Have camera will travel

An early start to the day, out the door and on the coach by 8:00 this morning. This is an easy day as we only have 113 KM to go – but in a round about way.
Today we are going to Killarney, and guess what it is raining! I guess this tour is all about liquid sunshine.
Back to the castle so we can have a tour. It stopped raining, that was nice. We wandered up and down and all around the winding staircases, only wide enough for one person at a time. The staircases always wound to the right, so for the invaders left handed people were secret weapons, as they could swing their swords in the confined space on the way up the stairs. Right handed people could swing their swords on the way down.
After the castle tour we wandered around the grounds – the castle is from the 15th century. They have rebuilt houses and barns etc to create the village around it. They moved some houses brick by brick and rebuilt them in the park. At 10:00 we made sure we were at the tea room – fresh scones, just out of the oven.
We learned how some Aussies eat scones – with jam and whipped cream – to die for. There are so many different kinds of cream, we are under privileged, as we only have 2 kinds, everyone else has at least 4 or 5.
On the coach and away to our lunch stop which was about a 40 minute ride. Again it started to rain as we got on the coach. When we stopped, so did the rain for about 1/2 hr. Abbeyfeale – abby at the feale river. Another great church, and another prayer or two for my family. We wondered the grounds a bit, and then it started to rain, so we raced to the shops and had some soup.
Away again toward Killarney with a stop at a woolen shop for an irish coffee, and some sales pitches. How do you sell wool clothing to an Aussie ? Make sure the weather is crappy I guess. There was someone that I thought was going to buy a wrap that was 800 Euros, but she would have had no where to wear it in Australia.
We did have a photo stop, but the wind was blowing and it was raining, so only a handful of people got off – not me.
The hotel looks great, the room is nice. We are going out for some Irish food for supper. We quickly did up our washing as we are staying here 2 nights, then changed and met the rest downstairs to go out on the town for supper. We wandered down and around and came to the restaurant – for a traditional Irish meal. There was about 14 of us so we took up half the place. The food was great, but the company was exceptional. We had a good many laughs and even some serious discussions about how to change the world.
On the way back to the hotel, we seem to have missed the turn and wandered about a bit. Good thing the centre of Killarney is small. One of us asked for directions and we were right beside the hotel, but at the back! We had a good laugh. Then we wandered through the hotel trying to find our way back to the reception area, more laughs. We finally made it and climbed the stairs to our rooms. Too full but content.
As for the hair dryers, in each hotel they seem to take devilish care to hide the thing in a different spot. One of our group found hers behind the chair in the corner. One day I went through the room looking every where except the 1 drawer in the desk. Finally I asked the chambermaid, she came flying into the room ripped open the desk drawer and preceded to show me how it worked, like I hadn’t seen one before. I had never seen one in a desk drawer, with the cord out the back of the drawer plugged into the wall. So you had to use it where it was even though there wasn’t any light.
Another story from last night. As we were just settling down for the night the fire alarm went off in the hall – just one short burst, then the alarm went off in the room, again one short burst. We just sat there for a minute, then I went out into the hall. I am scared for life- 3 old ladies in the PJs scrambled out into the hall, all saying did you hear that. I wanted to say “No what?” and “I am always in my PJs in the hallway at midnight, doesn’t everyone?” Anyway nothing came of it so we all went back in and forgot about it. Also I guess I should be counted in that group, so 4 old ladies scrambled out into the hall!!