Sunny Scotland
I am sure you are wondering why we haven't posted in a few days. Reason #1 Internet was down at our hotel. Reason #2 I can't seem to get the computer to charge. I hope we didn't fry it. Actually, I think I damaged the cord when I tripped over it and pulled it out. I am hoping thats all it is. We have loved Scotland....particularly Edinburgh. I have put Kelly in charge of posting the last three days when we return. We are currently sitting at the Glasgow Airport waiting to fly back to Dublin tonight. Tomorrow while you are sleeping, we return to LAX. We are all exhausted and anxious for our own beds and some decent food.
Manchester to Edinburgh
The ride from our hotel to the Manchester airport took about 1 1/2 hours. We were dropped off at the train station next to the airport and we sadly said our goodbyes to Phelim our driver/guide. Purchasing our train tickets and loading the train proved to be easy. The wheelchair user and companion got discounted tickets. The train ride wasn't all that pleasant though. The wheelchair seats were right next to the smelly bathroom and they had sold too many seats for wheelchairs so it was overcrowded with luggage and people.
Upon arriving in Edinburgh, we got in the queue to get a taxi. Like in London, all taxis are accessible. Just a few blocks from the train station we found our new home for the next three night, Radisson SAS. It is located on High Street right on the Royal Mile. We indulged on Italian food with a diet coke and wandered the city streets. All our senses were heightened. Bagpipe music, street entertainers (one with piercings covering her entire face), traditional Scottish kilts being sold in every shop window, and buildings that date back to the 12th century, had us intrigued with every step. Tomorrow.....Edinburgh Castle and city tour.
Ewe-Phoria
We departed after a traditional Welsh breakfast....of which only a few things were edible. We stuck to fruit, breads, pastries, and juice. After another hour drive into the countryside, we arrived at a sheep farm, Ewe-Phoria. Inside a theater, the owner of the farm gave a presentation. He showed us twelve different types of sheep and demonstrated how to sheer them. We
found it interesting to learn that the population in Wales is 3 million and there are nearly 12 million sheep. It really didn't surprised us since everywhere you look you see green hillsides covered with sheep. Lambs ranging in age 6-9 months produce the best lamb to eat. Any lamb over a year old is sold as mutton and the meat is not nearly as tasty. What is most unique about this farm is that 
they use Border Collies to help herd the sheep. By whistling a certain way, they direct the dog to collect the sheep on the right side. It was amazing that even the slightest change in the whistle would change the command for the dog. Antun, the owner breeds Border Collies and had a litter of four adorable puppies. He goes around the country helping other farmers train their dogs to help run the sheep. The family run business served us a light snack of scones and hot cocoa. Kelly had a cheese toastie.
Our next stop was a small village, Best-y-coed, a heavily wooded town on the edge of the river. It was a quaint town filled with lots of unique shops and a tasty ice cream shop. I think even Kelly dozed off to sleep on the way back we were all so tired. Back at the Bodelwyddan castle, we went to the museum on premise. The castle museum's first floor was restored in the Victorian style and housed portraits from the 1800's. Most of the portraits were by Watts who none of us had ever heard of. When we entered the women's bedroom and Kelly imagined that it might have been like the room Jane Austen's slept in. Upstairs, the museum had a modern collection of portraits that had been entered in a contest.
The night was filled with preparations for the next days departure.
Mountains, Slate, and Castles.....
We started the morning aboard the Rheilffordd Eryri, the Welsh Highland Railway for a ride through Snowdonia National Park. The narrow gauge train, originally designed to carry slate, has been
restored to travel 11 miles. Restoration and operation of the train is done on a volunteer basis. Despite the overcast skies that we are getting used to, the ride was absolutely beautiful. Along the way we saw ancient woodlands, small villages, waterfalls, mountains blooming with purple heather, lots and lots of sheep grazing, slate quarries, and of course the impressive views of Lake Llyn Cwellyn.
It was raining by the time we got off the train but that didn't stop us from getting ice cream in the quaint town of Beddgelert. The name mean's Gelert's grave which has generated a Welsh legend about a faithful dog. Continuing our journey through the Snowdonia National Park we drove to elevations reaching approximately 2500 ft. The surrounding mountains were covered in clouds so the view wasn't as impressive as it could have been. 
