry, Cork, Limerick

In August we finally made it south to Co Kerry and made stops in Cork and Limerick. The ring of Kerry is amazing and was made all the better by the total lack of tour busses. We stayed in Kenmare, which is on the south edge of the Kerry penisula and drove the ring clockwise from there. While we couldn’t visit the Skellig islands, we were able to see them in the distance from the Kerry cliffs and were able to check out reproductions of the beehive shelters there.

Cork is a pretty big, modern city. We checked it out and visited the Cork City Gaol which is a former prison-turned-museum. We also visited Cobh which is a beautiful little town on the harbor and the last stop of the Titanic.

We’ve just seen a lot of our own walls in September through November. At least the kids have been back in school, which provides some sense of routine. Our most recent level-5 lockdown will be relaxed this weekend and we plan to have our Thanksgiving meal on Saturday with a few close friends. 

Lots of love to our our family and friends back home and Happy Thanksgiving! 

[hansen-family]

February 2020 - Nice

We took a short trip to Nice while the kids had a break from school and travelled with a friend and her daughter. Sarah hit the mark and booked an awesome hotel in the heart of Nice just across from a park and the coast. As luck would have it there were a few different festivals happening the week we were there and there was a parade of lights with some awesome floats on the street just below our room that we were able to watch from the balcony.

Our first day we took a hop-on-hop-off tour of Nice to see the sights and get our bearnings. Second day we rode the bus North up the coast to Menton, then to Monaco before returning to Nice. Day three was a train ride South to Cannes and the fourth day we walked around Nice and hung out on the shoreline for a while before flying back to Dublin.

The weather was great everyday and a much needed break from the rain and cold. Nice is a beautiful and diverse city with lots of parks and small squares. Easy to walk around and full of small cafes to enjoy fresh croissants, espresso, and crepes.

The Monte Carlo casino in Monaco

Luxury yachts in every port

Lots of love to everyone!

[hansen-family]

October 2019 - Spain

We had a bank holiday the week of Halloween and the kids were off school. We took a trip to central and northern Spain to visit a friends home and tour Madrid and the Asturias region of the Atlantic coast. 

We flew into Madrid, then drove north to the small town of Medina del Campo where we stayed two nights with Santi and his parents Candela and Jose. They were very welcoming and generous hosts, arranging a tour of the local castle, treating us to an amazing traditional barbeque with skewers of lamb and chicken, and some wonderful local wine.

The castle is entirely brick and has a rich history of royalty and a special connection to queen Isabela, who famously provided Christopher Columbus with the ships that led to the exploration of the new world. Entirely made of brick, it was very resilient to cannon fire, evidenced by large dents in the walls from battles hundreds of years ago.

Local bars serve tapas and each has something unique. These “brids nests” were particularly tasty.

Jose and Santi made us a fantastic meal, so much food! Santi is a barbeque god, everything from the meat and seasoning to the grape vines used for the fire is carefully considered. The food and wine were delicious!

We then travelled north to Asturias and stayed in a nice apartment on the coast for two nights. The landscape is incredible, rugged rocky mountians, beautiful soft beaches in bays at the foot of the cliffs, and windy mountain roads. The autumn foliage was incredible and made for an enjoyable drive.

This beach was just inland where tunnels connect to the sea, there are small waves and the tide goes in and out.

Too cold for Sarah and I, but the kids played and swam in the ocean for hours. Temperatures were in the high 60′s and low 70′s.

We finished the trip driving back to Madrid Halloween night and staying in an apartment in the heart of the city before flying back to Ireland. Madrid is a cool city with lots of activity and a huge central park with outdoor cafe’s. We walked through the park checking out musicians and street performers and enjoying lunch in the warm fall weather.

It was a great trip, Spain has a lot to offer. It is so different from the central plains to the green mountians in the North. We’ll need to do another trip to the southern coast, Barcelona, and Ibiza some day.

No more travels until our trip to Florida for Christmas. We’re all really looking forward to it, especially as the Irish winter starts to set in. We got some very short, wet, and cold days ahead until Spring comes around. Will be ready for a break in the sun come December!

[hansen-family]

August 2019 - Inis Oírr

The next weekend after returning to Ireland from Scotland we took a ferry from Doolin to Inis Oírr (the smallest of the Aran Islands). We rented bicycles for the kids and spent the day walking and seeing the sights. It was a great trip and we were happy to be able to share it with family.

