Day 16 started early with us leaving the B&B by 6:30 AM. Getting gas, making it to the airport, and turning in the rental car was painless as well. The flights went well and we had a newer plane for the long haul so we were able to watch movies on-demand from the in-seat-screen tv’s instead of relying on the air crew to start/stop the movies at specified times. I bought a power adaptor for the netbook so it would work on the plane (the one I had already didn’t work on the flight over so I assumed it was dead) so I had my own entertainment as well (Office DVDs via my sister!). We all got home and went to bed (separately, of course).
Posts tagged ‘B&B’
Day 15 was our last full day in Ireland. It started out with breakfast and then we headed into Malahide to catch the train to Dublin.
Once in Dublin we split up – Amber and I went to the Kilmainham Gaol (jail) and Kathy and Carol went to the National Museum. Amber and I got on the HOHO (hop on hop off) bus to get to the jail and once there quickly got to take a tour of the jail.
After that we took the bus again to the Temple Bar area where we got lunch and beer. We then started walking toward Grafton street and randomly ran into Kathy and Carol. We all then did a little more shopping before heading back to the train and taking it back to Malahide. Once back in Malahide we drove back to the B&B and started getting ready for the return trip tomorrow.
We all packed a bit, had random food we had been carrying around for days for dinner, then went to bed.
Ireland Guinness pint count: 29
Day 12 started out with breakfast at the crappy B&B and then we were out of there as soon as we could get out. We didn’t have much planned – it was mainly a driving day. We needed to get to Derry (northern Ireland) from Sligo and I wanted to stop at a dolmen.
We got to the dolmen area pretty easily but the dolmen itself wasn’t viewable from the road so after asking some locals at the “Dolmen Centre” place building thing they pointed out where we needed to walk. As soon as we got on the private land and trail that the dolmen was on, we were greeted by a black-ish dog that turned out to be our tour guide. He would eventually guide us right to the dolmen but only after we encountered some very deadly horses. The horses were blocking the trail but Amber got them to move. I thought that would be the end of the horses but sadly it wasn’t.
I got to the dolmen first, the Kilclooney Dolmen, and was taking pictures and everything was going fine until the horses flipped out and started charging at us. These horses were crazy and out for blood. Amber enjoyed it greatly as one of the horses pinned me up almost against the dolmen with its deadly feet ready to kick my direction. After some tricky maneuvering, and Amber telling me to just get down, I managed to escape and find my way back to the car but not after a second encounter with a different horse!
After barely escaping the second horses’ charging I was free of these maniacal vermin and could breathe easy once again. Once the others caught up to me (& for some reason they didn’t have any horse troubles) we went in the Dolmen Centre for bathrooms and a postcard. We were then back on our way to Derry.
On our way to Derry we stopped in Balleyfogey for lunch at some Nighthawks Cafe place and then were back on the road.
The drive from the Republic of Ireland into Northern Ireland was quite uneventful and was really only noticed by the speed limit signs changing to MPH and the road names changing. I wanted tanks, troops, demilitarized zones, etc. but there was nothing – just crossing a bridge and noticing license plates changing.
After getting to the B&B in Derry we walked around a bit seeing some of the murals and the area where Bloody Sunday took place and eventually making our way up into the old walled city and walking on the wall for a bit and then going into the Guild Hall (which looks like a big church). It had some awesome stained glass windows – some of the best in Ireland allegedly.
After that we walked around some shopping areas and found a place the B&B guy had recommended for dinner – Badgers. The food was pretty good and I had two pints of Guinness and one Smithwicks Irish Ale. Amber actually liked the Smithwicks, too!
After that it was back to the B&B and time for bed.
Ireland Guinness pint count: 25
Day 11 started out with awesome french toast (for me) from the B&B before we headed off. We had a lot of driving to do so we left semi-early.
While still in county Galway we stopped at Aughnanure Castle which was pretty awesome. I really like the places that let you wander around on your own (at least at some point). There were lots of rooms in the castle and most seemed to be accessible.
After that we were on our way to find the Quiet Man Bridge (where John Wayne sat in a scene from the Quiet Man) and then some Sky Drive road near Clifden that the B&B lady had recommended. Sky Drive had some awesome views of the ocean for the first bit but the latter two thirds wasn’t that impressive. Continuing on we headed toward Kylemore Abbey.
We only took pictures at Kylemore Abbey as, according to Rick Steves, that’s the best part (and going in costs money). After Kylemore Abbey we had lunch in Westport at some Stuffed Sandwich Shop place and it was pretty good! Amber got a toastie and I got a panini – hers looked better.
After Westport we were on our way to Sligo and our B&B there but when we arrived the B&B lady said she had made some mistake and that our rooms were no longer available. I guess booking the rooms months in advance and then checking up on them a week in advance is stupid to do? Anyway, because of her mistake she had booked us at a nearby place which ultimately kind of sucked. Amber picked specific B&B’s based on internet reviews and recommendations so going off route on something like this, and with not being able to check it out online first, is quite a leap into the unknown. Luckily the second place was at least habitable, barely.
After getting to the second B&B we walked into downtown Sligo which was pretty sketchy itself and after finding no good places to eat at we got bread and cheese and walked back to the B&B. After eating bread & cheese I went off to a local pub and had two pints of Guinness while watching the news. After that it was bedtime.
Ireland Guinness pint count: 23