Th first time Jon and I came to Ireland in 2003, we stayed at the Jackson Court Hotel on Harcourt Street. We really loved the old Georgian architecture and the easy proximity to St. Stephen's Green and Grafton Street.

When we returned in 2008 with mom and my brother, Sean, we stayed there again. This time the hotel wasn't quite as magical, but the ladies of the breakfast room made up for the unattached bathroom fixtures, missing heat and lack of lift.

Prime of the ladies was Sylvia. She adored mom and took care of her. When she saw mom's legs were bothering her she had the cook brew some ginger root tea. When the time came to leave she gave mom some raw root and they exchanged addresses.

We knew we'd have to stop by to see her this trip.

We tried yesterday, but it was Sylvia's day off. We went back today with much better luck. We not only got to see Sylvia, we got to see her on her last day. Today, the Jasckson Court Hotel made Sylvia and one other of the breakfast room ladies, redundant. If we'd missed them today we would have missed them forever.

Sylvia had us sit for a cup of coffee. She knew us the moment we walked in. After asking after mom and Sean, she wanted to know if Jon still had the store, and then how he was enjoying his retirement. It was a lovely visit, and before leaving we made sure we all had addresses for Christmas cards.

After that it was another day of walking, walking and more walking. We saw the Irish Writers' Centre, Guinness Brewery, Phoenix Park and more living statues on Grafton Street (above).

Guinness was a really interesting tour. You start in the middle of the floor where a guide gives you a brief history of the Guinness family. She points to a glass disc embedded in the floor and invites us to read the 9000-year lease buried under. Then she motions, much like Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, and the gates spread open and the adults rush into the wonderful world of stout. Heck, there was even a waterfall!

At the top of the brewer is the Gravity Bar, a circular bar with glass walls offering a spectacular 360-degree view of Dublin's rooftops and the Wicklow Mountains in the distance.

Our last visit one of our bus tours drove past Merion Square where there's a great statue of Oscar Wilde reclining on a large rock. Jon and I went to the park because I wanted a picture of the "quare in the square.

We debated going back to Gallagher's Boxty House for dinner, but instead opted for Gogartys. There was live music and a raucous crowd. By the time we finished it was late and we were both too tired to take advantage of Culture Night 2012. Maybe we'll hit 2014.