dysw: Day 7: Monday, June 11, 2012 Doolin

We followed a "Leisurely Day's Journey" heading out of Dingle on Monday. The Shannon Ferry picked us up and took us and our car across the River Shannon. An experience we've both never had before:)

We stopped at Vandeleur Walled Garden. More beautiful flowers, a couple great mazes and a life size chess game. We knew the end of Ireland was getting close for us and began to really slow down and take it all in.

We had a peanutbutter, bread, and chips lunch at a beautiful cliff right outside Kilkee. We sat on a bench 10 yards away from a golf course. Can you imagine playing golf and seeing this view!

The plan was to drive to Loop Head, but power lines were down and we had to turn back. We stopped first at our Bed and Breakfast in Doolin around 3pm. Our host Darra, gave us great advice to spend the extra money and ride the boat out to see the Cliffs of Moher instead of driving back up to the car park. We caught the 4:00 boat tour. It was really cold but with my new Ireland stocking cap I had bought at the souvenier shop on the way, I was great. We caught sight of the dolphins in the bay and the Aran Islands in the distance.

Birds, birds, and birds oh my!

License plates around doorway from all different United States and dollar bills on the wall.

Sea View Bed and Breakfast, our home for a night

We took our pints outside to drink. It was after 6:30 and look how bright that sun was! After awhile we headed up the road leading outside Doolin, where we heard there were other good pubs to try. McGann's was first then McDermotts. At McGann's there were some "interesting" Irishmen watching soccer on the TV. I became "Maggie" for awhile. We sat outside again trying to take in the amazing weather, and met some people staying at a hostel. As Matthew says, "They made us feel young:)" We stayed with them for the rest of the night. Lisa let me try one of her mussels for supper. It was buttery, garlicy and very yummy. Irish music played in the background at McDermotts but it was very soft through all the conversation and laughter. Lisa toasted "slainte"(slawn-cha) to mini guinesses toward the end of the night. The walk back to the B &B that night was very dark. We realized too late that there were no street lights in the country:)