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This will be my final entry for the Scotland/Ireland blog. We are home safe and sound. After a great, but long flight from Dublin to Chicago we were delayed in Chicago for 6 hours!! We were to have landed at DFW @ 10:45 but didn't leave Chicago till midnight putting us into DFW at about 2:15 am!! Was a long day but we traveled safe and made it home. My sweet sister and Daddy picked us up and we spent the night with my parents. Visited the next morning and drove to Lubbock. Roy drove the whole way and didn't even try to drive on the other side of the road!! 

We were both excited to see our home and what a welcome sight it was. All is well in the canyon. 

So many of you have commented on the blog making it so much fun. Thank you all for being a huge part of our travels. This was my first attempt at blogging thanks to an incredible young man, Aaron who had traveled to Ireland 2 summers ago and blogged his trip. He helped me set it all up and even provided technical assistance one night while we were in Ireland!! Technology can be so much fun. 

Many of you will be sick of hearing about this trip over the coming weeks and months so I'll thank you ahead of time for listening and enduring the hundreds of photos!!  And yet, it is in the sharing and reminiscing that we keep the trip and our adventures alive. 

I asked Roy one evening while we were away; "Why is it that we travel?" I've thought a lot about that question and believe there are as many answers as there are travelers.  For me, it is to see and experience other places on this earth.  To marvel at the beauty and diversity of God's handiwork.  An awakening of sorts as to how other cultures live their lives, what makes them tick, what their homes look like, what they value and honor and coming to the realization we are all part of a huge family where some are blessed to live on the Emerald Isle and in the beautiful country of Scotland.  Every person we met on our journey was polite, friendly, engaging, accommodating and just plain good people!!  These memories will last the rest of my life.....thank you for traveling with us.

I've included a picture of the map we used while in Ireland with our 3,000 miles highlighted in yellow. The map may not be easy to see but just know we motored many, many miles!  

Till the next trip......Mary

New Grange, Slane Castle, Hill of Tara/Last Day

Our last day in Ireland taking in the sights and soaking up the last glorious bits of the beautiful countryside. 

My dear Roy bought candles last night on the sly and had Pauline and Brian present them on my scrambled eggs this morning as they all sang Happy Birthday!! I was very touched by Roy's thoughtfulness and the part this sweet couple played. Pauline just hugged and even gave me a birthday kiss. B&B's may be small but when you are blessed to find such wonderful folks that run them, the experience stays with you for a lifetime. So..that's how we started this day. Bid farewell and made our way to New Grange a few miles down the road.  New Grange is one of the most important passage graves in Europe. It predates the Great Pyramids and Stonehenge. Built in about 3200 BC!!

I could go on and on about it but will save all that for those that want to hear.  To stand on such holy ground really moved me....perfect for Sunday morning worship. Next we visited Slane Castle and our tour guide was so informative and fun. From there we visited the Hill of Tara which is another smaller passage grave and was the center of political and spiritual Celtic Ireland and the seat of the high kings until the 11th century. Roy and I continue to be in awe of such ancient ruins all over this Emerald Isle. The teacher in me wonders how any student learns ALL of the rich history steeped in this country. 

These three sights are in the Boyne Valley which was the cradle of Irish civilization. The fertile soil supported a sophisticated society in  Neolithic times.  It is the site of the Battle of the Boyne where William Orange led his troops into battle. A beautiful valley that is so lush, the cattle so fat and a river that runs all through it rich with game.  We took several pictures from the top of the Hill of Tara where we had a 360 of the entire area but as I've said before we just can't capture the true beauty of the landscape. 

Our sight seeing was done so...we had to have ice cream!! It is my birthday after all!!

We returned to Dublin with Roy Turner driving us right to the Hilton like he'd lived and driven here forever!  We didn't even let Lady G help! Checked in, unloaded and returned the rental.  Everything went so smoothly.  Sitting in the bar while Roy enjoys a last beer and I post this entry. 

This trip has been everything we hoped it would be and more. We've travelled 3000 miles in Ireland. Roy has highlighted the routes we took so that is fun to look back on. We didn't keep track of Scotland but guess it was close to 700.  I'm thinking I'll be driving back to Lubbock!

The Irish people are so very friendly and accommodating.  They are as curious about us as we are them. Such amazing people we've met along this wonderful journey.  

Thank you for sharing our travels....

New Grange

On the road again!! Naval, Trim and castles

Well, we made it through the night at the last place....didn't even stay for the breakfast part of that B&B!!  

