Well.....if this is July 14th then it must be our last full day in Ireland :(
Got off to a bit of a slow start this morning and were greeted with some pretty grey skies as we made our way into town by taxi. (Cab costs approx 25 Euros one way)
Our first cabbie of the day was quite a character....we asked him to drop us off at Christchurch Cathedral and he dropped us at the wrong cathedral! Who'd have thought that a cabbie wouldn't know the major tourist attractions after (according to him) he's lived here his entire life and been driving cab for 9 years!!!
We finally located Christchurch and Dublinia (another attraction that has lots of info about the arrival of the Vikings to this area) thanks to the guidance of folks hiding in doorways along the street. Why were they hiding in doorways you ask? Well....I'll tell you.....it's because we were in the midst of a torrential downpour and let me assure you that when it rains in Ireland....it RAINS! We were soaked to the skin in no time as we made our way down the street realizing that it was far too late for us to look for a doorway to hide in.
We spent enough time in Dublinia and Christchurch to dry off a little before braving the elements again. Amazingly....and this is a common pattern in Ireland from what we've observed.....the roads were dry and the sun was shining ..... it was as though not a drop had fallen! But....within minutes the clouds had gathered once more and before we knew it our hoods were back up and our previously nearly dry clothes were on their way to being soaking wet again.
We located a pub to "hide" in and since we were 'hiding-out' in a pub....there was little else to do but grab a little pub grub and something to wash it down with. By the time we were back to the streets.....yes....you know it....the sun was shining and the streets were dry once more!
Local folks here say that a typical weather forecast is that "it will rain till it stops with intermittent sunny periods throughout the day. Clouds are likely for much of the day and you may see some foggy patches when the sun isn't shining through." Basically....my take on it is that they don't have a clue so they cover all their bases just to be on the safe side.
You'll not be surprised to hear that within a couple of blocks of our return to the street....the rain began to fall once more so by the time we arrived at the Guinness Brewery we looked much like the sorry drowned rats we were.
The Brewery was interesting and the 7th floor (the Gravity Bar) provides an outstanding view of the city. And wouldn't you know it.....whenever we're inside anywhere...there isn't a drop of rain falling! By the time we came out of the Brewery the rain had begun to fall once more and we were all ready for a place to dry off so we caught a cab back to our hotel where tea and cookies and a nice warm room were waiting for us.
I'm laughing as I type this....it is just after 10:00 pm here and everyone but me is in bed (nothing new in my world). All three of them (Rob, Jenna, and mom) are ready to head for home and have been for at least a day. Rob is planning his shopping trip to duty free, he's looking for a watch that will suit his new appointment as a marriage commissioner so mom and I are going to get to "help" him find that perfect accessory at the Dublin Airport. Gotta love shopping when it isn't your own money that you're spending :)
I guess I'd better sign off for now and get myself packed for our departure in the morning. It's been another great adventure but as much as I've enjoyed being here....the "Irish Mist" is wearing thin and I'm ready for a little Okanagan sun to soak up.
See you all soon,
L
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
July 13, 2009
Whew! Handed the car back into the rental agency this afternoon so am off the driving hook for the remainder of our trip. In truth...it wasn't really all that bad. The first couple of hours were a little challenging as that included getting out of Dublin but once I reconnected the rusty links in my brain from the last time I did this wrong side of the road stuff....it wasn't bad at all. In fact....It's really part of the adventure :) Had great navigators for the trip so all I really had to do was keep it between the ditches....and although we had a moment of adreniline earlier today...for the most part I did alright if I do say so myself.
We're back in Dublin - arrived at our hotel here about 4 this afternoon so after a shower to recover from our Newgrange experience (I'll explain in a minute) we were off to Temple
Bar area of downtown Dublin for dinner and a wee wander around. It's a lively spot in the heart of the city and boasts a very international flavour with the tourists from all over the world who gather there to experience the pub culture that Ireland is so famous for. We had pub grub in Sir Gogherty's (along with a glass of Guiness of course) and then spent a little time checking out a few other shops and wandering along the road eavesdropping on the music that spills out the doors as patrons come and go.
I should really go back in time a little though as it's been a few days since I've been able to add to this blog as there is no wireless at Derrygoony (the farm).....
We arrived at the farm after a good days drive from Portrush in the north. Although we had some nasty weather along the way...the drive was relatively easy as Rob had settled into his role of navigator with his multiple maps and guide books for reference.
