Adare and the Cliffs Of Moher
July 3 - As we departed Dingle on this chilly (48 F), but beautiful Sunday morning, we had already had a workout just tying to get Annette's compression socks on her broken leg (let's just say some humorous acrobatics were included). We sadly said goodbye to wonderful Dingle, where we had some great craic (good times).
Our coach driver, Alan, maneuvered like a champ through all the roundabouts in the small villages. We stopped in the village of Adare to view the thatched cottages still standing from the early 1800s and grabbed a picnic lunch to take to the Cliffs of Moher. As we departed, we viewed the Desmond Castle ruins. We entered County Limerick, founded by the Vikings, and passed through the new tunnel that runs under the River Shannon. *The Shannon flows the entire 300 mile length of Ireland. *Information compliments of Guide Paschal's points of interest (POI) |
The Cliffs of Moher site is one of the most visited places in Ireland, and we were pleased that Pascal and Alan arranged to get us there before the masses arrived. The trek up to the cliffs was not an easy one, but once there the view was spectacular. The cliffs run six miles along the western coast, and offer an indescribable view. One of Anne's photos shows a cave opening which was featured in the film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The day was sunny and clear, and we were treated to the rare view of the Aran Islands in the distance.
Before we knew it, it was time to board the coach and head to the Burren. By this time on the trip, being on the coach is like being with extended family. We all know each other's names and backgrounds, and appreciate and enjoy the company of the group. An RS tour perk for certain! Annette is so comfortable in her back seat berth that she has discovered the luxury of sleeping while en route to the next destination! We arrived at the Burren, located by the sea. Our guide, Mary, a retired archeologist, explained that the bleak limestone scape was formed during the last ice age. Remarkably, there is much flora and fauna in the fissures between the limestone, and livestock here are pastured year round, an unusual practice for Ireland. The fissures create a unique micro-climate that allows many types of plants to grow year round. Departing the Burren, we made our way to Galway. Along the way we observed many dry stacked fence rows, built by farmers over the years. These fences are built without mortar, and are capable of having small sections disassembled to allow livestock through to another grazing area and to allow the fences to withstand the storms and winds on the western coast. *Paschal's POI Alan amazed us with his skills as he parallel parked the coach in front of our hotel in Galway. Our home for the next two nights is a centrally located hotel in this university town, with a funky and modern/eclectic vibe. Galway is the second largest city (75k people) in the Republic of Ireland. Our entire group was treated to a three course dinner at McSwiggins restaurant. The evening ended with a walk to the park where John F. Kennedy spoke in June of 1963, during his historic visit to Europe. |
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American Independence Day on the Aran Islands!
We had been sleeping with the windows open, and awoke to find that it was quite cold and damp. As we boarded the ferry for the 45-minute ride to Inishmore, it was quite cold and rainy. In Rick's book, "Rick Steves Ireland", Inishmore is one of three island comprising the Aran Islands. Inish is Irish for island and is made up of a windswept, rugged landscape which is harsh and comprised of steep, craggy cliffs. The interior of the island is primarily rocky fields bordered by stacked stone walls. Our crossing to Inishmore was choppy and much like a ride at an amusement park. The crew was handing out "barf bags" and opening windows to help those afflicted with motion sickness. Anne and Annette were just looking for a good WiFi signal, which we had not had in a while. (#firstworldproblems)
We were met at the ferry by local guides who took us to a small village just below Dun Aenghus. Dun Aenghus is a stone fortress built precariously on the edge of a cliff 200 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Not much is known about this 2,000 year Iron Age ancient fort. Pascal advised that the climb to the fort was steep, slippery, and rocky, so Annette decided to stay behind and contribute to the local economy. She found a lovely cafe with a fireplace and lots of locals to chat up, but Anne ventured with the other hardy souls from our group up the cliff to the fort in the driving rain. Once there, Anne reported that the view was amazing and inspiring. Anne, Steve, and Liz crawled on their bellies to the edge of the cliff to peer over to the sea below as it crashed against the rocks. Pascal later admitted to the group that he was amazed, terrified and appalled (we made him nervous) by their bravado! #giveyourguidegrayhair
The weather improved as the day went on and we shopped with our friends for Aran sweaters and other similar wares. We enjoyed an uneventful ferry ride back to the mainland. We ended July 4th with a free evening and enjoyed dinner with a small group of our new best BFF's before FINALLY finding good WiFi to share our story with our friends back home.
We were met at the ferry by local guides who took us to a small village just below Dun Aenghus. Dun Aenghus is a stone fortress built precariously on the edge of a cliff 200 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Not much is known about this 2,000 year Iron Age ancient fort. Pascal advised that the climb to the fort was steep, slippery, and rocky, so Annette decided to stay behind and contribute to the local economy. She found a lovely cafe with a fireplace and lots of locals to chat up, but Anne ventured with the other hardy souls from our group up the cliff to the fort in the driving rain. Once there, Anne reported that the view was amazing and inspiring. Anne, Steve, and Liz crawled on their bellies to the edge of the cliff to peer over to the sea below as it crashed against the rocks. Pascal later admitted to the group that he was amazed, terrified and appalled (we made him nervous) by their bravado! #giveyourguidegrayhair
The weather improved as the day went on and we shopped with our friends for Aran sweaters and other similar wares. We enjoyed an uneventful ferry ride back to the mainland. We ended July 4th with a free evening and enjoyed dinner with a small group of our new best BFF's before FINALLY finding good WiFi to share our story with our friends back home.