DAY FIFTEEN: Dublin City Tour

Our visit in Dublin, with its 1000-year history immortalized by James Joyce and in which1/4 of Ireland's total population lives within its borders, included a full day of discovering this bustling community.  From the window of our hotel room we could see construction in every direction with substantial cranes perched on top of up-and-coming hotels, new student housing, apartments, banks and government buildings.

Dublin is an exciting and interesting city, a mix of old churches, castles and museums, the home of Ireland’s president, Trinity College, the Dublin Zoo and one of the world’s largest silicon communities known as the Silicon Docks, where 90% of their computer geeks are from the USA.  And, I should mention, Dublin is also the home of Guinness Brewery, which began with 4 acres and has now expanded to 60 acres with a 9000-year lease!  Guinness also has a large brewery in Africa … which consumes more of “the recipe” than Ireland.  

On our last afternoon of this amazing vacation, we visited (along with about 1000 other tourists) St. Patrick’s Cathedral – named for the man who supposedly drove the snakes out of Ireland – “a sacred place near the heart of Dublin.”  The present building dates back to 1220 and “over the centuries has experienced and survived wars, revolutions and a reformation.” St. Patrick’s is the National Cathedral for the Anglican Church of Ireland.  It was also, at one time, the home pulpit for Jonathan Swift, best known to the world as the author of Gulliver’s Travels and who served as the Dean of the Cathedral from 1714-1745.

On our 45-minute walk back to our hotel, we also visited Trinity College Library in which the ancient Book of Kells was on display – and which had also attracted hundreds of tourists and residents.  The Book of Kells, was “written by monks who lived in communities devoted to the study of God’s word, fasts and manual work” and contains lavishly decorated copy, in Latin of the four gospels.”

Our final evening on the Emerald Isle included a Farewell Dinner in which we all gathered at an Irish-Italian restaurant about 40 minutes from our hotel.  It was a noisy, fun and festive end to a wonderful vacation. 

DAY FOURTEEN: County Cork, Blarney Castle, Dublin

Our first stop today was the storied 15^th century Blarney Castle.  We arrived at about 10:45 a.m. and were told we had until 1 p.m. to shop, eat, sightsee and kiss the legendary Blarney Stone.  We easily managed sightseeing and the 4-story climb to the stone but missed the chance to shop in “Ireland’s largest gift shop” and had to “walk 500 miles and (then) walk 500 more” to find something to eat because “it’s the law” not to open for lunch until 12:30 p.m. on Sunday to prevent people from spending time in the local pub instead of being at church. We finally found the little “Post Office Café” which didn’t serve alcohol so was able to provide us with a great lunch in time for us to get back on the bus.

The afternoon found us in Dublin … more castles, more churches and more shopping.

DAY THIRTEEN: Ring of Kerry Tour

Several of our bus mates opted out of this 112-mile roundtrip through Killarney National Park making up the Ring of Kerry including “sparkling seascapes, mountains dotted with brightly colored farmhouses, the remote villages of Cahirdveen and Sneem, winding lanes bordered with subtropical vegetation, and breathtaking panoramas of the (3) Lakes of Killarney.”  

You might not be able to recognize the two celebrities in this picture, but one is an honest-to-goodness leprechaun ... the other is the silent movie star Charlie Chaplin.  It seems Charlie and his family owned property here and were frequent visitors.  A nearby plaque notes, "For the man who made the movies speak in the hearts of millions.  Charlie spent many years in our midst as a welcome and humble guest and friend to many."

So glad we weren’t among those who decided to stay behind.  It was a glorious day– and one of only 2-3 days with blue sky and sunshine we have experienced on the Emerald Isle – with lots of pleasant conversation and many wonderful photo opportunities.

Back in Killarney, we enjoyed a fun-filled jaunting car ride – an open carriage with Cal as our jarvey (driver) and drawn by a big horse named Gonzo – along a 4-mile path through the national park.  It was the perfect end to a lovely day in Killarney.

DAY TWELVE: Cliffs of Moher, Bunratty Castle, Killarney

It was cold, windy and rainy when we visited the Cliffs of Moher (think “Ross Poldark” walking along the pathway with a 700-foot drop) towering over the crashing surf of the Atlantic Ocean.  It was a truly spectacular meeting of land and water ... but a bit perilous.  

