Thursday, March 28th would find our tour group loading into the coach to head from Dublin to Blarney in Cork County, Ireland. We woke up to snow on the ground. But it would go away as the day wore on. Here are a few pictures of the lay of the land between Dublin and Blarney.
We stopped once between Dublin and Blarney for a rest and snack. There was a lady from Romania selling all kinds of nuts and sweets. On her stand was something called Turkish Delight. I looked at that and said to myself, "Self, you know that name...but from where?" I pondered for a minute and then the light came on. I read the Chronicles of Narnia while Hayden was reading them. It was in one of those books that a child was given Turkish Delight. Claude purchased two pieces each of three different flavors and we enjoyed them in the coach as we headed on to Blarney.
What I did not realize was that Blarney also has a woolen mill. We would have lunch in the cafe and shop the Blarney Woolen Mill store for the bulk of our souveniers for us and family.
After lunch we all walked to Blarney Castle so we could hike the 127 steps to kiss the Blarney Stone.
There was much discussion and question before we left on this trip as to whether my dear hubby would kiss that stone. Even when we got to the base of Blarney Castle he was still sizing up the situation. Claude is in the front of the picture with his hands in his khahi pants looking up.
After climbing the 127 steps, there was no way he was not going to kiss that Blarney Stone, he had paid his dues and owed himself that much.
The next picture is the view from the opposite side of Blarney Castle. This is the side with the Blarney Stone. If you look at the top of the castle in the center above the top center window, you can make out where you must lay on you back while holding onto railing over your body, lean way back and then lift your head to kiss the Blarney Stone on the bottom of that ledge. There is a little man there to hold your feet. And, they have built a metal rod framework so you won't fall to the ground. There was time when that railing was not there and you just had to trust the man not to let you fall.
They also have a camera set up and you must stand so their camera can get your picture. They take two pictures. One of you kissing the Blarney Stone and one of you trying to sit back up after kissing the Blarney Stone. These are pictures of me kissing the Blarney Stone first and then Claude kissing the Blarney Stone. Proof positive we did it!!
I have to say my undoing was not the kissing of the Blarney Stone but the walking to the top of this castle in a tiny turret with a spiral staircase full of very little stone steps and people behind and in front of me. That closed space for all those stories was a mite unnerving. For a moment I questioned my ability to get back down those steps. I was relieved to find places to get out of the turret and look through other places on the different levels of the castle on the way down.
Here is a picture of the inside of the castle and another of the view of the countryside from the top of the castle.
The remainder of our day was spent riding in our coach from Blarney to Killarney where we would stay at the Riverview Hotel for the next two night.
The bottom picture has 'bogs' on either side of the green strip in the middle. These are where they harvest the peat for the turf fires.
This was another lovely day. It was great to see all the different landscapes of southern Ireland.
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