Pearl Travel

Cabra Castle

We traveled from Limerick today in what our guide/driver George called a boring ride and gave us permission to fall asleep - instead of course we were all awake and watching the country side.  It is just wonderful as we drive around the country to look out over the fields and see all those stone fences and remember all the hands that moved those stones to build the fences.  When you look out over the fields they look like postage stamps on the hillside with all the different shades of green.  no two are alike.  We stopped at Clonmaccloise the ruins of a Monastic settlement started about 1056 AD.  When ever I travel to Europe it really brings home to me how very young our country is.  The Monastic settlement is just a wonderful site and we could have spent a lot more time there.  It is one of the sites where Pope John Paul II celebrated mass when he was in Ireland in 1979.  We continued our drive and arrived at the premier lodging of our trip a stay in Cabra Castle.  This is a just a wonderful hotel - when we arrived a wedding party had just arrived from the church and some of our party took pictures of  them they were more than willing to pose for us.  The women had wonderful hats.  We sat outside then and had an Irish Coffee and just enjoyed the view.  There is a great Irish Wolfhound that just sort of lies around and looks at everybody - he doesn’t stir when you walk by - then there are 2 little dogs running around also part of the castle.  We had dinner here and had some local Irish Dancers in to entertain us a treat for everybody. 

Medieval Banquet at Bunratty Castle.

We arrived at the castle and had the choice of going up to the reception area of the castle.  We were greeted with  the option of juice or mead (hard apple cider and honey)  and greeted by women with the traditional offering of bread and salt showing the prosperity of the household.  This whole time there was period music being played by a man on a violin and woman on the harp.  The master of ceremonies and an companion came in and explained the evening procedure and then entertained us with a madrigal.  A ‘Duke and Duchess’ for the evening were selected and introduced then we all headed downstairs to the dinning hall.  Throughout the evening we were entertained by the musicians and singers as well as some members of the dining crowd.  Dinner was interesting because you have no utensils - Soup drink from the wooden bowl, spare ribs eat by hand, then roast chicken and root vegetables mostly by hand - we did had a knife to spear the food but most of the time it was fingers!  While this is a touristy thing we all found it enjoyable and had a good time participating in it.   It is really different to see and bea able to be in buildings that are older than our country. 

Cliffs of Moher and Galway

Today we headed out for a day of sightseeing.  Our first stop was the magnificent Cliffs of Moher on the West Coast of Ireland,  What a truly magnificent sight these towering cliffs with drops straight down to the Atlantic Ocean.  Next stop New York!  It was such a clear day you almost felt like you could see across the Ocean.  I have read in books of Irish people going out to the Cliffs and standing looking to the west to their long gone love or relative is and it always gave me a haunting feeling now I can understand why. 
On leaving the Cliffs of Moher we traveled to Galway along the bay famous in the song Galway Bay.  Here for the first time we had our taste of Irish Weather - cold, rainy and damp.  We have truly been blessed with fine sunny weather.  We strolled the town and had some fish and chips.  Our time was somewhat limited because we had to be back in time for our Medieval Banquet. 

Blarney Stone and Bunratty

Today we were all able to sleep in a little before heading off to see Blarney Castle and kiss the Blarnery Stone.  It is 27 steps to the castle and then 109n steps to the top to kiss the stone - not all of us did that.  The climb to the top of the tower is through a turret on a circular staircase leaving you just this side of feeling clausterphobic.  When you reach  the top of the tower you walk around the battlements of the castle to reach the Blarney Stone.  To kiss the stone you have to lay down and slide back while some one holds you and you lean out over the side and kiss the Blarney Stone - they do take your picture so you have a memory of the experience.  You then get to walk down alll those stairs again.   After Lunch in this area we headed off to Bunratty Folk Park and to see Bunratty Castle.  Bunratty Folk Park is a living reconstruction of the homes and environments of over a century ago in Ireland.  This was very interesting and we were able to spend a few hours looking it over.  We also were able to see Bunratty Castle and tomorrow night we will enjoy a medieval dinner there - not utensils. 

We are at our hotel now but just getting ready to leave for an Irish Pub.  We figure since we are here we might enjoy the local entertainment at the pubs. 

Ring of Kerry

Thursday we did the drive around the Ring of Kerry - the views are really spectacular.  We had many short photo stops along the way but unfortunately we are not going to be able to post any pictures right now but will put some on when we return to the US.  The Ring of Kerry is a drive of several hours we stopped at the Thatched Cottage  for an Irish lunch - shepherds pie, Irish stew or salmon, it was really good.  On return to our hotel some of us got tickets to see Liam O’Connor a button accordion player who put on a  fantastic show along with a singer and two dancers a la River Dance.  some really great entertainment.  We then stopped in the hotel bar to finish the evening with some more Irish music by a local band.  

Off to bed as we leave this hotel and head for the Blarney Stone!  

