Dec. 10, 2011 Around Dun Laoghaire and Norah meets Irish Santa!

 Gorgeous church and statue in Dun Laoghaire (from pier)

 Looking out toward the James Joyce Tower

 Wayne and Norah on East Pier

 If you could see for what would be a 3-hour ferry ride, you would see England here. =)

 The token Donkey at the Christmas Festival. =) It was so cute! There was a baby goat too so Norah loved it.

I think these are so beautiful. This is just a small meter cover or whatever it is, on the sidewalk. There are tons of them. Some of the larger ones are even more beautiful. Even these have celtic designs. This particular one is about 6 inches across but there are larger ones about 12 inches across with Gaelic and celtic knots.

I hope to do an entire ode to Irish Doors at some point. I'll just keep collecting them I suppose. The doorways here are as beautiful as they're rumored to be.

 "Chim-Chiminey-Chim-Chiminey-Chim-Chim-Chah-roo" (I really can't help it. I think of this everytime I see these types of chimneys - which is several times a day now)

Why yes, this IS Irish moss. I was standing at this stone wall, hunkering down from the cold as we waited for the bus and this was right at my eye level so I decided to snap it. =)

 Norah in an Irish baby store (Mothercare)

 This is the most charming and magical little Weekend Market - the Blackrock Market. I figured this was more like a Farmer's market but it seems more like a constant fixture. It winds through these back little alleyways that you would never know were there and there are small vendor-shops in literal holes-in-the-wall. There are lots of antiques and very random things here.

 MOST random of all was Santa's Grotto. This was a cute/creepy Santa's house that was actually down a flight of stairs into what resembled a dungeon. Of course, they had it fixed up with garland and bells (and two teenagers dressed as elves) but it was a dungeon just the same. =) We thought it was adorable and we were slightly creeped out, all at the same time. What was truly amazing though was that this was free and the elves went in and told Santa her name and he personally called her into the room by her name. Then they even gave us a little wrapped present for Norah (for FREE!). =) Of course, as an American, I was floored by this because last year I spent $65 just to get a picture of my 6 month old sitting with an awkward santa. And I mean A picture - let alone, taking our own pictures and getting a personally wrapped present. (it was a baby rattle telephone but still....) =)

 Before we found Santa's dungeon, Norah was so cute - she kept saying "Santa - where Arrrre you??"

 Just loved the "Drinking Emporium" term

 And yes, we went to an Irish Starbuck's. We don't even really go to Starbuck's at home but we thought it might be nostalgic. For one, it was PACKED and it was HUGE. This is the largest Starbuck's I have ever seen. Two, and you can see this below, the ENTIRE back of the starbuck's looks out onto the Irish Sea, complete with a full balcony.

 This puts any Seattle Starbuck's to shame. (By the way, this is the Blackrock Starbuck's which is a fairly posh area so that may explain the opulent awesome-ness)

Here's walking through Blackrock. This is SUCH a cute area. (This is where our friend Andy lives and it's about 1.9 miles from us) They have fancy clothing shops, a sweet little organic market and a posh little baby store. It's adorable!