Did you know that the Irish count differently?? Well they do.....on the highway the exits go like this......7,8,4,3.....and when 3 is the one that you're looking for what are the odds that you'll find it?! The really crazy part is that mom and I have both already caught whatever bug it is that causes you to understand this unusual way to count and we're now able to find our way around Athlone. In fact....when we want to come back to Coosan Cottage (our Guesthouse) we simply make our way back into the centre of town (even when that is in the wrong direction); find the castle, do the one way loop with about 500 of our new best friends who must also be looking for "home"; make our way to the mini roundabout at the top of the hill; go the wrong way at least once so we have to make our way back to the roundabout at the top of the hill and try another direction; go down at least two dead end streets where there is no where to turn around safely; find the petrol station where a taxi driver once helped me; turn around; go to the car lot at the top of the hill; take a left; go along till you think you're going to get in an accident and then turn left quickly again; go past the turn to N6 West; drive till you're in the roundabout where the first exit is N6 East - take it quickly!!; and then go along at 120 km/hr till you veer off to the left again at exit number 3 (that comes after 7 & 8 & 4...)and then veer left a couple more times till you think you're lost again and then you'll see a huge old cemetery on the left and magically the Guesthouse will appear on your right - it really feels like a miracle every time you do it!!!
We started the day with Tom, our host, cooking us a "full Irish Breakfast" which means we ate wayyy tooo much meat this morning! It was delicious though and kept us going till dinner time. That is a really good thing when you take into consideration the price of meals here!
We explored the city (on foot) but missed our Viking Boat down the Shannon as it was on the other side of the river and was casting off by the time we reached the 1/2 way point on the bridge. No worries though....we figured there had to be a reason that we didn't get to go on it...maybe it was going to sink or something...well...I hope not ....but maybe it was the fact that the rain came down in torrents while we would still have been out on that boat. We had a great time exploring instead. The town is full of really old buildings that surround the Castle that is the centre of town. The buildings that house the shops, offices and homes are all brightly coloured with orange up against pink, and peacock blue next door to lime green. There is even a pub called Sean's Bar (red with white trim and a green door) that is has been operating as a pub since the year 900 AD. According to Guiness Book of World Records....Sean's is the oldest pub in all of Europe and there is research underway to confirm that it is in fact the oldest pub in all the world. How cool is that!! The Castle that is at the Centre of town was built by guys who went for a drink after work across the street at Sean's Bar!!!
We had tea upstairs (3 flights of 'upstairs' no less!) in an art shop, saw our first gypsies on the street, bought a treat from a street market, explored the nooks and crannies of interesting shops and shop windows, and walked off some of that big breakfast we'd enjoyed. When our feet had had enough...we returned to our little car and headed off for Clonmacnoise....if the Viking Ship wasn't going to take us....we'd make our own way there. Driving to Clonmacnoise was a whole other adventure but just leave it to say that the speed limit on the back roads here is 100 km/hr and the roads are more like "lanes" that were paved about 100 years ago. There is absolutely no shoulder and the trees and bushes are chopped off at right angles to the road by the vehicles that speed past them daily...trimming them to within an inch of their lives. The buses and trucks that speed toward you come barreling down the middle of the "lane" so you have to always be looking ahead to plan where you can find a spot to pull off just enough to give the larger vehicle room to barrel on through.
Much of our drive to Clonmacnoise (about 25 minutes away) was pouring with rain but by the time we arrived at our destination...the sun was shining and the sky was that perfect shade of blue with fluffy white clouds decorating it above the ancient monastic site that sits on the edge of the river amidst lush green fields that stretch into the distance. The pilgrimage trail that leads from an overland point is stilll visible from the site and the place has a quiet strength about it that likely comes from the fact that it was attacked by several different groups and virtually destroyed 54 times over a period of a couple hundred years until the final time, attack #55, when the attackers pilaged the place to such a degree that there was nothing left for the monks and residents to rebuild. Since that time, Clonmacnoise has been in ruins but to this day....thousands of people continue to visit the site to learn about that part of Ireland's history.
Our drive home from Clonmacnoise left us lost again (of course) but we're getting pretty comfortable with being lost so we made the most of our "detour" and stopped at a little art gallery/coffee shop for an early dinner. The dinner was very good, we got some directions, and in no time at all were back on the right road that eventually took us right to the heart of Athlone and well.....you know the story from there.....once we find the Castle then we make the one way loop with 500 of our new friends etc etc etc. We made it back to the Guesthouse in good time and there was Tom with his ever ready smile and a cup of tea waiting for our return.
The beds at this Guesthouse are great and they'll feel really good again tonight. Lot's of fresh air and exercise with minimal sleep is an excellent way to ensure no one stays up too late on this trip. In case we do decide to stay up a little bit late though...we're lucky because there is a tiny little pub/lounge that is right here on the premises of the Guesthouse. I had a drink last night after mom went to bed and it was so nice not to have to drive anywhere afterward.
We're really hoping that the rest of our group in Ireland is doing okay...there were reports of flooding due to torrential rains in Galway/Conemara area last night so we're hoping that Rob and Jenna are able to either dodge the rain drops or that the rain only falls at night. I think John and Hannah have one more night in Dublin before they head to the farm so our fingers are crossed that all is going well for their adventure too.
Till next time....
L & L
p.s.
Happy Birthday Kim!!
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