So, on Friday morning, we set off to the train station. After a few bumps in the road (not realizing how expensive it would be and accidentally going to the wrong station of three in Dublin), we finally got our tickets and set off towards the south of Ireland. We had three switches at different stops, so that was definitely interesting. What's nice, though, is that the stations organize your connections so that the platform you need is the one right next to your train. It makes things pretty quick and easy!
After a four hour journey, we arrived in Killarney! It was only around 2 pm, so we still had the whole afternoon at our disposal. We decided to go see some of the popular sights around town such as Ross Castle and Torc Waterfall. They were both gorgeous in their own rights and the whole day was about nature and seeing these landmarks that have been around for ages.
Though we took a taxi to the castle, we walked back into town after. We were told it would only take 25 minutes, but ended up taking all of an hour. We were starving by the time we got all the way back to the city centre so we looked around for some food. The views on the way were gorgeous though!
Anyway, all the restaurants in town seemed to be nearly 25 euro, which was out of our price range. We were getting frustrated when we saw a side street a little bit off the main road. We turned down it and instantly saw the most adorable cafe. They had menus posted to their windows, and when we looked, the price was right! For only 12 euro, I got a meal deal of lasagna, salad, fries, and garlic bread. It was amazing. Meghan and I agreed that it was the perfect way to end our first night there.
After dinner, we headed back to our bed and breakfast. It was adorable--check out the pictures below. It was owned by the cutest family and had a traditional Irish breakfast included. Personally, I was just happy to have a tv finally! This whole trip has made me appreciate my hour of television every night. I know, I'm a spoiled American! :)
The next morning, we woke up to fulfill our mission of the journey: The Ring of Kerry! We ended up taking a tour around the ring for 16 euro. It was an entire day's trip with lots of stops for photos, tea, and snacks. I absolutely loved the whole day. Though we were the youngest on the bus (all the others were our parents' ages), it still proved to be an amazing time. All the people with us loved hearing our stories about where we're from and why we're here. It was nice sharing the experience with some people from the states, as we were all in complete awe.
In case you haven't heard of the Ring of Kerry, it isn't just one place. Rather, it's a string of gorgeous scenery and natural formations. It's mountains and valleys and adorable towns. I took so many pictures and I still don't think I came close to capturing its beauty.
One of the best parts of the day was our tour guide. If you're ever thinking of taking a bus tour there, look into Deros. It was awesome and the man had worked there for forty years. Yep--four zero. Crazy. He knew the land like the back of his hand. Plus, his personality was amazing and hilarious. When we were nearing our first stop, he goes, "Ok, everyone, we're only stopping for about twenty minutes. Enough time for me to drink six pints." It was so funny and unexpected coming from this old grandpa. We all knew he was kidding too--don't worry!
Another stop we made was at a sheep farm. For five euro, we were shown how dogs herd the sheep around the mountains and rugged terrain. The shepherd uses a series of whistles that are tuned to each dog's commands. It was bizarrely entertaining watching the dumb sheep run all around the hillside just to get away from the dogs. You'd think they would catch on that the dogs will never actually hurt them! They were border collies and had friendly temperaments. You could tell they just thought that chasing the sheep was a game! They loved it. The shepherd was really proud too. After the demonstration, he said, "Dogs smiling, shepherd's smiling, CHEESE!" And smiled really big so that we could all snap some photos.
We got back to Killarney at 6 pm and found a restaurant. We loved the second one just as much as the first! I got an early bird special--three courses for 24 euro. It was so fancy and delicious! :) bruschetta, followed by honey roast chicken and potatoes, then an apple crumble with blueberry and raspberry custard. As you can see, food is a crucial part of this trip. Haha!
The next morning, we said our sad goodbyes to Killarney and hopped on the train for Ennis. We had the Cliffs of Moher in mind and honestly just picked a random town near them. Ennis ended up being interesting though, to say the least. It definitely wasn't a tourist town at all. We could practically see the tumbleweeds blowing by.... But we had a good laugh and made the best of it. Our hotel was a bit sketchy--the safe didn't even work--but it was a bed at least and the door locked. It was fun to see a new place, even if it wasn't the most exciting city ever!
From ennis, we took a bus to the cliffs. As I was getting coffee and waiting to travel, I heard the most adorable British family talking. Yes, I was eavesdropping but you guys...it was so freaking cute. The family was a mom, dad, and two young boys probably under five.
Older son to younger brother: I'm gonna chop off your head.
Younger son to older brother: Then I'm gonna chop off your head!
Dad: Wait, if he chops off your head then you can't chop off his head!
Mom: ENOUGH! There will be no beheadings today!
Throw in some English accents and you can bet I was entertained. Definitely interesting to hear other cultures' interfamily banter.
Anyway, back to the Cliffs of Moher. They were breathtaking. Unexplainable. Majestic. All the cliche words you can think of, the cliffs were. We spent all day there taking pictures and lounging around, listening to the waves. Also, there is a lunch cafe overlooking the view that we hung out in for two hours. It was a very relaxed and quiet day.
That same day, we took the bus back to Ennis, then took the train to Dublin. I was excited to get home because a certain tracking number gave away that my care package had arrived from home! :) Thank you so much mom, dad, sara and kate! I know you all put a lot of effort into this. Especially you, mom! My favorite surprise was the sheets. Also in that big old box were socks, some clothing, peanut butter mnm's, a bunch of kitchen spices, an oven mitt, some yellow mustard since you can't find that anywhere here, press n seal, foil, perfume, and a few other things I'm forgetting! Basically, my family is amazing and I'm so lucky to have them. Love you guys!
I can't believe our weekend is over! It was a flash and then it was gone. I'm worried that's how I will feel when looking back on this entire journey. At least I'm learning many things along the way! Memories last forever if you make them right.
And...speaking of time passing quickly... KATE IS NOW A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL. That makes me dizzy. Stop growing up!!!! Miss you and Sara so much!
In sum, I have nothing to complain about and everything to be thankful for. Thanks for reading, everyone!
Xox
Alyssa
This is beautiful
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