We received the royal welcome at the farm when we drove up the lane.....everyone came out to greet us at our arrival. As amazing as this may sound....within minutes of our arrival.....Rob spied a fallen tree that Eric had taken down a couple of years prior (it had died for some unknown reason). The tree had been at least 80 years old and it was a Western Red Cedar....not a tree commonly found in this part of the world so it had to have been planted, likely by one of our ancestors. As luck would have it Eric also had two freshly sharpened chain saws (one large and one small) and within the hour Rob was up on a ladder and carving Ireland's first ever chain saw carving. It turned out beautifully and everyone who came by over the three days we were there was duly impressed. The carving is of an eagle sitting on a tree stump. The piece is about 8 feet tall and now sits where the original tree once stood....so it's back in it's home and looking better than ever. Rob only used 1/2 of the log so perhaps Eric will try his hand at the other half. Either that or Rob will have to go back to do a matching piece for them at a later date....who knows....maybe he will.....
In addition to the awesome gift that Rob was able to leave with them (it really is Ireland's first...no one there had ever seen anything like it and only one or two had ever even heard of such a thing as possible)....we enjoyed some great craic sitting around with family and friends in the new addition to the house (they almost doubled the size of the house since I was there last), we attended Thelma and Peter's wedding in the church where the Forde family has been attending for hundreds of years, and the reception that was held in Monaghan (about half an hour away) at the Four Seasons Hotel...a very fancy affair. The reception was a highlight for everyone. Irish weddings really are a wonderful experience and we were so thankful to have had the opportunity to be included. We met so many cousins we didn't know we had and everyone danced till the wee hours of the morning. Mom likened it to a dance of her youth and it was obvious that young and old will remember it with a smile.
The day following the wedding meant a trip back into Monaghan to retrieve the cars (we hired a bus to drive us home after the reception - much safer that way!) and then of course....there was another party with many of the family and friends we'd met the day before dropping by the house for a couple of drinks and some craic. John and Hannah had to leave that morning though so we missed them at the Sunday party but they were on their way to see Bruce Springstein in concert in Dublin that night before their early morning flight on Monday so we didn't feel too sorry for them.
This morning we all shed a few tears as we said good bye to everyone at the farm and hit the road for points south. Our first (and as it turned out...our only)stop was at Newgrange where during our tour the skies absolutely opened up on us and when you're in the middle of a field with nothing to hide under or behind.....there's little to do but get soaking wet....which is exactly what we did. It's too bad that the weather turned so bad during our time there as it made it difficult to enjoy the scenery and the ambiance of the place but we did get into the centre chamber and that for me was another highlight. When I think of the fact that Newgrange pre dates the pyramids in Egypt and Stonehenge in England by centuries.....it's hard to believe that we were able to walk right into the centre chamber of the megolith. Imagining the work that went into the getting of the materials (rocks that weigh up to 10 tons each) and then the building of the structure that is the size of a football field....is almost overwhelming. It is estimated that Newgrange would have taken up to 15 years to build. Anyway....it's still on my top 10 places to see in the world!
We had planned to stop at the Hill of Tara today too but the weather just wouldn't cooperate so we pressed on with wipers going at full speed and made it back just in time to get the car turned in without incurring too many additional late charges. Now that the car has been handed in and I'll assume that no one from the rental company will be reading this....I can say that while on our journey...we lost a hub cap but as luck would have it....mom and I found one near Dunguaire Castle (early in our travels). The hub cap didn't match but...it was roughly the right colour and it did fit the rim so....just before we handed the car back in, Rob jumped out, popped on the "new" hub cap, and during the walk around everyone held their breath .......we passed the visual test - whew!!!
Which brings me back to the beginning of this post....we're in the hotel and tomorrow will be our last full day so we'll try to make the most of it. The weatherman hasn't given us anything we want to hear but we're all counting on a little Irish luck to keep the showers to the times that we're inside one of the sights we'll stop to enjoy.
Till tomorrow......
Lorrie
We're back in Dublin - arrived at our hotel here about 4 this afternoon so after a shower to recover from our Newgrange experience (I'll explain in a minute) we were off to Temple
Bar area of downtown Dublin for dinner and a wee wander around. It's a lively spot in the heart of the city and boasts a very international flavour with the tourists from all over the world who gather there to experience the pub culture that Ireland is so famous for. We had pub grub in Sir Gogherty's (along with a glass of Guiness of course) and then spent a little time checking out a few other shops and wandering along the road eavesdropping on the music that spills out the doors as patrons come and go.
I should really go back in time a little though as it's been a few days since I've been able to add to this blog as there is no wireless at Derrygoony (the farm).....
We arrived at the farm after a good days drive from Portrush in the north. Although we had some nasty weather along the way...the drive was relatively easy as Rob had settled into his role of navigator with his multiple maps and guide books for reference.
