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Published: March 19th 2007
Blarney Castle
The view of the castle as you enter.
Rachel Elizabeth Our trip down to Cork started out rough. Richie, who I was having a serious problem with, decided that we would rent a car and drive down to Cork and Kerry. It was a double-edged sword. The best way to see Ireland is by car, but neither Gaby nor I are old enough to rent the car (being a measily 19yrs old). Richie is 26 yrs old and wanted to get the car. There were a few problems with that though. Richie is a south floridian driver who had never been out of the country. It was snowing and he had to drive on the left side of the road. Gaby and I thought we were going to die which led to something that, being the oldest of four, I thought I would never have to argue for- the back seat.
It was an argument I lost, being more experienced in the navigation aspect of road trips. We made it to Blarney in one piece, though Richie was seriously hating me by that point. I am not above being a backseat driver. Anything that keeps me alive.
Blarney was beautiful. Maybe a fourth of our time was spent
in the castle. Most of it was spent wandering the castle grounds, which almost outdid the castle itself. It was easier to ignore Richie when not trapped in an economy-sized car. My favorite part of all of it was The Wishing Steps. The idea was to go up these uneven, slippery steps backwards with your eyes closed, then to come back down, backwards, with your eyes still closed. If you completed the task successfully, your wish was granted.
The wait for the castle, while long, went very quickly. The man that held you as you kissed the stone made sure that you went quickly. If you weren't ready, you were going to miss the photo opportunity. I did.
Blarney Castle may be one of the touristy attractions in Ireland, but it does a good job of down-playing itself. There really is more than just kissing the stone. It's an incredibly beautiful structure in an amazing setting. It was really worth the risk the drive put my life in.
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