A quick catch up!

Just wanted to catch up on a few things that have come through the "comments" section!

1) HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BROTHER-IN-LOVE, MATT WEBB! Matt hit the celebratory 5-0 on St. Paddy's Day! Welcome to the 50s, Mattster! (Everybody wish Matt a Happy Birthday!)

2) Today is my niece Emily's birthday! Emily is married to Ken, known as Tall Ken in some Curlee circles! I have no idea how old Emily is, but she's a long way from 50... So... Happy Birthday, Emily!!!!!!!!!

3) We were mostly on the road for St. Paddy's Day, in case you were wondering, though we had lunch in a lovely pub in Kenmare.

4) Nobody drinks GREEN beer here, Margie... that's strictly a Chicago thing, along with dying the river Green. It's Guiness or Murphy's around here, and neither for me!

5) Welcome back to the world, Kat! Been wondering where you've been! :)

6) Note to the Healthy Beginnings Gang -- Do you want the chocolate laced with Guiness?????????????? That might make a Tuesday Sups meeting QUITE interesting! As they say around her, 'Grand, just grand!'

Ok... time for me to read! Love and miss you all!

Along the Coast... Not route 66!

Well, dear friends... the last few days have been busy. We got up on Friday morning and headed out of Clonakilty after another chilly night and snow as we were driving on Thursday afternoon. Glad to see that's gone, though the cold is still here and as we keep ending up on the coast, the wind is still here, too.

As we left Clonakilty, heading for the Kilarney Area, we knew (and hoped) that things would be quiet since it was a day filled with celebrations for St. Patricks. Amazingly enough, we drove through several small towns and didn't get stopped by a single parade. Our route, along the southern coast, sent us immediately in search of the Drombeg Circle (http://www.stonepages.com/ireland/drombeg.html), an amazing stone circle which also has links to the Winter soltice (like Newgrange!) It was in a field off yet another backwoods Irish road, filled with twists and turns. And, as always happens, the rain seems to begin about the time I put the car into "P" and ends shortly after we put it back into drive! Go figure!

It was a great sight and after that, we headed on for our drive past Bantry Bay (beautiful) and on toward a wee part of the Ring of Kerry. It was a day for taking pictures and I think I took more yesterday than the whole of the days previous. Driving through Moll's Gap (with a place where they had take-away tea -- YIPPEE!!!!) and the Kilarney National Park, toward Torc Waterfall (Still beautiful, Kerry... with more water because of all the spring rains!) Then a stop in Kenmare-- I felt a bit like I was "coming back"... and I was. Shopping in some of the same places as last trip! (Please don't take this to mean all we're doing is shopping!) We made a blind stab at finding the stone circle in Kenmare, but no luck and we wanted to get on down the road so I wouldn't be driving in the dark.

On toward Kilarney and a quick skirt around the town as we were really heading out the other side toward our B&B, the Kingdom View. (Note to Kerry: All that building that was going on in Kilarney last time, just the side of the car park, is finished and it's an enormous hotel!)

Good thing we weren't driving at night as finding our B&B was an act of will.... however, the search lead us through the Gap of Dunloe, truly one of the most beautiful places on earth. (http://www.killarney.ie/dunloe.htm) We drove past the entrance through the Gap in search of the hotel.... finally, we found a small gas / market and swung through to pick up some meat for sandwiches and to afford me a pit-stop (take your chances where you find them... you never know how long you'll be driving!) Met a lovely older couple there who assured us we were on the right road, so ahead we went.... and found the place another two miles down. At last, we have a B&B proprietor who wants to talk and we've enjoyed our chats with Eileen O'Sullivan. Looking forward to more this evening. She's a chatty sort, a true contrast to the last three who were "here's your room.... what time do you want breakfast?" bunch.

We've decided that since we've managed about 1/3 of the Ring of Kerry already, today was the day to hit the second "D" of the Dublin to Dingle to Donegal Tour... and I'm sitting in an internet cafe in Dingle. Gorgeous bays we're driven past to get here and another one here. At last the sun is shining and we are delighted! Nice to have to dig out the shades (though they do mark me as an American tourist -- well.. I could be French, but I'm too short and plump!)

All is well.... Just enjoying each and every minute!

