Day 3: Ring of Kerry

First, a major apology to our millions of readers. Keeping a blog and a full travel schedule with this Smith gang is proving more challenging than anticipated. We started the blog a day behind and the further we go the behinder we get.
I hate to disappoint, but we are forced to deliver a simple “and then we” account of our activities on Saturday, day 3—an account lacking the rich detail and color commentary it deserves. It is our intention to later embellish.
DAY 3: Saturday
After a much needed and restorative night of sleep, we lingered over a fine breakfast at Sneem Hotel—and this was not the sort of continental breakfast one is subjected to at a Holiday Express—we were treated to an hour of Irish cultural edification by our learned and entertaining guide, Batt Burns. His knowledge of All Things Irish continues to add a much deeper appreciation of our tour than we would otherwise enjoy.
Then we hit the road to see the “second best Ring of Kerry view.” Yesterday’s blog began with a description of how very narrow the roads are round the Ring of Kerry—how they have no shoulders and how it is impossible to meet another wide vehicle in many places. Well, yesterday’s roads were freeways compared to some we encountered this day. Roads were walled in on both sides (and very often overhead as well) by trees and shrubs. If we met so much as a Volkswagon Beetle, it would have to drive in reverse until it came to a turn-off of some sort so that we could pass.
We cannot hope to describe the beauty of the Ring of Kerry—its mountains, Kenmare Bay, the Atlantic Ocean off the rocky coast, and photos (even if we had time to post them) could never do it justice. Oh, and there is a good reason they call this the Emerald Isle.
On our return route we visited the summer home of DanielO’Connell, The Liberator, who played such a huge role in Irish history and Fort Staigue, constructed by the Celtic peoples probably before the birth of Christ. Here we also learned more about the mischievous Wee People of Ireland. Upon leaving the fort Mike Welch decided he would rather hike back to Sneem—a three hour jaunt over the mountain. He repeatedly asked for some company on the walk, but there were no takers. Just as he was about to embark alone, Greg (a.k.a. Brave Heart Smith) volunteered. They report a most invigorating hike and were glad to have made it.
By the way, I hate reading accounts of trips that keep saying, “and then we. . . and then we . . . and after that we . . .” You’ll come to hate ‘em too, after this posting.
And then we enjoyed leisurely afternoon of free time wandering around Sneem. Several among us took in the Wife Carrying Contest being held in conjunction with the village’s Family Festival. You’ll have to ask others about that, as your blogger fortunately had urgent business elsewhere.
Sneem is a small village of perhaps 600 supported largely by tourists who come to see the beauty of County Kerry. As small as it is, we counted five business establishments sporting the name of our ancestors, O’Sullivan—including the restaurant where we ate and the pub where we enjoyed traditional Irish music and dancing. Trudy, Mike W. and Kay B. led everyone in the pub in a great rendition of Sweet Molly Malone. Try as we did, we couldn’t get Edna in front of the mic.
We could name in this blog the five members of our party who went pub crawling after the other 28 of us turned in for the night. And we could tell you that even after they got back to the hotel they refused to call an end to their revels but instead crashed a wedding dance going on elsewhere in our hotel. We could tell you their names, but that wouldn’t be fair to Bobbi Ann, Becky, Ric, Jeanne D., and Trudy. So we won’t. Neither will we tell you which two of those showed the natives how to dance American country-western style. You’ll just have to guess.
An Irish Blessing:
May your troubles be as few and as far apart as my Grandfather’s teeth.

Day 2: Shannon to Sneem

 

 Picture this—a very narrow (but presumable two-lane) highway with a steep drop off to the Kenmare Bay on one side and a stone wall on the other—no shoulders at all. Now picture two very large coach tour busses meeting on a hill. Both busses stop while drivers calculate the physics of the matter, then one bus inches(actually “centimeters”) ahead, all passengers at the windows holding their breath as mirrors slowly scrape each other…a little more…easy…almost.    Cheers and applause erupt from the Smith clan as the last centimeter is cleared.

But I get ahead of myself for that was near the end of today’s journey

From Shannon airport, we drove a short way to picturesque Adare for breakfast al fresco and a walk among thatched roofs and brightly painted storefronts.

There was a wee band of musicians playing under an arbor, and the Beck’s got into the spirit, as described in this limerick written near Limerick.

Twas in Adare that Jeannie and Bob

Were surrounded by a tourist mob.

