Yes…it means exactly what you think it means
We got up and got packed then went for breakfast across the street at Bastion Kitchen. I had the bap (a sausage sandwich) with coffee and it was so delicious. They topped it with some greens and something I had never had before – a tomato/onion jam that took that sandwich to a whole new level.
After breakfast we went back up to get our bags and we took off again, this time back west to see the Cliffs of Moher. We ran out of time yesterday and we all wanted to see them so off we went!
Driving near Tubber, Co. Clare, Ireland
The drive was really interesting and beautiful. Cliot, the name given to our Renault Clio by Chelsea and Angie, barely fit in one lane of the road almost all the way there, and the rest were single lane roads. This car is small and still had to squeeze by more than once.
Roads are not very wide! Notice the sticker on the car dashboard to remind you to drive on the left.
Roads are not very wide!
Driving around Ireland you will see castles literally everywhere.
Castle near Kilfenora, Co. Clare, Ireland
Castle near Gort, Co. Galway, Ireland
Again, the weather has been absolutely horrible and, incredibly, it was even worse at the cliffs in the form of spray and 60 mph winds that almost knocked us over more than once. We were glad we made the drive, though, and walked through the fury. It was a spectacular view and I wish we could’ve hiked up to the highest point but the winds are known to blow people over the edge. Not interested in that.
Chelsea and Angie checking out the view at the Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, Ireland
The Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, Ireland
We left and went back eastbound to Dublin. On the way we stopped for a break at the Barack Obama Plaza rest stop to stretch and get a few snacks. That was rather interesting to see in the middle of Ireland.
We decided to get a hotel in Temple Bar area for a few nights. Doing this we could do laundry in our rental place and be able to stay put a few nights and get to see everything we want to see.
The other part of the plan was to get rid of Cliot since it had to be returned first thing in the morning anyway. This meant getting it back to the airport, and that meant I had to drive a manual shift, right-hand drive car in the middle of Dublin center city. I dropped the girls off to take stuff up to our room since there was no place to park Cliot. I took off and navigated Dublin traffic solo, wondering how that was a good idea. Not sure what I was thinking but I found my way back to the hotel and we got to the airport eventually.
Dublin traffic. OMG. It is absolute insanity to drive in and I bet it is about the same even if you know the place and traffic flows and vehicles. I thought Seattle traffic sucked to drive in. I just looked up the population numbers and Dublin has 76% more people by a count done in 2011. I think we saw them all as we drove in the city that night.
Anyhoo, we got a bus back from the airport and went for dinner at The Shack in Temple Bar near our room. I had the Cottage Pie and it was so filling I brought home leftovers. I had more of that delicious black bread with mine and it was the perfect pairing.
The Shack’s Cottage Pie with sourdough – Temple Bar area, Dublin, Ireland
Our rental has a kitchen as well as a washer/dryer combo machine (yes, it does both!). We can heat our leftovers and we went to the store for a few things to eat in and save a few €.
We discovered the laundry machine was really not good – to get things dry it heats up to the temperature of the sun and then runs for 4 hours. I had to just turn it off to stop it – we could not figure out any other way on the controls.
It was a neat place though. The view from the balconies was pretty good.
View of Christchurch from our rental apartment in Temple Bar area – Dublin, Ireland
There was a courtyard with some interesting history down below our balconies. There is a statue standing on top of pipes from a pipe organ coming up out of the ground. The statue has his arms raised with a conductor’s baton. It was to commemorate the place Handel performed his classic “Messiah” in public for the first time.
Courtyard commemorating Handel’s first public performance of “Messiah” – Dublin, Ireland
I found something rather odd in our apartment.
The bathroom fan is on the left. The switch is on the right.
Looks normal, you say? Think again. To turn on the switch you have to stand IN the bathtub! Yes…IN THE BATHTUB! I am pretty certain that doesn’t meet code where I live.
Time for sleep. See you tomorrow!