Yesterday was pretty uneventful, maybe. Because the day before had been a Sunday, our hopes of doing some laundry had been dashed as all the laundry matts were closed. We woke up early yesterday with enough time to run to a laundry matt about half a mile away to do a few loads before catching a train to Cork! We were a little desperate (I was on my last pair of underwear), so when we saw the pricing signage, £18 for a small wash and dry and £24 for a large wash and dry, we choked a little on the price but managed to squeeze all of our dirty cloths into one small wash. We left the laundry to be picked up an hour and a half later. Back at the hotel, we packed, grabbed some breakfast, then trekked back to the laundry matt with our luggage. The little Irish lady running the matt was kind enough to let us un-pack and re-pack our luggage, taking up a corner of the laundry matt in the process. I was so very excited to have clean clothes!!!

Our luggage now at its usual heftiness, we traipsed back up the street and to the station, catching the next train to Kildare. We picked up a connecting train from Kildare to Cork, arriving just after 6pm in Cork. The hotel I had booked the night before happened to be really close to the station and the city center so we walked to it. When we arrived, I smiled at the lady behind the reception saying the reservation was under Ross. She scanned the computer screen, pursed her lips, typed a few keys and scanned some more. Hmm, I was thinking, do we have the confirmation email? Dang, I should have checked with Ryder the night before to make sure he got it… The clerk looked up at us with a puzzled expression on her face and said, “I’m sorry ma’m but it looks as though your reservation is for the night of the 3rd and 4th of October.” Ok, imagine bright red Amanda at this moment. Shit. Well, Ryder was able to cancel the inaccurate reservation on Hotels.com and we were still able to get a room for the next two nights. Lesson for the day: ALWAYS double check the dates of the reservations before finalizing the booking!!!! Gah! Later, we had some dinner at a pub across the street and then went back to our room for the night.

Today we took a bus to Blarney and arrived at Blarney Castle at around 1pm. The Castle was a beautiful ruin with gorgeous grounds surrounding it! We started our castle exploration in a hole in the castle wall that allowed access to a well. The quarters were very cramped and damp but we slid and crawled our way to the end for a quick photo then back out again. We headed to the main part of the castle next, in search of the famous Blarney Stone! I (Amanda) was under the impression that this stone would be sitting nicely on the ground as part of a wall somewhere on the grounds and visitors would be tipped upside down on their hands to kiss it. Boy was I wrong. We stood in line inside the castle’s Great Hall, winding our way slowly past the main rooms and up a very narrow, winding staircase to the top of the tower. There we were confronted with the Blarney Stone, sitting ever so innocently at the base of a section of the tower wall with a nice hole leading to a 5 story drop directly below it! I tried not to think about death by Blarney as I was tipped back, and leaned far out into the open air to kiss this famous stone. Glad that’s over.

After the kissing we headed back down to the grounds to explore the Poison Garden.  At the entrance and all around the garden we were confronted with signs featuring a skull and crossbones that said, “Do not smell, touch, or eat!” Smell? Yes, there was a plant in that garden that had such a potently bad odor it would destroy your sense of smell and cause other really nasty ailments if inhaled. We lingered in the garden for a bit then went on a little walk around the grounds, taking in all of the beautiful and odd features of the Rock Close. We left the castle after, heading back to the bus station at Blarney and on to Cork.

Back in Cork we spent some time at the hotel, working out at the gym and making plans for the next few days. We went in search of dinner next, walking through the downtown area, hoping for a good bite to eat; a fresh salad for instance. A bartender at a pub we tried suggested a restaurant called Liberty Grill a few blocks down. We both agree, our meal at this restaurant was the best food we’ve had in about a month! The salads were absolutely yummy and the dessert was divine! We left the restaurant feeling very full and satisfied. Back at the hotel we booked a plane flight, a hotel, and skyped. Tomorrow we’re heading back to Dublin!

