Kissing stones and hitting beaches

---

So we're wrapping up our time here in Cork, and it's been pretty good so far. Thursday we did the most touristy thing ever - we went to Blarney Castle and kissed the Blarney Stone. It's kind of the most bizarre experience ever. You sit on the ground on the top floor of the castle, then an old man holds on to you and you hold on to a bar on either side of you. Then you lean back as far as you can and put your lips on the spot where millions have before you and where locals are rumoured to pee. And now I apparently have "the gift of the gab". Or good luck. I'm not even sure.

Yesterday we took the bus to the seaside town of Clonakilty, which is one of your standard seaside Irish towns where everyone's super-friendly and the buildings are all painted bright colours. From there we walked an hour to Inchydoney, which is a tiny beach town which a big lodge and not much else. Fools that we are, it was grey when we left and we thought, like we would ever need sunscreen in Ireland! hahaha famous last words. We got fried! It was so hot and so sunny, and none of us were prepared for it! I am bright pink today. It's so lovely. We don't have any regrets though, because Inchydoney is absolutely gorgeous and we had a blast. I have definitely been missing the sun and the beach this summer, so it was a real treat.

We got back into Cork last night and hit the Mutton Lane Inn Pub, Cork's oldest pub, which is tiny but down a lane with plenty of standing room, so we stood outside (it was a gorgeous night) and had a couple of pints before heading to An Brog, which is like Cork's big student bar. It was good times.

Anyway, we leave Cork tomorrow for Killarney, so we're just going to take it easy today, go to the park and maybe watch a movie. Bye for now!

Carly

---

Photos

Kissing the Blarney Stone
...and looking like I've just been guillotined.

At De Barra
Literally meaning, "The Bar", it's the most famous pub in Clonakilty.

Worst. Sunburn. Ever.
But I like the lamb.