Coming down the mountain, the green landscape changed to a grayish hue. The mountains in this part of North Wales are riddled with slate quarries. Slate is mined and used as a roofing material. If you live in the National Park you are required to have a slate roof. Roofs made of this material last 100 years but come at a steep price.
A visit to the National Slate Museum proved to be rather interesting. 
We watched a demonstration on how slate is split and cut into suitable dimensions. The presentation was given in the Welsh language which was a treat to listen to. Kelly even got a special treat from the Welsh man giving the demonstration.
The tour was supposed to include a visit to Caernarfon Castle which is the most famous castle in all of Wales. It is the site of Prince Charles investiture as Prince of Wales in 1969. Unfortunately, it only ended up being 
a photo stop due to inaccessibility. Phelim drove to the other side of the harbor where we could get a more complete photograph. Finally, we were happy to report that blue skies began to peek out from behind the clouds.
Hoping to see the insides of a Welsh Castle, we drove back to the medieval town, Conway. The tour guide seemed to think we could see the exhibit and a portion of the museum. Once, again no such luck. We unloaded the coach and were determined to experience something at the largest castle in Great Britain. Jenny pushed Kelly up a steep incline to discover flights of stairs. We took advantage of the photo opportunity and made the best of the situation. Back on the coach, the tour guide said that we weren't missing out on much. She claimed that most castles are much more impressive when viewed from the outside. "Inside all you see is a bunch of rubble."
Back on the road to our castle on a hill, we were all exhausted. There was a large improvement in the weather so we decided to walk the ground of the hotel/castle. We conquered the maze, wandered through the formal gardens, viewed an aviary with random birds, and enjoyed viewing the castle from different vantage points. The following pictures are a series from the grounds of our hotel which are gorgeous. I wish I could say the same for the rooms in the hotel. 
Hwyl Dublin, Croesi I Gymru!
Goodbye Dublin, Welcome to Wales! We boarded the Stena Line fast ferry at Dun Laoghaire for Port Holyhead. 
The ferry equipped with shopping, Burger King, an arcade, a Curious George play area for kids, and numerous other restaurants was very comfortable. We arrived on the Isle of Angelesey about 1 ½ hours later and met our guide Janet. Our first stop in Wales was at a train station in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwlllantysiliogogogoch. It is the town with the longest name in Europe. Good luck trying to pronounce it. The English translation is “The Church of Mary in the Hollow of the White Hazel near the Fierce Whirlpool and the Church of Tysalio by the Red Cave”. 
Driving on the dual carriageway, we enjoyed views of the coastline, the Snowdonia Mountains (minus the peaks of them), and the beautiful green countryside covered with a purple heather. Conway, a medieval seaside town, was our next stop. We drove through the medieval walls which the coach barely fit through. We stopped by the seaside to see the fishing village and the smallest house in all of Great Britain. 
We caught partial glimpses of Conway Castle which we will return to visit tomorrow. We followed the coastline to Llandudno. It is a charming seaside holiday site with a beautiful promenade overlooking the Irish Sea. Kelly wanted to dip her feet in the Irish Sea but luckily we persuaded her not too.
The gardens and Victorian architecture are absolutely gorgeous. We loved the feel of this village and wished we could have stayed longer. Jenny was jealous of the Hydrangeas and wondered why hers don’t resemble them. Maybe the fact that the temperature rarely gets above 70 degrees in Llandudno might explain it. One similarity to Lake Isabella is the wind……it never ends in this seaside village either. 
Back on the dual carriageway, we drove for 20 minutes to our overnight retreat, Bodelwyddan Castle Hotel. Tonight my Mother said “Goodnight my Princesses” and we couldn’t help but laugh. Honestly, the hotel is nothing fancy, the beds are pretty lousy, and the meals are buffet style. What about that is royal treatment?
