I don't want to leave Ireland

but sad to say we will be tomorrow.  We are in delightful Cork today after leaving our little cottage on the sea and between the Mugillicuddy Wreeks and the Slieve Mish Mountains this morning.  The sun was shining was on the mountains and it was glorious when we drove out.  We had a wonderful time there.  Of the last couple of days we spent one in Kenmare and then on the Beara Peninsula.  Maree our niece had recommended we go here and she was dead right.  Not as well known as Kerry and Dingle but every bit as beautiful and not as many tourists.  My favourite part of any drive here is when we go over the mountain passes.  The scenery is breathtaking and we love it.  On the Beara Peninsula you drive along the top of the ridge and can look both ways down green valleys and it was just gorgeous.  I was reading an article about Maureen O'Hara the other day and she lives here.  Probably most of you might not know who Maureen O'Hara is and I probably should not have mentioned that little fact.

My favourite pass was the Gap of Dunloe just out of Killarney.  We shared an extremely narrow road with horse and carts and walkers and other cars and trucks.  Sometimes we had to stop to see where the road went it was so steep but oh so beautiful with the mountains all around, waterfalls, THE most amazing valleys. 

Yesterday we went to Tralee and had some time in that little town and then drove along the northern coast of the Dingle Peninsula.  Once again wonderful green views of coast and mountains.  We have been surprised at the beautiful beaches here.  Very near to where we were living was the Inch Strand - a seven kilometre beach.  It's been unseasonally cold here so no swimming for us but lots of others were swimming. 

We have had a lovely day in Cork just wandering around the shops and picking up some last minute pressies.  Tomorrow we will go down to Cobh (pronounced Cove) where the Titanic sailed from before it sank and also the emigrants from Ireland after the famine left from.  So that should be interesting.  We fly to Heathrow tomorrow afternoon and after a couple of days in KL on the way home will arrive home late Wednesday night. 

Hope you have enjoyed our blog.  I keep it mainly as a diary but if you have enjoyed it too we are happy to share our travelling days.  This has been a wonderful trip and we would recommend this way of travelling.  Staying a week in each place has been really wonderful and we arrive at the end of our holiday fresh and relaxed.  Mind you the trip back to Australia will fix that.  We could easily keep going but can't really ignore our responsibilities for too much longer. 

Cheers everyone.  See you back in Australia - which is still, by the way, the best country in the world!!!!!

The sun she is a-shining

today.  I am writing this from Adare Manor.  I don't think I'll leave this place.  It is so gorgeous and I am having a pot of tea and biscuits in the most beautiful surroundings.  We have just had a glorious day going up to the Cliffs Of Moher and then up through the Burren.  Our half Irish niece, Maree, had told us how to park down from the Cliffs and trudge across the farmer's field to get the best views of the cliffs and so we did just that and saw them from an incredible vantage point.  From there we drove up through the Burren.  Hadn't even heard of that before but it is the part of Ireland that is not green fields and stone fences.  It is stone fields and stone fences and fascinating.  Especially with all the wildflowers going off with the rain and sun now.

We have had a great few days here.  One in the Ring of Kerry, one in the Dingle Peninsula and one around Killarney.  Even though the weather could have been better for the first few days it hasn't stopped us seeing anything at all and we have thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful part of the world.  The Irish people are the nicest in the world.  They are just so helpful and of course that tilt in their voice is so charming.

We feel very very comfortable in this country and added to the fact that there is so much to see we will be leaving very reluctantly. 

John is off exploring this beautiful place at the moment so I had better join him. 

Top o the morning to you all

Here we are I wish I could say in sunny Ireland but alas in drizzly cloudy Ireland but still loving this wonderful country.  We are well established in our cottage overlooking Castlemaine Harbour and the Mugillicuddy Wreeks - isn't that a wonderful name - with the mountains of Dingle behind us.  We are really well positioned for accessing both the Kerry and Dingle Peninsulas and we did just that yesterday when we did a drive around the Ring of Kerry.  The weather was kind and we had a lovely day with absolutely spectacular sea and mountain scenery.  Everywhere is a picnic spot and we are very happy driving slowly and taking it all in.  Went down also and did the Skellig Ring which I think was our favourite. 

Today we are in Killarney as the weather is not too good but enjoying it none the same.  I could just sit and listen to the people talk all day.  Wanted to put the guy at the tourist bureau in my pocket and take him home - he had the most beautiful accent. 

Home next week.  I can't believe I have booked a place without wifi but figure it might be good for me to forget about computers and internet for a week.  Thanks Lou for all the work on our house sale.  Really appreciate it.  Glad it all went smoothly.  That little Zeus is not so little anymore, Paddy and Ab.  Take good care everyone and look forward to catching up on our return.

Last day in Edinburgh

and we have decided we really like this very liveable city.  We have walked its streets, ate delicious food, met wonderful people, seen pretty well the entire Royal family, heard hundreds of pipers playing in a parade, not seen the sun very often and have cheered for Andy Murray in the tennis.

Yesterday we had a wonderful day.  William (of the royal kind) was in town with Kate as he was being given Scotland's highest honour, the Order of the Thistle.  Him and Her were also here as was Princess Anne.  So we went up to St Giles, somehow got ourselves into the front row and saw them all although not very clearly.  The best thing though was that they had a big parade of pipers and dancers afterwards down the Royal Mile and that was great.

