Adventures to Kinsale and Dublin

June 2

Yesterday our group traveled to the city of Kinsale.  The city is off of the Atlantic and was a fish port.  Kinsale was so pretty and everything was so old. There was a bar called, Grey Hound Bar that was built in 1690.  Lets just say everyone from that era was a leprechaun, very tiny.  

After a tour and shopping in the city we headed to Charles Fort, a mile outside of the city.  It's a castle on the ocean.  Mariah and I galloped to the water and found sea shells by the sea shore!  We didn't learn much about it, but Thursday we will.

Things I learned:

  1.   Artisans make great things

 2.  The Irish have horrible lucky in war situations.

 3.  800 year old church's smell, but have huge organs!

 4.  So many boats!

 5.  The marina was a lot bigger back in the day

June 3

Today our little group took the train to Dublin at 7 am.  We got into Dublin around 10.  The first thing I thought was, "I miss Cork."  Dublin is huge and full of several trillion people (maybe that's too extreme).  

After checking into our poop of a hotel we went to Trinity College and saw the book of Kells and the Long Room.  One day I will have a library like that!   

For supper we went to Brazenhead, the oldest bar in Ireland.  Once there Johnny taught us all about the potato, old Irish life, the evil English, the famine, fairies, and folk tails.  It was so cool!  We ate so much food as well, and Irish coffee is yummy.  

Dublin taught me:

  1.  "The fairies made me do it,"

  2.  Just cause the hotel looks nice don't think it comes with free wifi. (This is my reasoning for not posting for a bit! Sorry!)

  3.  Beef and Guinness stew is the best stew in the world.

  4.  People should actually be afraid of leprechauns.  

  5.  Whoever translated the Book of Kells should get a million high fives and a pint of stout.

  6.  There are a lot of homeless people cracked out on heroine.

  7.  Bathrooms are either toilets or WC (water closets)

June 4

Today we toured Dublin twice on the hop on, hop off bus.  And very happy to be back in Cork.  There wasn't much learning today, which was a nice break!

Pictures will come when I have a real computer..

Teagasc and The Ring of Kerry

Yesterday (May 31), we went to Teagasc (pronounced Chaw-Gus), which is for agriculture and food development for farmers and other small scale entrepreneur's.  The business helps support these individuals with making, marketing, and saling of their products,  it was a neat facility.  I mostly learned that everyone should buy local.

When we came back to Cork, we all stopped by the English Market.  The goal was for everyone to buy something and we all share what we found,  it was awesome! We got to see carcass' of animals!

The butcher!

Desserts!

Some of everything!

Then last night we went down to the pub and had a few drinks.  Don't every tell an Irish bartender to surprise you with a drink. Which made it difficult to blog... But now you know!

Today's adventure started at 9, yay early.  We made our way to the Ring of Kerry, only doing half of it.  It took us a while to realize that the Ring of Kerry isn't a ring,  but a round area of historical places.

We stopped First at Kenmare, did some shopping. Then to Molls Gap which was beautiful!  We learned about the BlackValley, a mass grave of people who suffered for the famine. Our next stop was to see the lakes of Killarney (or Ladies View).  The waterfall was breath taking!

We saw the Abbey and the house.  http://www.killarneynationalpark.ie/history.html