Yesterday we got up and set off for the Temple Bar to meet Tony and Theresa, Ryder’s friend Thomas’s parents, who were in Dublin to see the Notre Dame vs. Navy game! They told us to meet them at Temple Bar which turned out to be a HUGE avenue packed with people in green and blue drinking and shouting, general pre-game shenanigans. We weaved through the crowds, asking a police officer for directions, hoping there was an actual bar called Temple Bar. We were pointed in the right direction and ventured into the bar only to discover, to our dismay that it was a) packed to the brim with people, enough so it was hard to even move, and b) divided into about 5 main rooms and two outside areas! Right, it was like looking for a needle in a hay stack. We slowly scooted through the mass of bodies and had no luck. We exited the other side and talked about plunging back in when Ryder spotted Tony! Yay! They had moved to a little cafe just across the street to get out of the crowds!

We joined them, had some breakfast, and talked for about 2 hours having a fantastic time! Tony and Theresa where accompanied by Theresa’s brother and his wife. They were a very sweet couple and we had so much fun with all of them. Too soon it was time for them to leave and head over to the stadium. We said our goodbyes, wishing the visit could have lasted longer. As we made our way back down Temple Bar to hail a taxi, Ryder and I talked about finding tickets to go to the game. We had talked with two ladies the night that were staying across the hall from us at our hotel and who had two tickets they were willing to sell. Unfortunately the tickets weren’t seated together so we had declined the offer. I admitted regret to Ryder for not taking those tickets when we had the chance and then we both decided if we could find tickets we’d take them, after all when would we next be in Dublin and be able to see American football?

We were approached by two scalpers with tickets and bought tickets from the second guy. They just happened to be in the exact same section as Tony and Theresa!! We headed back to the hotel to drop off a few things, then on to the stadium!! We walked to the stadium from the hotel, weaving around the swelling crowds of green and blue. As fate would have it, we crossed a street and there they all were!! They were so excited to see us again and were as surprised as we were to discover the tickets coincided with their section of the stadium! All of us headed into the game then, passing a large procession of Navy students all dressed to the nines and waiting to enter the stadium.

We got a few drinks then took our seats, watching the proud display of the Navy as they processed out, sang the American and Ireland national anthems, and then came the coin toss. Everyone stood for the kickoff and with a deafening roar from the crowd the game was off! We had a grand time watching the first two quarters, but unfortunately, as the second quarter came to a close, it was apparent the Navy team didn’t show up for the game and were properly trounced by the Fighting Irish.

We left at halftime, saying good bye to our friends, picked up our luggage at the hotel and took a taxi to the train station. We caught the next train to Kilkenny, getting in at 5:30pm. We walked to our hotel from the station and deposited our luggage. We ventured out and grabbed some pizza for dinner, then went back to the room to skype with family before going to bed.

Today we woke up in time to eat the complimentary breakfast at our hotel. As it was Sunday today, almost every thing in town was closed. We walked down a few streets enjoying the quite hush of the downtown as it seemed most of the population was at church. We walked over to the Kilkenny Castle, walked around the grounds, then headed into a large craft center that sold local crafts. Nothing caught our fancy, but we did spend some time in a gold and silversmith’s shop talking to a very nice gal that designed some of the jewelry in the store. Afterward, we headed back to the main street and spent some time in a local bookstore. By the time we got out of the book store it was after one and the town seemed to wake up a bit with more people bustling around.

We saw a sign on the street for a pub called Hole in the Wall with a plethora of historic information about it on the sign. Our curiosity piqued, we walked down a narrow alley and into a very small and old looking bar. The owner just happened to be at the entrance and greeted us with the famous warm Irish hospitality. He took us on a tour of the pub which was built in the early 1500s as a house for a wealthy merchant in Kilkenny with ties to the Irish royalty. The owner had found the place derelict without a roof and filled with pigeons. He restored the roof and chipped the walls down to the original stone used to build the house. The upstairs afforded a wide room where he said they’ve had famous Irish singers and bands come play. After the tour, we bid our goodbyes and headed down the street to a little cafe for lunch.

After lunch, we walked around the town a bit more, looking for a hair salon that might be open as we are both in need of a hair cut! No such luck, it being a Sunday. We went back to the hotel and read a bit then went out to a pub for dinner and drinks. We skyped with family and are settling in for the night.

