http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Europe , Ireland , County Kerry en-us Sun, 26 May 2013 08:56:09 +0000 Sun, 26 May 2013 08:56:09 +0000 This weekend I took at trip to the Dingle Peninsula and Killarney. I stayed in my first hostel We took the bus to Dingle on Saturday morning. We had a transfer in Tralee so we walked around until the next bus got there. There was a bunch of little shops and we stopped in a book shop. I found a book that was a ripoff of 50 shades of grey called Irish Shades of Grey. I bought two books there. One http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Killarney/blog-771209.html This morning I had to say goodbye to my best friend as he loaded his duffle into a taxi and returned to the States. 3 weeks ago Matthew left GCU in Phoenix with the blessing and encouragement of the coaching staff. They all agreed that he would come to Limerick with a plan to join the Munster Thunder premier volleyball club as either a player or coach. With that experience as a replacement his c http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/blog-748969.html The morning of 910 I said goodbye to Brittney who was checking out of the room and going to explore the peninsula by bike. I wasn39t quite up for that so I set out to look into taking a tour since I had decided to put it off the day before. The place I tried to take the archaeological tour from hadn39t gotten any interest that day Sunday so the guy apologized and turned me away. Betsy http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Dingle-Peninsula/blog-743204.html This side of the pond has to be one of the most gorgeous and amazing We are in one more small Irish village.We arrived at Heathrow London and was met by Sara a very good friend from about 15 years ago. She lived with us for 6 months. She drove us to her mom and Dads house in East Grimstead just south of London. We had a great dinner with them then the next day Larry I and Sara did a drive http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Dingle/blog-743203.html When I woke up I took my time and then went out to explore Dingle some more. By the time I found a bakery I was famished yet again so I got a scone and it was one of the best food decisions I made buttery and flakey with plenty of raisins and filling enough to raise my energy leveland blood sugar level.While munching my scone I wandered into a little pottery shop to look around. The shopkeep http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Dingle/blog-743199.html I woke up early for breakfast and ate with the whole family from Washington. I tried the traditional Irish breakfast poached egg bacon tomato and black and white puddingyes I tried the pudding I thought both the black and white pudding were good they just tasted like spicy sausage only cut into rounds instead of being shaped like links. The Washington family had visited Dingle for a day http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Dingle/blog-743179.html When I got back to the BB Mary helped hook me up with a Ring of Kerry tour. She made a phonecall and it was all settled. I39d go to Killarney to pick up the tour that way I39d see a new town and go on the tour I wanted. I got up early and with Mary39s salmonandegg breakfast I was off I had a truly great day talking and meeting and spending money and taking pictures in and around t http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Dingle/blog-741771.html I got a big disappointment today 95the bus to the Ring of Kerry from Tralee has stopped running now that peak summer season is over. So I might not be able to go after all. After hearing that news I walked around to find food again. I didn39t eat until 500pm today aka 1700breakfast. All I ate before that were a few shortcake biscuits I39d bought in Limerick. I went back to the s http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Dingle/blog-741769.html The grass really is literally greener on the other side of the Atlantic I realized that on the bus trip from Limerick to Tralee. The fields are this beautiful lime green with emerald shadows and hedges squaring them off in places. And of course the sheep. There are sheep everywhere colored with markings to distinguish one owners39 sheep from anothers39 when the sheepdogs herd them in.I arr http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Dingle/blog-741763.html I39ve been asked repeatedly why I chose Ireland for my adventure vacation. The short answer is of course 39why not39 Here39s the long answer. One song that came on my Ipod shuffle on the airplane to Ireland was a Taylor Swift song go figure called 39Never Grow Up.39 I39ve never felt so aware of my developmental stage as I am nowthat actually may or may not actually be http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Dingle/blog-741607.html At the risk of sounding like a snotty foreigner I39d like to give a quick and dirty run down of the differences I39ve noticed here in Ireland 1 There39s pet mess all over the sidewalks. Maybe that39s exaggerating. Let me try again. I had to avoid stepping in dog mess on the sidewalk several times while walking around Limerick. 2 People driveand walkon the left. I am forever d http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/blog-741400.html I went to a fish and chips place right down the road and got some fried cod and fries with salt vinegar. I was starving so it tasted pretty good. They use white vinegar on fries instead of apple cider like I do and of course they call them 39chips39 instead of fries. They call chips 39crisps.39 Thus moral of the story if you order chips here you39ll receive fries.I had yet ano http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/blog-741396.html While waiting for my hotel room to be ready at the Railway Hotel right across from the Limerick bustrain station I was sipping coffee at the hotel bar trying to stay alert and a local Irishman came in and saw me. He said 39Hellow lawv39 to me and came over to chat. Unfortunately I couldn39t understand some of what he said since his accent was so thick but he seemed friendly. Someth http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Tralee/blog-741010.html Most guides list the Dingle Peninsula among the 10 most beautiful places on earth. It is smaller than the neighboring Ring of Kerry and has less developed roads. There are very few tour buses on the Dingle Peninsula and areas where none would dare to venture. Armed with confidence from my drive around the Ring of Kerry I ventured onto the Dingle Peninsula. Initially the roads were good good http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/blog-734004.html County Louth is at the northeast corner of the Republic of Ireland. County Kerry hugs the sothwestern coast. Most of the drive from Dundalk in County Louth to Killarney in County Kerry is on good highways a lot of them divided. The speed limit is posted in kilometers so it is a bit unnerving to see the limit set at 120 kmh which translates to about 75 mph. I rarely got brave or impatient enou http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/blog-733249.html 19 juillet 2012Je suis a Killarney petite ville effroyablement touristique ou les gros bus s39alignent les uns apres les autres sur la Ring of Kerry route panoramique reputee en Irlande. C39est presqu39un pelerinage pour les irlandais a la retraite de venir ici. En ete la population double a Killarney a cause du tourisme... et bien sur les prix augmentent alors.Je suis exactement de http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Killarney/blog-731497.html A picturesque small Irish town Dingle County Kerry Ireland offers its tourists a great variety of bed and breakfasts and guest houses to any taste. But if you are eager to escape from the outside world and spend unforgettable vacations if you prefer family travel and really care about both comfort and reasonable prices then the perfect alternative for you is staying in Sraid Eoin House BB.It http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Dingle/blog-729622.html A little disappointed when we woke after another night of heavy rain that the better weather forecast for the morning had not materialised. Clouds still hanging low over everything and sun just plain playing hard to get.We left campsite at 9 am just as reception opened as we wanted to fit in visits to Killarney and Dingle en route for our next campsite in Tralee.Delighted to discover that this http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Tralee/blog-724253.html Lovely view to wake to this morning from the Tandy looking out across the sea and the rain had eased to just a drizzle after quite a battering all through the night. This is proving to be an excellent site. There is a well stocked shop at the entrance and Bob managed to find a book to read. I had suggested he bring more with him in case of inclement weather but..... and he can39t read mine as m http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Caherdaniel/blog-723881.html June 11 Over the Conner Pass and back to Ballinasloe Today I took the scenic route back to Ballinasloe via The Conner Pass the ferry from Tarbert to Killimer and Killrush Killkee Doonbeg Spanish Point Lahinch Hags Head the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren. It was quite a days drive and very scenic. I was disappointed a bit in The Cliffs of Moher though as they have now set up st http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Dingle/blog-723839.html