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Touring the Irish Country Side
On our way to the Cliffs of Moher in our rental, a Kia Picanto.We arrived late Monday night in Dublin, to be greeted by characteristic weather, dark clouds and rain. But, we didn't let that dampen our spirits! We were met at the airport by my cousin, Michal, who we had not seen in several years. He welcomed us into his home and let us crash in his living room. Hopefully we will have the opportunity to return the favour in Canada someday.
On our first day we wanted to explore, so we rented a KIA Picanto. As the Irish drive on the left, and it being our first time in a right side drive car (it was more like a big go-kart) it made for an interesting afternoon! Armed with our map, rain gear and curiosity we set out for the Cliffs of Moher. The drive was supposed to take 2-3 hours but as the "Luck of the Irish" would have it, it took us almost 5. Although longer then expected, the drive was beautiful... lush green scenery, tight winding roads (which leave little room for driver error), castles, numerous sheep, and countless cows! After getting lost several times, slamming into 3 curbs, a
Irish Castle
On West Coast of Ireland few roadside bushes and an unlucky cat (which to our surprise survived...we hope) we arrived.
The Cliffs of Moher were unlike anything we had seen before. A 700 foot vertical drop to the Atlantic ocean makes for some truly magnificent scenery, almost like something out of a fairytale. The cliffs consist mainly of beds of brittle shale and sandstone, which makes them ideal habitat for thousands of seabirds including puffins, hawks and of course seagulls. It is possible to see 300 million year old river channels cutting through the base of the cliffs. Much to our surprise, there were very few barriers to keep people from plummeting to their death. You can walk to within inches of the edge, or as close as you dare. Unlike Canada, Ireland relies on peoples good judgement to stay safe, although a memorial plaque to those that fell off is proof that some did not exercise "good judgement". The Cliffs of Moher were definitely a highlight of our trip, no doubt due in part to the beautiful weather.
The following day Mother Nature was not so kind. We spent almost 6 hours exploring Dublin on foot, in the rain! We visited St.
Patrick's Cathedral, St. Auddeon's Gate (circa 1275) located in the Medieval Area and countless other historical sites unique to Dublin. We also had to go to the Guinness Brewery, the number one tourist attraction in Dublin. We didn't venture inside due to the price, 15 Euro per person, which only included ONE beer! We instead decided the money was better spent drinking the stuff, rather then watching how it is made. By the end of the day we were both soaked, cold, grumpy and in dire needed of being fed! We met my cousin for dinner in a quaint Czech restaurant before hitting some of the Irish pubs in the Temple Bar district of Dublin. We finally got to try the world famous Guinness beer, which to our pleasent surprise, was much better than the crap Guinness they sell in Canada.
Our last day in Dublin was spent exploring the remaing sites, and getting dressed and undressed more times than we could count. The weather is quite unique here, as the sun can shine one minute, and the rain can be pouring the next. The rain also brings with it the winds, which can cool down the temperature a
few degrees in no time. We later found out that sunny days are a very rare thing here, so some advice to those planning a trip... bring an umbrella, you will need it!!!
Irish Street Music in Dublin Unique Facts & Quotes:
-Thanks to Saint Patrick or geography, there are no snakes in Ireland.
-Dublin's O'Connell Bridge is the only bridge in Europe as wide as it is long.
-Ten million glasses of Guinness are produced daily all over the world.
"History is only important while it is being made. What matters most is what you do today and tomorrow"
Croppies Acre Memorial - Dublin, Ireland
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Melody
non-member comment
Hi Andrea and Dan, Looks like you two are having an incredible time. I can't wait to see all of the pictures, the ones of the cliff and the castles are just beautiful. Keep the blogs coming, its very interesting and gives us all a glimpse of the exciting experiences you are having. I miss you and wish I was travelling with you!! Mel