Holiday Day 2

The day was off to a reasonable start.  It was overcast but pretty.  However, by the time we got of the house for breakfast, the weather was looking worse.  By the time we finished breakfast, it was raining.  I went next door for tourist recommendations while LBJ and the kids looked around the harbor.

We decided for a scenic drive up the coast to Newcastle, either for better weather or at least to kill some time.  Somehow, in the 10 or so miles up the coast, the rain stopped.  So we parked the car and headed off to the beach so the kids could run around.  LBJ explained that the cool and overcast weather is typical of a beach holiday in Ireland, so I should adjust my expectations.  Not having any beaches of note in Iowa, my beach experiences were primarily Florida and, more recently, the Caribbean or Hawaii.

FABJ and ORBJ enjoying a typical Irish beach holiday

The kids had a great time as we explored different parts of the promenade and beach.  I moved the car to the end of the beach where the family migrated, making a wrong turn and ending up in the Lidl parking lot.  So, we decided to stock up on groceries and headed home for lunch.

The weather continued to improve during ORBJ’s nap, and we left the house with positively sunny skies for an afternoon hike in the Mourne Mountains.  It was a wonderful experience (I’m more of a hiker than a beachcomber) with glorious weather and amazing mountain views, topped off by ice cream to celebrate a successful hike in Silent Valley Mountain Park.  The park even had a nice playground.

Beautiful weather for a hike!

We returned home for a dinner of leftovers followed by some Olympic watching.  It was a good day.