Waiting for our ferry to return to Doolin, were greeted by the passing Happy Hooker :)

Back home we enjoyed a nice pint in the local thatch pub in Oranmore and got the kids ready for their first day of school!

[hansen-family]

August 2019 - Scotland

My folks visited us in Ireland for a few weeks at the end of August. While they were here we took a few trips together. After hanging around Galway for a few days we went to Scotland and stayed in a farmhouse in Fife, just north of Edinburgh. From there we were able to take day trips to Inverness and Loch Ness where we attended a local Highland Games gathering (awesome!), Sterling castle, Doune castle, the Falkirk Wheel, and the Wallace Monument.

Hanging out in Edinburgh and views from the street and the castle from below

The “Royal Mile” in Edinburgh

The Highland games at Loch Ness were awesome. It’s like a county fair with rides, food, booths, and a track meet all at the same time.

I bought a great tweed hat at one of the booths that’s my favorite now.

A view of Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle

Sterling castle was fantastic, there was a “living tour” with people dressed in period attire that explained what life was like in the castle during medieval times. The Unicorn is the national animal of Scotland and appears prominently in scupture, tapestries, and symbols.

Dounde castle is featured in many shows and films (Monte Python and the Holy Grail, Game of Thrones, Outlander) and we explored it with an audio tour. Alivia was not excited, but warmed up quickly as we found hidden corners.

We climbed the 246 to the top of the Wallace Monument and enjoyed spectacular views from the top!

[hansen-family]

August 2019 - Delphi Adventure

Just before we moved to Ireland we were given a day pass for a family adventure at the Delphi Resort in Connemara. We took the kids for Archery, Climbing, and Bushcraft and had a blast. The weather was mild and perfect for a day outside.

We built a shelter in the forest using a tarp and a few bits of rope. I think we could’ve stayed the night and been decently protected from rain and wind. Sarah chose a perfect outcropping for it.

Learned to start a fire using flint and steel with a cotton ball and vaseline.

The Connemara landscape is beautiful year round and the resort would be a nice place to stay a weekend.

[hansen-family]

Italy April 2019

We spent 6 days in Italy in April, 3 days in Rome, 2 days in Bologna, and one last day in Rome before coming home to Ireland.

The food and sights were amazing... the Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Borghese Gardens, and the Spanish Steps. The ruins of the Roman capital and the contemporary city are beautiful and comfortable contrast.

We took a high speed train from Rome to Bologna through Tuscany. The landscape is gorgeous and the weather was cooperative. It rained a few days of our travels but nothing to slow us down. The kids will forever remember the time Dad made them walk 40 minutes in the rain through Rome back to the hotel :)

Lasagna, Tagliata, and Pizza nearly every meal, lots of great espresso and gelato too!

Far too many pictures to share them all, but here are some of our favorites.

Anytime we ordered drinks, we were served olives and bread. Delicious and refreshing!

Riding a cycle cart through the Borghese Gardens in Rome.

Enjoying a meal in Bologna near the towers.

View from the train.

Fountain in the Vatican.

Food, food, food!

Lots of love to all and that’s all for now!

[hansen-family]

London Feb 2019

The kids had a week off school for midterm break, so we took the opportunity to take a trip to London. We couldn’t have asked for better weather, it was dry and sunny nearly the entire time we were there. Our last day we took a walk through Hyde Park to enjoy the sun and spring flowers blooming.

We bought Oyster cards which allowed us to take the tube and buses anywhere we wanted. There was a tube station just down the street from the hotel, which made it really convenient. All Museums are free admission in the UK, so we took the opportunity to check out 3 of them, but could have spent an entire week to visit them all.

Day 1 - London Eye, Aquarium

The Aquarium and London Eye are on the River Thames just across from Parliament, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey. The tower clock and parts of the parliament building are surrounded by scaffolding at the moment, but it was still quite a sight. We also learned that “Big Ben” is actually the bell inside the clock tower and that it was cast in the same UK foundry that produced the Liberty Bell.

We were able to purchase a ticket package that included a ride on the London Eye, the aquarium, a 1-day bus and river boat tour, and admission to the Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum. The aquarium was neat, and probably the thing the kids will remember most.

From the London Eye you get an amazing 360-degree view of the city

Day 2 - Bus tour, Hamley’s, Trafalger square, boat trip on the River Thames

We took a hop-on-hop-off bus tour of London. Stopped in to Hamley’s, an amazing 5-story toy store, and toured Trafalger square which hosts Nelson’s Column and the National Gallery.

