As I look back on my life and travel adventures, I realize there have been some very special moments. Those moments encompass feelings and sometimes a few friends. A culmination of moments in Ireland that may seem silly to most people can have such meaning for me.
One night in Dublin our group dressed up and enjoyed a nice dinner out. I remember wearing a peach and pink silk dress that made me feel pretty. After dinner a few of us went in search of a pint (or two) near Grafton Street. As we walked down the street, I heard someone call out from a steetside cafe, “Louisiana!”
I looked around and noticed a guy I had met the evening before at Lillie’s Bordello in the VIP area. We chatted the evening before while waiting in line for the restroom when he complimented my hair. Apparently, the VIP area at Lilly’s Bordello is where all the celebrities hang out in Dublin, and since I was in there, it was assumed I was an American celebrity, which in itself is the funniest thing ever. The guy in question (can’t remember his name) was a celebrity hairdresser, so I was very flattered that he admired my curls.
“Will you be at Lillie’s tonight?” he asked, as a few camera flashes went off around us while we chatted in this public area.
I sassily replied, “Maybe.” Then headed to catch up with my friends.
I had a grin and was smiling inside as we stepped into a pub for a pint. There was traditional Irish music playing, the smell of a peat fire, and apparently there was a birthday party in progress for a special needs young man. As the evening progressed, dancing ensued while my friends and I gathered the young man into our group and we danced in a circle.
The sweetest thing happened when the dance ended. The young man bowed to me like a gallant knight of old and declared me a fairy queen to everyone in the pub. Much cheering could be heard as our group headed out to close the evening at Lillie’s.
I was still smiling the next morning as I boarded my flight to the US, punch drunk from the entire journey around Ireland and the joy I experienced there. For this mom of two, being a fairy queen or a mistaken celebrity, even for a moment, is something that still makes me smile all these years later.
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