Blarney and Dublin

Blarney and Dublin

Upon leaving Dingle we were considering taking a route via the Ring of Kerry, which is also supposed to be spectacular scenery, but as it was still quite low visibility, rainy and cloudy, we went with the backup plan of going to Dublin via Blarney, to kiss the famous stone. Neither of us were really sure why the Blarney Stone was famous, other than to know about kissing it. Come to find out that it bestows eloquence on all who kiss it--I guess I must have been in Ireland before! :-)

Dublin was a nice city, but after the charm of Dingle it wasn't my favourite part of the trip. It might have also had something to do with the fact that we added up our trip costs while in Dublin!

We did see the 'Book of Kells' while in Dublin, but photography was not allowed inside. It is housed at Trinity College, founded by Queen Elizabeth I in 1592. The Book of Kells is an elaborately illuminated manuscript, containing the four gospels, and dating from around the year 800 A.D.

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Guiness sign in a small town along our way. The town was so cute that we stopped and had lunch--a delicious winter vegetable stew for me. I don't think, growing up in California, I ever realized there were such things as 'winter' vegetables!		Another window shot...
I just liked the brightness of this pub front	One of many rainbows we saw on the trip	On the grounds of the Blarney Castle
		Me, kissing the Blarney Stone. The arms are of this man whose job, I guess, is to sit and wait for (stupid?) tourists to come kiss the stone. "Lie down on your back, hold the rails, and kiss the stone." I do have to say that it was much scarier than I had expected, which made me forget the fact that it was pretty gross that I was touching my lips to this stone that thousands have kissed!
Jerry kissing the Blarney Stone.		A view from the top of Blarney Castle
	Jerry coming down one of the narrow, steep stairways leading up to the top of Blarney Castle	I thought this sign was quite random...
Looking up to the Blarney Stone, which is the small hole in the top center of the castle		Jerry, with his own Blarney Stone
After the fact I am sure that this is quite sacriligious. This is why they have fences around things!	Me with this cool tree	The best part of Blarney?? The erin giftstore!!
Dun Laoghaire (dun leary), is a cute town a wee bit south of Dublin. We stayed here and took the DART (train) into Dublin.	Fun with slow shutter speed...	This picture was taken for ouir friend, Trevor Buser, to prove to him that the proper name is, in fact 'The Dub.'
So as not to look like tourists, Jerry kept the map up Dublin up his sleeve.	Unfortunately Dublin doesn't seem to have great signage, so the whole not looking like a tourist thing didn't work out so well. This is Jerry, trying to be subtle with the map. It definitely helped with that, to have me taking his picture!	Once again, trying to figure out where we were in Dublin...
St. Patrick's Cathedral. A church was on the present site as early as the 5th century, but the present building dates from 1191.		The River Liffey, which divides the 'richer' southside from the 'poorer' north side.

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