Kilkenny and Kilkenny Castle

Hello All!
I arrived in Kilkenny still disappointed over the cancellation of the Where's Wally street festival. :(  After finding my hostel for the night, I went off in search of food.  One thing about Ireland on Sunday: Nothing is open....  I eventually found a small restaurant and got some sustenance.

Sign in the Middle of Kilkenny

 Next morning, I went in search of adventure.  I had until my train left at 5:30 to see everything there is to see.  And luckily enough, Kilkenny is small, so that is actually possible.

I started by making my way to the castle, stopping at Subway for a sandwich that I would eat later in the park behind the castle.  Kilkenny Castle, isn't really a ruin or like Blarney Castle.  It is still pretty old by American Standards, but it had been updated over the years, and could really be called a palace more than a "castle".

Kilkenny Castle

After thoroughly going through the castle tour and stopping by the castle tea room for a bit of Tea and a scone, I hopped on this adorable train for a tour of the city.  I was probably the youngest person on this train by about 50 years, but as my ankle was still aching, I wasn't about to walk the entire city by myself. 

Adorable train!!

The spot that I most wanted to go back to after my train ride, was St. Canices Cathedral and since it was right next to my hostel, I went ahead and make the walk across Kilkenny, and I was glad I did!  St. Canices Cathedral is a beautiful little cathedral full of history!  Many of the floor and wall markers throughout the entire cathedral date to before 1600, and the oldest dated back to the 1200s!
 

St. Canices Cathedral

I climbed that tower, and let me tell you, if you can get up the courage to climb about 10 wooden ladders and 1 rather perilous stone staircase, the views are worth it!!  You can see for miles! But word of warning: It's not for people afraid of heights.  The only thing between you and falling to the ground, is a spindly looking railing around the top. 

Floor Marker

The entire Cathedral was covered in floor markers, wall markers, and table tombs.  But I thought that this particular floor marker, was pretty cool.  You can't really read anything on it, except for maybe one of the words is Butler....

Next entry will cover my trip in Dublin Part 2!
Cheers!
KM

Blarney Castle!!

So I arrived in Cork in the afternoon.  So a bit late to do any sight seeing, but with plenty of time to do what I do best, SHOP!  Now, I didn't buy anything, but I am on the lookout for a Claddagh Ring. 

Blarney Castle

After a lovely nights sleep, I slept in a bit and then set off for Blarney Castle!  All I can say, is that at first glance, Blarney Castle is breathtaking.  You arrive on the grounds to see this imposing castle set on a rock face.  You are greated first by what used to be a guard house with a built in kennel, which, I assume, housed a guard dog.  Walking around the castle, you climb some steps up to the castle proper.  After stepping in the castle, you realize that there haven't really been any "improvements" since the castle was originally built.  Everything looks authentic, with the exception of the various signs that proclaim the old use of the whatever room you are in.  To reach the blarney stone at the top of the Castle, you have to climb this tiny winding stone spiral staircase.  This wouldn't normally be a problem, but some of the steps seemed like they had been worn down considerably and sometimes you weren't quite sure that your foot would actually fit on the step, and the only railing was a thick rope running up the center of the staircase.  It doesn't really instill a feeling of safety in you.  Once you get to the top, you don't really feel any safer, once you see how you have to kiss the Blarney Stone.  I don't really know anybody that would actually enjoy hanging upside down off the side of a castle, but let me tell you, it isn't really pleasant.  The lovely Irish man that holds you as you lean off the castle keeps telling you to lean back, until it doesn't feel like you are actually resting on the castle.  And there was more than one tourist in front of me that expressed fright upon returning to their upright state.  But let me tell you, any anxiety you feel about kissing the stone before you actually lay down and try pales in comparison to the anxiety you feel when you are actually upside down face to face with the Blarney Stone.  But with that milestone reached, you nearly fly down the next spiral staircase, because there is practically nothing that seems quite as dangerous as what you just did.  So, once out of the castle, there are acres of gardens and trails to explore, and all of them are beautiful!!

Me on top of Blarney Castle

Me Kissing the Blarney Stone!

Here are some pictures of me at Blarney Castle.

Mandrakes

Wormwood

My favorite garden, the poisonous plant garden, held such gems as these plants seen in Harry Potter:

Belladona

This garden also proves that not even The Blarney Castle is immune from seizures by the Garda:

As a note: the notice on the bottom says that Blarney Castle is sorry for the lack of Marijuana in the garden, but the Garda has seized it, until their licensing issue could be cleared up....

And then finally, no castle is complete without a cave for secret escapes running underneath it.

Awesome Cave

Apparently Cork was hosting the street performers world championship in one of their parks!  In addition to that, I was talking to two girls from Yorkshire who were staying in my hostel, and they were saying that there was also going to be an attempt to break the World Record for the number of Wallys (Waldos from Wheres Waldo? to Americans) in one place.  But it was cancelled for rain!!! :(  This was really upsetting, because I really wanted to buy the costume that they were selling in the park!  You got a shirt, a hat and a pair of black round glasses for 12 Euros!!! Best souvenier ever! But alas, it was not to be.