Looking for an Irish Stud
Today we traveled to the midlands of Kildare about 1 1/2 hours outside of Dublin. Our destination: Irish National Stud and the Japanese Gardens...what an odd combination. The Irish National Stud contains the finest Irish bloodstock thoroughbreds. The weather cooperated enough for see the entire outside exhibit. We saw two week old foals, a stallion valued at $450,000 Euros, the pristine chambers in which the horses rest at night, and the facilities used to artificially inseminate the mares. We watched a movie showing the live birth of a baby horse. We were amazed how similar the process appeared to as that of humans.
Then we moved on to the Japanese Gardens which were made to symbolize the journey through life. As we entered there were two paths to choose from. The one that was accessible was ironically called the "Easy Path" vs the rugged one which was entitled "The Path of Life". My mother enjoyed standing by the "Chair of Old Age" and wondered were she could sit down. Just as the rain started up, we went inside the cafe to enjoy a midday snack.
On the ride back, we were entertained by the sitcom Father Ed. It was definitely similar to British humor and Kelly especially enjoyed the hairy nudity. Back in Dublin, we walked Grafton street to do a little shopping and people watching. Mom enjoyed window shopping on the side streets. Street vendors were selling beautiful fresh flowers.
We are off in a few minutes for a dinner show, Irish Nights. We are hoping to see some traditional Irish dancing and hear the sounds of Irish folk music. We will report back tomorrow.
Temple Bar
Our night out was uneventful. We looked for nearly a half hour to find an accessible pub with live music. No such luck! The pubs were packed with Trinity college students on a Wednesday night.....go figure. We dined at an Italian pizzeria which always makes Kelly happy. Although, you will never guess who ordered the Margarita pizza(cheese only) .......Debbie. We did get to hear a bit of Irish folk music on the street and spotted a Leprechaun. We have decided tomorrow night to go to the dinner show Irish Nights.
Boyne Valley and Beyond
Today our drive took us Northeast of Dublin into the Boyne Valley. It is an area rich in archaeological remains. We visited Newgrange which is the best known of three Irish passage tombs that date back to the Neolithic or New Stone Age. Unfortunately the 5,000 year old entrance into the tomb is narrow and wheelchairs cannot pass through. After watching a short film and a visit to the museum, we entered through an enlarged passage to an exact replica of the tomb chamber. We were able to witness what it would have been like to be present on the winter solstice (the shortest day of the year) nearly five thousand years ago. As the sun rises it passes through an opening in the roof box and lights the chamber for eighteen minutes. The art on the stones reveals three intertwined spirals indicating possible knowledge of the Godhead.
From Newgrange, we traveled to the seaside village of Malahide for a lunch stop. We dined in Gibney’s Pub and enjoyed a half pint of diet coke. Kelly liked her fried cod much better today. Jenny and Mom had one of the safest things on the menu—baked potatoes with toppings of your choice.
Then we tried to stay awake for a long drive up the coastline through different small communities. I think Mom slept the most. We stopped in Coliemore bay, a fishing village, to admire Ireland Eye, a small island in Dublin Bay. From Howth Head, a lookout point, we could see Bailey lighthouse. Mom loved the legends and myths that were shared along the drive. HAHAHA!
Coming back into Dublin, we drove through Phoenix Park which was formed in 1662 and encompasses 2,000 acres of land. The cross shown below is the sight at which Po pe John Paul II spoke to nearly one million people in 1979. We caught a glimpse of the former President of Ireland Mary Robinson’s home. A candle is lit in the window of her home welcoming all Irish back to their homeland. We are off in a few minutes for a night on the town. Temple Bar street is our destination in hopes of hearing some Irish folk music.
Forty Shades of Green
We began the day with a drive southeast through the Wicklow mountains to Powerscourt Gardens. The main portion of the grounds is referred to as the Italian Garden. It was terraced during the 1840's and took over 100 men and nearly 12 years to complete. The gardens contain a wide array of flowers. Jenny's favorites were the two tone orange/yellow roses shown below.
The grounds also contained a Pet Cemetery with some humorous inscriptions. "EUGENIE, Jersey Cow, Died 1967, Aged 17 years, She had 17 calves and produced over 100,000 gallons of milk."