Ireland Finally

Well we finally arrived in Ireland and yesterday our first day we did a tour of Dublin with our final stop at the Jameson Distillery.  Some of us participated in a taste test checking out the differences between different types of Irish whiskey and then comparing Scotch, Burboun and Jameson - of course Jameson won but it was a fun test.  The general concensus is that it took us an extra day to get here but it was worth it.  Last night we went to the Boars Head Pub and had an evening of storytelling with dinner learning about Irish History, Irish superstitions and beliefs in faries. We are all still suffering from our long night - long day at the airport - and long flight over here but a slowly recuperating. Our driver keeps yelling at us for dozing off while he is talking!
Today after an early start we headed for the Waterford Factory. We did the tour and I found it truly amazing to see that all Waterford pieces are hand blow and individually cut and etched - just wonderful. Waterford sells no seconds if something does not pass inspection or quality control it is smashed and melted down to try again. The percentages that are destroyed is very low because if a piece does not pass inspection the worker does not get paid for it.
We ate lunch there and then started on the road for Killarney. We put in about 250 miles today with several ‘rest’ stops along the way. We have just finished dinner - some people are walking about the town as our hotel is right in the heart of Killarney. We understand that the hotel has local music in the lounge/bar tonight so we will probably stop in there for a time. Another early morning for most of us as we are going on a jaunting cart and boat ride before heading off to the Ring of Kerry. In spite what I had heard about Irish cooking we have found the food to be very good! I am off to join the group.

On our way again!

Yesterday June 8th we started off for Ireland at 4PM  off to the airport and were back home in our beds at 1130PM - Mother Nature was having a fit over Newark and no one could land.  So here we are again off to Ireland on Munday June 9th - the only way we could all get here was a very early morning flight to Newark (arrival 9AM) and then a 7PM flight to Ireland.  We have been exploring the sights of the Newark airport enjoying all the shops and spending our $6.00 meal voucher  given us by Continental.  For those of you expecting to pick someone up on the  17th of June for most of us we will now be returning on the 18th of June.  This has been one of those experiences that happen when you fly -Continental has so far been very helpful changing our flights no penalty but there are only so many seats on the planes.  We are now going to have a rousing card game to help pass the time - check in tomorrow and we will let you know what has happend and where we are - you just never know.

Off to Ireland

June 8 begins our group trip to Ireland - We hope to be able to Blog every day but that will depend on the availability of computer time. We also hope to be able to share some picture so stop back in a few days and see what we have.

I have been traveling and unable to get on line to blog but I want to finish the disney experience we just had.  We departed the ship and took the disney transfer directly to our hotel The Contemporary at Disney World.  We immediately left for the Animal Kingdom because I have tried to ride the Everst ride 2 other times and kept getting rained out.  If there is an electrical storm they shut it down as  it is the highest point in the Animal Kingdom.  We finally made it on and what a terrific rollercoaster -if you like roller coasters.  From there we went to Hollywood Studios for dinner at the Brown Derby and the Fantasmick Show.  The Rain that held out so we could do the Everst ride hit with a vengance and after waiting 45 minutes for the show to start it was finally cancelled.  They did set off some of the lower level fireworks but we did not see the whole show - I was disapointed because it is a terrific show one of the best at Disney.  We had one more full day at Disney and spent it at EPCOT.  I have been to Disney World many time but I don’t think I have ever gotten fully around to everything - I think it is very dfficult to do in one day.  We had lunch at the Coral Reef and it is really a nice interlude and with watching the fish swim by it appeared to keep the kids amused while waiting for their food.  We had dinner in Italy then headed back to the hotel early - we had a sick person who had to go to bed.  I went to the Magic Kingdom for the parade and fireworks as it was a magic late opening evening.  The value of the early morning and late night magic openings  cannot be looked at lightly.  These make staying at Disney Hotels more than worth it.  This night the Magic Kingdom was open until 2AM for those who were staying on property.  Something to think about when deciding where to stay.   A reminder that it is very important when staying for the late events at the parks - fireworks and parades - that you plan on a meeting place on the way out of the parks.  I was not in any hurry to leave so I just sat and watched and I don’t know how families are able to keep together.  It is better to simply wait until the rush leaves and then make your way out.  The next day we  were leaving on a 530PM flight our Magical express transfer was at 330PM - I thought it might be early but found the we only sat at the gate about 20 mintes before boarding.  Again an advantage of staying on disney property is you can check yourself and your luggage in for most of the major airlines right at your hotel and not have to worry about it at the airport  -  you get off the bus and go directly to security and your gate.  Since we did have several hours in the morning I went off the the Magic Kingdom and just walked around - looked in the Castle at the new Boutique and saw all the little girls becoming princesses - this is really special to some kids and they just glow.   The Magic of Disney World will always be there for me.  This September I am planning a trip to Disneyland so watch the blog for information.  check the Gallery for picture from my Disney Trip (these will be loaded after June 18th).

Castaway Cay

Spent the day at Castaway Cay (key) which is Disney’s own private island.  We went off to Serenity Bay (adults only) and had a wonderful quiet peaceful day.  Earlier in the cruise we participated in a Match you mate game and won so when we came back to the ship we took advantage of the prize we won in the spa a special couple Rasoul.  This is a private room for a couple and they give you the necessary things to exfoliante your skin and then a mud treatment and then time in a steam room that was just out of this world.  

We just left the Walt Disney theater where we saw the show Dreams.  This show has been voted the best show on the high seas and though I have seen if 3 times I always think it is wonderful.   It is always the last night of the cruise and always gets a standing ovation.  We are off the ship tomorrow and on to Disney World for a few days.  Hope to do Everest, see the Fantasmic Show at Hollywood Studios and then spend a whole day at EPCOT and take the time to see all the flowers for the EPCOT Flowerama going on now.  Don’t know if I will get online if not when I get home I will fill in my time at Disney World.