We headed South and a bit East passing through Killybegs, Donegal, Pettigoe where we ate a nice breakfast. Leaving Pettigoe we noticed a road sign welcoming us to Northern Ireland...YIKES!! Union Jack flags hanging on every streetlight. Realized we were on the right road and it would soon cross back into the Republic of Ireland.  We knew from reading the local paper, watching news and visiting with a couple from Belfast that we did NOT want to go any further down that road. Well, guess what? Ennisskillen was the next town and we took another wrong turn that had us headed straight to Belfast! It was interesting to see the definite dividing with a blue fence along the highway. Finally righted ourselves and made it to Linaskea where we found a car wash and a really nice, hard working young man that power washed, dried and vacuumed our rental...looks brand new to return tomorrow in Dublin....tomorrow is my birthday!! Had to squeeze that in!!

Made it to Navan and our charming B&B about 2:00. Pauline and Brian are the owners. She is wonderful..very friendly, a sweet, sweet grandma and such fun to visit with. We are in the country with sheep in the field and it is quiet. Just our kind of spot. Sitting in their lovely backyard enjoying the cool evening. Roy is drinking a beer she brought out to us and I am drinking water from a wine glass. Such fun!!

We put our stuff in the room and headed to a couple of the neighboring sites. St. Mary's Abbey in Duleek, County Meath...great old ruins in a graveyard. Next toTrim,site of the Trim Castle. This is the castle and surrounding area where much of Braveheart was filmed...Roy was in heaven. It was too funny...Roy is driving as I am trying to look for the signs to the castle. We whiz past a sign as I tell him we were to turn there and when he stopped, we were looking right at the castle...right in front of our eyes and all around us. It's the darnedest thing to look up and POOF!! there sits a castle built in the late1100s... Wild!  

We had fun wandering around the grounds.  Hunger got the best of us as we'd not eaten since 9:30 and it is now 6:00... Not even ice cream!! Found a nice restaurant in Navan and had a yummy birthday eve dinner. Looking forward to a shower and a nice bed with sheets!! The last place had no top sheet...creeps me out..slept fully clothed ( jammies) and used a clean towel to cover with...such a fussy one I can be!! 

Including pics from the St. Mary's Abbey and Trim castle...not a big picture day.

Slieve League

Bid farewell to Pat, Matty and Bob (the dog) this morning after breakfast and headed North and West to Donegal County. Before I write about the day, let me tell you what happened last night after I posted the blog. Matty, the owner of our B&B has 6 mama cows and one of them had her calf about 9:30 last night. It was quite the sight for us to see. It's truly amazing how instinct takes over. We watched her clean the calf and then witnessed his first attempts at standing and nursing. I told he and Pat they now have a 

B B&B....bed, breakfast and birthing!! The calf was doing great this morning when we left.

Our goal this day was to see Slieve League near Carrick in County Donegal. Slieve is Gaelic for mountain. It is the highest cliff face in all of Europe rising 1,972 feet above the Atlantic. WOW!! There are no words to describe what we saw today. We drove up a mountain road that scared even me....Roy was incredible. At one point it looked like we would crest the hill and drop off into the ocean because that was all you could see from the car!!  

We made our way to several viewing areas and just sat soaking in the majesty of this place. Unlike anything we've seen...even more dramatic than the Cliffs of Moher.  The words "Be still and know that I am God" kept whispering to me. We spent nearly an hour taking it all in...the dramatic cliffs of solid rock, the ocean crashing against the gigantic rocks at the base, the calm blue of the Atlantic all around us. It is so far off the beaten path, I counted 11 cars....Ireland's well kept secret. Will include a couple of pictures but as you know, pictures just don't do justice to such a beautiful place.

When we sought directions to the viewing spot, we were told the best ice cream in Ireland was at the top!!! Darn the luck if they weren't 100% correct!! So funny..just can't get away from the stuff!

Left the top and drove into the tiny fishing village of Teelin where we boarded a boat that took 12 of us out to open water around and up close to Slieve League so we could see it rising above us and all around us from the water. As we were waiting for the boat, I heard a dog barking near the water so I went to the dock and there was a female that looked so much like Annie. She wanted someone to play with her. I got an empty water bottle, filled it with a little water and commenced to throwing it out into the water. She would wait patiently and then jump in, swim to the bottle, grab it and swim back. She'd take it further up into the rocks, shake and trot to the water's edge where she'd turn around, look at me, bark and wait for me to throw. The men around the water said she is there every day and would fetch all day long.  She is 15 years old!!  So, between the incredible views from land and water and playing with this sweet dog it was a glorious day.

