Ireland

[*Diane*]

If you love beautiful green scenery, live music in the pub served up with good food and great beer by warm friendly people- Ireland might be your perfect honeymoon. I have been blessed enough to visit twice and would love to help you plan. :shamrock:

[Krissy]

I will be arriving in Ireland exactly 2 weeks from today! YAY!

[Maria 05]

So you will Krissy where are you staying because I know Galway kind of fell through

I have said it so many times but BRING A RAIN COAT!

[Krissy]

Yeah Galway is PACKED that week. I think I emailed over 20 places. There is some big event going on according to one of the B&B owners I was in contact with. Either way here's our itinerary...

1. Doolin
2. Athlone
3. Cavan
4. Dublin
5. Kilkenny
6. Kinsale
7. Dingle
8. Limerick

We're staying a couple days in each place. Like I've said before, this is the first time in Ireland for both of us. We're so excited! We plan on visiting Galway while on our way to Athlone. I know it's not nearly enough time, but we have to make do ya know?

We actually bought some rain coats last week. So we're set with that. We're planning on packing for a week and then doing our laundry half way through the trip.

This may be a stupid question...but do you have gyms around like we do in the states? I don't want to go the entire trip without working out, I may just have to resort to running and push-ups.

[Maria 05]

That looks good. I forgot it was Race week and you were coming. Had I known I would have booked places for you but I thought Race week was the week before

[Krissy]

Oh that's ok. What is Race Week anyway?

[Maria 05]

Horse racing out in Bally brit race course huge tourist magnet its the busiest week for our little café

[Krissy]

Ohhh, well, we're still going to try to stop by your cafe so even if you aren't there I can say I went to Maria's cafe! So you'll have to give me the name of it before we leave!

[Maria 05]

I will and the address

[Krissy]

Excellent.

[*Diane*]

I loved Dingle so much. The Gallarus Oratory, the cochans, the forts and my favorite beach in the entire world. Don't forget to renew your wedding vows at Kilmakadear. :)

[Krissy]

ohhh, what's Kilmakadear?

What I'd like to do with the time before we leave is sit down and write out all the things to do in the various towns.

Any more tips are greatly appreciated!

[*Diane*]

When you get to Dingle, you need to take the Rick Steve's tour around the peninsula. I don't like his Ireland book much but I did love his tour. It starts in the town of Dingle, goes around the best stuff. One is Kilmakadear. It was a holy site before Christianity started. There is an old cross and ruins of a church with a graveyard but there is also this.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1103/edhodge/Kilmalkedar_Ogham.jpg

This is a swearing stone. See the hole in the middle? People used to stand and touch each others finger through the hole and make legal agreements. It is common now for people to renew their wedding vows.

Here are some pictures from our second trip. The waves coming in like white horses:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1103/edhodge/Irelandsept04064.jpg

Here are some pictures of the area around Doolin:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1103/edhodge/Irelandsept04026.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1103/edhodge/Irelandsept04018.jpg

The Cliffs of Moher:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1103/edhodge/Irelandsept04001.jpg

[RadishWife]

I would love to go to Ireland....ahhhh
I love the movie the quite man and would love to just travel all over looking around.

[*Diane*]

The Quiet Man is one of my all time favorites!

[*Diane*]

Krissy, I liked Kenmare too. It was quieter with less live music available than Doolin and Dingle.but the day trips out there were amazing. The Beara Peninsula and the Mizen Peninsula- both so rugged and lonely.

[Krissy]

Diane that swearing stone sounds so romantic! I just told DH that we have to renew our vows there and he just goes "mmm, okay." lol

Thank you so much for all of your tips and advice! I printed out the old thread a while back and all of your posts have really come in handy! We really appreciate it!

[Krissy]

Our passports finally arrived!!! It feels so real now! Woo hoo!

[*Diane*]

Krissy, you must be so excited- you are only a few days away now. :twirl:

[Krissy]

OMG I am soooo excited! We went and got a few Euro at our bank today and got a Visa check card from AAA. I can't believe our trip is finally going to happen!

[*Diane*]

Promise me- lots of pictures and that you will hurry back with all the details! :) ah lassie, how I wish it was me a'goin...

[Krissy]

Oh I promise. DH bought me an extra memory card for the camera...lots and lots o' pictures! =)

Actually I have yet another quick question. When taking money from an ATM, is everything in Euro? How do you know how many dollars were actually taken out? I'm HUGE on balancing our checkbook and always knowing how much is in there. Thanks!

[Maria 05]

1 EUR = 1.2748 USD this could change but yes all ATM Machines in the Republic are in Euro.

[Krissy]

yeah, I know the exchange rate as of now, I guess what I'm asking is, will it tell me the rate used to convert my money?

[Krissy]

Well, we're off! See ya in a few weeks!

[Maria 05]

Hey dont forgot to say hi if you are in Galway or I will be sulking have a great time AND DONT FORGET YOUR RAIN COAT!

