Sligo

October 5, 2012

Birthdays and Seaweed, what do they have in common?  They both occurred on the 5^th day of October, Andy’s birthday.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDY!!!  More on the seaweed later. 

Please note: All pictures in this blog have been rated “G” by the head heenyhonkers of the BBOY search team.  (That would be us.)

After a lovely formal breakfast at Ross Lake House we went off in the tin can car.  People sure look at us funny with the side of the car bashed in!  We kind of like it.  It’s a badge of honor.

So off across the countryside we started, dents and all.  We headed Northwest through an area filled with beautiful lakes.  Driving through the countryside it looked like a combination of Bellingham/Ferndale Washington greed fields and pastures, mixed with some high desert plains style fields, surrounded by beautiful rock mountains, quite diverse.  We went through Oughterard, Maam Cross, Maum, Cornamona, Clonbur, and Ballinrobe.

 Then I started driving.  Now the left hand driving thing isn’t that hard.  What’s nerve wracking is that the lanes are so tiny, then people park in your lane and it’s truly like bumper cars driving around towns.  We went through Hollymount, Claremorris, Bellahy, Tobercurry, and Ballinacarrow and stopped in Strandhill.

Strandhill is a surf city.  You can take surf lessons there.  Instead of surfing lessons we decided to have seaweed baths and a massage.   Oh boy, was that a good idea!  The seaweed baths are just that.  The seaweed is cut locally and every bath gets a fresh batch.  You get into a big tub of water filled with kelp-type seaweed.  And soak.  The water is rather slimy, but smooth.  It makes your skin so soft.  We were told to get our hair wet and not to bathe until tomorrow so more of the “seaweed nutrients could soak into our bodies.”  Ok….  We actually enjoyed the baths.  It was quite nice to soak our travel weary bodies in hot, smooth water.  Bc insists that it has caused his hair to grow.  I of course, agreed. 

After the massage we got back into the tin can car and made our way to the Tree Tops B&B.  Now the last time we stayed in a hotel called Tree Tops it was in Kenya and we were escorted to and from the hotel by gentlemen wielding rifles to protect us from the wild animals.  We needed no such escort at this Tree Tops.  It’s a lovely B&B filled with eclectic art and a very sweet Doreen.  This morning we had a good Irish breakfast and now we will head onto Donegal. 

Still no sight of the BBOY, but we’ll keep looking!  Take care, bc and gc 

Sky Road and Lightning Abbey

October 4, 2012

What a lovely place this is, Ross Lake House.  We slept in and had a delightful breakfast in a formal dining room.  We met a couple from Upstate New York and another from Switzerland.  When they asked my name and heard Geneva, they asked BC if his name was Lucerne!  Ha!!

Off we went to Roundstone passing Maam Cross, Recess, Toombeola and stopping at Ballynahinch Castle for a walk about and pictures of gorgeous hydrangeas.

Just past Toombeola we came upon a herd of cattle in the road.  It was a classic Irish scene.  

We continued around the loop along the Atlantic Ocean which had amazing views.  We passed through Callow, Ballyconneely and stopped in Clifden for lunch at Griffin’s Bar.  We met the head guy, which we named Mr. Griffin.  He gave us the wi-fi key so we could post our blog.  The internet is not so good here at Ross Lake House.  It was going to take us 90 minutes to upload the pictures.  In any case, I ordered chicken leek soup and, you guessed it, brown bread and BC had a chicken and cranberry bap.  Mr. Griffin gave us directions to Sky Road and even Annie O’Brian couldn’t find it, but we did.  We’re sure glad we did.  The scenery was awesome. 

While at Griffin’s Bar I came across the answer.  Instead of giving our residents in nursing homes Depakote, Haldol, or Ativan, how about a pint of Elders Beer at lunch and dinner? 

Then onto Kylemore Abbey via Letterfreck.  Kylemore Abbey used to be the Henry’s castle which they built in 1867.  We were nearing the visitor’s center when we were jostled by the simultaneous clap of thunder and flash of lightening that struck the hill about 300 yards above us.  It almost hit Jesus on the hill, striking 30 yards to his left.  Lordy, lordy, lordy that was something else.  Scared the heck out of us!  We think this might be another of earth’s natural phenomena that seems to follow us around.  Aren’t you glad we weren’t at your house?  The best news is that we forgot the umbrella in the tin can car which would have made us the lightening rod. 

  

We then decided to drive back to the Ross Hotel.  We passed the “Quiet Man Bridge.” Evidently it was a movie that was shot there starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. 

Piles of peat everywhere.

