Plans include: setting things on fire

There are SO many things to be excited about regarding this upcoming trip to the UK. The biggest one is getting to spend Christmas with my amazing, beautiful daughter in her natural habitat. Greg wants to visit every dark, stinky old man pub possible; I hope to get a glimpse of some Roman mosaics and really old bookstores; and we all are looking forward to seeing Abbey Road, the Dickens Museum, and a day trip to the Cotswolds and Stratford-Upon-Avon (besides many, many more).

But it’s the freakin’ bonfire that I keep thinking about!

Check this out…..

Uh huh. That’s a Viking ship. It’s on fire. And on December 30, 2013, there will be one burning, and it will be partially my fault.

We’re going to Edinburgh, Scotland for New Year’s – or as they call it, Hogmanay. I spoke with someone recently who lived in Edinburgh for a number of years. According to him, Scots consider Hogmanay to be their own cultural creation, sort of the way Americans think of Thanksgiving.

Can I just say that the Scots are obviously much more fun than Americans? We used to run outside banging on a pot with a wooden spoon. That was our New Year’s fun. Oh wait – there was always the moment that Uncle Pete unexpectedly popped his false teeth out, catching them at arm’s length and making all the little kids scream. Good times.

Anyway, every year they have a torchlight procession through the city that ends at the harbor, where the processioners burn a Viking ship. We have already bought our torches. The next night, New Year’s Eve, we have tickets for the Street Party – 80,000+ people dancing in the streets, 6 bands, 12 giant screens, and fireworks – not just at midnight, but every hour beginning at 9 pm!

But before all of this …

We’re getting a PRIVATE TOUR of Castle Menzies.

I mentioned in the last post that Alex had called the castle to ask about possibly getting to see it (since it would normally be closed that time of year) or if we could at least see the grounds. Well, once we knew for certain when we  would be there, she called again. Although they were a bit resistant at first, her silver tongue convinced them that we really needed to get in there, being family and all. LOL

They called back and said we have a private tour with the director of the castle scheduled for Sunday, 12/29 at 1:30 pm. Holy crap! I hope you never have something my daughter wants – even the owners of the souks in Morocco hid when they saw her coming. She’s a force of nature. I couldn’t be prouder  

Plans have not yet fully developed for the few days in Dublin, but we do know where we’re staying – a Christmas present from my little force of nature. Clontarf Castle -

I am absolutely giddy. I will be unbearable for the next 6 weeks.