We received the royal welcome at the farm when we drove up the lane.....everyone came out to greet us at our arrival. As amazing as this may sound....within minutes of our arrival.....Rob spied a fallen tree that Eric had taken down a couple of years prior (it had died for some unknown reason). The tree had been at least 80 years old and it was a Western Red Cedar....not a tree commonly found in this part of the world so it had to have been planted, likely by one of our ancestors. As luck would have it Eric also had two freshly sharpened chain saws (one large and one small) and within the hour Rob was up on a ladder and carving Ireland's first ever chain saw carving. It turned out beautifully and everyone who came by over the three days we were there was duly impressed. The carving is of an eagle sitting on a tree stump. The piece is about 8 feet tall and now sits where the original tree once stood....so it's back in it's home and looking better than ever. Rob only used 1/2 of the log so perhaps Eric will try his hand at the other half. Either that or Rob will have to go back to do a matching piece for them at a later date....who knows....maybe he will.....
In addition to the awesome gift that Rob was able to leave with them (it really is Ireland's first...no one there had ever seen anything like it and only one or two had ever even heard of such a thing as possible)....we enjoyed some great craic sitting around with family and friends in the new addition to the house (they almost doubled the size of the house since I was there last), we attended Thelma and Peter's wedding in the church where the Forde family has been attending for hundreds of years, and the reception that was held in Monaghan (about half an hour away) at the Four Seasons Hotel...a very fancy affair. The reception was a highlight for everyone. Irish weddings really are a wonderful experience and we were so thankful to have had the opportunity to be included. We met so many cousins we didn't know we had and everyone danced till the wee hours of the morning. Mom likened it to a dance of her youth and it was obvious that young and old will remember it with a smile.
The day following the wedding meant a trip back into Monaghan to retrieve the cars (we hired a bus to drive us home after the reception - much safer that way!) and then of course....there was another party with many of the family and friends we'd met the day before dropping by the house for a couple of drinks and some craic. John and Hannah had to leave that morning though so we missed them at the Sunday party but they were on their way to see Bruce Springstein in concert in Dublin that night before their early morning flight on Monday so we didn't feel too sorry for them.
This morning we all shed a few tears as we said good bye to everyone at the farm and hit the road for points south. Our first (and as it turned out...our only)stop was at Newgrange where during our tour the skies absolutely opened up on us and when you're in the middle of a field with nothing to hide under or behind.....there's little to do but get soaking wet....which is exactly what we did. It's too bad that the weather turned so bad during our time there as it made it difficult to enjoy the scenery and the ambiance of the place but we did get into the centre chamber and that for me was another highlight. When I think of the fact that Newgrange pre dates the pyramids in Egypt and Stonehenge in England by centuries.....it's hard to believe that we were able to walk right into the centre chamber of the megolith. Imagining the work that went into the getting of the materials (rocks that weigh up to 10 tons each) and then the building of the structure that is the size of a football field....is almost overwhelming. It is estimated that Newgrange would have taken up to 15 years to build. Anyway....it's still on my top 10 places to see in the world!
We had planned to stop at the Hill of Tara today too but the weather just wouldn't cooperate so we pressed on with wipers going at full speed and made it back just in time to get the car turned in without incurring too many additional late charges. Now that the car has been handed in and I'll assume that no one from the rental company will be reading this....I can say that while on our journey...we lost a hub cap but as luck would have it....mom and I found one near Dunguaire Castle (early in our travels). The hub cap didn't match but...it was roughly the right colour and it did fit the rim so....just before we handed the car back in, Rob jumped out, popped on the "new" hub cap, and during the walk around everyone held their breath .......we passed the visual test - whew!!!
Which brings me back to the beginning of this post....we're in the hotel and tomorrow will be our last full day so we'll try to make the most of it. The weatherman hasn't given us anything we want to hear but we're all counting on a little Irish luck to keep the showers to the times that we're inside one of the sights we'll stop to enjoy.
Till tomorrow......
Lorrie
Thursday, July 9, 2009
July 9, 2009
Started our day off heartily as Erna fed us a massive Irish breakfast of bacon, sausage, pancakes, potato bread, soda bread, egg, mushrooms, tomato, and brown beans. On top of that there was orange juice and tea to drink and all the cereal and toast you could manage.
After bidding her farewell in Portrush, we made our way to the Giant's Causeway, just a few miles down the road.....which reminds me....did you know that in Northern Ireland the speed limits are all in miles per hour and in the Republic of Ireland they're all in kilometers?
In addition to the differences in speed and distance measurements we noticed a few other little changes between the two countries too. We tend to think of Ireland as all being one place but it is so obvious when you're here and passing between the two countries that they're really quite unique from one another. In addition to the obvious....one country uses pound sterling and the other uses euros for currency....we became acutely aware of the differences in the state of the roads having travelled on them for many hours. Generally speaking the north has better rural roads but the south has superior motorways (major highways). The houses in north are usually more neutral in colour whereas the homes in the Republic are often brightly painted. The price of gas in the Republic is about 1.18 Euros/litre ($1.92 CAD) and in the North it is about 1.06 pounds/litre ($2.01 CAD) The south is ribboned with stone fences and cross fences whereas the north uses a lot more wood in their fencing. The accents of the people are quite different from one another but the thing they definitely both have in common is the friendly nature of their residents.
