Easter Traditions

I'm not going to lie- it can kind of suck living in a foreign country when you're a single person. I often reach this frustrating conclusion during holidays that rely heavily on family togetherness in some shape or form. Take Easter for example: during my first year in Dakar I spent the high candy holiday unpacking my household goods- but the following year it got better as I had made friends and spent Easter 2011 down in the beautiful Sine-Saloum region of Senegal. This year, it has only gotten better as I was able to pass the day with old friends who feel as close to me as family. This progression does decidedly not suck for a single person. 

Where am I on the African continent? Well....

Let's just say that my Easter Sunday started with a morning run. 

And I wasn't the only one out there. I just had to break my habit of greeting people in French as we crossed paths.

Let's just say that this is quickly becoming one of my Rave Runs.

I still find myself in the Navy because I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. The more I come back here, the more at least I know where I'd like to set down roots. The whole career bit can now follow suit.

Sometimes the most sun you see in this country comes first thing in the morning. Note to self: bring sunglasses next time so I don't jog off the cliff in blissful blindness.

You know what's great about runs like these? I'm coming off an injury and went out to do a 5K run...I felt so great that I didn't get back to my friend's house until my Garmin struck 10K. Hills and all!

And look who was up when I got back at the house! Activity was picking up at the house as I happily downed coffee and we all got ready for an outing around Wicklow.

On today's agenda was a look around Killruddery House and Gardens- a real gem that I never would have discovered on my own.


There was an Easter Egg Scavenger hunt going on, but we were content to chase walk around with our fantastic one year old who fancied this place his own personal playground.


The estate is popular in the entertainment industry- The Tudors, My Left Foot and Angela's Ashes are just a few things that have been filmed here. I can understand the appeal- it feels a lot like a secret garden.


Killruddery is home to the Brabazon Family (the Earls of Meath) since 1618. This lovely house and Orangery was built in the 1820s and is (according to the brochure) one of the most successful Elizabethan-Revival mansions in Ireland.


The gardens date from the 17th century and were designed to entertain a large number of people- most of them today are children who are having way too much fun climbing up the hills and searching through the landscaping for Easter Egg clues.


This little man, if we had let him, would have swum the length of the reflecting pools several times over if we had let him.


We watched bigger kids fishing for Easter Eggs in a wooded area- this was the first year the estate was opened up for Easter, and it was a huge hit.


I told my Irish friends about the cherry blossoms we get in DC during this time of the year, but these trees had their own beauty as Ireland is definitely in the midst of a post-winter shake off. I hope to have Olivia and Carole over on my side of the pond soon so I can show them around in kind.


With the adults tuckered out but the little one wanting to stay (I think it had something to do with the massive chocolate egg he acquired), we made our way out in order to make our date for an Easter dinner.


With the Wicklow Mountains just in the background and the ocean located just minutes away, how could you not want to live here? I'm sure that the rent and upkeep is quite reasonable...


Olivia demonstrates for me her best self-portrait skills as we queue for the bathroom. I am quite impressed.

After leaving Killruddery, I was invited to share Easter dinner with the parents of my friends in Blackrock. That's another thing about being away from your family on holidays- for better or for worse you always find yourself a guest in strange places, often learning about other family traditions. I love this.

This house was neither strange nor did I feel like an unfamiliar guest. You can chalk it up to Irish hospitality, or maybe it's just that I have really fabulous friends (I'm saying that it's both)- but  as I arrived I was handed a glass of wine and brought to the dining room table. "This Easter Egg is yours," my friend's mom said as she pointed to a massive Lindt chocolate egg. Wine and chocolate? How incredibly thoughtful!  I'm so never leaving...


Dinner on all accounts was fantastic, and I was so happy to be sharing a Sunday table with great people and great conversation. Here you find us at the end of the meal with a well-earned desert of meringue roulade. It was light and absolutely delicious. How I miss fresh raspberries while living in Dakar.


Chocolate and exercise quota more than sufficiently fulfilled, we were all a bit tuckered out from our big day.

I didn't plan any of this, but on this Sunday I was able to experience a day that combined my most favorite things in the world: running, traveling (especially to Ireland), chocolate... and most of all sharing some precious moments with people I love. It was definitely an Easter that I will fondly remember next year. Wherever I am.