Ballynahinch Castle

Mum's birthday present arrived at last...

Sligo

Had a nice afternoon wandering around the ruins of Sligo Abbey, had our own private tour by a lovely fellow. Gave us a lot of time, not just talking about the Abbey - there's Irish blood in mum after all.

Don't ask David about the accommodation in Sligo unless you're prepared for a rant and rave. Beautiful building, lovely room, probably the most comfortable bed of our trip so far. That is the end of the good news. Suffice it to say that I refused to pay for the night's accommodation and that is a first ever for me.

Sligo Abbey

Sligo Courts of Law

Ireland continued...Belfast and Northern Ireland

It seems we left Belfast in the nick of time...the Australian Government issued a travel warning for Northern Ireland the day we left Belfast. We noticed a lot of police and police vehicles (in the middle of the road even) on our way into Belfast city centre, but didn't find out until we had left that there had been violence and riots (sectarian trouble as usual) the day we left Belfast. Nice to have missed that. We did a hop on hop off bus tour of Belfast and learnt quite a lot about the history of the "troubles".

Moved on through Northern Ireland and did the touristy things. Mum enjoyed the Carrick-a-rede rope bridege (a "knee trembler" were her words) and was fascinated with the Giant's Causeway. We arrived at Bushmills Distillery (Ireland's oldest whisky distillery estsblished in 1608) at 5pm, just on closing time! So she has seen the outside but missed out on a tour and taste of Bushmill's - she had one the next night in Sligo.

Mum, windswept, at Carrick-a-rede

Mum on the rope bridge

Us at Carrick-a-rede

Mum at the Giant's Causeway

Ireland

Well, well, well...we've finally got Maz and Pete together in Belfast!!! Can you see how?

Shankill Road, can't remember if this is the Protestant or Catholic part of town, but it's one of them

Some pics of our adventures so far in Ireland

Mum at the Brazen Head, the oldest pub in Ireland. The Vikings first established a tavern here in 1198 and the current building was built in the 1600s

Celtic Cross on grave and Round Tower at Glendalough, an old monastic settlement that was founded in the 6th Century and destroyed then abandoned in the 12th century. About 30kms south of Dublin in County Wexford in the Wicklow Mountains

The Upper Lake at Glendalough, one of 2 lakes formed by glaciers

Fitgerald's Pub in Avoca. Avoca was the setting for the TV series Ballykissangel.

Mum was thrilled to visit the location of Ballykissangel

At the Avoca Handweaving Mill

The looms at Avoca Handweaving Mill, very interesting to watch them in operation.

Nan bought me a nice mohair handweaved blanket at the mill, it has been posted home to mum and Pete's to save lugging it around Europe.

Next stop is Belfast via Newgrange and Knowth - mum wants to have a look at the mound tombs which are older than the pyramids in Egypt.

Cheers and beers (Guinness of course!)

David and Maz

Ireland

Well here we are in sunny Ireland (LOL). Our first stop in Dublin was the Brazen Head - our accommodation is right behind it. We had a beautiful Beef and Guinness stew for lunch with a pint of Guinness. I've been waiting for that beautiful Guinness again and it certainly didn't disappoint.


We did the Jameson Distillery tour, mum got picked for the taste testing at the end. She enjoyed the whole experience, as I thought she might.


Followed that up with dinner at Yamamori Japanese Restaurant, still the best Japanese food I've had since Japan. As usual I ordered half the menu. Yuuummmmy.


Off to Glendalough and Ballykissangel (Avoca) a little later on this morning, having a slow day because I have a cold that is really taking hold and mum is starting to get it. We were going to go down to Waterford but we've decided against that in favour of a slower day.


May post some pics tonight after a couple more pints of real  Guinness, so check back in later on....

One more pic from our time in Bath

Really needs no title, does it?

Wales

Hi all, haven't had wifi for a few days. Only a brief update now, to much to do and see.

We're in Machynlleth in Wales (pronounced (mack) mach - ch is as the Scottish ch in Loch where the sound is made in the throat...yn as in "in" and kleth, again the k sound is the throaty Scottish "Loch").  A couple of pics, can you recognise the first one? The title gives you a clue...

"There can be only one..."

View of Bath from the Bath Abbey Bell Tower. Our hotel is the modern, creamy coloured building just to the right of the spire, but not the one high up the hill.

The Roman Baths by night.

Only posting a couple of pics, they take a very long time to upload with slow wifi connections and we didn't really come all this way to spend our time at a computer. Too much to see and do.

Off to Ireland tomorrow, don't know when our next wifi connection will be. I'm only using the free ones so far, they charge way too much in UK - about $10 an hour. So updates may be sporadic from here on in. 

Hope you're all having as much fun as we are....hehehe

Love to all, wish you were here too

Isle of Skye pics

I've only just worked out that if you click on the pics you get to see a bigger version! I am new to the blog stuff

Our convertible

An Cailc

Maz and Dave with The Old Man of Storr in the background (no comments re old tourists required thank you!)

Kilt Rock (in the background)

Horny Highlanders!! (this was a cow mounting a bull, so funny.)

Heeland Coo - just as I was starting to think they only existed on postcards, I found some on our last day in Scotland. They declined my offer to emigrate to Gundary.

Not sure if he's a local or tourist, but he didn't mind posing for me


Well, that might be the last post for a couple of days - no free wifi tomorrow at Carlisle.


Hope you're all well, pity you weren't here enjoying the spectacular scenery too. Nice to see there's been some good rain back home. Stay wet, but healthy!

Culloden battlefield and Dunrobin Castle

Had a wonderful day yesterday visiting the Culloden battlefield just outside Inverness. Learnt a lot about the history behind the battle. Then moved on to Dunrobin Castle but stopped off at the Falls of Shin to watch the salmon jumping up waterfalls on their way upstream to breed - amazing.
Dunrobin Castle was very impressive.

Mum at Culloden

Dunrobin Castle

The crests above the fireplace in the entrance hall to Dunrobin Castle (the only place inside the castle I was allowed to take photos)

Edinburgh to Inverness

Well, we've had our couple of days in Edinburgh....wow I love that city and mum really enjoyed it too. Amazed by the amount of people around for the Fringe Festival


Saw the Royal Yacht Britannia...very underwhelming, didn't bother paying 10.50 pounds to go on it. Paid 10.25 pounds to go into the Palace of Holyrood House. That was worth a look. Watched some street theatre, really good entertainment especially the aussie bloke Bruce. The Tattoo was FFT (fan f***ing tastic). Over way too soon, really really enjoyed it.


Accommodation at Edinburgh in the University dorms - I'll not say too much except that we couldn't bring ourselves to shower there. People pissing in the sinks, on the floor, in the courtyard, in the doorways (even when I walked through an outside door the fellow didn't stop pissing).


So glad to arrive in Inverness at Trafford Bank B&B and shower at last and change clothes. We've just got back from dinner and settling down for the night in a lovely bed that isn't making me itch!


Haven't offloaded any photos from the camera yet to post....stay tuned

Up, up and away

2 hours until we board.....


We have been upgraded to Business Class for our flight to London, yay, woohoo and all that.


So, mum and I are currently sitting in the Business Lounge drinking free Moet and Chandon and eating a yummy lunch.


Now to enjoy the A380....next stop Heathrow then Edinburgh

The Day Before Tomorrow

On our way tomorrow, butterflies are growing!


Off to the dentist today, yay what fun - root canal therapy the day before I flight out.