IRELAND: Killarney Days

Here we go again. B&B with sweet innkeepers, check. Comfy bed, check. Good Wifi, check. Laundry, check. Tasty breakfast, check.

 

Oh yeah, and another delicious view.

 

 

                                                      The Next Morning

Dawn is a feeling, a beautiful ceiling,
The smell of grass just makes you pass into a dream.
You’re here today, no future fears,
This day will last a thousand years.
If you want it to.

Moody Blues – Dawn: Dawn Is A Feeling

This is a day that went on forever…..

 

 

                             The Dingle Peninsula

 

An amazing day for a relaxing drive along the coast.

Of course, the inland scenery wasn’t too shabby either.

 

I just love the stonework that you find all around the country.

Here’s some from 2,000 years ago. It’s a compound that probably housed one family.

 

 

 

 

NICE VIEW

A SMALL BURIAL PLOT

 

 

 

 

 

 

Danny insists that I throw a shot of me in for good measure every now and then.

Yowzah!

 

I just love the way clouds lay down patterns on the hills.

CONTROLLED BURN

Sheep Crossing

I took a side road and cut across for one last look at the beach.

These pictures are always presented in order so you get the real experience. It’s just a shame you’re not here to have it in person because I have empty seats in my car.

Back in my neighborhood is a  charming bridge with flower baskets hanging along its sides as you see in some towns in the countryside in France. The light from the sunset was doing nice things to the flowers so I included three shots.

 

When the sun goes down,
And the clouds all frown,
Night has begun for the sunset.
See it with your eyes,
Earth re-energized
By the sun’s rays every day.
Take a look out there,
Planets everywhere.
When the sun goes down
And the clouds all frown,
Night has begun for the sunset.
Shadows on the ground
Never make a sound,
Fading away in the sunset.
Night has now become
Day for everyone.

I can see it all
From this great height.
I can feel the sun
Slipping out of sight
And the world still goes on
Through the night.

Moody Blues – Sunset

This has been one of those days where you’re just happy to be alive and completely captivated by the beauty that incessantly surrounds you. Of course, I have pretty much been feeling that way for the past month since I have been traveling the British Isles and Ireland, but today was just astounding and the day did go on for a thousand years. Ridiculously good weather has been following me pretty much the whole time which is unheard of this time of year. Sometimes climate change can work in your favor.

 

                                               Ring Of Kerry

Even the drizzle couldn’t take away from this day.

BALLYCARBERRY CASTLE – 16th. Century

 

 

 

BRIDGE TO VALENTIA ISLAND

PORTMAGEE

Puffins are known to visit the island from April to August. This is yet another reason to return to this region. One could easily spend two weeks in the area. There is an enormous amount of hiking, biking, boating, and fishing to be done. Certainly, a lot of picnicking would be in order as well.

 

 

Fog, drizzle can’t ruin this vista.

 

 

Nice inspiration for an abstract painting.

 

CLIFFS OF KERRY

 

 

 

 

A nice way to end the day.

 

                                                  Ross Castle

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                 Dunloe Gap

 

 

GAP OF DUNLOP – This is a valley carved out by glaciers, and further up the way, you’ll see the boulders deposited by the creeping ice.

 

 

BOULDER FIELD

THE WISHING BRIDGE – So called because wishes made upon it are destined to come true. Unfortunately, I was unaware of this when I took the picture so perhaps I can hire a jaunty horse carriage to revisit the spot. Then again what do I have to wish for, when all my dreams have come true. A wish granted at this point might actually get in the way. There is something to be said for flying by the seat of your pants, and every day turns into an unhindered, unbridled adventure.

 

The roads were so wonderfully windy and narrow with craggy rocks just grasping for your car. There were periodic tiny pullover spots to enable passing by other vehicles. I found out the next day that only residents are allowed to use the roads when some crusty old bugger turned me away for attempting a second go round.

What an unforgettable and exhilarating driving experience that was.

 

 

                                                        Baby’s New Booties

Meanwhile back at the B&B I photographed baby’s first pair of Ugg booties that I bought for my granddaughter. I thought you might want to see them since they alway elicit an awww.

Another cool way to get around Killarney.

 

 

                                                           Muckross House

 

 

 

 

I have to admit I didn’t take the tour of the house. Sometimes I just don’t care about the historic significance of a place, or I’m just much more in an exterior mood.  I much preferred to hike about in the cool, crisp, fresh autumn air and seeing the likes of the photos below. It’s the kind of day that you look for a place that sells fresh cider and hot donuts in New England.

 

 

 

Some of the leaves are starting to change here and there.

 

The waterfall can’t be far, it’s in the post that’s for sure.

TORC WATERFALL – Not a knockout but pleasant nonetheless.

 

 

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You smell that? Nothing else in the world smells like that. That damp mossy smell?  I love the smell of woodlands in the morning.  You know one time in camp we hiked the Adirondack Trail for twelve hours. When it was all over we walked up a hill. We didn’t find one wrapper, not one stinking’ piece of trash. The smell, you know that pine smell, the whole hill. Smelled like…..forestry.

I’m wondering if anybody got my obscure reference to “Apocalypse Now”.

Jaunty Carriage – Another great way to get around Killarney.

Now that’s a lawn, and there are no sprinklers necessary. You don’t get beautiful grass like this without a little rain now and then. Well, that’s about it for Killarney. It was clearly the highpoint of my Ireland experience, and I will be sad to leave in the morning.

I’m off to Waterford which is about halfway to Dublin where I will fly to Southampton to hop on a ship for the States. That said, I still have six more days to enjoy Ireland before I do.

I’m truly living the life of Riley.