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Day 14 Last Day - Dublin and Packing

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 Good evening all.  About 12 hours from last I wrote. Anita got up, we had breakfast, then hung around the hotel for a couple of hours. Meaning we drifted in and out of sleeping since we both needed the rest.  We finally got up and around and left the hotel about 2 pm. I am happy to report that this will contain nothing about ancient stone ruins, churches, castles, narrow roads, or scenic Irish coastline. It does make reference to one final pub we had our going away dinner and drinks in. Not a lot of pictures today, but some here:  Day 14 Pics But before we got there we visited and toured a replica of an 1850's sailing vessel that was used to transport emigrants from Ireland to Canada and the US during the great famine of (1845 - 1852)  It would take Irish to North America and return with lumber and textiles from North America. The company that built the ship in the 1840's is still in business.  A bunch of investors got together and struck up a deal with Du...
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Day 13 - Dublin City

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 Good morning all. Writing early on Friday morning (the day after Day 13) Anita is sleeping yet.  Anita and I spent most of the day in downtown Dublin City yesterday.  Mostly just walking around and we took a sightseeing bus also.  It was one of those double decker, open top ones.  Very good way to get a quick (1.5 hour) overview of the City.  Then decide what you want to see afterward. It was also good in the sense that Anita and I needed a chance to sit and relax.  We both came down with head cold earlier this week.  Anita started with it Monday and me Tuesday.  It was just an annoyance at first with sneezing and watery eyes. We got some Sudafed and were both taking it.  By Wednesday night it had gone the route that most head colds do and had us both coughing pretty hard.  So we were riding around in a full tour bus and walking around the points of interest sneezing, coughing, snotty - generally being someone you would not want to...
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Days 11 (Tues) & 12 (Wed) Galway to Dublin

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 Good evening all. Well we are back in Dublin.  Where our Irish adventure started a dozen days ago.  While it is exciting to look around Ireland's capitol, it is also sad because it means we are coming to the end of travels here.  And that is disappointing.  It went so fast. I am driving around on the left side of the road like it is old habit.  Though Anita may argue just how good I am at it.  She has to admit that she does have to remind every minute to stay left. Here is the link to today and yesterdays pics and videos:  Day 11 & 12 Pics & Videos So yesterday we finished out our Galway visit.  We walked down to the Harbor about noon and spent most of the afternoon walking around it at low tide and also seeing some more of the ancient stuff. I believe this one was a cathedral.  LOL We walked around what is called the "Latin Quarter" which is basically a several block area right near the harbor area full of Pubs and shops and pu...
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Day 10 - On the Road to Galway by way of Cong

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Good evening all.  We are all checked into our room at the Sliding Rock B&B.  Which is right over the Sliding Rock Pub.  We are nearly in the center of Galway, across the street from University Hospital of Galway.  Which from the looks of it is very very big teaching hospital.  We are also very close to the National University of Ireland - Galway.  So we've gone from a couple of tiny little towns to downtown in a big City. Here are is the link to todays pics, enjoy:  Day 10 To Galway and the Quiet Man Once we left Lisdoonvarna and got thru the Burrens, we decided to make a side trip and go on up to Cong - or as it is better known: The Quiet Man Village.  If you look at the map you can see Cong is not exactly on the way to Galway.  As a matter of fact, not even close.  But we wanted to go and see it even if it was commercialized. Once we left Lisdoonvarna we had to pass through an area (and National Park) called the Burrens.  Thi...
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Day 9 - Aran Islands and the North Atlantic

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Welcome back all to the Day 9 (Sunday) recap.  Day 9 Pics & Videos here:  Day 9 - Aran Islands So we got up early (relatively speaking) had our usual great breakfast here at Rathbaun hotel in beautiful downtown Lisdoonvarna. Then got on our way to Doolin pier (just miles away) for the ferry ride out to the island Inishmore.  Quick geography / history lesson. The Aran Islands are 3 islands off the west cost of Ireland in front of Galway bay. From Doolin it is about 7 miles out to the closest one (Inisheer) and 14 miles out to harbor on the east end of the farthest one - Inishmore - that we visited. According to our guide, Thomas, Inishmore has 750 to 800 fulltime residents, Inishmaan 2-300 and Inisheer 200.   Reading all the info at the points of interest, and from what our guide told us, the islands have been inhabited since about 1100 BC.  As a result of various people coming in and conquering the ones already there, there is a plethora of different hi...
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Days 7 & 8 - Lisdoonvarna, Doolin and Folk Music

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Good day all.  Saturday in Ireland. Did not get around to writing last night.  Out a little too late at a pub watching me p's & q's and listening to some wonderful folk music.  (See below) Can't believe we are half way thru already - WOW! I am going to combine Day 7 and Day 8 into one.  Not real busy today (Saturday day 8)  Had a bit of lay in this morning until 9 am.  Then some breakfast and then down to Doolin to check on the status of our trip to the Aran Islands and then go to the Music festival for a while.  Which we did and are now back to the B&B for a little napper before we head back to the FolkFest tonight. So you get 2 days in one and 2 days worth of pics and videos in one file.  Which is here by the way:  Day 7 & 8 Pics & Video FRIDAY - DAY 7 So yesterday we made the short (1 hour) drive up from Shannon to the Town of Lisdoonvarna where we are staying.  Lisdoonvarna is about 7 miles from the coast village of D...
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Day 6 - Leisurely Drive to Shannon for a Medieval Banquet

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BUNRATTY CASTLE We woke to rain, wind and fog on the bay,  Some pretty wild swells and waves out there this morning.   We had our breakfast (it was a cold one this morning.)  Then we started on our trip up to Shannon.   Of course we found some more very narrow, high roads until the road pulled away from the coast and the rain and fog. The trip up today was just about a 150 km, or about 95 miles - which is the longest of the day drives we planed unless we end driving straight from Galway to Dublin and don't head back to Kilkenny, that trip will be longer.  Todays trip was not bad at all, We finished up the Ring of Kerry (seeing may more Scenic Irish Coast locations) then headed inland for the jump over to Limerick and finally into Shannon where we are staying tonight. We stopped in a town called Adare for lunch today and walked around to stretch our legs some.  Found a nice little pub called the Arches.  Anita had Fish & Chips and I had Ba...
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