Day 8 Tuesday July 12, 2012: Sutton/ Howth

We woke up around 8 at the bed and breakfast and had an amazing breakfast with the other guests in the hosts' beautiful dining room.  Matthew ordered the full Irish breakfast and I had the Local Cheese plate (may have begun my new found love of cheese), crackers, and chutney.  Then on the breakfast bar was homemade yogurt, granola, apple muffins, fresh pear, rhubarb and apple in sauce.  Darra and her husband Niale had outdone themselves:)

Thank goodness Matthew had thought to stop at "The Burren" and walk around on our way to our next stop.  What a different environment!  The entire land was covered in rocks with different vegetation growing up in between.  Flowers were growing through every crevice they could find to get to the sun.

We decided to stop at one last monastery called Kilmacduagh Monastery.  Very interesting story about a tower with NO door, only windows.  Built to keep out the enemy:)

It was a very long drive on the M6 back to the Dublin area.  It was cloudy and very rainy.  We arrived in Sutton, which is a northeast suburb of Dublin around 2 and had some cups of Americano (coffee) at the bar white we waited for our room at the Marine Hotel.  It began to sink in that this would be our last night in Ireland.  Matthew had an amazing walk and hike planned that I began without even knowing what I was getting into:)  First we walked 3K from the town of Sutton to a town called Howth that is surrounded by the water.  Then the best part, and probably my favorite part of the whole trip, although its hard to pick one, a cliff walk.  The cliff walk we followed began at the Howth train station and walked to the pier at the end of town.  Here's Matthew looking out at the Dublin Bay to the Irish Sea.  Then we followed the Blue Route signs along the cliffs and looped back to the train station in Howth.  The walk took about 2 1/2 hours and it was absolutely breathtaking.

Matthew, doesn't like heights, did not appreciate my need to be adventurous:)  I wanted to get close, to feel the Irish plants, rocks, and be as close as I could to the beautiful water. 

On the 3k walk back to Sutton we began to see differences about the houses compared to ours at home.  Most of the houses were connected to another house, they had very little hards and very big windows.  Gates around the 2 houses and signs with the owner's last name hanging on the gates.  We had one last good meal in Ireland at the hotel restaurant.  Matthew had an amazing steak, mushroom, and onion sandwich with brown sauce and french fries.  I had my usual (and I'm not a fish person!) fried cod, salad and chips.

When we got back to the room (notice its now after 8pm and how light outside it is) we began to pack up the carry on bags and relax our very tired legs and feet.  We managed through lots of calls to be able to get to talk to the kids and assure them we'd be home in the early evening the next day.  It was when I was talking to Lanie on the phone that I realized all the little things that I had had some respite from on this anniversary trip.  I hadn't planned a day minute by minute in 8 days.  I hadn't explained my plans to anyone in 8 days.  I hadn't cooked a meal in 8 days.  I hadn't cleaned a room in 8 days. I hadn't checked my email in 8 days.   I hadn't gotten anyone dressed, brushed their teeth and hair, or rushed them to appointments in 8 days.  I missed these things don't get me wrong, and I missed my kids like crazy.  But I think as adults and especially parents, we forget all of the expectations and added stress that are put on us when we grow up and decide to have children. 

This would be our last Ireland picture.  Its taken from the beach right outside our hotel and it is of Dublin at night across the water.  It was one Matthew knew he'd regret if he didn't get outside and take it.  I'm so glad he did.  Besides the small trouble we had finding where to drop the rental car off the next morning the flight back was fine.  We had an amazing scone and coffee at the Chocolate Lounge in the airport and took off around 12:50 on Aer Lingus headed for Chicago.  We were both very ready to see the kids and be home but still struggled with getting back to "real life".

I still yearn to get back out there on the trails and roads of unknown places.  I want to see more.  I want to feel more.  Matthew and I made a promise that this would NOT be our last trip to another country.  Hawaii might be our next destination though, with the kids:)

"Life's grand:)"

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:)

 Rushka (Red) from Holland, Karlee, from Vancouver, Lisa, from Calgary and me

Matthew and PJ from North Carolina

Day 6: Sunday, July 10, 2012 Dingle 2

After having a full Irish breakfast at our Bed and Breakfast we hopped on our bikes that were going to be our seats for the day.  Most people drive Slea Had Drive, but Matthew, knowing me, thought we could bike ride it:)  There really aren't words to describe the beauty and peacefulness we felt on the ride so I'll just share the pictures.  Some things I continued to think about and notice though...houses in Ireland don't have screens, there's no need.  There are very few bugs and no harsh winters.  Again, houses in Ireland don't have garages, they just leave their small cars parked outside all year.  No severe weather.  I loved how on the ride you'd bike for a few kilometers and then there'd be either scenery or a museum to stop and see for a while.  We left about 10am and got home around 5pm.  We had lunch in a beautiful pottery shop along the way, the refueling was much needed.  I had Spinach soup and brown bread and then we shared an amazing homemade dessert.