We ended the day with a sunset cruise on the River Thames to the Tower Bridge and Tower of London.

Marked on the river is the “Entry to the Traitor’s Gate” where treasonous prisoners were returned to the Tower of London for execution several hundred years ago.

The Tower of London is surrounded by the modern city. We were told that this area was settled by the Romans during their Empire and that stone paved Roman roads still exist beneath the modern pavement.

Day 3 - Changing of the Guard, Imperial War Museum, Madame Tussaud's

We started the third day riding the tube to Buckingham Palace to see the Changing of the Guard. There was a big crowd, and the new Guard marched past us, led by a band. The kids played at a park near the Palace, then we headed to the Imperial War Museum.

I’m a rocket geek and one of the highlights of the trip for me was seeing a Nazi V2 rocket in the museum. The V2 was developed by a team led by Werner Von Braun, who was brought to the US after WWII. Von Braun and his team then led the development of the Redstone rocket for the Mercury program and eventually the Apollo rocket which carried Astronauts to the moon.

We finished the day at Madam Tussaud’s Wax Museum, which was better than I expected. There were galleries of celebrities, royalty, Star Wars, and the Marvel superheroes. 

Princess Diana is taller than we expected :)

Day 4 - Royal Albert Hall, Hyde Park, Natural History Museum, Science Museum

Our last full day in London we visited Royal Albert Hall and walked through Hyde Park. The weather was amazing and there were lots of people enjoying the fresh air. The park is huge, and only one of several in the city. There were even kids taking horse riding lessons!

Next we visited the Natural History and Science Museums... and saw another V2!  Thought it was interesting they have the most complete Stegosaurus fossil which was uncovered in Wyoming.

The second V2..

There are still the iconic red phone booths in London, although very few actually have phones in them... suppose they’re left for silly photos with tourists

It was a great trip that I think the kids will remember. All the best to our friends and family back home!

[hansen-family]

Dublin for a day

We took a short trip Friday night to meet up with my friend Ed, who was is in Belfast on business and was able to take an extra day to hang out with us Saturday. The Six Nations Ruby tournament is this weekend in Dublin and the Ireland vs. England match was Saturday , so there are big crowds in town. 

Friday night we stayed in a hotel downtown and found lots of friendly folks in the hotel bar to talk with. Enjoyed some Pizza, Guinness, and Jameson while catching up.

Saturday was bright but cold and we explored the city on a hop-on-hop-off bus tour. We checked out Trinity College and had a pint at the famous Temple Bar. Thanks for taking the time to come see us Ed, we had a great time!

[hansen-family]

A trip to Belfast

We spent a few days of the holiday break in Belfast.

Our first day we toured the Titanic museum. It was really cool, the Titanic and her sister ship the Olympic were built in the H&W shipyard where the museum now stands.

The site also includes the restored H&W offices where the ship was designed, this is one of the drafting rooms (now a bar) where the original plans were made and transferred to linen for use in the yard.

The slip where Titanic was constructed is on the left hand side of the pic. Game of Thrones does filming in the studio building in the background.

Next day we visited the Giant’s Causeway on the northern coast which a formation of hexagonal basalt columns. Legend is that a giant, Finn McCool, lived here. Definitely worth the drive to see.

We wrapped up the day with a hockey game in downtown To see the Belfast Giants vs. the Glasgow Clan. The Giants recovered from a 0-3 deficit in an exciting 5-4 victory.

Wishing everyone a happy new year!

[hansen-family]

Kylemore Abbey

Over the weekend we took a trip to Kylemore Abbey about 1.5 hours North of Galway. The area is called Connemara and features a rugged landscape of forested hills, grassy lowlands crisscrossed by streams, and ranges of rocky peaks with cascading waterfalls.

The Abbey sits at the edge of a lake (Kylemore Lough) and there is a Victorian walled garden and neo-Gothic church on the property. It was originally built in 1868 as a home by a wealthy physician and textile heir for his wife. It has since served as a boarding school and Abbey for Benedictine Nuns.

One of my colleagues from Boulder happened to be in Galway for training and was able to join us for a day of sightseeing. We toured the inside of the castle, the gardens and the church. Luckily the weather cooperated and we stayed dry the whole time :)

The gardens were awesome, and at one time had several green houses where they grew bananas, tomatoes, peaches, and nectarines. They have been restored in the last few decades but only the ruined foundations of most of the greenhouses remain.

The girls found a friend too!

The Church has beautiful stained glass windows and thin marble columns from all around Ireland.

