Europe 2013: Day Four

Day Four: Blarney Castle and the Rock of Cashel

An early start was on the books for day four since we had many places to see.  We headed out of Killarney and began the trek to Dublin, but with planned stops at Blarney Castle and the Rock of Cashel along the way.  I enjoyed my time in Killarney immensely, but I was eager to move on and cross something off of my bucket list... Kissing the Blarney Stone!

Blarney Castle is a sunning site to see.  While much of the castle is in ruin it is still beautiful and the grounds are gorgeous.  We quickly began our ascent to the top of the castle to see the infamous Blarney Stone, but as we traveled through you could not help but to be impressed with the people who lived in Blarney Castle during its prime.  The people who use to live and work in the castle had to be able to navigate the narrow and steep stairways in which the steps were not even and handrails did not exist.  I also felt very sorry for the cooks, because the kitchen was on the third floor!  Even though the up and down of the stairs probably made it very difficult for them, It made sense once we read the explanation   They placed the kitchen on the third floor in an effort to prevent fire from spreading through the entire castle.  Also, it was conveniently located near bedrooms and if there were ever unwanted guest the hot oil could be quickly used to announce to them that it was time to leave!!

Once we reached the top of the castle we got in line for our turn to kiss the Blarney Stone.  It was a little more tricky of a task than you might think, because you have to lay down on a mat and with the assistance of a worker you hold onto the bars and lower yourself upside down and backwards to kiss the stone.  It was thrilling and nerve wrecking at the same time, because you could see the crowds of people down below.  The man who was working that day was absolutely precious and kept saying things like "You like to kiss don't you, yes you do!"  It was an experience that I will never forget!

After some photo opts around the grounds and stumbling upon a Downton Abbey look-alike home we headed back towards the town for lunch.  There is a giant shop and eatery near the castle called The Woolen Mill.  It is a great place to purchase items made of real lambs wool and a good lunch stop as well.  I had one of the best meals on the trip at the market place style restaurant.  I had a chicken and brie sandwich on focaccia bread with malt vinegar and sea salt chips.  We spent a little time shopping around and then it was time to hit the road again.

After a little more time on the coach we arrived at one of Ireland's most historical sites, the Rock of Cashel.  This legendary rock of St. Patrick supposedly is a part of Devil's Bit (a mountain) on which St. Patrick banished Satan and the rock flew and landed in its current location.  It is also the place at which the King of Munster was converted by St. Patrick in the 5th century, thus creating a lineage of Christian rulers.  In the 1100's it was donated by the King of Munster to the Church and is now largely a tourist attraction due to its failing structure   It is the home of some beautiful Celtic artwork and medieval architecture.  If you are in the area I strongly encourage a visit.  

Perhaps one of the most interesting things about our visit to the Rock of Cashel was hearing and seeing about the visit that Queen Elizabeth made there in 2011.  She was on a tour of Ireland and this was one of the places that she personally requested to see, so they organized a visit for her.  She and her husband, Prince Philip, were shown around the grounds and even signed a visitors ledger to show that they had attended.  The coolest part was that they went on my birthday!!  I love anytime my life intertwines with the life of the royals!

After the tour ended we quickly loaded the buses to finish our two hour drive into Dublin.  When we arrived in the city we were immediately taken to our dinner reservation which was Irish Fried Chicken. I'm not sure that is actually what they called it, but that's what we will go with.  It would not have been to bad, but they loved brown gravy at many of the restaurants we ate in and this place was no exception.

Irish Fried Chicken?

Looks like home :)

No worries though, because once we checked into our amazing hotel I found the snack bar.  We stayed at a hostel called The Generator, which had single beds for rent for those youngster backpacking through Europe, but also private rooms for those people like us who required a little more privacy.  The students on the trip and myself included really enjoyed the young vibe of this hostel.  It was not like the creepy, dirty hostels that we see on television. It had a bar with live music, lounging areas, and a cafe.  I enjoyed hot chocolate both nights we were there and sampled a little taste of home with french fries and a coke one night!  Overall I recommend the Generator if you are looking for an expensive, no frills place to stay, particularly if you are in your teens, twenties and even early thirties.

Traveling Tuesday: Travel Essentials

I realized Sunday at lunch that I am Europe bound in t-minus 2 months and counting!  I can barely contain my excitement for my upcoming trip and it usually controls my thoughts daily.  In lieu of Traveling Tuesday this week, I decided to share some of my must-have travel items.  I have been to Europe once before and I learned a lot about what you need and do not need.  I mainly learned that I pack WAY too much!  So this time I am shaping up and improving my packing game.    

1:  You will be glad that you made this purchase.  Silly looking or not a long flight can be rough on the body and a neck pillow can certainly make the most uncomfortable flights a little more bearable   

2:  This will revolutionize your life in general.  On trips it is just amazing, because your on the move so much that missing a day of washing your hair equals 30 extra minutes of sleep :)

3:  Always sanitize your hands!  Do you know how many tourist touched that door handle????

