The Viking Life is A-Calling
On our second day in Ireland, our group had decided that we would take a viking tour around Dublin. Everybody was super excited because a) you got to ride on a duck boat (which goes on land and in the water), b) there were viking hats provided, and c) there were viking shouts involved. Sadly, when Chiquita called to make reservations for later that day, the viking tours were completely booked. We were rejected from the viking life. There was some serious let-down among the group.
But then, following Chiquita's lead, everybody rallied. We decided that it was a blessing in disguise* that the viking tour was full, and that clearly we were meant to do bigger and better things with our day. And thus, the Deluxe Irish Viking Adventure idea was born.
We all threw on crazy hats that Chiquita just happened to have around her apartment, and started brainstorming good "I didn't make the viking team but I'm still a viking" chants. When we all realized our actual viking historical knowledge was scarce, we resorted to "arg" (viking pirates) and "conquer!" (they did that... right?) Then, Chiquita had a brainstorming breakthrough: we would take our group of adventurous vikings on a road trip down the Irish coast and visit Glendalough and Avoca.
A quick stop on the side of the road to get a better look at the sheep. No, Shanaynay is not wearing one on her head.
Glendalough (Gleann Dá Loch)
Our first stop was Glendalough, a 6th century monastic settlement set in a glacial valley. It was about an hour south of Dublin, in the middle of sheep-covered hillsides. The leaves had begun to turn, so we went what the Irish call "leaf peeping." Thanks to Shanaynay's guidebooks, we learned that Glendalough actually had a viking past as well. Glendalough rose to importance when Kevin** came to the area and founded a monastery. The town flourished and later became a target for conquering vikings. Let's just say, with our hats and clearly frightening chants, history repeated itself last Saturday.
The ruins were beautiful and had a sense of tranquility about them. Here are a few of my pictures from Glendalough:
After taking many sets of jumping pictures (where it only took us about an hour for all four of us to get a photo with everybody simultaneously in the air), we took our hats back on the road to Avoca.
Avoca (Abhóca)
After so much jumping, everybody was ready for a little sustenance. Conveniently, Avoca offered delicious food. We ate salads, cookies, bars, scones with clotted cream (which is clearly a gift from the gods) and jam with our afternoon tea. Adjacent to the restaurant was a store which sold all sorts of handwoven goods, along with genius gift ideas. That person who has everything? Shop for them at Avoca.
Tea and scones are good for the soul.
After Avoca, we viking explorers returned to Dublin a little more in love with Ireland.
* And we were right.
** Kevin, like Madonna, is important enough to have only one name.
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