WINDSOR – BERKSHIRE–Every time we call she isn’t home.

Well, we couldn’t resist.

We couldn’t stay this close to the castle and not go and have a visit.

I love Windsor Castle.

It was one of my favourite places from our 2002 trip and it was a real bonus to have another look.

 

And, I knew Mum would love Queen Mary’s Doll House (which she did).

My favourite part is the room like a lantern.

This is one of the new parts of the Castle  – rebuilt after the 1993 fire – and has the most beautiful shaped oak beams and is bright and light.

Modern architecture can be wonderful when done well – Maybe a little bit of the Prince of Wales is rubbing off on me (and that sounds disgusting Kim - Yucky!)

In the afternoon we went down to the Thames to look at the Swans and then took a drive around and over to Eton.

Big day tomorrow as we go our separate ways.

Until next time, Kim

WINDSOR– BERKSHIRE – Back in the Traffic Chaos

A long day.

Nice fast boat, but the train trip was terrible.

No food service due to staff shortages.

We collected yet another car at Marble Arch

then got caught in traffic chaos trying to get out of London.

There had been an accident and it was gridlocked at the Holland Park roundabout.

Finally arrives at Windsor, and fortunately the Hotel is Beautiful. (Mercure – The Castle – Windsor)

We are nearly opposite the castle, I can see it from where I sit now in our room.

What a lovely place.

ABOVE: from our window – its actually even closer than this photo shows..

Until next time, Kim

DUBLIN–IRELAND – Our last day on the Emerald Isle

We drove back into Dublin for our last night before we head back to England.

We stopped on the way at the National Horse Racing Stud and Japanese garden.

They have some very special and expensive horses at the stud, which was recently visited by the Queen.

Above: Its not a dead horse, its sunbaking!

This is the home of Vintage Crop – the first international horse to win the Melbourne Cup in 1993.

However he wouldn’t come over to the fence and talk to us .. the snob!

However, other horses were happy to come over for a scratch (particularly, Tilly, Crunchie and Flying Flag)

All the horseys have their own special bedrooms, and one is insured 60 million euro.

He ‘entertains’ the lady horses for 600 thousand euro a pop.

(bit more than a pop at that price!! *snort*)

At the Japanese garden we walked the path of enlightenment.

Maybe the enlightenment will kick in at the same time as the eloquence?

After a bit of confusion with trying to find the place (and pouring rain) we are at the Ibis Dublin tonight.

Dublin is really busy this weekend as there is a Gaelic football grand final tomorrow (Dublin city vs Co Kerry),

we were lucky to get a hotel room.

We will be up early tomorrow to get the ferry & train back to London.

 

Until next time, Kim

Co CLARE–IRELAND– Of Blarney and baloney

Kissing the Blarney Stone!

I now am blessed with the gift of eloquence, not that I didn’t have it before of course…

I have a better photo than below which cost me 10 euros!

I will add it to this post when I get home and can scan it.

I know this unflattering photo looks like I am lying down kissing the side of the toilet block

however it is of me kissing the Blarney stone.

You have to lie on your back while some stranger holds you and you turn upside down to kiss the stone.

Oh I forgot to mention that you are at the top of a castle and hanging on about 30 metres above the ground.

On top of this castle which is of course Blarney Castle.

 

And here is Dad kissing the Blarney Stone

Mum says its a load of old baloney and she wouldn’t do it in case anybody else caught her cold.

And Graham was being a party pooper.

There was rather a queue of people (Mostly Americans) waiting to perform this strange ritual.

 

 

What is this business that whenever people see some water or a pond they throw coins in it?

I think I’m going to have to move my pond at home closer to the road….

Until next time, Kim

Co CLARE–IRELAND – Closer to home

After a couple of big travel days we just travelled around some of the local towns in Co Clare today.

Visited Killaloe, its Cathedral and old bridge over the river Shannon.

Then we went to the village of Quinn to walk through the ruins of the old priory.

Lots of Australian interest here.

The people in the next door unit are from Toowoomba.

The radio station is giving away tickets to see Air Supply in concert,

and they have also played Crowded House and John Paul Young songs.

(We could have seen a Paul Kelly concert in Dublin and were tempted but didn’t have the time)

Everyone has either been to Australia or has a son/daughter/brother living in Australia.

AND of course the Irish are rugby mad, it seems to be their premier sport.

So there is lots of interest in the world cup, and its the Wallabies vs the Irish team this weekend.

cheeky!

Until next time, Kim

Co CLARE – IRELAND– Happy tourists go shopping

We made a trip up to Galway City today.

Lovely shops but a bit touristy.

Mum had a good time in the shops!

I even bought myself a lovely Aran cable knit Cardigan (predictably an orangey red colour).

I now have to find the room to pack it!

I’ve started posting stuff home so we don’t have to carry it through Europe.

(only 6 more days before that leg of the journey starts)

Until next time, Kim

Co CLARE–IRELAND– Breezy, blustery and blowy bus trip…

Today we went on a coach tour organised through the resort.

It was rather an effort for the driver getting the coach up the winding road and he got a round of applause when successful.

One part of the road in is a narrow double blind zig zag,, eek a bit scary to meet a big coach coming the other way.

Weather is changeable. Still windy at times, some showers but they blow away quickly.

We travelled towards the west coast through an area called The Burren.

This is a very rocky limestone area on the edge of Galway Bay.

We also stopped at the Cliffs of Moher.

We walked up the top to the castle and boy it was windy.

Its just as well I am a hefty lass or I would have been blown back to Dublin

I don’t know what the wind speed was, but it was the strongest wind any of us had ever experienced.

I could lean right back, as if to lay down, into the wind and it held me up!

 

Above are Mum & Dad dealing with the wind.

The day before the cliffs had actually been closed due to the extreme weather conditions.

 

13th Sept 2011 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Until next time, Kim