The gardens are home to some of the most unusual trees and beautiful sculptured fountains. A mosaic stairway made of Wicklow granite and pebbles from the coastal town of Bray was inaccessible to the majority of the group.
After driving the backroads through Co. Wicklow, we arrived in Glendalough which means "the Valley of the Two Lakes." It is the site of a 6th century monastery founded by St. Kevin.
We began by watching a 20 minute movie about the the monastery. As soon as the lights went out, we all began to doze off. We were informed that the tour wasn't completely accessible and that combined with the lashing of rain, kept the majority of our group inside. We toured the ancient monastery with the help of some kind men who lifted Kelly up about ten stairs. Amazingly, the rain stopped within a minute or two after we entered the gates and the sun started to come out. Uneven rocky surfaces made getting up the hill difficult but we were determined to see the round tower which acted as a bell tower and stands 30 meters high today. Tradition states that 7 visits to the monastery will secure you a place in heaven. We figure that people in wheelchairs who can make it up those slippery rocks only need one visit.
We walked among the ancient ruins of St. Kevin's Cathedral and saw many Celtic crosses marking burial sites. Lunch at the monastery was pretty ordinary. Mom had a Caesar salad with nasty bacon atop. Kelly tried a red seafood chowder that was extremely fishy smelling. Jenny opted for vegetable soup due to the fact that her stomach wasn't quite right. On the way back to Dublin we stopped at the famous overpriced Irish-based retail store, Avoca and bought a few scones to enjoy tomorrow.
We stayed close by the hotel again tonight for dinner at Gasworks. Nothing special but more opportunities to get to know the other travelers in our group. It is now 10:10 pm and the sun is just barely going down. The rooms have no A/C or ventilation so we slept with the windows open. The sun comes up around 4:30 but today we didn't even notice we were so tired.
A PINT OF DIET COKE IN DUBLIN
We arrived in Dublin right on time after a nine hour flight. Some of us slept better than others on the plane. Unfortunately, we had to sit on the plane for another hour while waiting for gate to open. Immigration and customs went very smoothly. In the arrivals hall we were welcomed by Phelim our driver/guide. He transported us along with another couple to our hotel in Dublin city center which was about a twenty minute ride. On the way he gave us a short background on Dublin and pointed out different sites of interest. Our hotel rooms were not ready when we arrived so we lounged in the lobby and drank smoothies. Once into our rooms, we had twenty minutes to wash up before departing for the afternoon. The first stop was St. Patrick's Cathedral. Built originally in 12th century and added on to in subsequent centuries, the cathedral was the site of the first performance of Handel's Messiah. Beautiful stained glass windows and flying buttress vaulted ceilings made for an amazing site. The Door of Reconciliation is housed there and pictured below. Jenny was willing to "chance her arm" in the slot in the door.
The next stop was the famous Guinness Storehouse. Our tour guide Noel was a Guinness enthusiast. We learned the ingredients and the process of producing Guinness beer. We tasted the first ingredient roasted barley and found it to be disgusting. The beer is 98% water which is supplied by the local Wicklow mountains. We stood by a waterfall that supplies the facility with pure water. 
For all you beer drinkers, watch out for any Guinness beer stamped 1619. Kelly was responsible for starting the new batch of beer. We learned the proper way to sample the beer but couldn't get past the nasty smell.
After touring the facility we met as a group in the Gravity Bar which is seven stories high. It affords the best panoramic views of Dublin which isn't the most attractive city. We turned down our FREE pint of Guinness for the much better option-DIET COKE. We took the opportunity to visit with the other travelers in our group. Jane and her husband are from Toronto, Mary and Jim are from Chicago, and the other Mary is from Salem, Massachusetts.
Dinner was held tonight as a group at Gasworks, a pub next to the hotel. Kelly tried cream of mushroom soup and actually liked it. Her fish and chips were doughy but the chocolate dessert was delicious. Jenny and Debbie had a baked chicken wrapped in bacon with mashed potatoes. We were all extremely hungry so anything would have tasted good. We are also extremely tired and looking forward to a good nights rest.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)