Until later... Dawn

Thursday at the Beach

Bet that title caught your eye! We did go to the beach today, but nothing could have made us actually WALK on the beautiful beach at Ardmore. Let's just say it was cold enough to freeze your knickers on a day like this! We had a nice start out of Fiddown and headed for the coast, in search of St. Declan's ruins and remains and a glance at the Celtic Sea. We found it! ( http://www.travelireland.org/waterford/ardmore/ ) Sorry... the links don't seem to be publishing right now, so you'll have to copy and paste into your browser, but with luck, what I'm sharing will be worth it.

St. Declan brought Christianity to Ireland before St. Patrick. Once again, to stand amidst the ruins of things that are 1500 - 1600 years old is simply breathtaking. And, the sea was also fantastic, though I didn't hang around a lot to look it over much as the bitter wind was blowing in off the sea (wind that started in Norway or something!) and it was another raw day. But, the water was BLUE... not something I've seen much in my life. Again... just beautiful.

Did I mention, we skipped Waterford. Our "big" goal for the day was to make it to Cobh and so, we skipped Waterford and headed on down the coast. It wasn't a bad decision at all. Besides, we can put Waterford on the list for the next trip... and we will!

After our visit with St. Declan (FYI, Kerry.... we named the car Declan Patrick Walsh ... a little something for the first minister in Ireland and another car named Paddy!) we headed back up to the N25 (a road with shoulders so I can pull over and let faster drivers pass... BTW, shoulders here are called 'margins'... there's today's lesson!) and headed on for Cobh. Had to get off that road for a little bit, but it wasn't bad and it wasn't too busy. That was a good thing because it WAS snowing! Yeah... doesn't happen often, but there was spitting snow in Ireland today. Do ya think it's OUR fault?

Ok, ok.... Cobh. (I'm sure John will do some good reflection on Cobh, so be sure to read his entry!) Amazing place... as you get to the Heritage Center, you see the statue of Annie Moore, the first person to walk through the gates at Ellis Island when it opened... the first of 6,000,000 immigrants who walked through Ellis Island... Annie Moore, age 15, traveling with her two younger brothers, enroute to meet up with their parents who were already in America. Think about it... 15, making that 4 - 6 week journey.... with two little ones in tow... in steerage, where amenities are non-existent... where what food you brought will be spoiled or stolen before you get near your destination... where you haven't seen your family for quite a while.... What kind of courage does that take? Would any of us have that kind of courage?

The story of the Irish emigrating out of Cobh was a fascinating one, covering all sorts of stories, from those who left during the time of the Famine to those who were shipped off to Australia as prisoners. Cobh was also the last port for the fateful Titanic and the Lusitania also set said from there, before being bombed by the Germans just off the coast at Kinsale. It was an amazing place to vist... with (as John says) "history on every corner"... but this time, the history had voices and faces. Amazing... (I think that's the word of the day!)

And now, here we are in Clonakilty... an incredibly beautiful little town with narrow streets (mostly one way, thank God!)... and banks with ATMs. This is another Irish town known for it's music, so we may venture out tonight and catch a wee bit. We'll zip by the grocery first and pick up a few things.

Ahh... the amenities of life. We've been enjoying our full Irish breakfasts each day and that stands us until we have lunch at around 2:00 each day. We try to get a very full lunch and then we do a wee bit of shopping and have a sandwich for supper. WE did find some low carb bread, so that helps with the sandwich making, but it doesn't make up for the wonderful (NOT low carb) Irish soda bread that seems to come with every soup. (Oh, and the soups are wonderful, too!... and warming!) We splurged last night and bought a small container of fresh cream. While the Irish (and the English) take milk in their tea and coffee, our diet has gottn us quite accustomed to fresh cream... a richer (and lower carb) alternative. So... last night I really enjoyed the treat... drinking as much as I wanted until it was time for bed. (When they turn the heat off, it's a really good time for bed... much warmer in there, you know!) We also found some non-dairy creamer at a tiny grocery somewhere. It's amazing... you find one thing here and another thing there. We certainly are spoiled in the state.... VERY, very spoiled! And so... we can use that alternative if there aren't these little containers of milk in the room. Not sure what we'll have tonight as we had a rather small lunch... soup, soda bread and warm tea. It was wonderful... but not as filling as the lovely chicken and mushrooms in puff pastry I had yesterday!

Ok... enough about food.... We hope everyone is well and happy... we miss you all and enjoy the comments and emails we're getting. Take care.... Know that you are thought of each day!

Until later... Dawn

Rock and Roll

Well, I'm sure John will cover some of the same things in his blog as I do, but that gives everyone both perspectives and a more rounded picture of what we're doing.

