Blogs from Ireland, Europe - page 2

Today we had a breakfast time at 7:30 for a Hotel Breakfast Buffet. The buffet consisted of eggs, ham, bacon, sausage, baked beans, blood pudding, potatoes, a variety of cheeses, cold, cuts, fruit, cereal, porridge, yogurt, and cold cereals. there was something for everyone! I did have to laugh at the “luxury” granola!! Our new watch phase of this trip is on and gone. What that means is we were to be on the bus and pulling out at the designated time each day. So if the time was 8:30 the bus would pull out at 8:30 not 8:31! Today we were joined by a local guide for a tour around Dublin. She was a good guide, and very funny, but it seemed everything she pointed out, was on the right side of the bus… Of ... read more

Saturday-Thursday 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th,11th, 12thOctober 2023 Cobh, S.Ireland We were informed that someone needed to be dropped at hospital so we went northward from Corner Brook to the Straight of Belle Isle between Newfoundland and Labrador, and a rib boat came to collect them at St Anthonys. Wild place – not much there…except a few dolphins playing around the headland!! Miles from anywhere ….or so it seemed!! Anyway, after 5 days at sea, we were going a bit stir crazy!! There is only so much reading, gazing at the fog, ice carving, fashion shows, towel folding, vegetable carving, shows, jigsaws and lectures you can do!! There is a full programme of activities but a lot of them are Mind, Body, Soul exercises, quizzes , choir or learn to play the ukelele!! We arrived at Cobh ... read more

Had a bit of a lie in this morn and on the bus at 9.15 am headed for the Guinness Factory covering 50 acres and leased for 9000 years as from 1759 !!!… went straight to the top floor and got our pint of Guinness sat with the group and admired the great view out over Dublin …. Didn’t have the acquired taste for Guinness 😝…. Had a look through the 7 floors of memorabilia and gift shop and media on the brewing of … out to the bus at 11.30 and made our way back to the hotel …. Some went onto the Glenlough National Park and dropped some off in town ….this big we have has put a real damper on things I now too am feeling a bit off ….back by midday and ... read more

Up had another huge Breakfast and on the bus 8am across the Irish border into northern Ireland and on through to Derry…. had a tour of the 17th century walled city with the local Guide a very genuine and informative man….ended at City Hall a beautiful large town hall…. Back on the bus to Giants Causeway heard the old legend about the Giant out on the Coast quiet a grey dismal day still once again LOTS of people ….. hopped on the little bus and a long journey down to the bottom of the cliffs and saw the hexagonal rocks and pillars….back up to visitor centre and a cup of tea and sandwich each ….back on the bus 2.30 and through to Belfast very blustery and wet, cozy on the bus arrived 3.45 at the hotel ... read more

Up and away at 8.30 am ….. made our way to Adair a quaint tiny town known for its houses of thatched roofs, a half hour stop for toilets and photos of the cottages and some lovely woollen stores stocking Aran knitwear around 10 am …. Back on the bus and through lots of productive looking farmland with lots of stone fences and herds of only about 60 to 80 cows !!!… reached Limerick around 11am and stopped to get pictures of King Johns Castle the site dates back to 922 when the Vikings lived on the Island, the castle itself was built on the orders of King John of England in 1200….. Arrived at the Cliffs of Moher around 12.30pm and walked up to the lookout headed back down just after 1pm to get a ... read more