Day Two

If you missed it, here's part one of our honeymoon recaps.

We woke up on Wednesday refreshed and ready to explore Ireland.  The next stop on our itinerary was Killarney, and we had our printed Google directions which we presumed would lead us out of the city.

Unfortunately, the directions looked like this:

1. Head south on Lower Gardiner St toward Talbot St - 180 m

2. Turn left onto Beresford Pl - 67 m

3. Slight right onto Memorial Rd  - 160 m

4. Continue onto R105 - 97 m

5. Turn right onto George's Quay - 450 m

6. Slight left onto Burgh Quay/N11 - 400 m

7. Keep right at the fork, Continue to follow College Green - 210 m
8. Continue to follow N81 - 500 m
9. Turn left onto Christchurch Pl/N81 - 150 m
10. Continue onto High St - 00 m

And, remember how the streets aren't labeled very clearly?  We were supposed to make a turn every 100 meters, but we ended up going straight for a long time until we found a highway, then we cruised along for about 10 minutes before realizing we had no idea where we were going.  So we stopped in a small town called Bray, and at this point we remembered that we had a map in the car.

Luckily we stopped because we were heading directly South.  We needed to be going Southwest on a completely different motorway.  We chose a route that we thought looked the easiest to follow (but in hindsight was a bit like going through Fort Worth to get to Dallas).  We stopped in Limerick for lunch.

This wall was built in 1693.

We enjoyed giving our legs a break from the car ride.  We walked around for a while in attempt to find a place to eat.  We ended up eating at a small deli - sharing a Shepherd's pie and a hot cross bun.  After paying, we learned that it is cheaper to order "take-away" than it is to eat inside the restaurant.

Back in the car, we started to feel a bit more comfortable navigating the roads.  We drove straight to Countesss House Bed & Breakfast without getting lost. 



Our host, Noreen, greeted us and suggested we take a walk in the Killarney National Park, about a block away.

It was our first up-close glance at Ireland's natural beauty, and we were amazed.  We took a leisurely stroll through the park, soaking it all in.

Soon, we stumbled upon a pathway towards Ross Castle, about 2 kilometers away.  It was a nice scenic walk, which could also be taken by jaunting car if you'd prefer.

Ross Castle is the ancestral home of the O'Donoghue clan, built in the late 15th century.  It is located on the edge of a lake, Lough Leane.

We took a different route back to town, both of us in awe of the stone walls lining the roadways for miles and miles.

We were both ready to sit down by the time we made it back to town.  It started sprinkling rain, so we dashed inside the nearest restaurant, Hannigans.

In Ireland, there is something called the Early Bird Menu, typically served from about 6pm to 7pm. There are multiple items you can choose from for each course, and it is a discounted price than if you ordered off the A La Carte menu.

So, Austin ordered a three course meal.  The appetizer was Parsienne of Melon, soaked in Port garnished with strawberries.  The main couse was Baked Fillets of Lemon Sole, with Atlantic salmon, a fresh herb crust, accompanied with a Crawfish Bisque.  And we shared the Chocolate Gateau for dessert.  In addition, I ordered Duck Spring Rolls which came with an amazing chili dipping sauce that we're hoping to replicate at home.

We were both very satisfied with the meal.  It had been another long day, though, so we decided to head back to our room and relax.

The next day, we hiked the Gap of Dunloe.