Today's adventure was yet another day filled with WHOA moments. We visited the Rock of Cashel ( www.12travel.ie/ie/South_East/attractions/rock_of_cashel.html ) another magnificent site in south central Ireland. It isn't easy to look for sights while I'm driving, but this one was hard to miss. Talk about imposing. John's comment was something like, "Imagine waking up and seeing that every morning back in the 1300s! You're either feeling VERy threatened or VERY protected."

The sheer age of these incredible places blows your mind. The Cormac Chapel, the oldest structure (if I read the guide book correctly), was finished in 1134. Holy moly... literally! As long as it took to build these things, it was obviously started right after it was given to the Church in 1101. It's the oldest structure on the site, by about 100 years or so and actually looks like the newest. Amazing... simply amazing. Or, as the Irish say, "Grand!"

From the walls of the Rock, you can see Hore Abbey, (http://www.spirited-ireland.net/images/monasteries-churches/hore-abbey/), founded by the Cistercians in 1269. There is no complete structure here. (There are very few complete structures anywhere in these ruins.) What is here, however, is most imposing and quite breathtaking. One simply wonders... what must it have been like when it was in heyday and there were flags flying, geese honking, children running about and the faithful about their prayers. It must have been, among other things, VERY loud! We can only imagine.

John's imaginings are running along these same lines. I told him, he really should get to work on that time machine thing. (Does Radio Shack have a kit?) Then, when he gets to see what Cashel and Hore Abbey looked like, he could go back to 5200 year old Newgrange and find out what it was REALLY all about! (If anyone out there has the goods, put 'time machine for John' on your Christmas list!)

We're in a very interesting B&B in Fiddown (we think it's pronounced Fid-duin), run by a woman who is German and her Irish husband. We've yet to see the husband, but we've heard him, so we think he's about somewhere. She's very nice, but very different from what we sort of expect in a B&B proprietor. We did a massive laundry washing last night and are now praying that while we're gone, the radiator is moving to beat the band and things will be somewhat dryer when we get back. Dry or not, things get packed up in the a.m. and we head out for Waterford Crystal and then points west along the coast. This MAY be the time when we'll string the clothes line in the back seat and hope for the best. ("Did ya see the crazy Yanks driving down the road with the windows down, dryin' their knickers?")

All is well with us... cold and damp notwithstanding, things are Grand, simply grand. John is a terrific navigator and the feel of driving on the left has pretty much returned, like riding a bike!

We miss everyone very much. Need to find an internet place with internet phone again so we can call Alex and have more than a few minutes to talk. (John's cell is convenient for emergencies, calling B&Bs and talking to Alex when I'm yearning, but expensive nonetheless.)

Hope all is well with each of you... we do need to get back to writing those postcards. Please know, you are missed and thought of often!

Until later... Dawn

As Old as Dirt

We managed to leave Dublin by the least busy route available and headed for points unknown (generally north) by about 11:00 a.m. Monday (13 March) morning. We had a very chatty cab driver who was full of questions and stories and anecdotes. Very interesting.

Not very hard to get back into the swing of driving on the left of the road. It does take a concentrated effort, but it's kinda like riding a bike... all comes back to you!

Yesterday was just plain RAW. Incredibly windy, rainy... a cut to the bone cold that is something beyond what we typically feel. As the woman at Newgrange said... it's just RAW and boy, was she right.

We visited Newgrange in the early afternoon. (if the link doesn't show up, put www.knowth.com/newgrange.htm, into your browser) I'm not quite sure there are words to describe this experience. Built some 5200 years ago, presumably as a burial site for royalty or important persons, Newgrange is a spectacular feat of engineering, architecture and construction. There is no mortar in the place. The stones, of all sizes, colors and shapes, came from areas, most likely, within a 100 mile radius of the location. Newgrange is one of close to a 100 passage tombs in Ireland. Possibly inspired by similar tombs in the south of France, there is nothing quite like Newgrange (and it's sister tombs) anywhere else in the world.

Now... picture this... standing inside a tomb, built hundreds of years before the pyramids of Egypt. Got it? Good. Even in bone-chilling cold, I was awed and inspired and filled with wonder. Truly, Newgrange has peppered our conversations every since we found out way back to the bus and huddled down for warmth! I'm sure there will be more to come on this topic!