But I digress.....the Giant's Causeway is a wonder of nature and I am thankful to have been able to experience both ends (Scottish and Irish) of that phenomenon. We hiked down to the waters edge and wandered among the basalt pillars scanning the area for the landmarks that the signs encourage you to look for. While we didn't have a lot of luck with that part of the adventure...we certainly enjoyed our time there and mom and I were more than a little thankful for the shuttle bus that was available to carry us the 1.5 km back up the hill. Rob and Jenna were far more enthusiastic and hiked their way back up too!
The legend that is attached to the Giant's Causeway is that there were two Giant's who were bitter enemies. One lived in Scotland and the other in Ireland. One of them built the Causeway to be able to gain access to his enemy so he could defeat him in battle. The Irish Giant (Sean) heard that the Scottish Giant (Finn) was massive in size and so became afraid that he wouldn't be able to win the battle unless he used his creative wit. He went home where his wife dressed him up as a baby before Finn arrived to do battle. When Finn arrived at the home of Sean....only his wife and 'baby' were there. Sean's wife explained that Sean was out fishing and hunting and that he wouldn't be home for some time. When Finn saw how big Sean's 'baby' was....he determined that the father must be even more massive than he and so he changed his mind about doing battle and returned to Scotland instead. Another great ancient legend that is rife with wisdom.....
After the Causeway....we made our way to the town of Bushmills where we toured the distillery that has been in operation for more than 400 years! It was an interesting tour and the tasting at the end was yummy.
From Bushmills....we travelled in a southerly direction stopping at interesting points along the way. We came across a wonderful castle that was perched on the edge of the cliffs so took some time to check it out before making our way to a series of standing stone circles that have been carbon dated to more than 4000 years old. Little is clearly understood about the purpose of the standing stone circles but none the less...there is no question that they played a significant role in the lives of the people who walked this land thousands of years ago. We continued along for the rest of our journey jumping back and forth from main highways to rural back country roads and saw some amazing scenery along the way.
Our journey ended tonight in Cavan as we arrived at Farnham House B & B where we'll spend just one night before moving on to the Forde family farm.
Yes....it was another great day in this land of leprachans and fairies.
Till the next time....
L x 2
After bidding her farewell in Portrush, we made our way to the Giant's Causeway, just a few miles down the road.....which reminds me....did you know that in Northern Ireland the speed limits are all in miles per hour and in the Republic of Ireland they're all in kilometers?
In addition to the differences in speed and distance measurements we noticed a few other little changes between the two countries too. We tend to think of Ireland as all being one place but it is so obvious when you're here and passing between the two countries that they're really quite unique from one another. In addition to the obvious....one country uses pound sterling and the other uses euros for currency....we became acutely aware of the differences in the state of the roads having travelled on them for many hours. Generally speaking the north has better rural roads but the south has superior motorways (major highways). The houses in north are usually more neutral in colour whereas the homes in the Republic are often brightly painted. The price of gas in the Republic is about 1.18 Euros/litre ($1.92 CAD) and in the North it is about 1.06 pounds/litre ($2.01 CAD) The south is ribboned with stone fences and cross fences whereas the north uses a lot more wood in their fencing. The accents of the people are quite different from one another but the thing they definitely both have in common is the friendly nature of their residents.
But I digress.....the Giant's Causeway is a wonder of nature and I am thankful to have been able to experience both ends (Scottish and Irish) of that phenomenon. We hiked down to the waters edge and wandered among the basalt pillars scanning the area for the landmarks that the signs encourage you to look for. While we didn't have a lot of luck with that part of the adventure...we certainly enjoyed our time there and mom and I were more than a little thankful for the shuttle bus that was available to carry us the 1.5 km back up the hill. Rob and Jenna were far more enthusiastic and hiked their way back up too!
The legend that is attached to the Giant's Causeway is that there were two Giant's who were bitter enemies. One lived in Scotland and the other in Ireland. One of them built the Causeway to be able to gain access to his enemy so he could defeat him in battle. The Irish Giant (Sean) heard that the Scottish Giant (Finn) was massive in size and so became afraid that he wouldn't be able to win the battle unless he used his creative wit. He went home where his wife dressed him up as a baby before Finn arrived to do battle. When Finn arrived at the home of Sean....only his wife and 'baby' were there. Sean's wife explained that Sean was out fishing and hunting and that he wouldn't be home for some time. When Finn saw how big Sean's 'baby' was....he determined that the father must be even more massive than he and so he changed his mind about doing battle and returned to Scotland instead. Another great ancient legend that is rife with wisdom.....