They were a hit quite big

As they danced a jig

Pretty enough to make an Irishman sob.

Back in the bus we left the flat fields and meadows of the Irish midlands and climbed into the mountains of the Ring of Kerry. Our first stop was the scenic overlook of Killarney (postcard perfect) and then it was down, down through Killarney and into the National Park and the Muckross House built in 1839 and in 1850 lavishly expanded to impress Queen Victoria. Reportedly she was much impressed but the expense bankrupt the builders who sold at a loss to some Americans who eventually donated the house and surrounding acres to the Irish nation.

It was in this park that many of us loaded into jaunting cars (pony carts) for a ride along a tumbling mountain brook to a tiered and cascading waterfall . That ride may have been the day’s highlight for Trudy, Mike, Rosemary and me, as we had the grandest driver in one Robert Tagine who regaled us from start to finish with tales in his deep Irish brogue. He had driven a jaunting car at Muckross “for farty five years, and me father before me.” He talked fondly of Susie, whose rump he patted with encouragement as she pulled us up the path-- and of his earlier loves Molly Malone, and Nancy O’Brien, now both in pony heaven. We got the gist of his tales in spite of the accent and his missing teeth where he’d been kicked by a horse “thartin year ago cume November.” And even when the meaning was lost, we were enthralled with the music of his telling. Although not half so learned as our guide and shanachie (story teller) Batt Burns, Robert was most delightful to listen to--as true a shanachie as you’ll find in all of Ireland.

Then ‘twas off to Sneem on the very narrow, curvy mountain roads referred to above.  We arrived in time for a shower or a quick nap—we had been up since Thursday morning and this was Friday evening. Then we enjoyed our first pint of Guinness or Smithwick, and a fine dinner at the hotel before we went upstairs to sleep the sleep of the dead. End of day 2

IRISH BLESSING:

May you have the hindsight to know where you've been

the foresight to know where you're going

and the insight to know when you're going too far.

DAY 1: TRAVEL DAY

 

“OK, we gotta balance this plane. Fat people on the left, skinny on the right.” That’s what we expected the flight attendant to say when the Nebraska gang boarded for the first leg of their flight.

The plane had one row on seats on the left side of the aisle and two on the right. Apparently they had some other way of balancing the load because we although we didn’t load according to girth, neither did we fly lopsided all the way to Newark, NJ.

Those on the fat side got a good view of the George Washington Bridge and the NYC skyline. The skinnies saw the Giant’s Stadium. With a six hour layover we had plenty of time to learn about Kay Brass’s

work as a guardian ad litem for a Lexington judge, the Victorian house Dee’s son Jon bought, more details of Colleen’s movie star family, Greg’s trip to the ladies room in G.I., and other news CNN seems to have missed.

Daily Quiz:

Which of these was not a problem with our flights?

A. The Nebraska people sat on the plane on a runway in New Jersey for an hour before takeoff

B. Almost no one was able to sleep during the 6 hour night flight to Ireland

C. TSA threatened to ground Don and Rosemary because of a passport issue

D. Our United pilots let Bert fly for two hours while they napped.

We all arrived safely in Shannon (Limerick) and took off on our Irish adventure—but that’s a story for Day 2.

Quiz answer: D, of course.  We got here, didn’t we?

Brief Itinerary

 
I’ve been asked to put an abbreviated version of our itinerary on the blog where it is readily available to those on the tour and those following our adventure from home.
At the very bottom of this posting you will find a map with stars showing most of our "ports of call."
 
Day 1 – Thursday, July 18, 2013 - Travel day. After flights from California, Arkansas, Nebraska, and Ohio earlier in the day, everyone will fly from NY or NJ and arrive in Shannon (Limerick), Ireland Friday morning. 
 
Day 2—Friday, July 19 –Travel from Shannon to Sneem through scenic Killarney. Friday night at Sneem Hotel    Phone  011 353 646675100

Phone note: 011 is the “exit code” used when calling from U.S. The “country code” for Ireland is 353.

Day 3—Saturday, July 20—Sneem and Staigue Fort, Cultural orientation at Sneem, visit to ancestral home of Irish liberator Daniel O’Connell, and to Pre-Christian Straigue Fort 3 miles east of Sneem. Evening at an Irish pub.       Saturday night at the same Sneem Hotel.

Day 4—Sunday, July 21—Killarney Naional Park, Dingle Peninsula, Blasket Island, Ballyferriter. Sunday night at a hotel in Ballyferriter (hotel details not available for this blog.)

