TEN DAYS IN IRELAND PART 1

As usual we have been busy here. College applications are underway for Barrett and the homework and projects are nonstop. The older girls are in and out of the house. We have a few house projects we are trying to tackle. Also, Art and I had the opportunity to go to Ireland two weeks ago. The trip was part business/mostly pleasure. Neither of us had ever been to Ireland before and were very excited to see as much of it as possible during the ten days we were there. 

We were on our own the first three days before meeting the group we were traveling with in Belfast later in the week.   We flew in to Dublin and rented a car and drove across Ireland to a coastal town called Galway.  I was very nervous about the whole driving on the other side of the car on the other side of the road, but Art did a great job.....and only drove on the "right" side of the road once - for only a few miles - before a very nice Irishman, coming straight at us, flashed his lights.  

So here we are,

Ireland bound...

Can you sleep on a plane? 

I cannot!

So after being up all night and watching my husband sleep, I was excited to get my first glimpse of Ireland.

So our adventure begins.......

On our way to Galway.

Galway was a great little town with too many restaurants, pubs and sweaters to choose from.

We had our first Irish meal here,

fish and chips for Art

and

fish stew for me.

The next morning we headed to the Cliffs of Moher, an hours drive away.

We stopped a few times along the way.......

for traffic.....

phone calls......

and pictures.

We ate lunch in Doolin 

before heading down to the dock to get on a boat. 

We decided to take a boat tour and see the cliffs from the water instead of walking on the cliffs and looking out onto the water.  

I am glad we did. 

Pictures do not do justice to the size of the cliffs. 

If you look carefully there are people standing on top - that gives you a little perspective of the actual size.

We had dinner at this little place that night in Galway.

The windows were open and there was an ocean breeze and several fiddlers playing traditional irish music outside. 

It was wonderful! 

Art had the irish stew

I had the "Fruits of the Sea with Tomatoes" .

The next day we drove three hours north to Belfast to meet our group. 

We stayed at the Merchant Hotel.

After checking in, we met everyone at a pub that had a great outdoor area...

went to Titanic Belfast - the Titanic museum. 

and that night went to eat at a great local Irish restaurant.

Art had an incredible hamburger  and "chips". 

I had a seafood pie with minted peas. 

After dinner we had to go pay a visit to the famous Duke of York Pub.

Belfast was beautiful at night. 

The next morning a bus picked us up and took the men to the golf course 

and took us girls (plus a few men) to the Giant's Causeway, another beautiful site.

We toured the Bushmills Irish Whiskey distillery in Bushmills.

We ate lunch at the Bushmills Inn.

I had a prawn salad.

 I had to take a picture of these doors in Bushmills....

I am guessing the smaller door is for leprechauns?

 After a full day, we headed back to Belfast for the night.

I took this picture with my iPhone and through the bus window -

it was ten times greener and even prettier in person.

 Be back tomorrow with more!