We got back on Friday and after a long day of travel from Shannon to Newark (Ill NEVER fly through the New York area again!!! What amess!!!!) and after numerous delays we made it back to Norfolk Virginia. All I have to say is that Im addicted to Ireland now. I felt as if I was going home and its sooooooooooooo beautiful. It only rained once, our last day when we were at Newgrange and Knowth (sorry if I spelled it wrong). I didnt get to see the Hills of Tara becasue it was raining so bad and I had hurt my knee badly walking up those darn tiny stairs in Blarney castle. But I did it! I made it to the top and made my husband kiss the Blarney Stone. He needs the gift of gab and I do not!! Sorry! =)
We went to the Cliffs of Moher....I have bautiful pics. Then that night we did Bunratty Castle Banquet. That was wonderful and the music or craic were good as well. Oh, that morning when we stopped for breakfast Hubbie tried black pudding. He liked it. I spent five mins looking at it, depating on if it was worth it or not. I know what its made of. So finally, I told myself, Im in a foreign country and one my ancestors came from, I may as well suck it up and try it. One little bite.....and I hated it. But I tried! The soda's oh Lord and they expensive. I quickly learned to drink Blumers an irish cider instead of soda.Oh, and the honey mead from Bunratty.......to die for!! I could drink that wine all night. YUMMMMM
Second day was Cork. We didnt like where we stayed. We stayed down down, I was told we stayed in the wrong area and should have been more on the coastal region.....maybe next time. It seemed way to industrial for me. I like the small colorful towns with all the flowers and friendly people......thats more my style. We had a bum harass us in Cork, he actually grabbed my husbands pants pockets and wanted money. I told him to back off and he finally left.
Day three and four we were in Kilkenny. I LOVE Kilkenny. The castle and grounds are beautiful as is the town. I did have a ghost experience there and scared my husband and the tour guide. hehehe. But before I talk about that. Kilkenny is a 1100-1200 year AD town. Beautiful!! I would live there, its known for its marble. I will GO back to this town as will I go back to Bunratty and Ill try Galway, the barren and the ring of kerry next time we go back in two years. i truly love it. If I ever become well off fiancially, Im moving to Ireland. Anyway, back to the castle. When we walked in I told my hubbie it was haunted but didnt feel threatening. He whispered to me, "You thing everyplace is haunted" and honestly, you would be surprised. Not all ghosts remain on site, the come and visit. On the second floor I think it is there is a long blue high way. I was the first in the tour to walk that hall way and I could feel her. Basically, I feel it and see a picture in my mind. Its a type of psychic response. At the end of the hall is a guest bedroom and attached to that is another room. I told him the ghost was also in the other room and he kind of said, yeah, whatever. Men, if only he would learn to listen. us ladies have to train men. heheh
Anyway, at the end of the tour, I asked the guide to step aside and becasue the castle isnt rumored to be haunted I didnt want to spoil anything for the other tourists. I asked him who was the victorian lady at the end of the hall and in the second bedroom. His jaw dropped open. Now remember, I would have NO way to know, this is an internal rumor for the castle and they dont tell anyone, so please dont spread the news. No one else picked it up but me. He was surprised as was my husband becasue he told me that there have been numerous sightings or a victorian lady roaming that blue hall at night and the bedroom. I even discribed what she looked like and he was shocked. I fould it fun and interesting. Imagine that comming fro me, ms paranormal investigator herself.
Okay, Days 5 and 6 was Dublin, in our mind a waste. Parking was $50 american dollars a day, more in euros if you think of it like that. The euro ate us alive. Dublin reminded me of Chicago except for a few side streets which reminded me of Kilkenny or any small irish town. We went to St Patricks, Guiness (he really wanted to go), Trinity College and the Hard rock cafe becasue I collect hard rock cafe teeshirts.
I LOVED Trinity college, he loved guniness. In Trinity, the book of Kells is there, so pretty and to imagine they did the coloring with rocks such as lapis. The long hall upstairs is the largest medievel library in the world. Now, I love books, and I desperatly anted to sit up there and read for hours and discover some information I could use for my books. The ancient knowledge! WOW!!! They shot part of starwars in this hall too.
WE left Dublin and haded to Shannon becasue we would leave the next day. We went to Newgrange and Knowth, 500 years older than the pyramids. Amazing! I loved it. They have a wooden henge in Knowth which is bigger and older than Newgrange. You may just see that henge in my books. Spoiler!! Beware. The Hills of tara were to muddy to go too. So we went to Trim castle where Bravehart was fulled. Silly me slipped on the stairs and twisted my back. Im okay but it wasnt fun at the time and I was determined not to let that stop me.
Driving on day one from Bunratty to Cork we stopped at an old church, I cant remember the name and an old abbeyin the middle of nowhere, I have some awesome pictures. Ill post them. Over all the rating is A+++++++. Fantastic. A week is not long enough. Next time it will be 2 weeks., a week in ireland and a week in scotland but thats a few years away, we needt to save up again.
Slainte!
Heidi
