Sunday, May 15, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Finally in Dublin
Never did figure out how to add the pictures effectively. Besides, Blogspot was down for a time the other day so I couldn't get on and just too tired last night. We did make it to Ballymaloe which I thought was pronounced Ballymalow but is actually Ballymaloo. The Irish don't follow the same phonetic rules as we do. I did not sit in on the cooking demonstration but wish now that I would have. My hero, Rachel Allen was doing the demonstration. We did ask for Mel's friend Catherina. She was so sweet and glad to hear about Mel and Jeff. Maybe someday I'll get back there for a 12 week cooking class.
After Ballymaloe we headed for Killkenny. We stayed in a Bed and Breakfast that had a great Irish Breakfast but used old skeleton keys for the room. We didn't see much beside the castle and then headed for Dublin. We are at the Hilton Airport hotel until Monday. It was nice to get up this morning and not have to pack up and load up the car again. Today we took the double decker bus into Dublin city center and hthen got on a hop on hop off tour bus to tour the city. Tomorrow we are going to do the same and stop in a few more spots. I wan t to do the Guiness Brewery and the Kilmainham Goal (jail) where the rebels of 1921were executed.
The weather has not been that bad. It is still windy and cool with periods of rain each day. Can't say that I won't be glad to get back to some better weather. We are safe and well.
After Ballymaloe we headed for Killkenny. We stayed in a Bed and Breakfast that had a great Irish Breakfast but used old skeleton keys for the room. We didn't see much beside the castle and then headed for Dublin. We are at the Hilton Airport hotel until Monday. It was nice to get up this morning and not have to pack up and load up the car again. Today we took the double decker bus into Dublin city center and hthen got on a hop on hop off tour bus to tour the city. Tomorrow we are going to do the same and stop in a few more spots. I wan t to do the Guiness Brewery and the Kilmainham Goal (jail) where the rebels of 1921were executed.
The weather has not been that bad. It is still windy and cool with periods of rain each day. Can't say that I won't be glad to get back to some better weather. We are safe and well.
Monday, May 9, 2011
An Daingean
Well it is Sunday and we finally have good internet service. When the signal is low you can type and and then it goes down. Anyway we are now on the Dingle Peninsula.
The inn keeper at the Breffni Arms Hotel in Arvagh arranged for a lady to take Lisa and I out to Derrylane Church where my great-grandparents ( had one ttoo many greats in there)were married. On the morning it was time to go, he said that we could follow him out. We thought the lady had blown us off and that we weren't going to get to go into the church. At a turn off, he pulled off and got out of the car to give us the directions to Pearl's house and that she would take us to Derrylane Church. It so happens that Pearle and her husband own a B&B, The Arches, that John and I wanted to stay at in 2007 but she wasn't home at the time. We met Pearle at her home and drove to the church. Pearle had problems securing a key to the church and that is why she didn't meet us in town. We were able to go into the very church that Charles and Elizabeth Scott were wed in 1863. After some conversation, Pearle thought that her husband Wilson Kells may be related to us. Somewhere in his family tree, he has Scott relatives. We would have stayed at their B&B but they were headed out of town that evening. Maybe we should have anyway. I had second thoughts about going to Belfast. There is too much traffic, and not sure we could safely leave the car with luggage in view ( car's boot much too small). So we headed to Ballyshannon on the west coast since Ballyshannon is close to the Beleek Porcelain Factory.
Saturday morning we headed to Beleek in Northern Ireland. Lisa spent a ton and I didn't. We decided to go on to Gallway which was a big mistake. Galway is very popular with the young people, especially on weekends. You guessed it. We drove in circles in the midst of Galway on narrow, narrow streets with people all over the place. We finally gave up on finding a hotel and headed south landing at Bunratty Castle area. We found a nice place to stay at Bunratty Manor which promised a good internet connection but they must have lied because the signal was to low to get on line. So we headed south on Sunday morning and are now on the Dingle Penninsula.
Well I am finishing this on Monday evening since the little people must be messing with me and they cause me to loose my place on this blog. Not to worry. I think we finally figured out where it goes. Today we took a wonderful tour of Dingle seeing an igloo looking Gallarus Oratory ( early Christian church) built about 1300 years ago, It is all made of various size stones constructed without mortar. You could actually stand inside but not without thinking that after 1300 years it may be time for it to come down. Amazing ! After our tour, we shopped a bit and then headed to Kinsale in County Cork. We had pretty good roads and managed to arrive in this tiny seaside town about 7pm. I am getting close to Rachel Allen's cooking school. I don't think they have room for us to sit in on a demonstration but just going there will be fun. Hope I get there. We are safe and well.
The inn keeper at the Breffni Arms Hotel in Arvagh arranged for a lady to take Lisa and I out to Derrylane Church where my great-grandparents ( had one ttoo many greats in there)were married. On the morning it was time to go, he said that we could follow him out. We thought the lady had blown us off and that we weren't going to get to go into the church. At a turn off, he pulled off and got out of the car to give us the directions to Pearl's house and that she would take us to Derrylane Church. It so happens that Pearle and her husband own a B&B, The Arches, that John and I wanted to stay at in 2007 but she wasn't home at the time. We met Pearle at her home and drove to the church. Pearle had problems securing a key to the church and that is why she didn't meet us in town. We were able to go into the very church that Charles and Elizabeth Scott were wed in 1863. After some conversation, Pearle thought that her husband Wilson Kells may be related to us. Somewhere in his family tree, he has Scott relatives. We would have stayed at their B&B but they were headed out of town that evening. Maybe we should have anyway. I had second thoughts about going to Belfast. There is too much traffic, and not sure we could safely leave the car with luggage in view ( car's boot much too small). So we headed to Ballyshannon on the west coast since Ballyshannon is close to the Beleek Porcelain Factory.
Saturday morning we headed to Beleek in Northern Ireland. Lisa spent a ton and I didn't. We decided to go on to Gallway which was a big mistake. Galway is very popular with the young people, especially on weekends. You guessed it. We drove in circles in the midst of Galway on narrow, narrow streets with people all over the place. We finally gave up on finding a hotel and headed south landing at Bunratty Castle area. We found a nice place to stay at Bunratty Manor which promised a good internet connection but they must have lied because the signal was to low to get on line. So we headed south on Sunday morning and are now on the Dingle Penninsula.
Well I am finishing this on Monday evening since the little people must be messing with me and they cause me to loose my place on this blog. Not to worry. I think we finally figured out where it goes. Today we took a wonderful tour of Dingle seeing an igloo looking Gallarus Oratory ( early Christian church) built about 1300 years ago, It is all made of various size stones constructed without mortar. You could actually stand inside but not without thinking that after 1300 years it may be time for it to come down. Amazing ! After our tour, we shopped a bit and then headed to Kinsale in County Cork. We had pretty good roads and managed to arrive in this tiny seaside town about 7pm. I am getting close to Rachel Allen's cooking school. I don't think they have room for us to sit in on a demonstration but just going there will be fun. Hope I get there. We are safe and well.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
Getting Ready
One more day then it is off to Dublin. I am packed and thinking about repacking. I don't want to take too much and then be overweight on the way home again. Lisa is my traveling buddy this trip. She and I worked together for a few years about 30 years ago. Now if I can figure out this blog, I'll post pictures and an accounting of each days activities. Wish me luck !
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