http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/The-Baron/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from The Baron en-us Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:13:43 +0000 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:13:43 +0000 Friday was another slowerpaced day in anticipation of our busy Saturday. We head out early tomorrow morning toward Dublin with as many as four stops along the way to see and experience a few more stellar Irish sights.We decided to head back into deep O'Rourke country today to find one or two things we overlooked when we visited earlier in the week. We learned that just across the River Bonet p http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Leitrim/blog-309886.html A jampacked day with plenty of driving today. We set out early to the southwest headed for County Galway. We decided it was worth the two hours to check out what seems to be the favorite spot in all of Ireland for many.We learned that Brian Og O'Rourke had been buried in a Ross Errilly Firary about 30 km north of the city of Galway. This great warrior requested burial here after he being m http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Galway/blog-309678.html After four straight days of touring at breakneck pace we decided it was wise to take it a bit easier for one day. Wednesday was deemed the day to take a more leisurely pace.We slept in to a very Irishlike 900 a.m. We lounged around the cottage past lunchtime then headed out to Drumshanbo for some horseback riding Kelly had a horse named Caesar who she named Little Caesar because of his http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Leitrim/blog-309105.html We experienced a very typical wet Irish day today. It was raining from the time we stepped out of the cottage in the morning until the time we returned past midnight. A lot of that was nothing more than a mist but it was just a very wet day. But when you're in a place that gets as much rain as Ireland there's no way you can let that deter you from seeing what you want to see.We set this day http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Donegal/Donegal/blog-308889.html We spent an amazing day in the former kingdom of the O'Rourke clan Ryan's ancestors. Everywhere we went there were sites named after the O'Rourkes We started in Dromahair The Ridge of the Two Demons where we could only see the ruins of the first O'Rourke castle through a gate which Ryan tried unsuccessfully to break down. We did manage to climb around in the ruins of O'Rourke's Hall an http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Leitrim/blog-308371.html We arose this Lord's day morning and spent about 30 minutes in worship just the two of us. It is unknown just how far the nearest meeting place of the church of Christ lies from where we are probably well over 150 miles so with some planning ahead we were equipped with even the emblems of the Lord's supper thanks to the Grahams.We headed out to County Leitrim's capital city CarrickOn http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Sligo/blog-307983.html We have arrived in the storied land of the mighty O'Rourke clan And since you're reading this you can probably deduce that we do indeed have internet access....high speed wireless evenAfter a few hours of driving from Belfast where we picked up our rental car we pulled into our selfcatering cottage which sits on a real working dairy farm. This will be our home for the next seven days a http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Leitrim/blog-307592.html Today was our last full day here in Northern Ireland. We caught the bus to downtown Bangor for one last breakfast at Ward's. We didn't order the Ulster Fry though as we felt two of these in one week might result in immediate cardiac arrest. We opted for tea scones. Ryan ate one Treacle Ginger scone and one date walnut scone delicious. Treacle is like molasses. Kelly ate one of th http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Northern-Ireland/Bangor/blog-307148.html Today was the day we selected to head to the town of Carrickfergus home of the famous Carrickfergus Castle. Like Grey Abbey the original structure of this castle dates to the 1100's. There were some ideas that were quite revolutionary...including the very brutal Murder Hole and the three latrines that emptied right into the sea see photoAfter returning home we had a special evening of c http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Northern-Ireland/Bangor/blog-306874.html Wednesday evening was our final night of the gospel meeting and it turned out to be the high point of the week. It was very well attended with several hearing the gospel for perhaps the first time. It was our most wellattended session of the week and it was just a great way to end the meeting Everyone was in agreement that the meeting was an excellent success.Earlier in the day we had brun http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Northern-Ireland/Bangor/blog-306608.html Tuesday was perhaps our most laidback day of the trip so far. Bill and I Ryan went along with Colin to his weekly Bible study with one of the newest Christians here Mark. Mark is an impressive guy in that he sought the truth out studied via the correspondence course the church here offers and contacted Colin with his desire to be baptized into Christ Galatians 327 to have his sins washe http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Northern-Ireland/Bangor/blog-306244.html Monday brought the second night of the gospel meeting. Several more members from area churches were present. To this point we haven't had a single visitor from the invitations we distributed which is somewhat disappointing. Nonetheless we have done what we could. Hopefully though we'll have one or two in the final two nights of the meeting.Regardless of whether or not anyone comes as a r http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Northern-Ireland/Belfast/blog-305984.html We awoke to a beautiful Lord's day morning. The cool morning air is always a treat when one thinks of the warm humid air back home.Kelly and I decided to take a walk down the road to Helen's tower see the July 26th post for a photo. The tower stands a halfmile or so from the Grahams' home much of which is a good uphill hike through lush forest. The photos of the golf course in the previous http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Northern-Ireland/Bangor/blog-305716.html A very productive morning this day at the Ards market. Ards is short for Nards which is short for Newtownards Crazy stuff.Colin Kelly Ryan and Bill each stood at one corner of the market passing out the invitations to the gospel meeting. Quite a few people engaged us in conversation which was exactly what we were hoping for. Of the approximated 1500 invitations we distributed we co http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Northern-Ireland/Bangor/blog-305091.html WOW Just WOWWhat can you say about a place like the Antrim Coast You've likely seen it among some of the Top 10 most breathtakingly beautiful lists that are published from time to time. But I can tell you the photos you'll see from us and even from professional photographers cannot capture oneonemillionth of the splendor of experiencing these sites inpersonI Ryan have seen man http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Northern-Ireland/Antrim/blog-304508.html A superbusy day todayWe headed out this morning to begin going doortodoor with the gospel meeting invtiation cards. We had a crew of seven canvassing the neighborhoods. I would estimate about 1000 of these invitations have been distributed to date.One thing we have noticed is the meticulous way in which the yards are kept here. The grass is lush and green and it seems to always be trimmed http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Northern-Ireland/Bangor/blog-304069.html After a good night's sleep we were beginning to adjust to the fivehour time difference. Does anyone else sleep better when there is cool fresh air wafting through a window You can do that here in the MIDDLE OF JULY Daytime highs in the middle to low sixties farenheit and evening lows in the fifties.Airfare...900Fish Chips...7.00Sleeping with the window open in July...PRICELESSToda http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Northern-Ireland/Bangor/blog-303752.html We're sitting in the living room of the Graham family here in Bangor Northern Ireland U.K. at 1000 p.m local time. Looking out the windows we can see that the sun is still up should be until almost 1100 p.m. Ireland is far enough north that the summertime days are extraordinarily long.So let's recap the events of the past two days which for us have really been one VERY long day.We fl http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Northern-Ireland/blog-303296.html