Well that is it for my adventures in Cork and Blarney! Next on the list is Kilkenny and Kilkenny Castle!

Cheers!
KM

The Cliffs of Moher!!

So I got up early this morning to catch a bus to the Cliffs of Moher.  If you've never heard of it, google it. Seriously.  They are beautiful!!!  Walking up to the cliff's edge definitely makes you wonder why you haven't ever heard of this place before!   

Apparently a part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 was filmed here. I have no idea with scene, but if I had to guess maybe its where they set Shell Cottage? 

I mean really guys.  We are at a place called the CLIFFs of Moher.  Obviously, there would have to actually be cliffs.  And generally cliffs are dangerous because of their edges.....

I quite like this sign.  You can see by how many stickers are on it, that no one really payed attention to it.....

And Neither did I.....

If you went past the sign, you could hike up this trail that brought you pretty close to the edge of the cliffs and made for some pretty awesome pictures without those pesky safety walls getting in the way.  That spot in the left-most part of the picture down at the bottom, yes, that is the cliff edge.  Thats how awesome I am. :)

Till tomorrow and my journey continues in Cork!

Cheers!

KM 

Dublin Part 1!!

So after arriving on the ferry yesterday, I went down to a pub and had fantastic Lamb Stew and a pint of Heineken (one of my newfound faves!).  I happed to have a great view out of the window by my bunk bed of the River Liffey and of The Four Courts.  The highest court in Ireland!

The Four Courts

After a lovely nights sleep, I went off in search of beer.  This search led me to the Guiness Storehouse!  As a chemist, I throughly enjoyed the tour that explained the process of brewing their beers and then all of the different crafts involved in casking the beers and transportation of their beers around the world.  Included in the ticket price was a free pint of Stout. YUM!  The head is like cream and the body of the beer tastes much better here in Ireland straight from the tap than the crap we get in the US from the can.  This was also after a free tasting of one of their new beers. 

The big gates that you go through when you exit the Storehouse.

And then it was finally time for a bit of lunch before I catch my train to Ennis.  This time, I tried the pub 'round the block from my hostel.  The Brazen Head is the oldest pub in Ireland, dating back to 1198.  I had yet another pint here and a strangely good brie and tomatoe panini.

The Brazen Head: The oldest pub in Ireland.

This part of my journey ends with me boarding a train for Ennis.  Things I learned on the trip to Ennis: 

Ireland has many cows.

And thats pretty much it..... but they are cute cows, so thats something.  

Thats it for this post, I'll be back tomorrow with pictures of the Cliffs of Moher (hopefully, if the weather holds).

Cheers!

KM

The Never Ending Journey

So the day started off pretty well, my ankle was feeling better than it was yesterday, and the tube ride was short and sweet.  Arrived at the train station with plenty of time to find coffee, and then it went all to hell....  Apparently about halfway to Holyhead, the train in front of us had an emergency (rumors it was on fire....) and we stop.... for the next hour.... and a bit.....  Now the only reason you go to Holyhead is to catch the ferry across the Irish Sea, and therefore pretty much 99% of the people on that train were going to miss their ferry. So eventually we started moving and there were rumors that the train was trying to get the ferry to hold its departure. (Lies)  So eventually we arrive at a station in the middle of nowhere. (seriously, I think there were more sheep than people. Cute sheep, but sheep nonetheless....) And we were told that we would have to get off and then get on a different train, because if they kept on going to our destination, they would be late for everybody else. (THANKS TRAIN)  But even parts of this inconvience were kind of cool.  Such as the name of this town:

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch

If anyone can pronouce this without looking it up or having lived there, you are officially the smartest person ever.  We also went past Conwy Castle which was a beautiful castle in Wales within a walled city.  And then, I finally arrived in Dublin.... 
More on that later!
Cheers!
KM

Bedknobs and Bandaids.....

So after getting over my jetlag in London, I'm off to Dublin!! A train and then a ferry.  The countryside west of London is GORGEOUS!!

New life goal: get a job, earn a lot of money, and move here.

I meant to actually do something yesterday, but then I fell down some stairs and sprained my ankle, so then the rest of my day was spent catching up on Doctor Who Episodes. :)  So hopefully I will be able to upload some pictures tomorrow! 

Cheers!
KM

Entrance to Britain: No, I don't actually know where I'm going.....

Hello All!

I arrived in London today after a grueling 13 hour journey that has left me a bit sleep deprived.  Biggest reminder I'm now in Europe: the Starbucks barista looking shocked and appalled that I want my coffee black. Or I should say my Americano black.... Now for Bridget Jone's Diary and pasta and garlic bread for dinner! 
More posts once I've actually done something!
Cheers!
KM