 We met up with a couple from Norman Oklahoma that are biking their way through parts of Ireland.  We'd met them yesterday at Glencar and they were with us on the boat and again as we were looking for a place to eat dinner. There is no place open for food 

( only drink!) so we went to The Chipper....a mobile food trailer set up in a parking lot...great fish/chips. The Irish folks make a MEAN French fry!! (their chips)....haven't had a bad one the whole time!! We had a picnic with them...nice folks. 

Wished them safe travel and headed to our B&B....it's more hostel/camp than a B&B...NO charm...had reservations for tonight and tomorrow but we are getting out of Dodge in the morning!! We found a nicer one closer to Dublin so we won't have far to go on Sunday. Can't complain too loudly as we've had great accommodations the entire trip...B&B folks are as creative with "selling" their property as are real estate folks!!  Mountain and Sea views if you stand on the roof with your binoculars!! 

Till tomorrow....

Glencar Waterfall, Lough Gill, Hazelwood Forrest, Strandhill, Carramore & W.B. Yeats

Started the day with breakfast and a funny visit with Pat, the owner. She is just quirky and the expressions the Irish use make me laugh! She is delightful as is her daughter and Matty, her husband. Had to spend some time scratching Bob the big dog.  Will include a picture of him. Makes me really miss my Annie Girl.

Headed out with a sketch of the day but just wanted to meander wherever the road took us. Our first stop was at Glencar Waterfall where we encountered a serene area with a babbling mountain brook. We climbed briefly and were rewarded with a nice waterfall. Not magnificent but hey, anything is nice when one is from the land of no water or waterfalls!! 

Motored on down the "charming" country roads to Parkes Castle and more importantly a boat ride around the truly beautiful Lough (Lake) Gill. This area is steeped in myth and legend that inspired W.B Yeats to write his famous poetry. The boat ride was the highlight of the day. Not only was the scenery around the glassy lake stunning in its raw beauty but we were told stories that were followed with the recitation of some of Yeats poems directly tied to this Lake Isle of Innisfree by the boat's captain; a wonderful Irish gentleman of about 70 years young.  He also played melodic Irish music that along with everything else caused us to breathe in deeply and relish this special time. It was an idyllic afternoon.

Yeats: " I will rise and go now, and go to Innisfree."  This experience will make reading his poetry very personal. 

Drove on to Hazelwood, another secret gem in this area. The Hazelwood Forrest is beautiful as was the lake with the many ducks and ducklings that I fed. 

Moved South and West to Strandhill, a popular sea resort with sandy beaches and huge Atlantic breakers that attract many surfers. I have never thought of Ireland when I think of surfing!! We ate our late lunch/early dinner right by the water ( surprise, surprise!) and visited with one of the owners that told us about the Ireland Surfing team he and his brother were a part of. News to us but there were surfer dudes all around and a couple of surfing schools. 

Enjoyed the ocean's song for a bit and moved on to Carrowmore where we saw the Megalithic Cemetary with standing stones and stone circles. The oldest of them were erected around 4000 BC, several hundred years before Stonehenge was built.  The description of them and knowing how ancient they are is far more intriguing than the actual stones!! 

We ended our field trip at  Drumcliffe Church which is dedicated to Yeats, Ireland's greatest poet. Yeats is buried in sight of his beloved Benbulben mountain ( included a picture yesterday).  A simple stone slab in the church graveyard marks his grave.  It is inscribed with the epitaph taken from the last poem he wrote: Cast a cold Eye. On Life, On Death,  Horseman, pass by.

Everyone should know by now how we end our day.... I scream, you scream. We all scream for ice cream!! You guessed it!! 

Including pics of the day.  

Yes, I am in the same clothes!! It was supposed to be cold and rainy!! Thank God for laundry service!!

Powerscourt, Glendalough and Sligo

Roy and I are solo once again. Mike & Peggy left the Hilton about 6:30 this morning headed home. It is strange traveling without them. Sleeping Beauty (Roy) didn't get up till after 8:30 so we had a slow start to our day. For the record, it's not always Mary that's late!! In all fairness, he has done ALL the driving and now has the sinus crud again!! He needed to sleep. 