Next stop... since it wasn't cold enough for us... was Monasterboice. . http://www.socc.ie/monaster.htm Through the bluster wind, we found the car park across from this site to be completely empty. Like... who else was stupid enough to be out on a day like this! The gate was closed, so I took adventage of these stone steps built into the side of the wall and climbed over. Once inside, I was met by John, who just opened the gate and walked in! (Face it, my entrance was more adventurous!) We walked into this cemetary, in use for hundreds of years and were entranced and (yet again) amazed and astounded at the High Crosses that filled the yard. To see someone else's pictures, click this link. . http://www.bamjam.net/Ireland/Monas.html To see my pictures, which will be miraculous if ANY of them come out since the wind was blowing so hard, I'm not sure I got anything without camera shake!, you'll have to wait for the coffee table book!

The art on the crosses, many still in impeccable condition, are phenomenal. One can see how Biblical stories were related to those who couldn't read. These crosses, with their Biblical illustrations are truly the predeacessor or stained glass windows, which did the same thing in medieval churches. (That's a story for another day since we watched a show on BBC1 last night about restoration of the only, intact set of medieval stained glass windows in Europe!) It was yet another incredible visit and I look forward to more later today and throughout these upcoming weeks.

Today we head south, through on again - off again blue skies and the odd bit of sunlight. With luck, and fair winds, things will be warmer down south. I'd settle for less breezy!

Also, with luck, we'll find another internet cafe to keep this blog going. We lucked into this one today, in Mullingar, while waiting for Belvedere House to open! (Hey... if you don't open until 10:30 or so, you're going to miss the early bird tourists!)

We miss everyone! We talk of you often and think of you and wish you were all here with us! It's wonderful to log on and read your comments or get your emails. Keep 'em coming!

Until later.... Dawn

The laundry dilemma

Hmmm.... you know (as Peggy does!) that this laundry situation has been on my mind for weeks. I have practiced and practiced, knowing exactly how long it takes for something to dry. Well, all that has flown out the window with the weather and heating arrangements in our first hotel. Thank goodness we finally figured out how to fire up the radiator or NOTHING would have dried, but things are hanging all over it now and drying fairly quickly. With luck, we will leave here with MOSTLY clean clothes. (May have to take the hair dryer to the collar part of my turtle neck if it's too diry.) If we can take advantage, we won't wash again until we get to Fiddown on Tuesday. At that point, we'll need to do laundry immediatly.

We'll also check out the situation with the car. Perhaps we can rig up the clothes line in the back seat and get some things to dry while we're driving. We are, to say the least, creative when it comes to this laundry situation.

So... stay tuned for the laundry saga and the next installment of "As the Laundry Dries"

Cheers!

Windy Sunday in Dublin Town

Well... to say the least, it was cold and colder, windy and windier today. That being said, we had a lovely day in town.

After morning services at Christ Church Cathedral, which John is blogging about, I think, we headed down for a nice cuppa at Starbucks (new in Dublin and in Dublin only, so we enjoyed... they look at me funny when I ask for fresh cream in my tea, but they pour it anyway!) and sat and enjoyed. Shortly after sitting, a young couple with 2 lovely children sat down and somehow, both parents got involved and the little boy (age 4, Ben) and I started talking. We had the nicest, leisurely visit with his parents (she's from Georgia [US variety] and he's from Germany). I think we visited well over an hour. They're now living in Ireland and enjoying this change.

We had a terrific lunch at a little place called Sherie's and then headed for the bus stop. Took the good ol' 130 FOREVER to come, so I pulled out my hat, pulled my scarf a little tighter and tried to absorb the wind and think warm thoughts. Finally it came and I settled in for my typical nap on the bus. We got back to the hotel around 5:00 and just settled into trying to get laundry to dry (thank goodness for radiators) and wrote a few journal notes and postcards. I'm fighting a cold and winning one day, but losing the rest, so I thought taking it easy was a good idea.

Tomorrow morning, 10-ish, we're going to pick up the car and then head out for the real Ireland. I told JOhn, I couldn't wait for him to see the REAL Ireland. NOt that Dublin is by any means fake... but it's a large city. ONe thing I've learned... all large cities SMELL alike. IF I closed my eyes and couldn't hear voices, I wouldn't know if I'm in Dublin or New York or New Orleans or Paris. They all smell alike.

Ok... time to think about packing and being ready to explore and discover what the hills of Ireland are really like.

Not sure when we'll find the next internet cafe, but when we do, we'll share.

Love to all!
¬¬ Dawn