team tony

dingle bay

Waking up in adare was lovely of course, because adare is my new favorite place. Mom and I got packed up and got ready to be on the road again.  Breakfast was great, they oddly have the best grapefruit I’ve had in a while, despite being far from a citrus climate.  We started off back down the road and headed toward the ring of kerry. On the way we saw the bays of the peninsulas, Ireland has three. The beautiful bay we saw the most of was dingle bay. the water here is so clear its like the keys. Its unfortunate that the water never really gets warm enough to swim.  We drove on to a side show tony knew about (being a local has its perks) tony tells joke often, usually focused on irish stories but one I will share is about golf.  Golf courses in Ireland have rules about socks, golfers must wear two pair of socks, in case they get a hole in one! Hahaha I don’t know if it’s the excessive amounts of time in the car but all of tony’s jokes crack me up. we headed through a town where we discovered the king of puck... the king of puck reigns about 3 days a year during a festival.  this king is a mountain goat that the townspeople capture, groom, a place in a temporary elevated cage.  he's fed lovely goat food and presides over the festivities. tony says its pretty much an excuse to get wasted. (any party is?) then they kindly release him back into the wild. they have a monument with a goat wearing a crown. 1st and last i bet i'll see.. 

take a baaaaaaaw

after more driving we got to see was the coolest activity ever—a sheepdog herding! There were two dogs, border collies, with a real shepherd. He was obviously an adorable Irishman.  There were multiple sheep involved. this man collects the different breeds, many of which aren’t native to Ireland.  They’re so pretty! I love them all, but the black ones are too cute.  The dogs are so intent on working they look at the shepherd or the sheep at all times, I wish I had that kind of dedication for any work I have to get done, like the essay I’m supposed to write before classes in oxford begin.  this was fantastic for me.  if you've ever even met me you know i crave animal interaction.  The dogs, bess and max (horrible names i know) both gave me a friendly sniff greeting and i got to pet a sheep at last!! it wasn't a lamb but it was termed a juvenile, close enough. he liked his head scratched and we were in love. after my fluffy experience we hopped back in the snack mobile (since we can’t stop anywhere without purchasing something to munch on) and headed toward blarney! 

death trap

I was excited to kiss the stone, who doesn’t want the gift of gab? (clearly I already have it but im always open to improvements) the property was incredible! So incredible we saw three wedding parties having their photos taken.  The castle itself is falling apart, no roof and some floors are gone. The staircase thank goodness is fully intact. Its an interior staircase…by interior I mean closed in, forced to stoop over, following someone very closely, with someone on your heels. People are breathing your air and I’m not one for being rushed or being in confined dark spaces. I didn’t make it to the top, I had to rest in the room they had labeled as the kitchen… I was accompanied by two obese people who doubted they could fit much more of the way up and were breathing so heavily I looked for a place that life flight could land… I had to make it noticed that I wasn’t breathing hard or suffering from leg cramps… just having some sort of panic attack merged with a claustrophobic fit. I forced myself to the top because I wasn’t about to go back down the tiny stairwell where I’d come from.  Once up there I gripped the rail with a strength mothers with children trapped under cars possess. We headed to the little area where you lay on your back through a hole in the floor of the top level of the castle. Mom went first and her ankles lifted up in the air. I’m sure I nearly watched my own mother fall, upside down, out of a castle to her death. I held her ankles… then it was my turn and I barely survived. There were two men up there to assist us in our kissing (clearly I don’t need help I’m a natural born lover) but I put up quite the fight on this moment of love.  One man was there to take a photograph from an angle gisele would condemn.  the other old crotchety man commanded me to lay on my back (not far from how people who perform waxes speak to victims) I almost threw up on the blarney stone. Getting down the new set of stairs wasn’t QUITE as bad, they were slightly larger but I shook the entire way down. Once down I nearly fainted again at the sight of my photo. I demanded the girl destroy it at once. My feet are featured in moms photo for proof. After this harrowing experience we headed to Waterford. 

As we continued tony became slightly erratic in his driving. only twice did i fear for my life and or safety. his passes are a tad bold for my taste, but i'm here in one piece so no complaints. The drive got a bit lengthy and mom sort of lost it. If you’ve ever been on a road trip with my mother you know how this happens… she sang little songs under her breath, made clever rhymes, mooed at cows… things someone who has gone “daft” would do. I’m sure tony wont pick us up in the morning after her escapades.  We arrived in Waterford at last! The crystal made here is one in the same as Waterford crystal.  We’re going to the factory tomorrow! The city of Waterford currently is hosting “tall ships” some type of sailing schools from around the world come here. Why I don’t know and don’t care.  Apparently a massive amount of people care.  The streets are literally clogged with people.  Imagine times square on new years eve, now imagine that next to a river, and doubled and put into an area the size of franklin, tn or plano, tx.  Our hotel was on the river, so we WALKED here… baggage and all. Our room is lovely, facing the river (and therefore the screaming sailing enthusiasts, the concerts, the fireworks, and essentially crowd.) our room is also one of three in the entire hotel with no internet.  Currently I’m in the lobby watching some of the most diverse people I’ve ever seen (rivaling an airport) amble through with their sailors hats and guinesses. considering a local cop just asked ME for directions i think it is time to say goodnight to the hotel lobby & retire to my room.

hope you're having as much fun as we are!