Dude
Unregistered User
(6/1/03 11:42 pm)


Last four days

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Sunday, May 25
Our Tourneo wouldn't fit under the barrier at Croagh Patrick so we just checked it out as we drove by, and drove on around Kilary Harbour. Somewhere along there before we got to Kylemore Abbey was a breathtaking photo op of a lake surrounded by mountains. Good to get out and stretch on the one sunny day we had.
We did photos at Kylemore Abbey; The Denver Post will publish travel photos if you hold up a copy of the paper in the picture so we did that. Also more power shopping and then three of us took the Abbey tour and two read our new books in the bus.
Lunch at the tearoom at the Connemara Park center. The youngster and her mom took the long nature trail and the remaining three took the short one, which will fool you because it is nearly vertical in spots.

Long drive to Spiddal where tonight's B&B was a thatched cottage with--ta da!--all rooms at ground floor level! It is the Caladh Gearr Thatch Cottage and a jewel. Only three rooms so we had the entire place. After dinner in town and not being able to get into the room at the bar with the live musicians we went "home", changed into our jammies and sat in the lounge with Bailey's Irish Cream and watched TV by the peat fire.

Monday, May 26
Cool and rainy again today. We drove to Moycullen to visit the Connemara Marble Factory; had a very brief "tour" from a kindly gent who mostly told us about the marble and showed us samples. More of the ubiquitous shopping.

Into Galway (with excellent directions from Maura of the Thatched Cottage) to Galway Crystal where we shopped but forewent the tour. Babs found a ring she liked but they didn't have her size so into Galway proper we went for more shopping. We parked in Roche's Department Store parking garage where our antenna scraped the overheads but we managed to find a spot on floor 4b. We shopped and ate for several hours in a pedestrian mall area.
Then to Fanore to Rocky View Farmhouse, a lovely B&B out in the Burren. Dinner at the Admiral's Rest where our waiter (I think the owner) was from Tennessee.

Tuesday, May 27
We gave a ride into Doolin to a couple who were also staying at Rocky View; they were hiking and bus riding for a week. From there to the Cliffs of Moher(or Mohair as one of our party insisted on calling them). We stayed there quite a while and then went on to Ennis to find our next B&B. Drove into Bunratty to check out the castle and folk park and had lunch at Durty Nellie's. Back out to Eden Hill House in Ennis to repack and rest up. Eden Hill has wonderful amenities, lovely hostess, and our room was on the ground floor!

The medievel banquet started at 8:45 so we made the drive to Bunratty once more. Part of the guests were a men's singing group from Norway who also entertained with some lovely a capella songs. Back to Eden Hill by midnight. Thank goodness the area around Shannon is well sign-aged.

Wednesday, May 28
Packed up, cleaned out the bus, and into Shannon for the fun of turning in the bus (nice gent wouldn't even charge me for the required tank of petrol after he heard my sad story about the car problem. Another one of my new best friends.), going through security, getting VAT back, customs, etc. Then in Newark we had even more fun claiming our luggage, etc. That's where we split up to go back to our respective homes. What a great time we had; can't wait to do it again.

While I've been typing this up and reliving so many experiences, my husband has lit a bit of peat on the little "hearth" so that I can close my eyes and think I'm still in the Old Country.

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 1524
(6/4/03 11:07 pm)

Wonderful Trip

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Hi Dude,

It sounds like a wonderful trip. We enjoyed being along vicariously. Thanks for the B&B recommendations. And a pajama party in a thatched cottage in front of a peat fire--doesn't get much better than that. Did you buy one of those tiny ceramic cottages that you can burn peat in like incense?

Michele

Dude
Unregistered User
(6/5/03 2:21 pm)

Peat

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Several Christmases ago my daughter gave me the little stone hearths with bits of peat incense so I have been enjoying it for years. I think she only gives me gifts from Ireland so that she can call up and talk to the folks with the charming accents!

Allison
Unregistered User
(6/6/03 7:25 pm)

Peat

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I confess that on our first trip to Ireland in 95 we smuggled home a brick of peat from a field. At the time I didn't think it was any big deal, but I would never do it now. (With age comes wisdom??) I still have it, and wonder if I could just cut and burn little pieces of it?

Dude, loved your tales! We are planning our next adventure for fall 04.

Allison

Dude
Unregistered User
(6/6/03 10:11 pm)

Peat

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The little cardboard thatched cottage box that my bits of peat came in says it is "genuine reconstituted turf (peat) from the boglands of Ireland. The aroma is totally natural and authentic - no fragrances are added. THE GIFTED HAND supports the protection and preservation of our boglands in the production of IRISH TURF AROMA."
I would probably have smuggled a brick home if I had thought of it!! And probably have gotten caught with my luck.
I'd bet you could still burn it. Mine came with a little (1½" square) stone hearth to burn it on. It can be a real challenge to get it lit and keep it smouldering.
I sure would like to go back soon (especially with the temperature and humidity in the 90's here in south Texas). In the future I would like to go to one area, stay in one B&B and do day trips, rather than the Green Blur Tours which we have done in the past. Of course that would entail several more trips to see everything I would like to see!

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 1533
(6/6/03 10:40 pm)
 
Peat

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Hi Allison,

I'm sure you could burn small pieces of your turf. You will want to be careful doing it though (don't want to set the house on fire). Glad to hear you are planning another trip for next year. We will all be here to help.

Dude, Wonderful idea to stay put in a B&B for a while and see one area thoroughly. When you do, be sure to see if they will give you a price break for staying longer. Many places will.

Meanwhile, we can all get our Ireland "fix" by reading other people's trip reports, planning our next trips and helping others plan theirs. It's nice to have a little community to do that.

Michele

Dude
Unregistered User
(6/6/03 10:58 pm)

This great forum

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Michele, thinking back I believe I first found you from a review of your book in "Ireland of the Welcomes" and now I can't imagine a trip to the Old Country without the book and this forum. I feel like I have a whole passel of new friends. Even if I never get to go again I can live in Ireland all year 'round by reading up on what everyone else is doing. Thanks so much for making this possible.