 An old Irish fort

 Irish Famine Farm to remember the awful famine

 Beehive homes

 The Atlantic Ocean

 Come here honey, the ocean is....COLD!

 I know...I'm a hopeless romantic

 Jellyfish everywhere

 Love this sign and so typical of driving in Ireland:)  You pick, you can go 50 OR 80 kph.

 Primary school

We took our bikes back to the rental shop and headed over to Tommy O'Sullivans to celebrate our bike ride with a few drinks.  Smithwick's Ale, Guiness and Carlsberg seemed to be our drinks of choice now.  Soon the exhaustion in our legs began to set in so we headed over to a Spar for lunchmeat, cheese, peanut butter, and bread for supper.  We watched Euro 2012, Ireland was playing Croatia, on the small TV in our room and put our feet up for the rest of the night:)

~Lucky to have done a bike ride to remember forever in Ireland~

Day 5 Saturday, June 9, 2012 Dingle 1

We got up the next day and without me knowing, Matthew was taking us to Killarney National Park.  As you can tell, it is just beautiful.  We parked and even had the option of taking a horse and buggy tour, but opted to walk so we could get closer to the water and trees.  There were places to rent bikes and if we had more time I think we could have spent all day here just enjoying the view and nature.  In the national park was Muckross Abby.  In the middle of the abby stood a yew tree which is an old tradition.  The dark rooms and small hallways were fun to walk through and imagine hundreds of years ago people living here.  Matthew played with the timer on the camera so we both could be in a picture.

We headed on our way so we could make the Blasket Islands Tour in the early afternoon from the fishing town of Dingle.  The town of Dingle is at the end of a big peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean.  Dingle is a long town.  Lots of little shops, alleyways, and pubs.  We parked on the harbor and got signed up for the boat ride.  We were in town on the day they were having a huge race called the Dingle Adventure Race that people from all over Ireland come to do. It included, kayaking, running up huge hills, walking, and swimming in the ocean.  Looked like something I would LOVE to do!

After walking around town, getting a small diner lunch, and getting settled at Ashes Bed and Breakfast, our home for the next 2 days, we headed back to the harbor for the boat tour.  It was run by a father and his 2 sons, all 3 very thick Irish accents.  They told us a lot about the history of Dingle as they took us out into the ocean where we saw the local dolphin, Fungie, lots of seals and ocean birds.  Our destination was the Blasket Islands.  Years ago the Blasket Islands were inhabited by a small group of people that wanted to try to make it on their own without help from the mainland.  They did well for a while, but then began to starve.  The Irish government decided to evacuate the islands because it wouldn't look good on them for letting this group die.  Their sheep and the remains of their houses are still there.  The mysteriousness and curiosity of how they survived brings people to the islands.  Some people sit in a boat and stare, like us, some people get out of the boat and walk around the islands all afternoon, and others even pitch a tent and spend the night there to enjoy the tranquility.

  The little gray dots in the water are seals:)

 This chain of islands is also known as the sleeping giants.  Do you see it?

We got advice from our B & B about where to head out to for the night and decided to start at Tommy O'Sullivan's.  The place had such low ceilings that Matthew had to hunch way over in order to go inside so we headed out to the garden in the back.  It was beautifully decorated with bright colored flowers and patio furniture.  We talked to a lot of locals and enjoyed being outside in absolutely perfect weather.  Inside, the pub was full and a young, local Irish band was playing.  I began to love the words that I would hear and wrote them down.  In the garden we met a lady in her 50's from the states that was in Ireland to retrace her Grandmother's steps.  She hiked from Anascaul to Dingle that day was heading on the next day.  We told her we were doing a big bike ride tomorrow and she replied, "As I was hiking, I felt bad for the cyclists (going uphill on the roads) until I began stepping on sheep sh$t and cow sh*t."  Matthew and I joked about this for days, and when we got off our bikes we understood what she meant:) 

We headed over to another pub called Dick Mack's where we met a young 20 something from Cork named Erotic Evelyn.  She was very sweet to us.  Then we ran into some trouble with some local surfers Fionn and Dermont.  We escaped just in time and headed back to the Bed and Breakfast to sleep:)

~Lucky to be meeting new people in Ireland~