Day 5—Monday, July 22—County Cork, Blarney Castle, Jameson Whiskey Distillery at Middleton, Waterford. Monday night at Waterford. Granville Hotel   011 353 5 1305566
 
Day 6—Tuesday, July 23—Waterford Glass, Tipperary/Rock of Cashel, Irish Midlands, Kildare, Irish National Stud, Japanese Gardens, Dublin. Tuesday night in Dublin’s Camden Court Hotel  011 353 14759666



Day 7—Wednesday, July 24—Dublin, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Phoenix Park, Trinity college, Book of Kells, presentation of Irish writers, Galway. Overnight in Galway’s Imperial Hotel 011 353 91563033

Day 8—Thursday, July 25—Galway, full day trip to Aran Islands (Inishmore, Inishmaan, & Inisheer). Overnight in Galway’s Imperial Hotel 011 353 91563033

Day 9—Friday, July 26—The Burren landscape, Cliffs of Moher, Midieval banquet at Bunratty Castle. Overnight in Bunratty’s Bunratty Castle Hotel    011 353 61478700 (near Limerick & Shannon)

Day 10—Saturday, July 26—Depart from Shannon (most of us on United flt 67 at 11:00 for Chicago O’Hare)

(See map below)

 

Packing for Ireland

When packing for Ireland, there are two important things to remember:
1.       It’s going to rain today.
2.       It’s going to rain tomorrow.
That bit of wisdom comes to us from Gerard Britt’s blog post, “How to Pack for Ireland in Two Easy Steps.” We are told that we may run into a couple days warm enough for shorts, but it may never go above 65 degrees Fahrenheit (That is either zero or 5280 degrees Celsius.)  Apparently Ireland seldom gets frog strangler rains like Arkansas does, but it “mists VERY frequently.”
 
Britt also says, “ . . . once the rain stops (and it will, very soon) and the sun comes out you’ll be in awe of the scenery before you can shake the drops off your jacket. The Irish sky after a soft rain is breathtaking. You can see for miles and miles, and the legendary shades of green for which Ireland is justly famous will total a lot more than just 40.”
 
Unless—like Dave and Kay—you choose to dress in Traditional Irish Costumes you might want to follow the advice below.
 
Everyone seems to agree that the best plan is to dress in thin layers. Only once during our tour will we sleep in the same hotel two nights in a row, so don’t expect to wash cotton BVD’s in the sink and hope they'll be dry by morning. If you can find ‘em, socks and under garments made of moisture-wicking material are a good choice. Frequent Irish travelers prefer water resistant walking shoes or boots.
 
Trudy says Ireland is pretty informal and while Mike might pack a pair of slacks just in case, he expects to wear jeans most if not all of the time. He’ll pack Polos, long-sleeved collared shirts, and t-shirts.  Bill wears Polos almost all of the time.  

As for herself, here’s what Trudy—an experienced Irish tourist—will do.
"I'm packing clothes for spring/fall weather.  Most of my shirts will be long-sleeved but light-weight and my pants will be jeans.  That way, even if it warms enough that I don't need a jacket, I'll still have my arms covered and protected from the sun.  I also plan to take a couple skirts and tights.  The most important item, besides a jacket with a hood, is comfortable shoes.   I'll also pack a visor - we are outside a lot and seeing with the sun shining can be bothersome." 
 
Kay Sandoz and Jan remind the girls that while all our hotels will have irons and hair driers, if you plan to use a curling iron, you’ll need an electrical adaptor like the one shown at right. We’ll also need one for our computers or cell phones. Will your electrical gadget work with an Ireland-adaptor? You may find an answer at this web site:
http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/electronics-travel.htm
 
Speaking of cell or smart phones, if you don’t get an International Calling/Data plan, it could cost you $132 to find out if it rained in Sargent. With Verizon you can get a cheap temporary plan that cuts the cost of calls in half. I’m betting other cell companies have similar plans. You should check with your provider before leaving. At each hotel be sure your smart phone is using their WiFi and not racking up astronomical roaming charges. 
 
All your medications must be in their original containers with OTC or prescription labels in place, otherwise you could be sitting in jail for 3 hours before an unfortunate Interpol officer discovers what he thought was cocaine was your powdered laxative.
 
