I've discovered that it's difficult to deal with photos and write posts when it never gets dark outside. We get going at a reasonable hour in the morning and 'do' something touristy till 5:00 or 6:00 in the evening. Then we have some wine and think about dinner. Then we have some more wine and maybe a nightcap, and by then it's well after 11:00. The weather has been spectacular for a almost 2 weeks, absolutely unheard of in Ireland and we should be paid to stay forever, (I think I've mentioned in previous posts that we always have good weather when we travel. It's true). Spectacular weather means clear skies, of course, and an awareness that it is still broad daylight at 10:00. Even when I've gotten up during the night (all that wine) at 12:00, 1:30, 2:00, it's not actually dark. We're only at about latitude 53 so I'm surprised.
So, back to where I left off, which was in Waterford in case you've fallen asleep waiting...
We backtracked from Waterford to Dungarvan so we could stay at Lawlor's Hotel for Ed. never mind a Lawlor hasn't owned it for yonks, it's fun to find your name on something, like when we went to St. Ives in Cornwall. The hotel was a bit tired but in the centre of town so well located and well priced. We found a cooking school/restaurant in a lovely old building. The owner/chef was friendly to us but a bit imperious with the too-few staff, like he'd been watching more reality television than was good for him. Anyway, the food was great and that's all we really cared about. That and a good night's sleep which we got.
We moved on to Cashel in the morning, another of these many many ruins, some of which are religious and some political. There was a lovely line in a book I've been reading, along the lines of "anyone who had a hill and 10 animals was a king". Then they spent their lives either trying to acquire more hills and animals or fending off invaders. It is said there were 3500 castles on Ireland. That's a lot of kings.
After Cashel we pushed on to our night's accommodation in Castle Durrow, Durrow, via Kilkenney for a Kilkenney which is not that easy to find.. It seemed extravagant at the time of booking, but in the end was very good value and a KING size bed. Bliss!
Please note all the blue sky....
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| Cashel |
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| loved the lichen |
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| things grow in strange places! |
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| the proud namesakes |
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| in Kilkenney for an appropriate beverage, except for Pat who just does NOT like beer. |
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| P&E's room at castle Durrow. |
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| the south terrace at Castle Durrow. Loved it! |
1 comment:
Great photos! It all looks just gorgeous, including that blue sky. (But as to your claim of always having good weather, don't I remember you getting hypothermia when you went to Iceland?) Kim and I have just come back from Puyallup, Washington, which is nowhere near as beautiful or historic or exciting or beer-focused as where you are.
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