We have spent the last couple of days seeing those places we hadn't been to.  We had a good walk around the New Town, visited places in the Old Town we hadn't spent enough time in eg St Giles where William's investiture was.  The Thistle Chapel here is wonderful and the cathedral itself is glorious. 

We now have the task of packing for our first flight in a couple of months so it's a bit daunting but I think we have it organised.  We fly to Cork tomorrow, pick up a car and drive out to the Dingle Peninsula where we have a little cottage by the sea for a week.  We are looking forward to that.



Rob Roy is buried here



In the Border country

Edinburgh Castle

The Royal Mile connects Edinburgh Castle
and Holyrood Castle

Pipers parading down the Royal Mile

And Scottish dancers - gotta love it!!!

In the Thistle Chapel at St Giles

St Giles

Cheers everyone.

Bonnie Scotland

This morning I woke up and there was no castle in our window.  The fog was so thick that I could see nothing but now a couple of hours later it is starting to lift and hopefully it won't be the bad day they are forecasting.  We've been pretty lucky so far here with the weather and although it is not brilliant blue skies, as my daughter Cait says, "If it's not an utterly miserable day in Edinburgh, it's considered OK."

On Tuesday we hired a car and set off for the day to the surrounding areas.  We had to go down to the Port of Leith to pick up the car and that is near where the Britannia is moored so called in there quickly on the way out of Edinburgh.  We headed along the coast road up to St Andrews, famous of course for being the home of golf.  Aside from that it is a beautiful little town set right on the coast and we enjoyed a coffee and a wander here.  We then headed up past Dundee and Perth to Loch Earn where we had lunch on the side of the Loch.  I had cullen skink, a wonderful soup recommended by my friend, Deb Beattie.  It is made of potatoes, leek and smoked haddock.  Ended off with a scone and it was perfect. 

On our way down to Stirling Castle and Bannockburn, we called in at a little village in a beautiful glen where Rob Roy was buried.  Apparently he died of old age in his home and at his funeral they processed him 24 miles down this glen.  Stirling and Bannockburn were interesting.  John had visited Bannockburn with its impressive statue of Robert the Bruce 30 odd years ago and apparently it was better then with a very progressive display etc than it had now.  Still it was sobering to stand on the hill where the standard was planted and realise how many lives were lost in the fields in front of us.

We headed then down to the border country to the little town of Peebles.  This was stunning countryside and we visited the oldest house in Scotland, Traquir House and Neiderpath Castle before heading back to Edinburgh.  It was a great day and we really enjoyed it.  thanks to Dani and Aaron for their suggestions.

Yesterday we spent hours at Edinburgh Castle and had a fantastic day.  We enjoyed wandering around this castle that is our next door neighbour and has fantastic views of the city.  We were lucky as there was a wedding in the little chapel while we were there and they had a piper pipe the bride in and playing after the wedding.  Very very nice.  The Scottish boys look quite charming indeed in their kilts and with bagpipes slung over their shoulders.  I can appreciate that!!!  We saw the Scottish Crown Jewels, the Great Hall with its painting of Sargeant Ewark and the standard, the Prisoner of War Museum, the Scottish War Memorial and while John visited Museums to the famous regiments of Scotland I went to a fiddle concert put on by a wonderful group from the States.  They played in the Great Hall and I thoroughly enjoyed that.

We had a walk down the Royal Mile, the road that connects the Castle to Holyrood Palace.  The Queen is actually here for the week too.  You can't have anything on your own, hey?  William and Kate are coming in today and he is being given the Order of the Thistle at St Giles today.  We might go down for a look - we'll see how we go.

So all in all we have had a great time.  This has all been interspersed with a good dose of tennis and everyone here is excited that Murray might have a chance this time.  Great chatting with everyone again and we are glad everything seems fine at home.

There's a castle in our window

View from our kitchen window

Couldn't get John out of here -
 had to put on my cranky wife voice

We are pretty well established in Edinburgh now. Even though we have only been here for a day and a bit we feel like we know this delightful town and how to get around. It is only quite a small town but it is so picturesque and quaint. It is divided into two sections - the old town and the new town. The old town sits on a ridge starting wlith the castle and then continuing down the Royal Mile lined with blackened spires and high tenement buildings which are sometimes separated by wynds or closes. These are narrow allies that you can wander down consisting of steps, courtyards and lanes. Then there is this big ditch down running parallel to the old town that has now been filled with verdant gardens - very colourful and well maintained. The new town (which apparently is one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in the world) is on the other side of the ditch so from there you look across and up to the old town sitting on top of the ridge. The new town is also fascinating and wonderful to wander around.

Armstrongs - for Cait

We are staying in the old town in a section called the Grassmarket. It is quite the trendy place to be. Last night they had a big dance off. A crack at the foxtrot record for the Guiness Book of Records. Over six hundred couples dancing foxtrot at once for six minutes. We tried to get in and help them along but couldn't so we just danced on the fringes. Had dinner there last night while thousands watched the final of the Euro 2012 football which Spain won convincingly. Think that was a popular win here.



Arnstrongs



Pete and I went fishng
out on Lower Hill Farm

Chrissy in Shewsbury



Dinner with Steve, Muriel, Pete and Chris



The weather hasn't been great but not bad either. It is raining in the morning but by the time we get going it's usually eased and yesterday by mid afternoon the sun was shining. We have had a couple of easy days which we needed after a very hectic week. I think Edinburgh is going to be a perfect time.  We both love this relaxed city with lots to offer. 

John is still in bed and sleeping.  I think it's time for him to get up and make some scottish porridge, don't you?