Remember to leave space so you can take home the treasures you’ll buy at that quaint little shop in Dingle Town. It can be a good idea to bring an extra, empty, bag, preferably one which is roomy but will fold up easily inside your main suitcase.

The day before we leave, Rosemary will probably Google the 10-day forecast for County Kerry and then repack half her suitcase.   I hate to admit it, but that may not be a bad idea--the Googling part, anyway.  
 
Got some advice to add? Leave a comment below, or if you are having trouble with the comment feature (it’s more complicated than need be), email Don and he’ll add it for you.

Money in Ireland

Got questions about how to handle money issues on our Irish Tour?   If so, you may find answers below.   Or else not.   Before we get to that, here's a quick quiz for you. 

1. Today how much U.S. money would you have to spend to get one Euro dollar?  
     A. 67 cents      B. $1.30      C. $245.50
 
2. While in Ireland, which of these would be the best place to exchange your U.S. money for Euros?
     A. Currency Exchange Booths    
     B. An ATM       C. A guy in a trench coat


3. The U.S. dollar symbol is $. What is the Euro symbol?
     A. 0      B. €    C. z


Answers:   B, B, and of course, B. 

By the way, the € symbol comes AFTER the number in Ireland. And instead of a decimal point they use a comma. Thus we might see a Irish price tag reading 20,50€ (which would be $26.74 U.S.)  

Euro coins come in 1 cent, 2 cents, 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, 1 dollar and 2 dollars. Paper Euro’s come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500.

Below you’ll find a bunch of money tips from “Rick Steve’s Ireland, 2013.”    His guides to European countries are widely acclaimed as the best.

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Bring both a debit card and a credit card. Use the debit card at ATM’s to withdraw local currency for most purchases. Use the credit card for larger purchases. For emergencies, bring several hundred dollars in hard cash in easy-to-exchange $20 bills. Avoid using currency exchange booths because of their lousy rates and outrageous fees. 
 
Cash is just as desirable in Ireland as it is at home. Small businesses (hotels, restaurants, shops, etc.) prefer you pay your bills with cash. Some vendors will charge you extra for using a credit card, and some won’t take credit cards at all. Cash is best, and sometimes the only way.
 
Throughout Europe ATM’s are the standard way for travelers to get cash. Stay away from “Independent ATM’s such as Travelex, Euronet, and Forex which have huge commissions and terrible exchange rates. 
 
To withdraw money from an ATM, you need a debit card (ideally with a VISA or Master Card logo) plus PIN code. Know your PIN code in numbers—there are no letters, only numbers on European keypads. You can use a credit card at an ATM but it’s more expensive.

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[Rick Steves recommends that you check with your credit and debit card companies before embarking, to make sure your card will work in Ireland and to alert them that you’ll be using the card in Ireland so they won’t deny transactions as suspicious.]
 
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I’ve had a request to focus a blog issue on how to dress/pack for our tour of Ireland.  You do NOT want me giving fashion advice, so please send me information about your packing plans. 

Write me at bowdavis@msn.com 

Join the blog

In an earlier blog post Bill Brass was justly credited with organizing the Smith Cousin Tour of Island 2013. We all owe him much thanks. There are others who’ve been doing a lot of work to make this tour live up to the reputation Smith Cousin Tours have created--the whole “Brass Band,” for example.

Bob coordinated flights for the Nebraska majority. Trudy did a stellar job with the tour jackets. Oh, and then there is Bobbi Ann, distributor of jackets in Nebraska and Ohio. We’ll have to make Bobbi an honorary member of the BRASS BAND so this photo makes sense.

Are there others deserving of recognition for their pre-departure efforts?  

And now for something completely different:

Smithing Ireland can best chronicle our adventure if it features all of our voices. There will be moments you’ll want to be sure to get into the blog—moments only you can tell well.  You are encouraged to join in the story-telling.

How to contribute your own blog stories and/or photos:

1. Write it on your Ipad or laptop and email it to Don. I suspect there will be several of us with electronic tablets in our luggage and Del tells me most—if not all—our hotels have internet connections.

2. Write it on paper or on the back of a 50 Euro bill and give it to Don

3. Anyone (on the trip or folks back home) can write in the “comments” section.

4. Jeanne also has control of the blog and has volunteered to help out, but we need to remember that she’s a professional blogger on vacation.

Watch your Smithing Ireland blog in coming weeks for Ireland travel tips about using credit/debit cards and cash, packing for Ireland, and more.