oh, i do like to be beside the seaside

The tide can come in or go out in a matter of hours in Sandycove, Salthill and Dun Laoghaire. This was high tide when we arrived in the early afternoon but by the time we walked back home in the evening the sea level had dropped a good metre or two and a good part of this area had become a rocky beach again.

Ship ahoy, captain Malachy! Looking out to Howth from Sandycove.

Yes, we do like to be beside the seaside (no matter what the weather!).

This Martello tower was once home to James Joyce. It was here that he wrote Ulysses and it is to here that his followers return to celebrate its memory every year on Bloomsday.

Hidden behind the tower, you can find this...

Where the waves crash in people brave the cold waters to bathe here every day of the year!

Shiver!


On any given sunny summer's day this place is teeming with sunbathers and swimmers.

And, all year round, the water bird are in their element:

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Into the sun.

From Sandycove to Dun Laoghaire

Lunch in Dun Laoghaire... and a moment to savour his cuteness :)

The standard trip to the People's Park

Heading home, the brightness and colours are changing...

Safe at home... All that sea air makes a kid drowsy!

b..b..barcelona

...where the skies are blue :)
We went back over in January this year for Lorcan's check up with his surgeon. He got the all-clear and we all enjoyed a few days doing the things we like to do in the city.

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We met up with friends for breakfast...

Mariona was there!

And Aina too!

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We went to the Ciutadella park...

And to the zoo too. Old habits die hard.

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Mariona and Liam quickly made up for lost time...


And Liam even took a go on her roller skates!

So did Malachy!... with a little help from Albert :)

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Fun and fooling around. When you're on holidays, it's the order of the day.

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Food in all its delicious varieties is also the order of the day, of course! So we went to the Santa Caterine market for some supplies...

And ate Sara's "coca de cabello de angel" too.

We made the obligatory pilgrimage to Moncho's on the beach as well, of course!

(that's Jaime's funny face reflected in the spoon!)

M...m...mussles for his muscles (his favourite!)

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Strolling on the beach in January :D

Liam pointing to the Hospital del Mar, the very place where he and his brothers were born!

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There was also a trip to PoloPelo, our one and only trendy hairdresser's

Where MariCarmen worked her magic on the boys (and the mummy's) locks.

The fact that they actually sit still for her is magic without a doubt.

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With the January sales on, shopping was also part of our holiday experience! This is my new necklace: chosen by Liam, purchased by Daddy and modelled here by Malachy.


And I got a cool new skirt too!

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I think we can safely say a good time was had by all