Another day in Northern Ireland, with the Union Jack and the Red Hand of Ulster flying from the flagpoles. The towns here feel different. Less candy-colored, more somber and worn down. "IRA" and "End internment" scrawled on walls. Today we went to the Giant's Causeway, an incredibly cool formation o...
Yesterday we went to a museum dedicated to recording and preserving methods of craft from old rural Ireland. The farmers back then lived hardscrabble lives and were incredibly resourceful with the little they had. They made ropes and chairs and thatched roofs from straw, baskets and cradles from ree...
It's sheepdog day!! but first, Kylemore Abbey The abbey was located in a castle manor. Now, there's castles and castles. Cahir Castle is like a fort taken by orcs three eps before the Battle of Helm's Deep. Kylemore Castle is like the setting for some trending YA romantasy with a rakish dissolute y...
We began with a brief stop at Saint Brigid's Well. It's an active shrine frequented by pilgrims; Dave said a group is coming this Sunday. The pilgrims recite a chant and walk five times sunwise around the statue of Brigid. (Quick quiz: Imagine a bridge. Now imagine yourself on the island countercloc...
We went to Killarney National Park for more breathtaking mountain views and a horse-drawn carriage ride around the Muckross House and Friary/Abbey grounds. (My phone wants to correct "horse-drawn" to "horse-dragon." Not this time, phone.) The horse's name was Scooter. "He's the fastest horse we have...
I've been eating a lot. Normally I just have a mug of mocha for breakfast. But on this tour, breakfast is provided at the hotel, while lunch and dinner are "on your own." Knowing Mom and Dad, I expected we'd be eating gas station hot dogs for lunch and convenience store sandwiches for dinner. So I'v...
We spent the night in an old world mansion that has been converted to a hotel. Before breakfast, I wanted to take a walk but couldn't find the exit. Or rather, I found two exits marked by green exit signs, but they were both locked. Finally through trial and error I found a completely unmarked door ...
Jet lag lets me experience life as a morning person, sort of. I crashed at 10:30 pm, woke at 6, and had two hours before breakfast at 8:15. Kinda bizarre. I did my morning wake-up walk, packed completely, drew a picture of the dresser and desk, even had time for a walk outside... But breakfast time ...
It's castle day! After a resounding Irish breakfast (featuring smoked salmon on soda bread, really good sausages, and black pudding (I had to try it. it's surprisingly okay)), we joined up with our tour group. It's a small group: the three of us plus a family of four (mom, grandma, two kids) and th...
A couple days ago, on a whim, I started playing Return of the Obra Dinn. Dante was like "I've been meaning to try that out forever" and suddenly he and newbie were playing it too. It's me, the trendsetter. I tuned into newbie's stream for a hot second and immediately exited because he was way ahead ...
"Enjoy potatoes," said HGR. "Enjoy generic castle #72." From what I understand, he's pretty much off the potato diet, but he said he had baked potatoes this morning in solidarity. We're off to summer vacation in Ireland! Feels wild it's vacation time already. Both June and July have passed in a blur...
Today’s first world pet peeve: Drivers who don’t use their turn signals. Like 80% of the drivers approaching the t-junction by the train station don’t signal. Then I don’t know if they’re going to turn left (I have to stop for them) or right (I can continue across the street without losing walking u...