We're traveling from Tramore to Avoca via the countryside. There just seems to be no end to the beauty of this country. In between the main cities is just a lot of fresh, green, beautiful land. It is unlike anything I've ever experienced, and I can't seem to get enough of it.
Hey Chase, I just passed a castle that is owned by the Fitzgerald family :) And a bar in Allymont, Ireland, near Dublin, called Fitzgerald's :)
We stopped off in Avoca to see the oldest wool weaving store in Ireland. It was really fascinating to see the work of making throws and scarves in progress. It isn't really a complicated process to do the actual weaving because it is done by machines, but it takes an entire day to make one throw because of the intricacy of the patterns and setting them all up in the right locations and such. I bought some homemade marmalades from the shop for Jim and Audrey.
We are all a little bit excited because we are going to end up in Dublin this afternoon around 4pm, and the Queen is in Dublin this week. It will be exciting, but it will be massively packed and crazy, as well. Especially since we are staying in the center of the city amidst all the action and excitement! Our stop that is next though is Glendalough. I'm not quite sure what we are doing there, other than having lunch, so I will update you once I've found out or have actually done it!
We are driving through mountainous and treelined streets. Canopy trees everywhere. It is so spectacular! And the roads are winding and hilly and just a lot of fun to drive on. It reminded me of North Carolina in ßsthe mountains where we used to stay in the summers and where we used to go down Sliding Rock.
Glendalough was the location of a mountainous and massive graveyard, historic hotel, and old church and tower ruins. I could have spent an entire day there, it was that incredible!
We are now back in Dublin and I'm thankful to be here again because we didn't get much time here when we were here at the beginning of the trip so we have the whole afternoon and night here to explore and get another Insomnia coffee!
MMStreets right in front of our hotel are shut down which is annoying but awesome because the Queen is going to be just a couple buildings down from our hotel tonight!
The four of us are sitting downstairs at The Jury's Inn hotel downtown Dublin in the lounge having some bruschetta and a bailey's coffee. This country has the friendliest people I've ever met! A group of girls walked by the window and saw me and all smiled and waved to me. I don't recall ever being somewhere that has felt like such a loving, happy, friendly country. It really is a treat.
Walking around town and spotted a seal chillin in the harbor!
In Ireland, we have street performers like in most big cities. The difference? They play accordians.
The queen is coming and it is like walking in NYC on New Year's Eve! This is fantastic! It's actually a really cool event in history because it is the first time that an English Monarch has ever come to the Republic of Eire, or Ireland. This is serious stuff. There are even snipers on the rooftops, including my hotel roof, just in case. I always knew I'd be part of history.
We are having dinner and drinks at Murray's Pub now. A lovely little place, and we're finally going to have our lamb! Can't wait! On our journey's this afternoon in Dublin, I finally got a coffee cup with my ancestor's name and history on it, O'Donnell. I was thrilled! But sad this is our last night in Ireland! I don't want to go back to America and to work!
That was the best meal I could have had on my last night here. Stuffed pork chop, lamb shank, bangers and mashed, and mashed peas. With a gin and tonic. Delicious. What a perfect end to one hell of a trip! Ireland, I love you, I thank you, and I'm going to do my damndest to be here soon!
Walking down the streets of Dublin back to our hotel and I almost had a moment because a girl walking down the street looked exactly 100% like Kristen and I was gonna scream and shout for joy! But it was just a wannabe
We had a last night with the girls down in the bar. Lots of laughing and drinks and just fun. I took a Cork Dry Gin glass from the bar with me as a souvenir because none of the glasses that they sell say the County names on them. Then we went for a walk downtown but it was so cold that we came back in about 10 minutes and went to bed around midnight since we had to wake up so early.
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