[Maria 05]

I MET KRISSY I MET KRISSY :bliss:

[*Diane*]

Did you get pictures??

[Maria 05]

one with Kirssy. I didnt know she was going to be here so I left my camera behind. I am sure Krissy will have tons of photos to share with us Diane

[*Ashley*]

That's so awesome! I can't believe y'all met and you live an ocean apart! How cool!

[Krissy]

Hi girls! We're here in Athlone at an internet cafe (bob wanted to check up on the Boston Red Sox). Although it's not our first since I saw MARIA's yesterday! How cool is that?! :jump4joy:

I will definitely have pictures to post when I get home. Bob took one of Maria and I and I think it came out great.

Ireland is so great! We're really having a blast! Although the best by far was our detour to Galway. ;)

[Krissy]

Hello again, just dropping by to say hi!

We're in Kilkenny right now. Just finished dinner and we decide to relax for a minute and check our email before hiking back to our car. =)

Tomorrow we're off for Kinsale. Woo hoo!

[*Ashley*]

yay! I'm so glad y'all are having so much fun! I can't wait to see pictures!

[Krissy]

Hey everyone. We're home now. Got home 6pm EST but 11pm Ireland time. Didn't get to bed until 11pm and then I woke up at 5:30! What's up with that? Oh well, I'll been doing laundry and getting stuff done so it's alright. I'm loading pictures right now so I'll post a few later. What an awesome trip. We had such a great time!

[Maria 05]

glad you are home safe.

[Krissy]

Thanks, how's everything going with you?

[Maria 05]

all right I am in the cafe and its still as busy as it was when you were here. How are you both?

[Krissy]

We are great! We had such a great time. It was wonderful. But we're glad to be home and back in our own bed. =)

[*Diane*]

I knew you would love Ireland- I can't wait to see pictures. I will just hang out here until you post them....:kickrock:

[Krissy]

Alright......here ya go! I have a TON but i'm just going to post my favorites.

Here me and Maria.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/KrissyFisher02/Ireland%20Trip/100_1255.jpg

The Cliffs of Moher.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/KrissyFisher02/Ireland%20Trip/100_1230.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/KrissyFisher02/Ireland%20Trip/100_1207c.jpg

Bunratty Castle
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/KrissyFisher02/Ireland%20Trip/100_1186.jpg

The Gap of Dunloe
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/KrissyFisher02/Ireland%20Trip/100_1529-1.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/KrissyFisher02/Ireland%20Trip/100_1515.jpg

Dingle
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/KrissyFisher02/Ireland%20Trip/100_1613.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/KrissyFisher02/Ireland%20Trip/100_1588.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/KrissyFisher02/Ireland%20Trip/100_1562.jpg

[*Diane*]

Did you love Dingle? It is my favorite place in the world.

[Krissy]

Dublin
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/KrissyFisher02/Ireland%20Trip/100_1396c.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/KrissyFisher02/Ireland%20Trip/100_1394.jpg

Jerpoint Abbey
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/KrissyFisher02/Ireland%20Trip/100_1462.jpg

We were driving through Connor's Pass in Dingle. Pulled over on the side of the road where they have the small area where people usually stop to take pictures. Well we decided to climb the rocks and ended up finding a lake up there!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/KrissyFisher02/Ireland%20Trip/100_1635.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/KrissyFisher02/Ireland%20Trip/100_1646.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/KrissyFisher02/Ireland%20Trip/100_1636.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/KrissyFisher02/Ireland%20Trip/100_1650.jpg

[Krissy]

Dingle was our ABSOLUTE FAVORITE! The town was great and the peninsula was just so beautiful. We thoroughly enjoyed driving and exploring it.

[Cindy]

Very pretty pictures, Krissy! I'm so glad that you met Maria! :)

[Jaci]

I love all your photos, thanks for posting them!

[Krissy]

Thanks girls!

[Maria 05]

Alright......here ya go! I have a TON but i'm just going to post my favorites.

Here me and Maria.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/KrissyFisher02/Ireland%20Trip/100_1255.jpg


I know those two :lol:

[*Diane*]

Would this Connor Pass picture have been taken at the same place as yours? :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1103/edhodge/Irelandsept04049.jpg

Yeah, there was a little wind blowing. :heee:

[smiles]

I love your pictures.

[Krissy]

We were so smiley that day, huh Maria?

Diane, that would be it! That looks like the little waterfall we saw on the side of the road.

Thanks Steph!

[NewlywedNurse]

My hubby and I are planning our honeymoon now (delayed because we eloped in June). We are looking at Ireland but I don't know how to plan it! Have any of you been on any of those group tours? We found one through CIE tours but it's got a max of 48 people on it and that sounds like a ton. How hard would it be to rent a car and try to do our own tour around? Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

[Krissy]

It's not hard at all! I just PMed you!