On our way to Killarney for the next two nights, we stopped for a tour of “another bloody castle” at Bunratty.  The castle is said to be the “most authentic medieval fortress in Ireland” and the grounds also included a restored village (think Knott’s Berry Farm) which was so fun and interesting.  

"At home" in Killarney, we enjoyed a little leisure time to wander nearby neighborhoods, shops and pubs.  an evening performance of “Gaelic Roots” a delightful song-and-dance show with very talented singers and Irish dancers “bringing together all that is great about the culture and traditions of Ireland.”

DAY ELEVEN: Connemara Excursion

Today we traveled through Ireland’s Connemara National Park to spend time at Kylemore Abbey. Once "another bloody castle," Kylemore is “steeped in history and is now the home to Ireland’s only community of Benedictine nuns.”

DAY TEN: Belleek Pottery, Sligo, Knock, Galway

Our tour guide Jaime allowed us to “lie in” this morning and we took up on her offer crawling out of bed at 7:15 am and, following breakfast, boarding the bus at 9:30!!! It was a treat!

Our first stop of the day was a tour of the world-famous Belleek Pottery to learn how this beautifully perfect, thin, iridescent porcelain is made.  Every one of 5000 individual pieces each week is, itself, incredibly made without a measure of any kind then fired first for 24 hours at 1200 degrees, then a second time for 10 hours at 1000 degrees.  

But as amazing is the making of this exquisite art, the story behind the business is even more impressive.  In 1857, a young man inherited his father’s estate-in-ruins and was concerned about the future of his tenants who traditionally were told to move on when they couldn’t pay rent because they were financially strapped due to crop failures, sickness or other circumstances.  A survey of his land found it had all the right “ingredients” to make pottery so he hired a few expert craftsmen from around the UK to teach his local workforce and Belleek Pottery was born, since then providing a livelihood for several generations as it has become known worldwide for its fine workmanship. 

DAY NINE: Giant’s Causeway and Derry / London Derry

After an overnight stay in Belfast, we began our 2^ndday in Ireland at Giant’s Causeway, “a geological wonder steeped in legend and folklore,” including 40,000 basalt stone columns formed by volcanic eruptions over 60 million years ago. We met the giant Finn McCool and heard his funny story, introducing us to distinction stone formations such as the Camel, Wishing Chair, Harp and Organ.  A great fun stop in our journey to see “so very observable a curiosity!” (Thomas Molyneux, 1694)

The afternoon found us touring Derry /Londonderry-unquestionably a city divided by the same uneasy peace which continues to plague Ireland from “sea to shining sea.”  A great tour guide – Ronan (half Chinese and half Irish) – introduced us to the “birthplace of Christianity” and shared his hope his three children would have the opportunity to grow up in a peaceful world. Following his hourlong presentation, we had the chance to tour medieval halls, the Guildhall and several other historical and compelling modern sites.  

Another lovely – and particularly thought-provoking – day.

DAY EIGHT: Ferry to the Emerald Isle, Belfast and the Titanic Experience

Crossing over from Scotland to Ireland, I am reminded of a little ditty our tour guide shared with us on the first day of our tour:

First, you have the Welsh who pray on their knees … and their neighbors.

Then you have the Scots who keep the Sabbath … and everything else they can get their hands on.

Then you have the Irish who don’t know what they want but they will fight you for it anyway.

Then there are the English, who are a self-made race which absolves God Almighty of a great deal of responsibility.

Of all our experiences to this point, this was one of my favorite days of our vacation.  We began with a 2-hour ferry ride across the Irish Sea from Scotland to Ireland.  The ferry holds 2100 passengers, more than 600 vehicles and a crew of about 350 so it felt more like a cruise ship, with a large gift shop, cafeteria, game room, play room for littles and decks on which passengers could walk about.  It was a fun and relaxing opportunity for all our Gate 1-ers to enjoy lunch and good conversation.

Once in Ireland, we were delivered to a Titanic Experience in Belfast, considered in 1912 to be "the largest and most important, properous commercial and manufacturing city in Ireland."  This $10,000,000 exhibit first opened its doors on March 31, 2012 (the 100-year anniversary of the launch of the legendary but ill-fated RMS Titanic) and has now been voted the world’s #1 tourist attraction.  Titanic Belfast is absolutely amazing.  We have toured Titanic displays in the past …. But NOTHING like this one! If you are ever in Ireland, don’t miss it!!!!  We were given 2 full hours to explore, but we barely scratched the surface of the displays. It was so incredible!

