We have been on the plane for 6 hours now and my butt is dead! The trip was worth it tho, we had lots of fun. Strange movie they are showing something about "stolen time"
It is now 26.5 hours after we got up to start the trip home and we are finally at Brian & Jill's house in the Twin Cities. Bed time!
Long day heading back to Dublin. We left New Ross around 10 this morning and headed towards Dublin, about a 2 hour drive. Arrived in Dublin about 3 after wondering and making couple stops. The two stops of note were the Piper's stone circle and the Russhouse (sp?). I saw the sign for the circle as we passed it, this was after we had made a couple side trips looking for dulmens (sp?) and other attractions seen on brown signs. As we went by I realized that in Ireland they put the sign at the beginning of the trail to the site, not before it and for sure not before the turnoff to the site. So I found a place to turn around and we went back and parked in front of the farmer's field gate. We went in and walked through the field of mama sheep and new lambs to the top of the hill where the circle of stones is.
The next stop was the Russhouse where we had lunch and talked with the candle maker. Then in to Dublin around 2 or 3. We went through the city to avoid the M50 and the toll on it. Around 6 we got to the airport. :) Check in was a breeze, but then we had to deal with the stupid way the Carlton has their internet access setup.
Tomorrow we are off to home!
I tried to post two things this morning and got interrupted while they were saving. Now I can't open them to do anything.
Well we made it through TSA in Minneapolis without Jan being restrained. In fact it went very well, they were very helpful and friendly. It only took about 15 minutes from the time Brian & Jill dropped us off for us to get our boarding passes and go through security. The next stop was a restaurant/bar where we had wine and a bloody mary. Wine for me. Met others there who are from SD. And the bartender knew people in Watertown. Much more relaxed now! Walked the concourse and now heading for our gate to watch people.
Just a list of things that I have seen or heard.
"Traffic calms soon."
"100 kph Drive safe"
"Sharp bends"
"Extremely sharp bends"
"Slow" "Slow more" "Slower"
"Gents stand closer, it's shorter then you think. Ladies please wait until the movement is finished."
"Old age is when broad minds and narrow waists switch places."
Writing on Monday morn. It was a day of many views bracketed between Sunday Mass in an old small church with pews that moved and were barely deep enough to perch on, with parishioners all wearing their coats because it was cold inside. (Mass was the mostly the same except the homily was before the readings, which really helped in the prayerful contemplation of them, and the "kyries" being in Gaelic.) And Ashford Castle which is very pretentious.
Along the way we made an unplanned side trip to Joyce's Connemara marble shop where they had the most interesting signs. Stopped for lunch in a pub and saw a picture of the Croke Stadium, we were in the hotel across the street from it the first night, with 79,500 people in it!
After smoked salmon and eggs for breakfast it was off to the french pastry shop for cappuccino, chocolate tort and a raspberry "marsh mellow". Then it was drive around the Burden where we stops at a dolmen and several shops to find things to bring back, including a new hat for me. :) Around 2pm we stopped for lunch at a pub in Kilfenora where I had a wonderful lamb stew. The owner wanted to know if I would like a drink with it and when I said no thanks that I was driving he assured me that I needed one to help me relax into the driving on the local roads. Interesting idea, but I passed anyway. As we talked and age came into the conversation he commented that he was "continuing on", ie getting older. I like that turn of phrase.
The next stop was the Cliff of Mohrer. I climbed while Jan sat and watched people. Interesting view of the Atlantic and the cliffs that are being worn away. Also a wonderful location to listen to a harp being played. Then back to Doolin where we checked out the 16th century church ruins and the pier.
Now for a little lie down then we will head to McCanns Pub (mate!) for supper before the tourists get there. Tonight we stay around for the music and try out the Powers.
Back from McGanns Pub. Had a good time with good food and good company. Shared a table with a couple from Galway, tried Powers (good, smother then Jamesons) and listened to some music. Now posting some pictures from the day, with help. Once I am done and this is uploaded it will be time to go to sleep so we can street fresh tomorrow.
Fun day today. Left Dublin and only needed to go back to the hotel once in order to start over on finding our way out of the city. Learned that driving on the M6 is just like driving on I29 except for three differences:
1) You are on the left side of the four lane highway. The outside lane is still the slow lane, so if you only want to go 100 instead of 120 stay in it!
2) The center median is just wide enough for the hedgerow. I like the hedgerow idea because it will block the headlights at night.
3) Irish drivers are generally relaxed.
We got off M6 and on to the side roads once we got about halfway across the country. The "red" roads are like driving 212 without the shoulder. The others vary from sharing a single lane, like one of the lanes in uptown Watertown, for the cars going in opposite directions at 80 kph; to ones like sharing the ally behind my house with oncoming traffic at 60 kph! When you meet a bus you hope there is an intersecting driveway! You also hope it is on one of the few straight parts of the road so you can see it coming. Did I mention the stone walls covered in vines on both sides of the roads? :)
Now we are at the Toomullin House in Doolin. Time for a "lay down" as Chris, our host called it. Then off to one of the pub for supper and then to listen to the music that starts around 9:30pm.
I am officially beat! We walked to Trinity College and what we were told was a 15 minute walk was more like 2 hours. But once we got there we did get to see some of the Book of Kells and had an entertaining tour of the college led by a doctoral student. On his advice we skipped the temple square pubs and went to O'Neills Pub for supper. Road the bus back and now it is time to crash.
I wish we had taken a picture of the poster that greeted us as we left customs at the airport. It said "Welcome to the green bottle of home." It had a picture of a bottle of Jamesons. We are now in the hotel and getting ready to go to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells.
We left at 11 this morning and made good time getting to Brian and Jill's in Bloomington. We did come 'via Cottonwood Falls' so it took a little longer.
We are planning a trip to Ireland starting next week. I will be posting some pictures and stories as we travel. Who Knowles someone may still be following this blog and enjoy it. If you are following this let me know please.
