Ireland Road Trip, Day 3, September 24, 2013

Today we leave Dublin. The past two days have been sunny and warm but today it’s a little cooler, overcast and looks like rain. Jason is driving our nine passenger van and I am thankful not to be driving.  While in Dublin the streets were comparably wide even though there is traffic. Today we have spent the better part of the day on VERY narrow, windy roads. Passing in opposing lanes is difficult for two small size cars much less our monstrosity.  Judging by the manner in which they drive, President Obama would call Irish drivers “shovel ready” for the NASCAR circuit. Driving in some of the extremely narrow city center streets in towns where there are cars parked on both sides of a two way street no bigger than a one way street in the US requires concentration and a feel for the game of chicken.  Driving on the left side of the road and having to shift gears with his left hand, how Jason has managed on these roads is an accomplishment.

Today we head south to Waxford where we will spend the night. We had decided to have a picnic lunch at one of the parks where we were stopping so we made a stop at a small local gas station/ grocery store for supplies. When we were driving away Katy said that she couldn’t find napkins. I asked her if she looked and she said yes but didn’t ask. She said that she could just use paper towels from the park visitors center ladies room. There was a man clerk so I thought that she was just embarrassed so I said let me out and I’ll see if they have any. Leaving the van I said, pads or tampons? She said, neither, I meant dinner napkins and get some cups while you’re in there. Glad I asked!

We also made a "streach" stop at this Irish golf course, one of many located along the country side.

 Our first stop along the way was St. Kevin’s Monastery ruins. St. Kevin’s was a medieval monastery founded sometime during the 6^th century and destroyed by English soldiers around  the1390’s. Today it is invaded by several tourist trap venders were hawking there goods to the tourists.

Adjacent to the monastery ruins is Glendalough Wicklow Mountains National Park. It is a beautiful park with picnic tables, lots of green open space, ruins, mountain views, and a large lake. Unfortunately there were also several hundred very rowdy, noisy students who appeared to be loosely supervised, if at all. Luckily we were able to eat our picnic lunch in peace and retreat to the lake before they invaded the area that we were in. Katy, Babs, and Joan took a long hike around the lake while Jim, Jason, and I held down the shore line.

We left Glendalough heading out once again onto very curvy narrow roads. Add some intermittent rain to the equation and you have our scenario.We made a no scheduled stop at an Anglican church that had an interesting ruin behind it. The ruin was of a building that ceased being a cathedral in 1214. Its surrounding graveyard had head stones of mediaeval times and early Christians. The inside of the current church was very simple but pretty.

 We reached Waxford around 4:30 and checked into our rooms. Babs and I had a mini suite with a great view of the harbor and town, before dinner and before the fog rolled in to stay.

 Before dinner we all set out into town to try and replace the walking stick that I had left in a bar in Dublin. 

After many “dry holes” Katy found one for me. I appreciate all of the patience demonstrated by Jim, Joan, Katy, Jason, and Babs! We ended up heading back to the hotel for dinner because the hour was getting late. The restaurant that we had wanted to go to for corned beef and cabbage was closed on Monday and Tuesday. We ended up having a good meal, drinks, and comradely.

Tomorrow we travel to Cork.

Babs Says: Never lose a hiking stick in Ireland.