Then we did a bus tour of the city, ending at Belfast’s Peace Wall, erected to keep Ireland’s Catholics and Protestants apart during what they politely call “the troubles.” Things have now settled into an uneasy truce (thanks to skillful negotiations by US President Bill Clinton), but schools are still segregated so it wouldn’t take much to see a repeat of Ireland’s political uprising.  Our bus stopped at the wall, we were each given a marker and had an opportunity to leave a message before the wall is removed in 2023!  My message was a quote from President Thomas S. Monson:  "Your future is as bright as your faith."

DAY SEVEN: Glasgow City Tour

Glasgow – with a population of more than 1 million residents - considers itself Scotland’s “most sophisticated city."  Not sure on what their designation is based, but it is certainly hugely diverse.

Glasgow has a history dating back to 500-600 AD – and nearly everyone can recite the genealogy of kings, queens and other historical figures who’ve lived in or built the city – including an impressive collection of statues and monuments heralding their accomplishments.  The city is made up of rows and rows of amazingly well-maintained red sandstone buildings; and, immediately next door, across the street or around the corner, are dramatic modern government buildings and stylish restaurants, pubs and clubs filled with locals and tourists … with loud and lively music.  Glasgow is also world famous for its shipbuilding industry; and, I’m sure Larry knows … is the birthplace of the Queen Mary.

Our afternoon was spent exploring nearby Stirling Castle, one of the largest and most important in Scotland, including gardens, dungeons and the chambers of the King and Queen of the time, described by Richard Franck (1658) as "Stirling where stands a beautiful and imbellished (sic) castle, elevated on the precipice of an impregnable rock, and which commands the vallies (sic) ... "  T. Garnett (1798) said "it was the favourite (sic) residence of the Scottish monarchs and still exhibits very noble remains of royal magnificence."  In 1847, author Hans Christian Anderson visited "Stirling's mighty castle, situated  on a rock which appeared like a gigantic figure of stone, thrown out from the level plain, and crowns the town."

After a week in Scotland, we are still trying to figure out the plumbing, which varies from hotel to hotel.  Every shower head has been different and very complicated.  In addition, the water in every faucet - no matter where we are - is not just hot, its SCALDING! We’ve also noted every hotel room has a mirror but no electrical outlet nearby … or a plug-in but no mirror, which makes doing my hair difficult and makes me “peely wally.”

As we leave Scotland, our tour guide Jamie noted we are not to believe anything about Scotland as portrayed by Mel Gibson in his movie “Braveheart” which she claims doesn't have a single correct fact from beginning to end.  She does give “Outlander" a thumbs up for being "kind of accurate” and she’s hoping the new movie “The Outlaw King,” about the life and times of Robert the Bruce, will tell a correct story of her country's early days.

DAY SIX: Glencoe, Loch Lomond, Glasgow

On Day Six of our tour of Scotland we traveled south to what is described as “a magical region steeped in legend, folklore and history.”  We stopped at an impressive WWII monument against the backdrop of Ben Nevis, Scotland’s “mighty mountain.”   Along the way we passed the “al-u-min-iam” plant, heard the story of the 1691massacre in Glencoe of 200 members of the McDonald Clan; and, learned about the Jacobites, defined as followers of Scotland’s James VI (aka James I of England). 

We stopped for lunch at a non-descript roadside cafeteria where I took a chance on the sweet potato and coconut soup with a dessert of bread and butter pudding topped with custard sauce. The best meal I’ve had since we left the USA!  

At Loch Lomond, we boarded a small fishing vessel for a short trip along the “bonnie, bonnie banks” - immortalized in song – of the largest freshwater lake in the UK … with a year-round water temperature of 13-16 degrees … and a nudist colony nestled in the forest just above the water’s edge.

In the time we’ve been together, I’ve had several people question the reference to “Dixie” on Ed’s hat and my t-shirt which has given me a great opportunity to share our love for our hometown! Ours is a really great bunch of bus mates.  In the meantime, internet service is nothing, if not intermittent and unreliable, but the landscape makes up for it.  I am on the lookout for a Scot or Scottish flag (never Scotch … which we are reminded is a whiskey, not a nationality) to add to my foreign flag collection.