Tuesday afternoon and evening

[byslantedlight]

The road trip around Ireland continues... *g*

Stopped to look at some Ogham stones (but sadly it turns out they were put there on purpose to show people what it looked like - lines carved on rocks, of course! - so no staring around wondering what people were trying to communicate in that spot...)

Apparently coming after the week before's bank holiday week in Ireland was the right thing to do, because it tends to be quiet. I'm assuming that's why there are so many roadworks everywhere, too! On the other hand, how clever to tell people how long they'll be waiting (mind you, they didn't use one of these at the lights we waited 10+ minutes for!). The views rather helped, too... *g*

Speaking of views, I was driving down the Wild Atlantic Way, but the first proper beach I came to was Inch Beach (actually you already had a pic of this above, I forgot - have more!)

Almost drove past something calling itself a Prehistoric Museum, but I couldn't resist... It turned out to be a private collector's museum (of course), and it was quite cool, I have to say. "Millie" is apparently the biggest intact mammoth head in Europe. Makes you wonder how the collector came by it all though - so many Venus figures!

There was all sorts in some cases - and the figures at the front of this one drew my attention too. Of course there was no interesting explanation card about them, and I wonder where they came from! Close-up, in case you weren't sure...!

Little touches made you smile... *g*

I kept driving around the peninsula...

Was fascinated by the Gallerus Oratory (possibly because my brain continued to whisper glarus observatory to me, and I imagined some wicked Hailin taking advantage of of humans and other aliens... *g*), and it was in a beautiful setting, but it turned out to be a place where Early Christian dudes hung out and lived their wee lives quietly - in rather crowded conditions, if there were very many of them!

After that it was bombing northwards to get to the Tarbert car ferry (yeay, another boat!), and then to my next accommodation, at Doolin in Co. Clare.

I went past a couple of interesting places on the way... Brigid's Holy Well, which turned out to have been visited by many people before me...

The Cliffs of Moher... ...which were pretty, but at the end of the day... they were cliffs. *g* Nicely done cliffs and all, but... cliffs. *g*

I finally ended up in a place called Doolin, which is like both of these pictures at once. Lots of tourists again, and again almost entirely American tourists,
with some Germans thrown in! I had dinner at the pub, and a pint or two, and nice it was too. There was live music in the other room, but so crowded in there that there was no chance to going to watch. Same at the other pub across the road, which had also been recommended - I couldn't get in for everyone else being in there! This is the first time where I've had a holiday and really felt as if I was on the tourist trail rather than visiting a particular country - maybe because it's so like the Isle of Man (and Scotland and Wales and bits of England) that what I notice most as different are all the tourists surrounding me! Whereas when I was in Turkey, for instance (years ago), the tourists were obviously also there, but they were the similar-thing, and the country was the interestingly-different thing...

And now it's Wednesday morning, and time to head up north again - phew! Longest drive of all today, so hope for good stopping places along the way!

Comments

[gilda-elise.livejournal.com]

Interesting sites, especially the Prehistoric Museum. You do tend to wonder how a private collector could get hold of a lot of the stuff, but I imagine the black market is alive and well. Still, I suppose better that the pieces are out to be seen, rather than stuffed into a box and hidden away like so many are.

[helenraven.livejournal.com]

I'm really enjoying these posts. That sky over Inch Beach is amazing. I have never been to Ireland, and that's clearly a terrible oversight.

[etain-antrim.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear about the crowds, but not too surprised. I know a number of people to visit Ireland recently, including one group last week. Perhaps it's the strong dollar? But yes, feeling like a tourist and one of the horde is never fun.

[dawnebeth.livejournal.com]

LOL--I have another friend who always takes pictures of the funny bathroom door signs.

[ariss-tenoh.livejournal.com]

the geography is amazing. I can see where all those legends came from.

[loxleyprince.livejournal.com]

What a fabulous mammoth skull. Seriously impressive, that Millie.
The cliffs of Moher look amazing! Really beautiful scenery, and how lucky that the weather was so good when you were there!