Today was the first day we experienced the typical Irish weather for this entire vacation....it was rainy and slightly cool however it did not dampen our spirits nor our excitement about visiting the Avoca Mill where we saw how the famous blankets, throws, scarves and sweaters are either hand-woven or machine woven from lambs wool, mohair and other fabrics. The Avoca is Ireland's oldest handweaving mill. Of course I had to purchase a beautiful throw that will grace my sofa when I get home. Hopefully I can keep the dog and cat off it!! We proceeded to Glendalough with its ruins of a cemetery and former monastery. I found this very fascinating since it was the center of Irish Christianity founded by St. Kevin. The rain coming down made it seem almost creepy at times but certainly worth looking at. Many stones have been so eroded that names are no longer visible on them and many are leaning over however none have yet toppled. We then headed back to Dublin for our final evening where we were escorted through the famous Guinness Storehouse on a well guided and informative tour! What an amazing place this is. We went up to the gravity bar where we were walked through a proper tasting of Guinness, much like a wine tasting really! We proceeded downstairs to the restaurant and were served a fabulous dinner of Guinness stew, potatoes and fresh vegetables. We also had wine at dinner (believe it or not, they actually allowed us to drink wine in this huge beer factory)! We returned to the hotel where many of us embraced and gave final goodbyes since we are all leaving at different times in the morning. We have seen the most beautiful sights, met some of the nicest towns folk and made so many wonderful new friends! We are heading home with a list of names, addresses and e-mails of all those we spent the past 9 days with. Thank you Wine Rack!
We began the day with more scenic spendor heading over the Kerry Mountains into County Cork. We stopped in Blarney where I am sure I was granted the "gift of eloquence" by kissing the Blarney Stone....do not laugh...the picture looks funny but it was actually quite scary considering I am terrified of heights! We strolled the shops and Lucky could not wait to spend his money. Our next stop was Waterford where we visited the famous House of Waterford Crystal. What an amazing facility they have. We watched the entire process on just how intricate forming and cutting one piece of crystal can be (it certainly justifies the price once you see this). Our evening began with Lucky kicking Mickey out of his driver's seat and thinking he could navigate the motorcoach through the narrow streets of Tramore. Here we visited the harbour and viewed the oldest working lighthouse. We also witnessed the fishing boats coming in with a huge load of stingray which is quite the delicacy over here. Our final destination of the night was a small pub located in a thatched cottage where we were entertained by a local singer/entertainer named Ritchie and served 2 free drinks of our choice. Boy did they open themselves up for some excitement with our rowdy bunch! Here Lucky met a new friend named Dolores whom he was absolutely smitten with. Her stories were amazing. Ritchie kept us going all night and many of us thought this evening was certainly one of the highlights of the entire trip .Our final day will be spent in Enniscorthy, Avoca and Glendalough and then back to Dublin for a visit to the Guinness Storehouse....look for my final posting soon....
What a great day! Mostly sunshine again...Hillary tells us this weather is so out of the ordinary for this time of the year and we insist we brought the beautiful weather from Canada! We travelled the 100 mile coastal drive around the ring and viewed sparkling seascapes, mountains dotted with farmhouses and spectacular views of the Lakes of Killarney. We had lunch in an amazing mountain-top restaurant named Avoca and bought a few souvenirs in their shop. We returned to the center of Killarney and took a jaunting car ride along the national park lakeshore and took pictures of Ross Castle. Max was the name of our horse, he was so strong and gentle. We had an absolutely amazing dinner with wine at a very posh restaurant and then headed to the Siamsa Tire folk theatre for a performance of Oilean which celebrates the Blaskett Islands. So hard to believe only a few days remain in this incredible adventure.....tomorrow off to the Blarney Stone so keep posted and see if I actually have the nerve to hang upside down to kiss it!
We have the best tour guide in these parts! Her name is Hillary and she is the most comical, educated and enthusiastic person. Our driver is also great. His name is Mickey and I cannot believe how he manoeuvres such a large motor coach through the very narrow, windy roads here in Ireland. Today we left Ennis and headed to Tralee where they have the most amazing thatched cottages. Next we took in the breath-taking 32 mile scenery on the Dingle Peninsula. We viewed the Blasket Islands and visited the town of Dingle where they have amazing harbours quite similar to our East Coast. We had lunch at a remarkable little pub and indulged in fish and chips. Lucky actually met a new friend, the dolphin statue in the center of the harbour who is named Fungie! There actually is a real dolphin that lives in the harbour named this. Lucky also spotted a real leprechaun and made us take a picture. We spent the evening strolling the streets of Killarney where there was live music on virtually every corner. I still am totally amazed! The Ring of Kerry is our next destination tomorrow and then to the Folk Theatre for wine and entertainment.....till next time...
