DAY SEVEN
After eating a delicious breakfast where I tried poached dried apricots flavored with anise and cinnamon for the first time (heaven!!), we drove to the charming town of Adare. The original thatched roof cottages were built in the 1820's. They now house shops, restaurants, and bakeries. We tried to see the Adare Manor but we were turned away at the gate. Apparently they do not allow tours. It was a pity because the place looked magical!
To make up for our disappointment we visited one of the bakeries to stock up on treats for our drive to Limerick.
In Limerick we visited King John's Castle. That would be the King John from Robin Hood. You know, they guy who sucks his thumb all the time? Construction started on the castle in 1200 and was built on top of a Viking settlement from 922. It has a great museum inside and the view from the tower is breathtaking.
My favorite part of the visit was talking to a woman outside who gave me a history on the Gypsy Vanner.
After our tour of the castle we ate lunch along the River Shannon and I had the best brown bread and Irish butter I have ever had in my life. I usually do not butter my bread but I could smear an entire stick of Irish butter on pretty much anything and be happy.
Bunratty Castle and Folk Park was up next. This is another place I wish we had more time to see. The castle is surrounded by an open-air museum featuring 30 different buildings, each one spotlighting the way people would have lived in the 1400's when the castle was built. We were able to experience what it would be like to live in a home with a peat fire, see women cooking over those fires, watch a blacksmith, see a school, a doctor's house, a post office, and more. It was very educational. The castle itself was extremely crowded and several of us began to feel a bit claustrophobic in the narrow stairways and passageways.
Bunratty Castle
Peat bricks for fires
Irish Elk antlers in the Great Hall in the castle. The Irish Elk is now extinct and is the largest known deer to ever have existed.
After our walk around Bunratty, we drove to Moher. Singing along to the Newsies soundtrack made the hour long drive pass quickly. We pulled over once to buy some strawberries from a road side stand and then hit the road again.
The majestic Cliffs of Moher are featured in several films, The Princess Bride, Leap Year, and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, just to name a few. There are approximately 20 different species of birds living on the cliffs, including the Puffin. Bilberry goats also live along the 214 metre cliffs. As you look out over the cliffs all you can see are miles and miles of cliffs stretching out to your right and your left and the vast ocean in front of you. It makes you feel very very small.
O'Brein's Tower does jut out from one of the cliffs but it isn't much. O' Brien built it to impress all his lady friends. I wasn't very impressed.
Our next drive was a beautiful one. We drove through the middle of nowhere, not another car in sight just green grass, stone walls, cattle, and ancient ruins. We sat in silence, listening to Irish music that was perfect for our scenery.
We drove and drove and drove. Each turn we made put us on to an even more narrow secluded road. Bushes scrapped the side of the van. We pulled the mirrors in so we would fit and prayed we wouldn't meet a car coming the opposite direction.
Just when we thought we were lost we came upon Poulnabrone or "Hole of Sorrows" in the Burren. The Poulnabrone is a portal tomb dating back to the neolithic period. Excavations found between 16-22 adults and six children buried under the monument.
The Burren, which surrounds Poulnabrone, is made of limestone criss-crossed with grikes and is home to more than 90 megalithic tombs, portals, crosses, and ring forts.
It had been a cold and windy day out on the cliffs and on the Burren. We were tired and ready for some hot food. On the drive to Galway, Lorelyn and Becky kept us entertained with stories of their childhood. We laughed at Nyla almost being eaten by a bear. We chortled at how they tried to impress the neighborhood boys by riding by on their horses at break neck speeds. We heard tales about their summer camping trips, quicksand, lost dogs, and peeing next to a speeding train. The stories made for a quick trip.
When we pulled around to the rear of The Western Hotel to park the van in their underground car park a strange sight awaited us. The ramp going down was steep and we were worried the van may not fit. It did fit but once we reached the bottom there were cars parked willy-nilly every which way. It was like people just pulled in and parked where ever they felt like parking! Shavon, whose nerves were shot from all the narrow streets and crazy drivers, threw her hands in the air, parked on the ramp, and got out!
We kept it simple and ate at the hotel restaurant. The food was good, the company was better. We were all ready for bed.
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