After the Causeway....we made our way to the town of Bushmills where we toured the distillery that has been in operation for more than 400 years! It was an interesting tour and the tasting at the end was yummy.
From Bushmills....we travelled in a southerly direction stopping at interesting points along the way. We came across a wonderful castle that was perched on the edge of the cliffs so took some time to check it out before making our way to a series of standing stone circles that have been carbon dated to more than 4000 years old. Little is clearly understood about the purpose of the standing stone circles but none the less...there is no question that they played a significant role in the lives of the people who walked this land thousands of years ago. We continued along for the rest of our journey jumping back and forth from main highways to rural back country roads and saw some amazing scenery along the way.
Our journey ended tonight in Cavan as we arrived at Farnham House B & B where we'll spend just one night before moving on to the Forde family farm.
Yes....it was another great day in this land of leprachans and fairies.
Till the next time....
L x 2
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
July 8, 2009
The drive today from Galway to Portrush took most of the day and was absolutely gorgeous. We travelled through Donegal and Derry along with numerous other small towns along the way. There were the requisite 100 shades of green and the fields were cross fenced with those great rock walls that we've all decided will be one of our most memorable images from this part of the world. They seem so stable, so solid, so simple and yet so complex and each of them is a work of art unlike any other. The science that must have gone into building them in order for them to have been able to withstand all that they've experienced in the time they've stood guard over their fields is impressive.
There were blue skies most of the way and even when the clouds rolled in...they only brought a few drops of rain before they made way for the sunshine again. Cows and sheep dotted the fields along the roadways and on the hillsides that were the view we had as we rounded every corner and crested every hill.
We visited a couple of castles along the way too. The first was a ruin where we were able to wander about as we pleased and the second was in Donegal and had been somewhat restored to a portion of what it would have been in it's prime. From the steep and narrow curving stone stairs to the oversized fireplaces....if I squinted my eyes just a little I could almost smell something roasting in the kitchen and hear the bustle of people going about their daily business in the castle and on the grounds. It's easy to believe in magic when you're in a magical land!
The drive today was the longest we've done and with all four of us in the car along with all the luggage....it was a little tight (oh yes...we have a micro sized car and the only one of us that is really micro sized is Jenna....so I'll leave you to imagine just what we might look like coming down the road.) It's all good though...Rob managed to put the luggage into the hatchback like a puzzle and he fit in about twice as much as I thought possible so in the back seat there is only one large packsack and two people....not nearly as bad as it might have been!
Now that I've left you all with a perfect image of our journey....I'll add the bits that will complete the picture for you.....
Well....that was our day and at the end of the road we made it to Portrush where we checked into the Anvershiel B & B with hosts Erna and Victor. Our rooms are gorgeous and Erna is a wonderful host. Interestingly, I would have bet that she was from Scotland based on her accent but...she is from very near here. When I asked her about it she said that people think she is from Scotland all the time but that her's is the accent common to people from the area around Derry. I guess that's cuz we're in Northern Ireland now - a part of the U.K. We had a great walk along the promenade that follows the white sandy beaches that this part of the island is famous for. The sand is sugary fine and beautifully white. The waves crash in over it and it's so beautiful! The only thing that isn't so good is that the temperatures are not really conducive to swimming. The wind whips in off the water and most of the people who are in the water (and there aren't very many of them) are wearing wet suits.
Even though it's kind of chilly....it really is a beautiful place and tomorrow morning I'm looking forward to visiting that natural wonder, the Giant's Causeway.
till next time.....
L & L
There were blue skies most of the way and even when the clouds rolled in...they only brought a few drops of rain before they made way for the sunshine again. Cows and sheep dotted the fields along the roadways and on the hillsides that were the view we had as we rounded every corner and crested every hill.
We visited a couple of castles along the way too. The first was a ruin where we were able to wander about as we pleased and the second was in Donegal and had been somewhat restored to a portion of what it would have been in it's prime. From the steep and narrow curving stone stairs to the oversized fireplaces....if I squinted my eyes just a little I could almost smell something roasting in the kitchen and hear the bustle of people going about their daily business in the castle and on the grounds. It's easy to believe in magic when you're in a magical land!
The drive today was the longest we've done and with all four of us in the car along with all the luggage....it was a little tight (oh yes...we have a micro sized car and the only one of us that is really micro sized is Jenna....so I'll leave you to imagine just what we might look like coming down the road.) It's all good though...Rob managed to put the luggage into the hatchback like a puzzle and he fit in about twice as much as I thought possible so in the back seat there is only one large packsack and two people....not nearly as bad as it might have been!