Annie O'Brian wanted to say hi,

The dinner here at the Ross Lake house is very formal.  Everyone meets in the little bar for a cocktail, and then you are escorted couple by couple to your table in the dining room.  While in the bar you choose what you’d like to eat.  When we were seated the young girl brought out our first course.  She said “macaroni and cheese.”  I said, “No, we didn’t order macaroni and cheese.”  BC saved me by saying, “Yes, I had the mackerel and she is having the goat cheese salad.”  The couple from New York nearly fell off their seats laughing.  Gee Whiz… you can dress me up but can’t take me anywhere.  We all had a good laugh about it. 

The dinner was superb.  Very elegant, perfect service and the goat cheese salad was fabulous!  After dinner we all adjourned to the drawing room.  Joe, the butler made us his award winning Irish coffee.  That was the perfect nightcap! 

We are off this morning to Sligo.  We hope to find another pub with wi-fi in order to post this. 

Hope all is well with you.  Take care, bc and gc

Cliffs of Moher

October 3, 2012

It was a long day yesterday, so we rested last evening and are writing this after a wonderful Irish breakfast. 

We started out driving to Tarbet to get on the ferry.  We’ve been on a lot of ferries in Washington, so this wasn’t super exciting, but it was different.  They walk around the cars/trucks/busses and collect the fare.  I couldn't get out because we were parked so close to the wall.  Here's my view:

BC got out and took some pictures of the water.  The wind was blowing quite a bit as you can see.

Speaking of.  I’ve tried to think of all the adjectives to put with windy.  Sorta, tad bit, very, really, kinda, blow your ear mops off and finally Popeye’s blow me down windy.  The wind pretty much blows all the time.  However, we have been very lucky with the rain.  Whenever we go to see some outside place, the sun shines.  The moment we are done, the sky clouds up and pours.  Nice. 

We got to Killimer and drove through Knockerra, Creegh, and Quilty!!!  Can you imagine?  A town called Quilty!  Here’s the town sign.

There is the Quilty bank where you keep your money to buy fabric. Then there is the Quilty post office where they send said fabric.  Here’s the Quilty Bar and restaurant where you eat and drink after a long day of, you got it, quilting.  Then when you have made all the quilts you can possibly make, you go to rest at the Quilty cemetery.  Gotta love it!

On through Milltown, Malray, Lehnich to the Cliffs of Moher.  Pronounced “more”.  There we got out; put on every piece of clothing we had in the back seat and walked up to O’Brien’s Tower.   It was very windy.  As we were walking up to the tower we came upon a rain shower.  BC said bent down and to wait here next to this wall until it passes.  So there we are, all bent over waiting for this rain shower to go by.  I got tired of waiting and walked on.  When we turned around to look, it was the wind blowing the water from the Atlantic Ocean so hard that it was spraying that particular place on the path.  We could have crouched down there forever!  Silly tourists! We got to the Tower and it was so beautiful.  And Blow me down windy.  If I hadn’t had bc to hang onto I’d be Dorothy in the wizard of Oz.  Here’s some pictures:

We walked back down, stopped to by a CD of my friend Rita Connolly because as I mentioned the radio is terrible in the tin car.  It’s a beautiful CD and makes driving through the Irish countryside so pleasant.  Anyway, just when we got about 50 yards from our car the blow your ear mops wind came up and I had to chase them down.  I got to the car just as torrential rain and blow me down wind came up.  I literally flew into the car, pulled my legs in as fast as I could as the door slammed.  I couldn’t stop laughing.  We were soaking wet on the left side of us.  Too funny. 

Got back on the road and drove through Ennistimon, Liscannor, and Lisdoonvarna and ate lunch at the Ritz.  A small friendly pub.  On down corkscrew hill through Kinvarra, Kilcogan, Clarinridge, Oranburg, Carrowmeh and stopped at the Ailwee caves.  We walked a half a kilometer into the cave.  Very interesting. 

Back into the car as the rain started, to go through Galway at rush hour, Maycullen, and into Rosscahill where our B&B is.  It’s called Ross Lake and is really off the beaten path, but oh so nice. 

We drove into Oughterand for dinner at the Boat Inn.  Fabulous mussels and a goat cheese puff pastry.  Glad we got the appetizer portion!  Hey Andy,  18 year old Jameson!

We are off on another adventure today, staying here again tonight.  Take care, bc and gc 

The Ring of Kerry

October 2, 2012

We drove 135 miles today!  That doesn’t seem like a lot, but around here it is. 

