movingforward
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Post by movingforward on May 27, 2014 15:44:43 GMT -5
I returned on Friday from Ireland. It was a wonderful trip! I think I saw as many sheep as I did people. We did have some travel delays which forced us to miss our connection at the Dulles airport but all in all it was a fabulous trip. The people were friendly, the scenery is amazing and I ate a lot of yummy fish and chips. We took a hike in The Burren (the only part you are allowed to hike in) and loved it. I do still seem to be in recovery mode though... still jet lag and I started having vertigo on Sunday morning and still dealing with it. I went to the doctor and I have a lot of fluid in my left ear which she thinks is the cause. She put me on a steroid nasal spray to help drain the fluid. I am assuming I developed this fluid on the flight home. I do hope this dizziness goes away soon because it is isn't fun but the trip was totally worth it! Oh, and we saw the most amazing show in Galway called Trad on the Prom. It was probably one of the best shows I have ever seen. I am constantly amazed by how many talented people there are in the world (maybe because I have none  ) |
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achelois
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Post by achelois on May 27, 2014 16:22:26 GMT -5
Glad you enjoyed it. Did it rain all the time?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2014 16:24:26 GMT -5
Yay!
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movingforward
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Post by movingforward on May 27, 2014 16:30:07 GMT -5
It rained at some point everyday but generally for only an hour or so. In fact, there were several days where it rained very early in the morning and by the time we woke up the streets were still wet but the rain was gone. We had a some great sunny afternoons. The temperature was upper 50's to low 60's so great weather IMO. There was only one day we ended up getting soaked by an unexpected downpour, which was while we were walking around Folk Park. We did get drenched that day even though we had rain jackets and umbrellas with us but by the time we got back to the hotel and changed clothes for dinner the rain was gone again. Honestly, I loved the weather there...
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Abby Normal
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Post by Abby Normal on May 27, 2014 16:38:53 GMT -5
We are thinking of heading to England and Ireland next year. How long was your trip? Too long, too short or just right?
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Bonny
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Post by Bonny on May 27, 2014 16:43:19 GMT -5
My mom and I did a wonderful bicycle tour of Western Ireland in 2004. We landed in Shannon Airport and stayed in Ennis the first night. Then we had a beautiful cycle ride out to Lahinch in gorgeous weather and saw the surfing Irelanders. Coming from California we had no clue!
Then it rained every single day after that, LOL with the worst day being in the Burren.
I joked about the song 40 shades of green, the rarest of which was sunshine green!  |
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movingforward
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Post by movingforward on May 27, 2014 16:44:34 GMT -5
We are thinking of heading to England and Ireland next year. How long was your trip? Too long, too short or just right? We ended up with 10 days in Ireland (should have been 11 but travel delays made it 10) and we didn't have time to go South. I guess we will do that next time... I think 12-13 days would have been the best |
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Gardening Grandma
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Post by Gardening Grandma on May 27, 2014 16:53:01 GMT -5
You are making me want to go back. We had only about 9 days. Nowhere near enough time. Glad you had a great trip...
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mmhmm
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Post by mmhmm on May 27, 2014 16:56:33 GMT -5
I'm so glad you enjoyed your trip! I adored Ireland and do hope to return one day. Did you notice how white the Irish sheep are? Most sheep I'd seen were kinda dusty tan, but the Irish sheep were so white they glistened! Did you kiss the Blarney Stone?  |
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Apple
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Post by Apple on May 27, 2014 23:53:44 GMT -5
Glad you had fun! It's a beautiful country, isn't it? I loved the people I met there.
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GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
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Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on May 28, 2014 8:26:09 GMT -5
I am so jealous. Glad to hear it was a wonderful trip. I have a 3 week trip planned on paper. Just need to find a way to pay for it. |
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2014 8:48:29 GMT -5
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tloonya
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Post by tloonya on May 28, 2014 10:07:21 GMT -5
I'm so glad you enjoyed your trip! I adored Ireland and do hope to return one day. Did you notice how white the Irish sheep are? Most sheep I'd seen were kinda dusty tan, but the Irish sheep were so white they glistened! Did you kiss the Blarney Stone? I bet they bleach them for tourists to admire the whiteness... And kissinng the stone...is this for single travelers? |
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NancysSummerSip
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Post by NancysSummerSip on May 28, 2014 10:16:08 GMT -5
I'm so glad you enjoyed your trip! I adored Ireland and do hope to return one day. Did you notice how white the Irish sheep are? Most sheep I'd seen were kinda dusty tan, but the Irish sheep were so white they glistened! Did you kiss the Blarney Stone? I bet they bleach them for tourists to admire the whiteness... And kissinng the stone...is this for single travelers? Those white sheep are not bleached. They are a breed known as Galway sheep, and are raised primarily for their meat. And anyone can kiss the Blarney Stone...except for those people already full of blarney. |
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movingforward
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Post by movingforward on May 28, 2014 10:19:47 GMT -5
I'm so glad you enjoyed your trip! I adored Ireland and do hope to return one day. Did you notice how white the Irish sheep are? Most sheep I'd seen were kinda dusty tan, but the Irish sheep were so white they glistened! Did you kiss the Blarney Stone? I did notice the white sheep and I loved how the farmers spray painted them for ID purposes  . We didn't make it to Blarney Castle (too far south) but we saw a ton of castles. Toward the end of the trip I was actually kind of tired of castles  . Didn't think that was possible... |
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mmhmm
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Post by mmhmm on May 28, 2014 10:36:51 GMT -5
Kissing the Blarney Stone is a right of passage. You have to climb to the top of a dilapidated castle, bend backward over the side of the tower with a drunken Irishman holding your feet, and plant one on a rock that sticks out at the bottom of the turret. DH said, with strong emotion and a rather green visage: "No way!" I, however, couldn't leave Ireland without having achieved the eloquence this feat is supposed to convey. |
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wyouser
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Post by wyouser on May 28, 2014 10:38:49 GMT -5
Glad you had a great trip. If someone somewhere could just invent a way to have enough time to see all you want to see while you are there. There is never enough time!