We loaded the car, ate breakfast and headed out of Dublin about 11 miles to Powerscourt.  Powerscourt house was built in 1731 on the site of a Norman castle.  The gardens at Powerscourt are beautiful. They are set at the foot of Great Sugar Loaf Mountain in the rugged wilderness of the Wicklow Mountains. The winding road to the gardens was sun dappled and magical....like we were on a path to the secret garden.  We spent about an hour wandering the grounds. The roses, alyssum and lavender were so fragrant and the colors exquisite.  I took several pictures to share with my flower loving friends. 

From there we headed southwest to Glendalough, the "valley of the two lakes" and home to one of Ireland's most atmospheric monastic sites. This monastic site was established by St. Kevin in the 6th century!! It just boggles the mind to think how old these ruins are and to walk on such hallowed grounds is humbling. The cemetery was fascinating...many crosses of all design with headstones dating back to 1757. Many were leaning and so weathered the date couldn't be read. To think this holy place is within an hour of bustling Dublin....it's as though 2 worlds exist.  

We exited through the remains of the Gatehouse believed to have been built between 900 & 1200! It is the original entrance to Glendalough.  Guess what was across the street from the Gatehouse?? ICE CREAM!!! A perfect way to culminate our adventure before heading to Sligo.

The road to Sligo was really nice. Very much like any highway so Roy got a respite from the "charming" roads.  

We stopped in Carrick on Shannon for dinner at a little pub we'd just read about in our travel book. The Oarsman. It's a bit unnerving to think Lady Garmin knows just where we want to go!! As we were walking to our car we spotted the now familiar ice cream cone so....you know the rest of that story!! Please refrain from any fat jokes when you next see Roy and I!! So hard to resist so we just go with it!!

Arrived at our B&B; Rowanville Lodge about 8:30. As we were driving in, the sun shining on Benbulben mountain was awesome.  After checking in with Matty and his wife Pat and meeting Lucky, a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel and Bob, the Golden Retriever, Sheep dog mix ( he's adorable!) we took a short walk down a country road to catch a glimpse of Donnegal Bay on our side of the road.  The sun was just setting so another perfect ending to our day. 

Have I mentioned that Calla Lilies grow in clumps everywhere like our Cannas?! It's such a beautiful sight to be walking along and there they are! Another stunning sight are the swans!! We have Mallard ducks, the Irish have these graceful swans gliding along in their ponds. I've teased they are the official bird!! Just some mindless ramblings before I sign off. 

Dublin...Again

This morning found us enjoying our last scrumptious breakfast prepared by Jeanette. The fresh eggs were yummy and the smoked salmon scones mouth watering! The boys had the Brioche French Toast..yum, yum.  She even shared the recipe!

After a couple of pictures with Jeanette and her son and many hugs we set out for Dublin.  Not a bad drive...highways were a bit more like what we are used to but not at all charming. We've decided there is WAY too much visual clutter on our highways. It has been so nice to not see any...very few at best. 

Between Roy and his co-pilot, Mike, we drove directly to the hotel with no problem at all and that is no easy feat in Dublin!! Checked in and got on the public bus that took us to the Guinness Brewery.  What an interesting story, building and process. I tasted the beer and drank a bit of the pint they give you at the end. Still don't like beer but it was a fun experience. Caught a cab/tour guide back to the Hilton. The cabbie was great...he chatted the entire way as he pointed out various sights and told great facts about Dublin and the surrounding area.  Well worth the fare! 

We've just finished dinner and each of us has commented how tired we are even though we've done very little this day compared to the rest of our trip. Looking forward to spreading out a bit, washing hair  in a shower you can actually turn around in and sleeping with air conditioning. B&Bs are charming but small. 

Mike & Peggy fly out in the morning...we have had so much fun, laughed till we cried, teased and played and built memories we'll cherish for always. Not to mention, indulged in a lot of ice cream!! Blessed beyond words to travel ( literally and figuratively) with chosen family. Roy and I will leave early for Sligo on the northwest coast of this beautiful island.  I'll continue to blog till we return home next Monday night. 

FYI...5 shopping days till my birthday!! What more could a girl want than what I've lived for the past 2 weeks and still have 5 days to go? Those of you that know me, know I love to announce my birthday!! 

We've loved the comments you all are leaving and it warms my heart to know you are traveling with us.  I've read each comment aloud to Roy, Mike, Peggy and always get a giggle or response. 

Pictures are few...Jeanette at the B&B and Guinness.  

Check out the background.  What a view!