Carol H
Unregistered User
(6/1/03 5:50 pm)

Our adventures-Part IV-Conclusion

---

After leaving Castlecomber, we wind our way through the mountains to Glendalough. We pass through towns with names like Aughrim and Shillelagh. In Aughrim, there was a store that sold grocieries, hardware and gravestones! Glendalough is thought-provoking. Patrick and I have a discussion about spirits and ghosts in the ancient burial center. It's damp and gloomy and rather spooky, we agree.But it may be nice to stay at the hotel here, take long walks and contemplate, then come back to a hot shower, a drink, dinner, and a comfortable bed. We leave the peacefulness of Glendalough, and Pat turns left at the suggestion of a guide who suggested we might want to go to Enniskerry by way of Sally Gap. Why ever? we all wonder as we travel through what seems the most desolate place in the world. I'm so glad I declined the front seat. Emmons is the lucky one! It goes on forever, barren mpuntains and fields, no other cars, only sheep on the road, and a sheer drop on the left-hand side. We caution Patrick not to look at anything except the road! Patricia reads in her guidebook that Sally Gap is the steepest grade in the mountains, used by bicycle riders to train for the Tour de France. We finally reach Enniskerry annd our B&B. A lovely home, perhaps the nicest we've stayed in, but "our hosts" are as different as night and day from the other hosts we've stayed with. We can see two lovely living rooms, but we're told there is no sitting room "It's why we have TV in all the rooms." Huh? So we sit in Emmons and Patricia's rooms, all five of glad it isn't our last night in Ireland as we originally planned. We all go to bed early. Patrick says his shoulders feel like a board after hunching over the steering wheeel. Next morning we take our leave and drive five minutes or less to Powerscourt. It quickly becomes my favorite garden spot in all of Ireland! Magnificent. We spend hours there-the sun has come out, and, finally, after pulling Patricia out of the wonderful shops there, we start on our way to Dublin. Patrick finds out that we were only about a half hour from Enniskerry if we hadn't gone over Sally Gap! Lunch at Kate Gallagher's Pub in Bray, a stop in Donnybrook (which is lovely and doesn't look a brawling town!) and we're on our way "home" to Cashel Lodge. It's like reuniting with family. The house is full with "some Irish lads from Antrim" who are working in Dublin for a while. Tara gives up her bedroom-the purple canopy over her bed is taken off. Mary is working the night shift at the nursing home. She assures us she'll try to be home in the morning before we leave, but we say our goodbyes anyway. Pat M. wants to hear all about our trip, the different B&B's, and especially the North-he's never been there either, I get called into the kitchen to see if I can help Connor with a question for his homework. Home! We go back to the Regency for our "last supper." Patrick joins us after dinner and we have a lovely time. Up early the next morning. We say our fond goodbyes to Pat M. and the kids on their way to school. Just as we're pulling out of the driveway, Mary drives up, waving and smiling. Glad we gave our hugs the night before. We're early at the airport. It's sad to say goodbye to Patrick, who has become our friend, and really made our trip for us. Loads of fun and good memories!
When we get home I look up black pudding on the Internet. Ugh! I must have been bewitched in Ireland!

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 1525
(6/4/03 11:10 pm)
 
Enjoyed the Trip

---

Hi Carol,

We really enjoyed hearing all about your trip. Thank you so much for the time and thought you put into it. You should have looked up black pudding before your trip!

Michele