Now that I've left you all with a perfect image of our journey....I'll add the bits that will complete the picture for you.....
- Rob forgot to return his B & B key in Galway so we had to stop and find a post office so he could mail it back.
- There are not a lot of public toilets along the road. Castle ruins sometimes make do.
- Turkish Delight chocolate bars melt in the sun.
- In sympathy for Jenna, mom has put band aids on her knees too.
- Roundabouts can be difficult!!
- Roads have no shoulders (or verges as they're called here) and there are more pot holes than pavement on many of them.
- The entire country has done away with street signs.
- No one in Ireland really knows where they are.....they all need to ponder their current location when asked for directions and even then....often make up the answer knowing full well that it's all blarney. The only way to ensure finding where you're going is to get the same instruction from at least three people before you can believe it to be true.
Well....that was our day and at the end of the road we made it to Portrush where we checked into the Anvershiel B & B with hosts Erna and Victor. Our rooms are gorgeous and Erna is a wonderful host. Interestingly, I would have bet that she was from Scotland based on her accent but...she is from very near here. When I asked her about it she said that people think she is from Scotland all the time but that her's is the accent common to people from the area around Derry. I guess that's cuz we're in Northern Ireland now - a part of the U.K. We had a great walk along the promenade that follows the white sandy beaches that this part of the island is famous for. The sand is sugary fine and beautifully white. The waves crash in over it and it's so beautiful! The only thing that isn't so good is that the temperatures are not really conducive to swimming. The wind whips in off the water and most of the people who are in the water (and there aren't very many of them) are wearing wet suits.
Even though it's kind of chilly....it really is a beautiful place and tomorrow morning I'm looking forward to visiting that natural wonder, the Giant's Causeway.
till next time.....
L & L
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
July 7th cont'd
Wow! Just back from Trad on the Prom (tradontheprom.com) and what a show!! Not only were the performers unbelievably talented but the show they put on was without questions one of the most professional productions I've had the pleasure to attend.
The performers had resume's that included starring in shows such as Riverdance and Lord of the Dance, they had written award winning music, had performed internationally at high end venues, and all were Irish.
Our evening began with a really nice dinner at the Salthill Hotel (the venue for the show), had a fabulous show in the middle, and ended with us getting lost (well...only slightly lost) on the way home. Driving here is a challenge by the light of day but in the dark....it's a whole new experience.
Better run for now as morning will come early....we're off to Northern Ireland tomorrow. Hopefully will be able to send an update from Portrush where we'll spend the night but if no wireless there it will likely be some time before we can post again as I don't know that there will be wireless in Cavan or at the farm. Will just have to wait and see.
Till next time.....
L & L
The performers had resume's that included starring in shows such as Riverdance and Lord of the Dance, they had written award winning music, had performed internationally at high end venues, and all were Irish.
Our evening began with a really nice dinner at the Salthill Hotel (the venue for the show), had a fabulous show in the middle, and ended with us getting lost (well...only slightly lost) on the way home. Driving here is a challenge by the light of day but in the dark....it's a whole new experience.
Better run for now as morning will come early....we're off to Northern Ireland tomorrow. Hopefully will be able to send an update from Portrush where we'll spend the night but if no wireless there it will likely be some time before we can post again as I don't know that there will be wireless in Cavan or at the farm. Will just have to wait and see.
Till next time.....
L & L
July 7, 2009
Well.....I almost killed mom but boy oh boy is Galway a nice city to wander around in when the sun is shining!!
After another great breakfast (I could get used to having someone serve me b'fast every day!!) we donned our rain jackets (we're learning....) and set off for the centre of town where there is a pedestrian zone that runs for several blocks. There are musicians on every corner, some great shops, some tasty looking eating spots, and even a pub or two.
We passed the pub that Rob and I closed down last night - yep...we shut her down! We shopped along the way and Rob even fed some of the swans and other water fowl that live along the waterways.
Galway Bay is super pretty when the sun is shining and the city is perfectly situated to make the most of the views.
Tonight we're off to have dinner and to see a show....it's a live performance that includes irish dance, singing, and music. We're all looking forward to it.
We've just discovered that Jenna has nothing to wear for the wedding so tomorrow we'll be shopping for something conservative (just like the rest of her clothes LOL). Given the prices here....she'll have to extend her student loans to be able to make the necessary purchase. We've looked through her pack and found that what she thought she could wear is much too revealing (she did her shopping in an adult section of Paris on her Contiki tour) so......it's time for her to go shopping with Grandma.