We decided to drive the Ring of Kerry.  From Tralee we drove to Ferranfore then Castlemaine, Killorgin, Ballynahoe, somewhere in between the above we stopped at a beautiful cemetery.  It was very old and very young.  There was a falling down church/mausoleum with lots of O’Sullivans and others buried.  Some were massive graves with whole families, others the gravestones were so old the writing had worn off.  You live your whole life and then it’s all etched onto marble and then eventually that disappears.  Hmmm…

After Ballynahoe we got lost.  But it was a good lost.  We saw some beautiful rugged scenery.  We drove on roads that rarely see sun or cars.  Talk about the road less traveled!  Here’s one of many with moss growing in the middle of the road. 

 We had lunch at the Fisherman’s Bar in Waterville after we found the “real” road.  I had fresh made seafood chowder.  Wow!  Was that good.



 Then it was back on the road to Killean, Sneem, Kenmare and we thought the Killarney National Forest.  We somehow got turned around and missed the forest.  But we came at it from the east and finally found it. (I think they just moved it and we have an old map.)  bc wanted to see the Torc Waterfall.  We drove and drove and got to the Ladies view which was after Torc.  I let bc out of the car to see the Ladies View because he had been so good and it seemed he wasn’t going to be able to see Torc.  I saw a waterfall near another broken down old church and proclaimed that this waterfall was Torc.  I don’t think bc believed me, but we were almost back to Kenmare and it was getting late.  So, we turned back around and headed to Killarney.  We only had to go around 2 round abouts twice!  We’re getting better!  Oh and somewhere in there we came upon a pack of dogs running down the road. 





Wild fuschias line the roads...






It was a tad bit windy out there.

We are back to Ballyseede with clean laundry waiting for us.  Nice. 

Random thoughts:

Brown Bread; An Irish specialty.  And wow it is truly special.  The various recipes are all good but the winner is still the brown bread at The Chop House in Dublin.  Their recipe is on their web site….yahoo!

I’m having a hard time with the left right thing.  I understand the cars drive opposite of us, but a left turn to me is crossing traffic, right turn following the curb.  I just call it your side, my side.

bc only scraped the side of the car once.  But it was because a big coach was passing and the roads are very, very small.  Like one lane wide.  But it was only brush…..

We have been dutifully looking for the BBOY, but it’s so wet here that I suspect that even if it was here it would be a soggy mess smelling like wet wool.  Ick.  But we will persevere!

I had the best Caesar’s salad for dinner last night.  Real strips of bacon.

bc had potatoes, potatoes and some more potatoes with his lamb.  Actually bc figured out it is truly possible there wasn’t a potato famine.  Rather it may have been a potato extravaganza…with no disrespect to those who perished in the true famine and other difficulties; I have never seen anyone devour the volume of potatoes they serve here.  My main plate came with a potato croquette and salad.  That was a great meal.  Then they brought the sides which included a dish with 8 medium small boiled potatoes and approximately a large cup+ of potatoes au gratin.  But for you vegetarians it is notable that there was also a plate of vegetables, carrots, squash, red peppers, and yes more potatoes.  I do estimate the dinner serving included no less than 3 cups of potatoes, and that might be understating it.  Needless to say, bc did not finish most of the potatoes but the lamb was devoured.  We suggested to our nice waiter he use the leftover to make potatoes O’Brien, not coincidentally his last name.  Guess what…..the Irish don’t make and aren’t familiar with potatoes O’Brien.  Our waiter knew nothing about them and furthermore we confirmed they don’t eat corned beef and cabbage either.  They do eat regular beef and cabbage and really love the cabbage. 

And now we are sitting in the lovely sitting room of the castle listening to 70’s music, relaxing.  Life is Good!

Take care, bc and gc

Ballyseede Castle

October 1, 2012

We landed at Ballyseede Castle.  Wow!  This place is really nice.  It’s a castle and we are in Paddy Gallagher’s room. The second g is silent.

We went to Charles Fort this morning.  This fort on the coast in Kinsale is still in fairly good shape considering it was built in the 1500s.  We walked all around.  It was kind of eerie.  I thought of the thousands of years people had worked and lived there, lived and died there.  It was ghostly, but again, amazing thinking that this is the place that the Irish lost the war against the British in 1601. 

After walking all around the fort we had a cup of hot chocolate and a latte.  As I’ve said the people are so nice here.  The lady who waited on us came over and set down a plate with a perfectly warmed scone.  It wasn’t one of those scones that you buy for X # of too many dollars at the local (every corner) coffee shop in the US.  (You know the ones I mean.  If you threw one at someone and hit them upside the head, it would knock them out.)  This scone was flaky, warm, with small currants in it.  The homemade raspberry jelly and fresh whipped cream didn’t hurt!  We call that lunch. 

