Day 28 - Europe 2010

Today was the day I wanted to visit the Wicklow Mountains since we got robbed of that the week before with the whole car rental mess.  There are lots of bus tours going through there from Dublin everyday so we just picked the cheapest one and hopped on in the morning at around 9:30am.

Our bus driver was cracking me up.  He was an older gentleman who talked almost the entire way through the tour.  It was actually really informative because he told us a lot of different things about Ireland and their history and culture and economy, not just the regular tourist stuff.  After a while, I just kind of zoned in and out of his commentary but it was nice to have it there when I wanted to listen.  And he was so nice!  Even when people were driving crazy around him, he would just chuckle and say, “Oh people do drive fast here sometimes.”  I just wanted to take him home with me.  They need an adopt-an-Irish-grandparent program.

The Wicklow Mountains are just South of Dublin.  I can’t say it was more beautiful than Killarney.  It was just a different kind of beautiful.  Some of Braveheart was filmed here and we also stopped at a place where P.S. I Love You had been filmed, or as our tour guide said, “fil-ahmd.”  We also were shown some turf that the locals use as fuel for their fires.  They cut down into the ground and leave these peat-rich dirt piles out to dry and I guess it makes for decent fuel, which they have been doing for generations.  We also saw that the water in the streams and lakes was rust-colored which was interesting.  There was a big beautiful rust-colored lake owned by the Guinness family, the famous brewers of Ireland.  On one end of the lake was a stretch of imported sand, brought in to make the amber lake look like a glass of beer complete with foam on the top.

We made a few photo stops along the way.  Nick and I were able to explore a little bit of a river which was fun, and at one stop we skipped rocks for a bit.  We made a longer stop at a place called Glendalough, which has an old cemetery, chapel, and monastery from medieval times.  We were able to hike there and stop at lake for a bit.  It made me miss our most excellent day in Killarney where we rode bikes all around and found beautiful secluded spots to explore.  I wish we could have done the same in the Wicklow Mountains.

We did most of our stops in the morning and early afternoon so the last two or three hours of the tour were boring as we were just heading back.  Nick and I both got sleepy on the bus and were happy to be back, around 5:30pm, so we could move on to other things.

After some shopping, we went out to dinner and both had lamb stew.  It was good but I was annoyed at the menu.  It said “all meals include a salad and fries” so, naturally, I expected my stew to come with these as well.  But I only got the bowl of stew and I may not have paid the price if I’d have known it didn’t include the extras.  I wanted to complain to the guy but I knew it wouldn’t do anything.  “You need to put an asterisk by the stew if it doesn’t come with those things, buddy.”  On top of that, he “pressed the wrong button” and overcharged us for our drinks.  I’m glad I asked Nick how much he paid for everything or we wouldn’t have even known we got ripped off five bucks.

At least we were able to hear some Irish music again.  This was our last night in Ireland and I wasn’t about to miss that opportunity.  This time I checked to make sure there was a violinist and there was so we were good to go!  We enjoyed it and went back to the hostel with “I’ll Tell Me Ma” stuck in my head.

We spent the evening packing everything up because we had ANOTHER early morning flight the next day.  We went to bed around 11:30pm with only about 4.5 hours of sleep available.  I spent all that night waking up feeling like I needed to get ready and go.  I guess our Paris experience hasn’t worn off yet.

PHOTOS:

The driver had quite a lot to say on our way through Dublin.  It made me regret that we didn't get out and see more of the city.  I thought this building was charming with all the ivy.

And so begins our breathtaking tour through the Wicklow Mountains, with the ever-present expanse of green on every side.

One of our first stops allowed us a little exploration of a small stream with rust-colored water.  I wish I had had more time to explore it as I LOVE climbing and exploring river terrain.

Always in fairytale land in Ireland, Nick poses here while exploring the river.

OK this one is pretty easy but here is another Find Nick picture.  He actually kind of looks like a little fairy in this scene - don't tell him I called him a fairy - wearing a little yellow backpack.

And then there's the Sass Pants, soaking up the unbeatable scenery.

Taken from the bus, you can see here how the locals cut into the ground and dry it out in little mounds.  They actually use this for fuel.  I guess trees are rather sparse so it's a good substitute.

Down in this area is where a scene from Braveheart was shot.  I guess a lot more of it was filmed in England and Scotland.

This is where we stopped for a look at a scene from PS I Love You.  It was absolutely gorgeous there and I wanted to stay a while.  I would have loved to go off on my own and just take it all in.

I believe this bridge was on the PS I Love You movie but it's been too long for me to remember.  Anyone recognize it?

Another final shot from this stop before getting back on the bus.  I didn't want to leave, it was so gorgeous!  Those mountains are calling to me!

This is a look at the Guinness Lake with its imported sand, or beer fizz.  There was a herd of deer down on the grass there by the lake.

A closer look at this beautiful area by the lake...

...and the green mountains as a backdrop!  You can't get more green than that!

Here is our bus driver, John, who gave us a little tour of Glendalough.  He was so funny with his constant commentary and cute Irish accent.

This is what people see when they look up Glendalough, the famous tower used by the monks.  I guess it was frequently attacked by Vikings so this acted as a sanctuary, though probably not very effective.

Another glimpse at the tower.  Isn't the green overwhelming.  Like I said, it's like being in fairyland all the time.  I love it.

We went on a little walk to tour the lakes at Glendalough.  Here I am trying to blend in with everything.  Not working though.

One of the lakes at Glenalough.  I bet there is some good fishing there!

Our final stop was at a place called the Meeting of the Waters.  It was nothing too special but I did like the old bridge.  What a great day we had with incredible scenery!  Thank you Ireland for an excellent stay!