Dubliners celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a giant parade in the city center. It’s an eclectic affair, featuring elaborate floats, costumed dancers and marching bands from high schools all over the world. My neighbor, Denise, saw us leaving the house to go to the parade and asked if we wanted to borrow her ladder. I figured she was just being friendly, and seeing a rather short family going to a parade she’d offer a ladder,
just like she might offer a tired family going on a hike a thermos of cocoa. We declined the ladder, and made our way into the city. The streets were packed. It was hard to just stay on the sidewalks, with so many people walking toward the parade route carrying ladders! Real ladders--tall ones-- like what painters use. Fiona and Myles managed to burrow their way to the front of the crowd, and had a perfect view pressed up against the barriers right along the route. (The tops of their heads are visible here, just to the left of the flag.) John, his mom and I were farther back, next to smart folks standing on those handy ladders they dragged with them. The ladder climbers had a great view of the parade, and I hade a great view of their ladders. Still blessedly no green food or drink on offer. Although people were buying some pale green ice cream from the ice cream truck, but I think it was mint, so it was legitimately green. And an enterprising Japanese man was walking around peddling trays of sushi rolls; but seaweed doesn’t count either.
just like she might offer a tired family going on a hike a thermos of cocoa. We declined the ladder, and made our way into the city. The streets were packed. It was hard to just stay on the sidewalks, with so many people walking toward the parade route carrying ladders! Real ladders--tall ones-- like what painters use. Fiona and Myles managed to burrow their way to the front of the crowd, and had a perfect view pressed up against the barriers right along the route. (The tops of their heads are visible here, just to the left of the flag.) John, his mom and I were farther back, next to smart folks standing on those handy ladders they dragged with them. The ladder climbers had a great view of the parade, and I hade a great view of their ladders. Still blessedly no green food or drink on offer. Although people were buying some pale green ice cream from the ice cream truck, but I think it was mint, so it was legitimately green. And an enterprising Japanese man was walking around peddling trays of sushi rolls; but seaweed doesn’t count either. 
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