   

Onto the Blarney Castle.  Annie O’Brian had quite a bit of trouble getting us there.  After the 4^th pass by of the “turn hard right here” we decided to just follow the street signs. 

Blarney Castle is quite big!  The gardens around them are very pretty, even the poison garden.  We stood in line to climb up to the Blarney Stone.  Going up the stairs slowly wasn’t so bad.  BC and I decided not to kiss the Blarney Stone as we felt that we were eloquent enough and besides, we haven’t had out flu shots yet this year.  We took pictures and climbed down.  BC insisted on sliding down several of the slippery spiral steps, but luckily didn’t take any of us down with him or hurt himself.  After that, I said, in a stern voice, “Stop taking pictures till we get out of here!” 

Up

 

Down

Texture

Family note:  I think this is where my brother eats out.

We set up Annie O’Brian to take us to the Ballyseede Castle.  It was about a 1 ½ hour drive through very rural roads.  At one point the Guard (Police) stopped us.  “How ya doing today?  Fine.  Where are you from?  California. Ah you must be crying over losing the Ryder Cup.”  We’re sitting in the middle of a town chatting with the Guard!  Like I said the Irish are so friendly.  “Well, you’re off to Tralee, have a good time!”  And off we went.  Here are some pictures of the roads we took.  Beautiful.

Notes about stuff:

Our car is made of tin.  You slam the door and the whole thing shakes.  The radio is crap.  And for goodness sakes, the steering wheel in on the wrong side! 

Funny road signs:  “Traffic Calming Ahead 400 M.”  Maybe that would be good for I 80, huh?

Don’t you want to live in Ringaskiddy?

Did I mention the roads are very tiny?  We literally scrape by when passing a car.  But everyone does it. 

We are having a blast!!  Bc and gc

Kinsale

September 30, 2012

What a fun day we had!  We picked up our car at Hertz in the morning.  We bought all the insurance they would offer.  The only thing not covered is the wheels and if we put something other than diesel in it.  We went out to put our stuff in the car and I noticed the back passenger side was side swiped and both left wheels were all scratched.  It had already been used by a driver not familiar with driving on the left.  The good news is if “we” have an “incident” with a bush, no one could tell.  We think that’s an advantage.  We had them check it and they had marked this damage on the car rental paper.  But I took pictures of it with a date stamp.  So, off we went to go to Powerscourt.

Powerscourt is a lovely old estate.  Evidently the people who owned it were royalty of some sort.  They had a fire which really gutted the majority of the place, so they took the insurance money and left.  It is now a tourist attraction with gorgeous gardens, nice shopping and restaurants. 

I belong to an internet based quilt group called “The Quilt Show.com”.  I have friends all over the world now.  One of them is Rita Connolly.  She lives in Wicklow, so she and her husband Shaun Davey met us at Powerscourt for lunch and a walk around the gardens at Powerscourt.  We had a great time getting to know each other.  Rita is a famous singer here in Ireland and her husband Shaun is a famous composer for movies, TV commercials and currently writes music for theatre.  Here is a website about them.

  http://www.taramusic.com/biogs/ritacobg.htm   And of course, she quilts!  We discussed all our quilts and quilt people and quilts to be made and quilts and more quilts.  Rita and Shaun are great people and we hope to see them again.  I know I’ll be “talking” to Rita a lot on TQS.

We had quite a drive from Powerscourt to Kinsale.  The roads are so small, that basically everyone takes their half out of the middle (but that’s because there is only half a road) and hopes for the best when passing each other.  We got on the freeway and every so often we stopped and threw money at a machine as a toll.  We only got lost a little bit coming into Cork, but “Annie O’Brian” our GPS gal got us turned around just fine.  The late afternoon sun was quite bright against the bug stained windshield, but we got to our hotel The Trident around 6:30 pm. 

We set out to find a place to eat.  Between the Ryder cup and Hurling, every pub in Ireland is busy with yelling patrons drinking a pint, or actually several.  We did find one place, The Silent Banjo, a wonderful local place owned by Frances.  BC had 16 year old Midleton Very Rare Irish Whiskey. Andy, he sure enjoyed that!  Then off the "The Crack Pot" for dinner.  I had langoustines which BC had to clean for me.  They were very good and left quite a pile of stuff on my plate.  BC had duck and it was good.  We went back to see Frances for a port and to watch the Americans lose the Ryder Cup (!!).

The Irish people are so kind, open and generous.  They have explained things to us with a smile, given us directions, suggestions and insight into their lives.  It really is nice.  We’ve had pretty good weather.  Right now we are sitting at the window eating breakfast looking out at the bay at Kinsale.  Reminds me a bit of Whidbey Island. 

Wish us luck driving around today!  Take care, bc and gc