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mmhmm
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It's a great pity the right of free speech isn't based on the obligation to say something sensible.
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Post by mmhmm on May 28, 2014 10:46:37 GMT -5
Here's a pic of the Blarney Stone feat:  I don't recall my particular drunken Irishman, who reeked of alcohol, holding me at the waist as this one is doing. Seems to me he had me at the knees, but I may be misremembering. It was many years ago. |
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GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
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Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on May 28, 2014 10:52:17 GMT -5
As a first generation Irish American, I feel obligated to tell you that "blarney" is Celtic for "free grope". |
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Baby Fawkes
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Post by Baby Fawkes on May 28, 2014 10:57:48 GMT -5
I'm so glad you enjoyed your trip! I adored Ireland and do hope to return one day. Did you notice how white the Irish sheep are? Most sheep I'd seen were kinda dusty tan, but the Irish sheep were so white they glistened! Did you kiss the Blarney Stone? I did notice the white sheep and I loved how the farmers spray painted them for ID purposes . We didn't make it to Blarney Castle (too far south) but we saw a ton of castles. Toward the end of the trip I was actually kind of tired of castles . Didn't think that was possible... Growing up in the UK with castles all around I never really understood the fascination with castles that my American DW had when I met her. Likewise, she couldn't understand why I couldn't care less about most of them. After the years of her travelling back with me she's come to understand how most of them aren't anything special (obviously some are more important) and living here without seeing one for years brings back a bit more intrigue for me. |
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tloonya
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Post by tloonya on May 28, 2014 11:12:57 GMT -5
Kissing the Blarney Stone is a right of passage. You have to climb to the top of a dilapidated castle, bend backward over the side of the tower with a drunken Irishman holding your feet, and plant one on a rock that sticks out at the bottom of the turret. DH said, with strong emotion and a rather green visage: "No way!" I, however, couldn't leave Ireland without having achieved the eloquence this feat is supposed to convey. I would only do that if person who paid for my trip (all inclusive) said I must kiss the stone or deal is off. Otherwise if my money were spent on that trip I would be gladly watching you doing it and imagining it was me... |
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mmhmm
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Post by mmhmm on May 28, 2014 11:14:30 GMT -5
As a first generation Irish American, I feel obligated to tell you that "blarney" is Celtic for "free grope".  |
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mmhmm
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It's a great pity the right of free speech isn't based on the obligation to say something sensible.
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Post by mmhmm on May 28, 2014 11:15:30 GMT -5
Kissing the Blarney Stone is a right of passage. You have to climb to the top of a dilapidated castle, bend backward over the side of the tower with a drunken Irishman holding your feet, and plant one on a rock that sticks out at the bottom of the turret. DH said, with strong emotion and a rather green visage: "No way!" I, however, couldn't leave Ireland without having achieved the eloquence this feat is supposed to convey. I would only do that if person who paid for my trip (all inclusive) said I must kiss the stone or deal is off. Otherwise if my money were spent on that trip I would be gladly watching you doing it and imagining it was me... I'm pretty sure that's what my DH did. |
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movingforward
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Post by movingforward on May 28, 2014 14:44:22 GMT -5
Oh, and the entire trip only cost me $2,800 which I think is really good. Of course, I am single person so I get where taking a family overseas could be extremely expensive. My BFF and I split the hotel and rental car. We also split a few meals while we were there. Too much food for just one person... that probably saved a few bucks as well. In general, I didn't worry much about what I was spending. I don't generally eat in pricey restaurants, etc. so staying within a certain range on vacation is fairly easy for me and no need to watch every dime.
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