Lot of trails and gorgeous scenery...

That’s it for now!

[hansen-family]

Christmas is around the corner

Brussels Sprouts are a big Christmas Tradition here. Who can do without Brussels Sprouts candy for your stocking?

Our family went to a Christmas tree farm in Galway and bought a tree for the house. We got to roam around 5 acres of trees, pick one we liked, then they cut and netted it for us to take home.

We haven’t had a real tree for a *long* time, it was fun to pick it out with the kids and they had so many different types and sizes that looked so good it was a tough choice.

But it was clear when we found just the right one!

Some popcorn and cranberries, lights, ornaments, and a hand-drawn angel for the top make it even more beautiful!

[hansen-family]

Science!

At the end of November the kids and I spent an afternoon at a local Science and Technology fair at he National University of Ireland Galway which Medtronic sponsored. The girls all had a lot of fun dressing up as doctors, playing with medical demos, and seeing all the different booths and activities. Thank you to NUI Galway, Medtronic, and all the other volunteers and sponsors for a great experience!

[hansen-family]

Our first 4 weeks in Ireland

Wow, we’ve been in Ireland for four weeks now... on one hand it’s gone by so quickly, and on the other we’ve done so many things it’s hard to believe it hasn’t been longer. Big first post to try to capture the highlights.

The basics are falling into place. Recently moved in to a rental house in Oranmore just outside of Galway and within walking distance from the primary school where all three girls are attending. Picked up a used car to get to work and back. And finally have internet in the new house!

We arrived the week before Halloween, just in time for a bank holiday (three day weekend), and week-long midterm break in the school year. We brought Halloween costumes with us and the kids were able to go trick-or-treating in Oranmore. We also got to see a really cool Halloween parade through downtown Galway.

The kids started school the week after we arrived. We had just enough time to procure all of their books, supplies, and uniforms. The school is an all-girls national school. They’ve adjusted really quickly and and falling right into the routine of homework and such. Alivia is even studying some Irish language in 2nd class. Ashley and Morgan and in 6th class and will move on to Secondary school next year. Haven’t started sports or other activities yet, but hope to soon. I’m trying to convince them to give Camogie a try.

We spent the first week in a single hotel room in Downtown Galway while waiting for our temporary housing to become available. Then the next two weeks in a 2 bedroom apartment in the Connacht Hotel while we looked for a rental house. We got really lucky and found a 4 bedroom house in Oranmore to rent just where we wanted to be and walking distance from the kids school. Work is about 9.5 km (6 miles) away, but traffic is insane in the morning and afternoon rush hour, so takes ~20 minutes each way. We moved in on a Friday, which coincidentally I learned is a tradition for good luck in Ireland. 

There has been a lot to do to get the basics in place, but we did take one day to visit the Cliffs of Moher with the kids about 1.5 hrs south of us. Stopped along the way to see a castle and appreciate the scenery. The cliffs are amazing and the weather was good for viewing.

We celebrated Thanksgiving and Sarah made an amazing meal with Ham, green bean casserole, stuffing, and mashed potatoes.

The biggest differences for us so far...

Cars & Driving - Other side of the road, driving from the right side of the car, very narrow road and cars parked up on the curbs and sidewalks most places. Took us a while to become accustomed to it, but now we’re both pretty comfortable. Lots of car brands I’ve heard of but never seen (Citroen, Renault) and several I wasn’t familiar with at all (Skoda, Seat). Car insurance was tough to get as several companies declined us. Costs are astronomical without several years history and a “no claims bonus”. We did get insurance at a reasonable price after shopping around quite a bit, but were shocked at initial quotes of 4,500 EUR per year for one vehicle. I’m told many new drivers spend just as much on insurance their first year as they do on their first car. Can drive for 1 year on our U.S. licenses, but must complete 12 instructor led lessons and pass a theory test to obtain an Irish license in that time.

Appliances - Everything is smaller. We have to shop for groceries often because there just isn’t room in the fridge for much. The washer and dryer are also smaller. Our clothes dryer doesn’t require a vent to the outside and condenses water into a tank that you empty between loads.

Trash disposal - Very few trash cans in public. Recycle nearly everything (except glass) and trash is only picked up at the house every two weeks. If you have more, there are disposal places that will take a “boot load” for ~ 15 EUR. 

That’s it for now. We miss all of our friends and family in Colorado but are enjoying our adventure. Hoping to take several trips around the country and into Europe in the months to come and will share lots of pictures.

The Hansen Family