Today was a bit of a slow paced one, not rushing off from one attraction to the next, as we stayed relatively close to our home base in Kenmare.
That doesn’t mean we didn’t see some great things, however. We sprung into the Killarney National park. This was Ireland’s first recognized park. It’s not very big, but there some neat things to see.
After winding about for a ways up the mountain, we came to a sweeping view of the valley below. This is called Lady’s View. There’s a rock perfect for sitting and staring down into this gorgeous panorama.
[Lady’s View Pic to come later]
Down the way a bit further was the Torc Waterfall. A short jaunt up the path leads to this small, yet beautiful fall.
From there, we checked out Muckross House, a Victorian era estate that shows the vast delta between wealthy and poor during Ireland’s past.
The grounds were lovely, with jaunting carts flowing by every few moments showing visitors the area. We opted not to take one of these as the drivers were aggressive in their offering, and the horses showed signs of not being taken care of as good as they deserve.
Our final stop in the park was Ross castle. We then had a little lunch in the town of Killarney — a household name in America as a launching pad into the surrounding sights, but really nothing more than shops and restaurants.
We returned to Kenmare to do some laundry and take a little snooze. Around 8pm, we went back into town for a pint and some music. This was perhaps the best “trad session” we’ve seen this far. This trio was fun and everything that makes you think Ireland.
Alex
9/6/14