Our alarm blared us awake at 9am this morning. We jumped up, packed up, and took our bags down to the front desk for the hotel to hold for us while we took the train to the Giants Causway! We bought a quick breakfast/lunch at the station and boarded a train for the nearest town to the Giants Causway, 1 hr and 15 minutes away from Belfast. Once we reached our destination, we purchased two round trip bus tickets to the Causway at £11.80 total. We passed through a few small towns before being dropped off at the entrance. We skirted the vistors center to avoid paying £8.50 per person entrance fee, and hiked down the road and a few stairs into the Giants Causway.

The area was absolutely breathtaking. We were reminded briefly of the cliffs along the California coast back home. The strange rock formations that make up the Giants Causway jut out from the land straight into the sea. This natural wonder is made up of interlocking basalt columns, which look like long hexagonal shaped stepping stones, formed from ancient volcanic activity in the area. We climbed around the rocks taking lots of photos and enjoying the scenery. It rained a bit while we were there, making the rocks very slippery and the climbing slow going. We walked through the Giant’s Gate, and took a long trail up to the Organ. Both rock formations were spectacular. We ended the tour, taking the upper half of the trail around the rim face to get a birds-eye view of the formations.

One bus ride and one train ride later and we were back in Belfast. We hustled back to the hotel, picked up our luggage, stopped at a Subway (We know, we know, terrible) for dinner, and hurried back to the train station to catch the train to Dublin. We made it in time and settled into first class! Yay! The ride was only  2 hours and gave us time to catch up on journaling and reading. We made it to Dublin and checked into our hotel for the night. We are meeting Ryder’s friend’s parents here who are seeing the Navy vs. Notre Dame game tomorrow!

Yesterday was a travel day. I believe we used all main forms of transportation except an airplane. We took a taxi from the Hilton to as close to the train station as the driver could get on account of the construction. We walked to the station and boarded a train for Ayr. Once we got off in Ayr, we bought tickets for an hour and 15 minute bus ride to the ferry terminal. I got a bit bus sick and so did Ryder; the bus was so full we didn’t get seats together. Luckily both of us slept a bit which helped me avoid being actually sick all over the girl next to me. We arrived at the ferry station, bought some lunch, and boarded the ferry to Belfast, Ireland. The ferry ride was about two and a half hours in total, and boy was it rocky. By the time we had reached our port, both of us were feeling a bit queasy.

We got into Belfast at about 5:45pm and caught another taxi to our hotel. Our taxi driver, and his taxi, were an interesting experience. He told us he likes Americans but hates America…luckily it was a short taxi ride. We checked in, got dinner, and settled in for the night.

Today we got up a bit late and walked down a few streets from our hotel to a nice coffee/sandwich shop for lunch/breakfast. After eating our fill, we decided to take a tour of the city recommended to us by the hotel staff called the “Black Taxi Tours.” We booked a taxi and were picked up at our hotel by Frank in blue taxi. Go figure. The tour lasted about an hour and took us into the heart of Belfast and the turmoil surrounding the Catholic and Protestant communities in the city.

The tour took us through the first of five gates through the peace wall that divides the two communities, built in the hope of stemming the violence that began in the mid 1980s. We started on the Protestant side, viewing the many murals of fallen “volunteer” soldiers for the Protestants, and digesting a quick history of the fighting during that time leading up to today. I was struck to my core to see the number of people who died, especially children, during the first outbreak of violence in the area where the two communities mixed. A large memorial was in place on the Catholic side of the wall in honor of those who died. It was so horribly sad that so many young men and women lost their lives over two religions that teach peace. We took a moment at one of the stops to sign the peace wall and then toured a bit more of the Catholic side.

Our driver took us to another mural that was full of rows upon rows of images and dates for those who were murdered during the various uprisings. He pointed out two people who he knew intimately, one a friend from school and the other his wife’s cousin, who lost their lives not so very long ago because they were Catholic. The entire experience was very sobering and reminded me of the other acts of violence all over the world because of religious differences.

We were dropped off at the end at the second oldest pub in Ireland where we went in and got a drink (one Guinness each!). The pub was VERY ornate with a tiled floor, carved ceiling, pillars, and stained glass everywhere. We drank our beers, taking in the old, musty pub smell and snatches of the irish accent. After, we headed out to the brand new Titanic Exhibit that just opened in Belfast.

