Today it got cold…really cold. Apparently tomorrow it gets
even colder – minus 5 degrees was mentioned in passing…so we’re gearing up for
the re-emergence of the thermals. Perhaps it just seemed colder as we were
somewhat exposed to the elements for much of the day. We started off and soon
were crossing the Shannon River on a ferry…and it was very cold. We had the
option of staying on the bus during the 20 min ferry crossing (yes, it’s a BIG
river), or stretching our legs and enjoying the scenery by standing outside at
the railings of the ferry. Needless to say we took the adventurous option and
were soon freezing to death as the wind lashed our faces as we braced the
somewhat arctic conditions. CJ lasted only briefly as she didn’t have any sort
of head covering but I was able to last the distance thanks to my “daggy” hood
on my jacket – I knew it would come in handy one day!
Our next port of call was a small town where we wandered
among the shops and enjoyed some yummy scones, jam & cream. Once again we found some more “O’Shea”
establishments. I’m sure if we ever move here we could deal exclusively with
family – we have seen all sorts of O’Shea businesses ranging from garages to
bars to solicitors to even a funeral home. It looks like we would be sorted
from the cradle to the grave!
Next stop was the Cliffs of Moher – very spectacular…and
spectacularly cold & windy! We stopped for a quite a while and were able to
trek up the side of the cliffs to gain a better view. It was quite safe behind
the erected barriers but apparently people had died when they went over the
barriers to get a better photo – that’s what Martin warned us anyway and I
wasn’t about to test the theory. With the wind gusting all around I could
imagine such a mishap occurring. After a little while we were chilled to the
bone and retired to the restaurant for a yummy bowl of soup (me) and veggie
lasagne (CJ) which warmed us up somewhat. An extended wander through the obligatory
gift shop and I was ready to brave the other viewing area that required the
scaling of lots and lots and lots (yes, more than I had realised) steps. Carly
was a somewhat reluctant participant but I’m glad we made the effort as the
view really was spectacular. It was then back on the bus to complete our
journey for the day.
Martin, our driver, is a fantastic story teller and seems to
have one for every occasion. He is also a walking encyclopaedia and seems to
remember every date, name, distance, event or incident that relates to Ireland
since the dawn of time. I have found it very educational and have learnt a lot,
particularly about the history, both recent and not so recent. As well as this
Martin can hold a tune and serenades us at times with Irish songs such as The
Wild Rover, Long Way to Tipperary, and some other less well known ditties. I
was shocked to discover that Carly is totally ignorant of these songs (even
Danny Boy or When Irish Eyes Are Smiling) and claims she has never heard them!
I have certainly failed in her upbringing somewhere along the way. There is
only one song she has recognised and that is the Belfast Street Song because it
was on a “So fresh” CD when she was a teenager.
Finally we arrived at Bunratty, scene of the medieval
banquet in Bunratty Castle, our entertainment for the evening. We walked around
the village for a while before returning to change for the banquet. It was a
fun night though we had to climb up steep stairs again – the quads are certainly
getting a work out. As it was a medieval banquet we got to sip from our bowls
and eat with our fingers, something Carly commented Rhys would have loved! Needless to say a great time was had by all with
much singing and frivolity.
We are wearing ourselves out with lots of walking and stair
climbing – CJ was sound asleep by 9pm and I was not far behind.
No comments:
Post a Comment