Enough for now.... time for us to hit the road again....
till next time,
L & L
After another great breakfast (I could get used to having someone serve me b'fast every day!!) we donned our rain jackets (we're learning....) and set off for the centre of town where there is a pedestrian zone that runs for several blocks. There are musicians on every corner, some great shops, some tasty looking eating spots, and even a pub or two.
We passed the pub that Rob and I closed down last night - yep...we shut her down! We shopped along the way and Rob even fed some of the swans and other water fowl that live along the waterways.
Galway Bay is super pretty when the sun is shining and the city is perfectly situated to make the most of the views.
Tonight we're off to have dinner and to see a show....it's a live performance that includes irish dance, singing, and music. We're all looking forward to it.
We've just discovered that Jenna has nothing to wear for the wedding so tomorrow we'll be shopping for something conservative (just like the rest of her clothes LOL). Given the prices here....she'll have to extend her student loans to be able to make the necessary purchase. We've looked through her pack and found that what she thought she could wear is much too revealing (she did her shopping in an adult section of Paris on her Contiki tour) so......it's time for her to go shopping with Grandma.
Enough for now.... time for us to hit the road again....
till next time,
L & L
Monday, July 6, 2009
July 6, 2009
Wahoo! We have access to internet again so I've posted the "bit" from the 4th of July and now have a couple of days of catching up to do.
I guess the biggest news is that now we are four. Rob and Jenna have given up on the biking idea after a couple of events that left them thinking they'd had enough. They're both fine though and have had a wonderful experience that they'll carry with them forever. They've met up with us at our B & B in Galway City this afternoon and so the four of us will have a couple of days to explore and have a little adventure in this corner of Ireland.
We've had a lot of rain the past couple of days. Yesterday, mom and I spent the day on the smallest of the Aran Islands, Inis Oirr (pronounced Inisheer). The population of that quaint little island is approximately 300 and although they have a few cars....for the most part it is like taking a big step back in time. We took a pony and cart ride to tour the island and our driver, Joe, has been on the island his whole life. His parents and his grandparents too....hard to imagine what kind of a life they must have lived. We learned quite a lot from Joe - it was a really interesting tour. One of the big things we learned was that all of the rock fences (4 feet to 6 feet high) were built by hand....the builders having carried most of them from the edge of the sea. Back in the day that they were built...there were no gates put into the fenced areas so any time that you wanted to take your cows out of your pasture you had to disassemble the section of the fence that is less stable (a planned section for just this purpose),take the cows out, rebuild the fence....drive your cows to another pasture you want them to spend the day in....do the same thing with the fence at the new location and then at the end of the day....go to where your cows are...disassemble the fence, take the cows out, rebuild the fence, drive the cows home and then take the fence down there, put the cows in and rebuild that fence. Whew....just telling about it makes me tired!!
We had a great lunch in the pub on the island and mingled with the combination of locals and tourists that had travelled to the island on the boat with us. Our boat ride over to Inisheer was longer than most as we added on the Cliffs of Mohr tour first. On our tour to the Cliffs we saw countless sea birds including lots of puffins. The Cliffs are massive - they range from 300-700 feet high with towers perched at strategic locations with a view of the sea in all directions. The Cliffs span an 8 km stretch of coastline and so when you combine their vast size with the contrasting colours of the sea, the sky, and the cliffs from an ocean perspective it's something to remember.
By the time we had finished our hour tour of the Cliffs, it was time to head out again for the trip to Inisheer...almost another hour on the boat. By this point I was beginning to remember why I don't get on boats very often and that the Atlantic Ocean is a little rougher than the lake. We finally arrived at the island and I was glad for dry land. The land didn't stay dry for long though as the rain that was beginning to fall in Doolin as we pulled out an hour before caught up with us on Inisheer.
So....we walked, we admired the white sand beach where kids were playing in the waves, we had tea in a tea room, enjoyed lunch in a pub, rode the horse and buggy, and admired the beautiful scenery. All too soon it was time to board the boat again and this time...the rain followed us right back to Doolin...in fact....it poured buckets most of the way back. By the time we pulled into the queue waiting to disembark their passengers (we were 4th in line) in Doolin - I had seen enough of boats for a very long time.
By the time we were able to disembark, the pouring rain had turned into torrential rains and we were 100% soaked by the time that we back in our car. What an adventure!
Back at our room we took some time to dry off and warm up and then we were off to McDermott's Pub where we had possibly the best meal of our entire trip. After dinner it was back to the room and an early night after a day full of fresh air with sun and wind burn.
This morning we said good bye to Mary Jo at Seaside B & B in Doolin and were off into the Burren where we found ourselves on some of the narrowest roads in all of Ireland. Some of them even had grass growing through the pavement in the middle of the road!