The Titanic exhibit was really very great as far as museums go. We were able to view the shipping yard where the Titanic was actually built. The museum provided background into the maritime history of Belfast and the events that lead up to the creation of such a huge and inspiring ship. There was a small ride (like in Disneyland) through a bit of the museum and lots of interactive boards. At the end of the museum was a massive screen (think IMAX) with a looped recording of the sunken ship at the bottom of the Atlantic. All in all, probably the best museum I’ve ever visited!

We headed back to the hotel for some chow and settled in for the night!

Saturday, the 25th, we drove around the very remote peninsula where we stayed for one more night. We took our time getting down to the next biggest (using the word big loosely here) town enjoying the drive and view as we went. The next town was Applecross. We stopped at the only Bed and Breakfast/pub (which had previously won Best Restaurant in the UK) for some lunch and then went for a nice walk down the short main road. After, we headed over to an old walled garden that has been slowly restored to its former Victorian glory since 2001. On the drive over to the garden, we came across a herd of very shaggy cows! Called the Highland Cattle, this breed is originally from Scotland. Their long coats allow them to withstand the harsh winters. They are bred for their beef and apparently do not need shearing. After we took a few pictures, we entered the garden. We picked our way around, admiring the various plant life and the twists and turns from the path. I felt like I was in the Secret Garden.

Our hostess suggested we take a little hike down from the main road to a very tiny village only accessible by foot to see a beautiful coral beach. We were intrigued and passed through Applecross to head there next. We’ve noticed while driving around the Highlands, there are not very many trees anywhere. The ground is mostly covered in grasses and flowers, or moss and water. The hike was really very pretty and not too strenuous. It took us no time to reach the three houses sitting on the bluff overlooking the ocean. A large herd of sheep was grazing in the walled pasture nearby. We spent some time picking among the sand, finding lots of whole, unbroken, sea shells. A couple from Inverness had followed us along the path and we spent some time talking with them about the scenery and weather. We parted ways and headed back to the car, driving back up the road to look for a grocery so we could purchase some food for dinner. Unfortunately, the only store we could find was a very tiny convenience store connected to a house in a small town north of Applecross. We went in and found two cans of soup and rice to make for dinner.

All I can say is, I thought Cambria was remote. Boy was I wrong! We got back to our very comfortable BnB, made dinner and hung out with the hostess’ sweet puppy dog.

Sunday, the 26th, was the day we ventured into Glasgow. We took a detour and decided to checkout the Isle of Skye briefly just so we could take the ferry out from the southern point of the isle and onto a road that led us to one of the bridges shown in Harry Potter! We got to the ferry just a little bit after it had left so we journaled and drank coffee in the cold on a bench outside in the wind while waiting for the next ferry. Also on our path down to Glasgow was Glen Coe, a gorgeous valley that some people consider the most beautiful place in Scotland, and we stopped there for some photos and a short hike up the mountain.

In Glasgow, we decided to splurge a little and booked some nights at the Hilton. It’s really nice to have so much room! Unfortunately, the whole 21 floor building was awakened at 6:45am when a fire alarm went off and told us to exit the building. I was hoping it was a joke and that they would shortly stop it. But it persisted and we walked 9 stories of stairs down. As soon as we got outside, people were walking back into the Reception area and we were told we could go back to our rooms. It took almost 15 minutes to get back to our room at that point because there were so many people waiting in line to use the elevator. Well, Good Morning to you too Hilton!

Monday, the 27th, we drove into Crieff to do a distillery tour at the Glenturret distillery, the oldest working distillery in Scotland. The Famous Grouse company set up “The Famous Grouse Experience” tour there and we did one of the upgraded tours that included more tastings. Woooo! We’re not big drinkers of scotch whisky but we had a good time. Obviously, distilling whiskey has a lot in common with brewing beer and wine but it was cool to see the differences. They distill the spirits twice and only take a portion of the end product. If my memory serves me correctly, 15,000 liters of water is used in the start of the process which produces about 4,000 liters of spirit and then it’s distilled to later yield about 400 bottles of whisky. By the time we left, it was POURING down rain. We drove to Glasgow, returned our rental car and taxi’d back to the hotel.

Today, Tuesday the 28th, was a chill day. We’ve spent all day inside our room so far except for a gym visit. We’ve been going over our finances and planning for our next stops.