Miles, Miles and more Miles!!

      Remember last week's blog was about meetings, meetings and more meetings? Well, we traded that in this week for miles, miles and more miles! By assignment from our mission president, Elder Muirhead and I were asked to drive to 5 major cities that we have never been to in the southern part of Ireland to personally do flat (apartment) inspections for the 6 missionary companionships stationed in each of those areas. We have literally put just short 1,000 miles on our car this week and I couldn't be happier about it.

     Why??? For my close friends and family, they will acknowledge that I always spend at least two weeks celebrating my birthday which falls near the middle of every August. Last year I celebrated every day of that month! I typically do something special or something extraordinary, wild or crazy. That sounds like me, now doesn't it!!! I think that being here in Ireland for this, my birthday celebration (and a mile-stone one, for sure) is totally astonishing! I would have never guessed...EVER... that one year I would have the chance to do something like this. So, because I am here, I'm going to make this time the best celebration ever! 

    So, I have officially started my birthday celebration this year by driving through Ireland, traveling from Galway to Cork and from Waterford to Tralee! And wow!!! What my eyes have seen! Quaint small Irish towns, thatched roof cottages galore, endearing old-time streets with shops selling everything and anything, rich green (and all shades of green) fields that go on forever, beautiful loughs (lock/water lakes), gentle rolling hills and that is just the start! Each of the cities we visited this past week has its own history, tourist sites and incredible scenes just waiting for me to capture in my camera. If any of you could have done the same as I have just done; you, too, would have been totally thrilled with your experience!! Agreed??? Let's start with the first city we visited, Waterford.

     Waterford was the furthest city from Limerick for us. It sits on the southeast tip of Ireland and is Ireland's oldest city. It was founded by the Vikings in 914AD and parts of its ancient wall still stands today. The famous Waterford Crystal factory began here in 1783 and visitors can visit the working facility today to watch the crystal being made before their very own eyes.

Everything is green except for the grain they grow here

This is how many homes look in the city, one right after the other. I love the colors of these

It finally happened! We got brave and went into a pub at lunch time to get some food. I'm sure that it is not as calm as we found it after a work day or weekends

We ordered vegetable soup with some soda bread. Probably the best soup I've ever had

     The next day we drove to Cork. This city is again found in the very southern part of Ireland, but more westward. It is found in Munster county, you know, like munster cheese. Cork is the second largest city in Ireland and has a very famous place nearby. The Cork habour is one of the largest natural habours in the world. It, too, was founded by Vikings in 915AD and the city was walled off by Prince John in 1185. 

     One of the famous cathedrals in Cork is Saint Fin Barre's. He is the patron saint of Cork. The cathedral had its beginnings in the 7th century, but was demolished in 1864. The cathedral we saw that day was finished in 1870. Though this cathedral is not as old as many others in Ireland, this one was just as beautiful.

Saint Fin Barre's Exterior

The main altar with stained glass window behind

Not quite the Tabernacle organ pipes, but very impressive

A magnificent small tile flooring surround the main altar. It was an honor to walk across it. You don't do that everyday in America!

Beautiful stained glass windows surrounded by supporting columns

     One other very famous place just 7 kilometers north of Cork (which I could not have missed!) will also be one that all of you will recognize. I still can't believe that I really got to go there! Really! This is big!!! Like a huge "bucket list" place that I can now check off my list......

     

The Blarney Castle!!!

         That's right! The Blarney Castle! I was so excited to be there. Words cannot express! As you can see, the weather was very nice. What a blessing that was. After walking around, we entered the castle proper and started our descent up a tight circular, centuries old stone staircase.

Signs leading to the very spot

Oh, oh! It looks like they are still capturing bad men! Stand back!!

This pictures looks more than 100 feet up as people are getting ready to kiss the stone. the metal gate under is to catch people if they slip

Looks like that man wasn't so bad after all! Elder climbing up the tower

Now that is a set of really old stairs. It makes me wonder how many people and who they were that have climbed those stairs all these centuries of years. Very impressive

Elder getting ready to kiss the stone, upside down and backwards! He had to really reach his neck down to get in the right spot

My turn!!!! Awesome story....while Elder was taking my picture of kissing the stone, he put his finger over the camera lens. So because the pictures only showed his large finger, I got to kiss the stone twice while the staff photographer took my picture! Yay for me!!

Looking over the top of tower edge. Beautiful scenery almost as far as the eye can see!

I think we make a very nice looking couple after all!

The castle also has several huge garden areas, including a poisonous garden, that was used back in the day when bad men actually were on the grounds. This is the most famous tree on the complex and the most photographed tree in Ireland. It is called the elephant tree because of this trunk like branch that turns upwards like a elephant trunk would

    

While in Cork, we experience some of the best fish and chips (they say) in Ireland. This place, only found in Cork, called Jackie Lennox, became an immediate hit when they opened 70 years ago. They were very good and very greasy!

Housing in Cork by the riverside

     On Friday, we drove to Galway, another town northwest of Limerick, and again on the Atlantic Ocean. Galway was founded in 1124 and quickly became a major trading port, Parts of its medieval wall still stands where the Galway tribes once reigned. It, too, was a very quaint port city. While there, we visited the Galway Cathedral, built in 1831. Though a newer cathedral than most, it was very beautiful inside.

Galway cathedral and its unmistakable dome

Inside the Galway Cathedral

A Christ centered stone tiled picture on one of its walls

The beautiful blue dome surrounded by stone tiled angels. This was spectacular!

A picture of some boats in one of its many harbors

     On Saturday, we went to a city called Tralee, about one and a half hour drive southwest of Limerick. Tralee is found near Tralee bay, a marshy ground that took some special engineering to build a city where it now stands. Tralee was originally founded by the Anglo-Normans in the 13th century. Tralee also has a ship canal to accommodate larger trading ships to enter the area. Tralee was one of the cities in Ireland that saw much violence during the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War. The drive to Tralee was the prettiest of all. Though there was no cathedrals or other medieval sites, I was able to take several good pictures as shown below.

This picture was taken to show how narrow most of the roads are here. Some trucks barely fit in its lane. You can also see that there is no shoulder on the edges of the road. The trees/tall bushes grow just inches away from the road's edge and yellow warning sign. The speed limit on roads like this is 50 mph. No room for error here!

Beautiful shades of green spread all over the countryside

We stopped by a replica of the Yankee Clipper, a Boeing 314 aircraft that was also a boat. This series of Pan Am planes were the first to fly transatlantic in 1939 using the west side of Ireland as one of its localities

A photograph of what this aircraft looked like back then. This invention took aerospace to a new higher level of excellence

We also drove a few kilometers on the renown "Wild Atlantic Way" that runs down along the west coast of Ireland as it touches the Atlantic. It has the most beautiful scenery anywhere in Ireland, including the Cliffs of Mother.

     Finally, late Saturday afternoon, we saw a sign on the road we were driving on notifying us that another castle was near by. What do you think we did??? You're right again!!! We turned off the main road and ended up at the ruins of the Askeaton Desmond castle, Little did I know that another amazing photograph would be added to my growing list of favorite pictures! This photograph makes me smile every time I look at it. Enjoy!!! 

Askeaton Desmond castle ruins. It certain makes a gorgeous photo, doesn't it?