Thursday, Fourth Day in the Emerald Isle

Friends,                                                                                                                                     Cork, IE
Each day I wake up and still can't believe I'm here. The people are extraordinarily nice. Everyone we have stopped and asked ?'s of will wish us a happy holiday. And the food. Anyone who says there is only potatoes and cabbage haven't been to the places we have. Tom and I share a dinner entre and it has been enough for both of us. Of course that way I can order dessert. They have wonderful desserts. We had Banofee Pie tonite. I would weigh 200 lbs if I lived here. But maybe not since I would expend alot of calories just trying to stay warm. We walk our legs off everyday as well.
Today we got off at 9:30 to see and kiss the Blarney Stone. We were in a line  as we walked the 100 steps up to the top of the castle. The steps at one point were so steep, we had a rope to hold on to. It was as you can guess, cold and blustery. The actual kissing part was quick. It is not really a stone at all but a sort of wall that goes around the outside at the top. Anyway the best part was walking around the grounds. Beautiful rhododendrums, azealeas, ferns, and trees .
One part was an old Druid settlement. I made a wish on the Wishing Steps. You have to close your eyes and walk down and up 28 stone steps and think of your wish the whole time. If mine comes true in a year, I'll let you know. We spent about 3 hours there, and then drove on to Cobh, pronounced cove in gaelic.( Bh says v.) Cobh was the last stop for the Titanic before her fateful journey. Also many of Ireland's emigrants left out of that harbor to escape the hardships and famine of that time.


Blarney Castle




Posing on the grounds in front of Blarney Castle




Backside of castle




The narrow tower steps and rope ladder




Me on the steps, freezing.




Getting ready to lay one on the stone.




That's the hole where you kiss the stone.




It's really high up there.




What an odd tree




Can you see the witche's profile?




Waterfalls in the Druid ruins




Colorful row houses on the River Lee in Cork.




A cathedral in Cork

 We didn't get back in time for me to go shopping-the stores close at 6:00. (Are they more civilized than us?)  Maybe that is a good thing. The clothes I saw were right expensive. 30E for a pair of casual pants. (E=$1.48). Walked a ways for dinner. A large group of very pretty girls were having a graduation celebration. Such outfits. Super short dresses and tall heels, lots of blonde hair. Where were their mums when they were getting dressed? There were excited to be eighteen and able to drink, smoke and wear short dresses with tall heels. Just kidding. They were going clubbing. Tom got us going the wrong way home. But that extra walking earns me another dessert. Yeah! Tomorrow, it's on to Killarney. TaTa. Love you mom.