Ireland ... day 1 and 2

We made it to the emerald isle. After our flight was delayed in TO for 2 hours (due to a customs inspection!), we finally got underway and flew across the Atlantic overnight. Our final destination was Shannon Airport (near Limerick), where we picked up our rental car and headed out to the Cliffs of Mohr.

Mom drove first, while I was in the driver's seat navigating and gripping the door handle as we got used to driving on the other side of the road. Once we got up nearer to the Cliffs, the roads got narrower and narrower, so I was gripping the door harder and harder, and Mom was dropping the "f" bomb more and more. The scenery was breathtaking, including the most beautiful and rugged golf course I've ever seen...overlooking the ocean, with rocks, hills, and blustery weather.

The Cliffs of Mohr, once we arrived, were truly breathtaking. The weather was gray, blustery, and rainy, which seem totally fitting when looking at these Cliffs that had been worn out of the rock over millions of years.

After the Cliffs, we drove along the coast for aways, and into The Burrens. The Burrens are limestone formations that cover the landscape. This is when the driving got truly terrifying. Picture the narrowest road you've driven on in Canada, then cut it by at least a third, then put rock walls on both sides, and cover them with large bushes that creep out towards the roadway. Then, try to drive one way with a car coming towards you at 100 km per hour, around curving, hilly roads.

Luckily we could laugh about it was we took a set of hairpin turns down a hillside into the heart of the Burrens. And, when we got to our Clappabaigh(?) B&B outside of Ballyvaughan, the first thing we asked was where we could find a drink. Of course, after being up for over 24 hours, we were cheap drunks that were sleeping in bed by 9:00.

I, of course, was up the next morning at 7:15 to take pictures of the rolling limestone hills surrounding the B&B to catch the morning light. It was just me and the cows.

After a huge breakfast, we headed out of The Burrens on even narrower roads and back towards Limerick to Adare. Adare is a very quaint town with thatched roof cottages, a 1230 RC Church, and a set of gorgeous ruins. We took the tour for Castle Adare, a partially restored castle ruin from about the 1100s. The tour guide had a Masters in Medieval history, so the tour was completely engaging. (And, yes, pictures to follow.)

Tonight we're staying in Killarney at the KingFisher Lodge and enjoyed walking around the city centre after supper. Tomorrow, it's off to more death-defying driving around the Ring of Kerry.

More to come...when I  can get hold of a computer again.