We located the oldest and largest dolmen (a 6000 year old burial stone that is shaped like a table) and got caught in the rain again. Next stop was the Burren Perfumerie where once again we were caught in a downpour - there is a lot of rain in Ireland!
Leaving the Burren brought us back past the castle where we had dinner a couple of nights before and within an hour we were rolling into Galway where we located the Periwinkle B & B and found Rob and Jenna already checked into their room. We were able to make arrangements for accomodations for them at our B & B in the north too so all is good and everyone will have a place to sleep until we make our way to the farm where a whole new adventure will begin.
After a walk into Galway City tonight for dinner....we're all pretty beat so it will likely be a pretty early night tonight.
Till next time,
L x 2
I guess the biggest news is that now we are four. Rob and Jenna have given up on the biking idea after a couple of events that left them thinking they'd had enough. They're both fine though and have had a wonderful experience that they'll carry with them forever. They've met up with us at our B & B in Galway City this afternoon and so the four of us will have a couple of days to explore and have a little adventure in this corner of Ireland.
We've had a lot of rain the past couple of days. Yesterday, mom and I spent the day on the smallest of the Aran Islands, Inis Oirr (pronounced Inisheer). The population of that quaint little island is approximately 300 and although they have a few cars....for the most part it is like taking a big step back in time. We took a pony and cart ride to tour the island and our driver, Joe, has been on the island his whole life. His parents and his grandparents too....hard to imagine what kind of a life they must have lived. We learned quite a lot from Joe - it was a really interesting tour. One of the big things we learned was that all of the rock fences (4 feet to 6 feet high) were built by hand....the builders having carried most of them from the edge of the sea. Back in the day that they were built...there were no gates put into the fenced areas so any time that you wanted to take your cows out of your pasture you had to disassemble the section of the fence that is less stable (a planned section for just this purpose),take the cows out, rebuild the fence....drive your cows to another pasture you want them to spend the day in....do the same thing with the fence at the new location and then at the end of the day....go to where your cows are...disassemble the fence, take the cows out, rebuild the fence, drive the cows home and then take the fence down there, put the cows in and rebuild that fence. Whew....just telling about it makes me tired!!
We had a great lunch in the pub on the island and mingled with the combination of locals and tourists that had travelled to the island on the boat with us. Our boat ride over to Inisheer was longer than most as we added on the Cliffs of Mohr tour first. On our tour to the Cliffs we saw countless sea birds including lots of puffins. The Cliffs are massive - they range from 300-700 feet high with towers perched at strategic locations with a view of the sea in all directions. The Cliffs span an 8 km stretch of coastline and so when you combine their vast size with the contrasting colours of the sea, the sky, and the cliffs from an ocean perspective it's something to remember.
By the time we had finished our hour tour of the Cliffs, it was time to head out again for the trip to Inisheer...almost another hour on the boat. By this point I was beginning to remember why I don't get on boats very often and that the Atlantic Ocean is a little rougher than the lake. We finally arrived at the island and I was glad for dry land. The land didn't stay dry for long though as the rain that was beginning to fall in Doolin as we pulled out an hour before caught up with us on Inisheer.
So....we walked, we admired the white sand beach where kids were playing in the waves, we had tea in a tea room, enjoyed lunch in a pub, rode the horse and buggy, and admired the beautiful scenery. All too soon it was time to board the boat again and this time...the rain followed us right back to Doolin...in fact....it poured buckets most of the way back. By the time we pulled into the queue waiting to disembark their passengers (we were 4th in line) in Doolin - I had seen enough of boats for a very long time.
By the time we were able to disembark, the pouring rain had turned into torrential rains and we were 100% soaked by the time that we back in our car. What an adventure!
Back at our room we took some time to dry off and warm up and then we were off to McDermott's Pub where we had possibly the best meal of our entire trip. After dinner it was back to the room and an early night after a day full of fresh air with sun and wind burn.
This morning we said good bye to Mary Jo at Seaside B & B in Doolin and were off into the Burren where we found ourselves on some of the narrowest roads in all of Ireland. Some of them even had grass growing through the pavement in the middle of the road!
We located the oldest and largest dolmen (a 6000 year old burial stone that is shaped like a table) and got caught in the rain again. Next stop was the Burren Perfumerie where once again we were caught in a downpour - there is a lot of rain in Ireland!
Leaving the Burren brought us back past the castle where we had dinner a couple of nights before and within an hour we were rolling into Galway where we located the Periwinkle B & B and found Rob and Jenna already checked into their room. We were able to make arrangements for accomodations for them at our B & B in the north too so all is good and everyone will have a place to sleep until we make our way to the farm where a whole new adventure will begin.
After a walk into Galway City tonight for dinner....we're all pretty beat so it will likely be a pretty early night tonight.
Till next time,
L x 2
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