After a flight of around one hour, we arrived at 00:30am on my cellular phone the Friday. First contact with Ireland, first contact with Dublin, first contact with the rain. My friend Roland and me, took a taxi to go to our hotel : the Jacob's inn. The taxi driver was very cool and gave us one or two advice about the left driving. When we said we'll go in the west cost with a first category car, he said it's better to have a better car. We'll followed him.
After he put us in front of the Jacob's inn, we said him good bye. It was 01:00 am on my phone. We hoped to have somebody for us in the hotel. Lucky we are. There are two peoples. But after looking on our reservation paper, one of them said : "This isn't here. It's in another hotel far in the street." We stay without a word, mouths opened. We had to search the hotel In the middle of the night in Dublin center. After a little walk, we ask to a barman who, friendly, helped us by calling the hotel, and showing us the way. We arrived finally in the Isaac's hotel where we had reserved a room (why was it writen jacob's inn on our reservation paper ? mystere) It is 01:30 am.
The next morning, we woke up at nine to take the car after ten. And We switch on the TV. And by viewing the news and the time in the right bottom corner, we discovered their was height o'clock : their is an hour scale with France... After all these difference, we take our time and get out the hotel. We take the tram to go near the brewery : The Guinness Factory. (The paradise).
We rent a car Megane, and we'll go !! First crossroad, Roland take the right pass and said to other driver : "Pardon, pardon, pardon !" with a strained smile. First mistake... But after that, i helped him by recall to keep his left...
I was the navigator, and our first stage is Kilkenny for two reasons : firstly, have lunch, because our breakfast in the hotel was very light, and secondly, the most important, to know if the beer kilkenny is from this town. So, after a good lunch, with a well-cooked fich, We took a walk in the streets of kilkenny. I have to say this town is very beautiful. I love all the colors of the shops, and each time two perfectly assembled color per building. I love the police and the name of each shop. Sometime there was flowers to enjoye the faces of shops...
After a moment, we stoped into a pub to drink a beer, and ask our question. And The beer, is not from the town ! deception... But after a good smithswick, we get up to continue our trip to the next stage at Blarney, near the famous blarney's castel.
We had the contact with a hostess of a B'n B very gentle : Cecilia Killey. But unfortunatelly, we were blocked in a traffic jam at Kilkenny, in the parking during an hour. So, for excusing us because of two hours late, we bought a bunch of flowers. We arrived at 8:00 pm. And when she saw the flowers, she was very touched by this. She said it was the first time in 23 years she received flowers, and only French can do that. She gave us some advice for the dinner we followed, and we went into a restaurant of an hotel not expensive. I eat the best roasted salmon during our trip with a good guinness. mmmmm !!!!
quote:Lucky we are. There are two peoples. But after looking on our reservation paper, one of them said : "This isn't here.
"Lucky" is a recurring element of Irish culture shock. You may hear something like this: "unfortunately, today is a bank holiday, and you wouldn't normally be able to tour our factory, but I'd be happy to show you around" or "the restaurant closed early today because of a funeral, but if you like, we can have someone at the bar make you a sandwich."
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I was there in October last year, and I was washed daily. I loved every bit of my trip... Can't wait to hear Chooby's rest!
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We tried to drive through Mallow last year when they were having their Puck festival. We felt lucky to get out of there in one piece.
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Jebus can bugger off. Ireland is wonderful and I'll stand by that till my dying day. The hubby and I are STILL considering moving over there.
I miss the GOOD beer. Chooby - thanks for taking the time to put all that into english for us! I hope you really enjoy your stay.
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I must write it into french before and include Photos on my blog... Lot of things !!! And Ireland is beautiful !!!!! I hope translate it tonight or tomorow
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After a good night of sleep, we nimbly got up to come to discover the "traditional irish breakfast". Oh, joy! That smelled good!!! We were pleased to open the bal by good cereals with milk and an Orange juice glass. Then, came the pieces of breads (black breads, and roasted toasts) with butter and jam, and the tea. And finally, the plate of roasted bacon, of sausages, eggs to the dishes and cooked tomatos. A true treat! And with that, we were not anymore very hungry! Midday becomes quasi obsolete. Although with time, we realized that it was better to eat something to avoid the blows of tiredness.
After having taken a photograph in front of B' N B with our charming hostess, and to have said to him goodbye, we left boldly towards Blarney on a Lynyrd Skynyrd's song: Sweet home Alabama. (Yes, I know, we were in Ireland, but this song made us pleased.) There is in this village a castle still in good condition, imposing and high. There are still some towers and one could assemble all in top, to admire the sight, and especially, to embrace the Blarney's stone. It is known as that those which save it in eloquence. And suddenly, after having carried out the prowess of the kiss, we became fluently in english. But I believe That Roland would not have had: it spoke already super quickly. Then now, I must take a tape recorder and heard the record in slow...
We then set out again towards Cork to go on the advice of Cecilia at Kinsale. While passing to Cork, we stopped in the Dune store, to buy two, three things to be eaten and for Roland, a wind-cutter. In Ireland, there is much wind...
Then, after being almost lost in the road of Cork and their too frequent roundabout, we arrived in Kinsale, pretty small port at the houses coloured and the merry life. There was music in the streets. We profited for taking a good beer, Beamish Stout for Roland, and Murphy's stout for me. One stopped in a splendid pub all in wood. Whereas Roland had left, a man of a certain age called me from the other end of the bar. In fact, it though i am another guy. But we benefitted from it to discuss a little. When I said to him to be French, it smiled me by saying to me that his daughter was married with a French and lives now towards Clermont-Ferrand. He said to me that the beautiful family took the Irishmen for the insane ones, so much he had drunk during the marriage banquet, and sung. I like Irishmen!
After we went down (we does not know how, not seen my lamentable navigation with my map not enough detailed) on the peninsula called "Old head of Kinsale". It is a splendid place! A point with very beautiful cliff, hurdy-gurdies tower in ruin and... a private Golf in full medium. Roland made beautiful panoramic here. In the other side of sea, there is la Bretagne. Lastly, we went up in the car Killarney direction towards our second B'n B On the way, we stopped in front of another panoramic, in Kerry.
Arrived at Killarney, we stopped in our room, to set out again to dine then a little afterwards. This evening, we were tired then after having eaten, and we turned over to rest. For the next day, we decided to drop the visit to the ring of Kerry to profit a little more of Connemara. The night was resting...
To be continued...
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And that sounds just wonderful. I wish I could go to Ireland. I always wanted to go with my Grandma Ronnie before she died, but she's had a stroke-like incident now and isn't supposed to fly that far. So I will probably never get to. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Maybe you'll go one day. For your grandmother. Don't be sad. look my pict on my blog, or better ! Show her my pictures ! She'll love to see her country again.
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and said to other driver : "Pardon, pardon, pardon !" with a strained smile. First mistake... But after that, i helped him by recall to keep his left... ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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