Sunday in the Emerald Isle.

Hello friends,
I am still trying to catch up. It takes so long for me to post, sorry. For Tammy- a hostel is like a bed & breakfast, except the rooms are not private. There can be as many as 6-10 bunks in a room, or you can be in a private room but of course the fewer beds the more it costs..There are mixed and separate sex rooms. Some come ensuite(with a bath in the room) or sharing a bath. So far we have been in a 5 bunk room, 3 bunk, 2 bunk and tonite a private only because she needed the bigger room. Breakfast, if there is one, consists of cereal and toast, tea & coffee. This one does not except for scones in the AM. There is a kitchen for making your own meals and a common room. For the budget minded, it is great.
Now back to Sunday. We got up early ( me before Tom this time). Drove to the Dingle Peninsula. Beautiful scenery. Dingle is a fishing village and is very small. Walked around, a little hilly. Here's a little funny-we kept smelling apples. Thought it was a candle in the first store, but smelled it again down the street. Tom was smelling it as well. We thought, how neat. A whole town that smells like apples. Then as we were leaving, I found my hand sanitizer's cap had come off. Guess what scent it was? Green apple from Bath & Bodyworks. My SP gave it to me. It was all down the bottom of my pants. I was so disappointed.
Decided to drive on. The road got down to one lane in places, one lane for 2 cars. Luckily we didn't meet anyone headon, but I was plenty nervous. We went to an ancient fort - Fort Dunbeg. It is a cliff fortress. Walked around the ruins and could almost feel the old spirits watching. Sheep also walk around the area and even though I tried to be careful... you already know. All over the bottom of my pants. An interesting combination. The Beehive huts we could see from the road. There were small circular huts for travelers or pilgrims in ancient times.  Drove on to the Blasket Islands Heritage Center. These Islands are just off the coast from Dingle. Inhabited until 1954. Very bleak place. Very hardy souls.


Dingle peninsula coast



The harbor at Dingle.



Dingle countryside




Ireland flag in harbor




The Craic (crack) House. Craic means fun or a good time



Row houses in Dingle

Local wildlife

Bee Hive huts

Ferry to Tarbert

Freezing cold on ferry

 After that we drove on to Tarbert, where we were going to catch the ferry over to Kilrush and begin our drive to Doolin. It also used to be a fishing village. It sits on the coast, very small village. Our hostel is the best yet. The Rainbow Hostel. Used to be a family home and they(Mattie & Carmel) are slowly fixing it up and adding on. Nice and cozy living room with a small woodstove, big beautiful kitchen and dining room, skylights and all baths ensuite. But no breakfast, just scones-delicious scones. We went down the street to a pub for dinner and met 2 girls from Boston staying at our hostel. Ate a tasty fresh salmon dinner and had my first hard cider.All tasted so good. Stayed and listened to Trad music for ahile. and then off to bed. Tata all. Love you mom.