4:  Be sure to invest in a quality outlet converter.  The outlets are not the same in Europe as they are in America and without a quality converter your hair appliances will most likely bite the dust in Europe.  I took a curling iron the last time I went and in France it got so hot that it almost burned my hair off!

5:  I am super digging this blanket and eye mask set.  9 times out of 10 it is freezing on an airplane and if your flight is overbooked and your at the back of the plane don't count on getting a blanket.  This would be easy to put in your carry on and use for your entire trip.

6: A rain jacket is certainly dependent on your travel location and time of the year, but a packable, waterproof jacket is never a bad idea for Europe in the spring time.  I will be traipsing the countryside of Great Britain and Ireland and we all know that rain will most likely be in that forecast.

7:  Now I know your main goal is to not standout like a tourist, but this neck wallet was a security blanket for me the first time I traveled internationally.  I kept all my money and important documents in it and stored it safely under my twenty pound winter coat.  I never worried about being pick pocketed or losing anything.

What are your travel essentials?

Traveling Tuesday- Disney World Part 4

Hey Hey!  It's back again.  Round 4 of Traveling Tuesday is in full swing.  Today, I am going to wrap up our trip to Disney World from August 2011.  It truly was an amazing trip and I couldn't condense it in to just one post.  Today we are wrapping up our tour of Disney at EPCOT.  EPCOT is truly the place for kids of all ages.  This park offers the best of both worlds for kids and adults.  For the young at heart you can enjoy the half of the park dedicated to Future World and Disney friends like Nemo and the Lion King.  The vast majority of the park though pays homage to the countries around the world.  The World Showcase was a showstopper in my mind.  Disney recreates all the elements of these countries including food, architecture, and even people.  Through Disney's work program people from all over the world can come to Orlando and work in their "country" at EPCOT.  We met some of the nicest people from all over the world!

One of the greatest things about staying at a Disney Resort is that each night a different park has extended hours.  This allows guest at the resort to remain in the park after hours, sometimes until 1 or 2 am!  One night after dinner we made our way over to EPCOT and stayed until midnight.  The rides still run for the most part and the crowds are much thinner during this time.  We caught the Seas with Nemo and Friends during this visit and it is a cute ride through the ocean with Crush and Nemo!

On our last couple of days we paced ourselves through EPCOT.  The entire park cannot be done in one day if you want to gain the whole experience.  Of all the places that we ate during the trip the taco stand in Mexico was by far the most amazing food I have ever had!  The chicken tacos and churros were absolutely divine!  We also caught the segway tour and Test Track.  They are both great and Test Track is a must.  I warn you though, get a fast pass as soon as you arrive in the park for Test Track, otherwise be prepared to wait in line for hours!

After exploring the countries for the day we met back up with Daniel's parents for dinner at Les Chefs de France.  It was a good dining experience and really neat to talk to our French waiter, but I'm not sure it will be my top pick for our next Disney vacation.  However, the French Onion soup is worth the stop.

The American Adventure show is a great one to catch if you have time.  They talk a lot about the great founders and inventors of our country.  Daniel and I really enjoyed it, because when we arrived they saw our "Honeymoon" buttons and quickly began to pamper us Disney style.  An older gentleman told us that there was a phone call for us, to which we were both a little taken aback.  When we picked up the phone though, it was Mickey and Minnie congratulating us on our marriage.  Then we received an official Disney World marriage certificate and our choice of seating in the show.  It was pretty special and that's what makes Disney so incredible.  With thousands of visitors a day they still manage to make you feel like the only one celebrating something!

I won't bore you with all the details of our flight home, but we did have a fun experience the night before we left.  While walking around in Downtown Disney, Daniel and I actually saw Danny Devito and Jack Nicholson!  It was so neat and I am a giant compared to Danny.  We didn't get any pictures with them, but I did snap this one as they were walking by.  

Thanks for tuning in to Traveling Tuesday.  Next week we will head to a different location.  Feel free to join in and link up your Traveling Tuesday post in the comments section below!  Come back tomorrow for an amazing recipe!

Traveling Tuesday (On Hiatus)

I know its Tuesday guys, which means our Traveling Tuesday series continues, but it's going to have to be on hiatus this week.  Progress reports = grading all night, which meant no time to write my blog post.  Sorry about the delay, but we will be back in full swing next Tuesday!  Just incase I haven't said Tuesday enough in this post, Happy Tuesday!

Traveling Tuesday- Disney World (Part Three)

Welcome back to Traveling Tuesday!  Your one stop shop for all types of travel advice and ideas.  Today we are journeying yet again to Disney World.  Today we are heading to the Magic Kingdom! We briefly went to the Magic Kingdom on our first day at Disney, but there is so much more to see!

Day Five- Magic Kingdom

How does a princess start her day?  Why by visiting other princesses of course!  Daniel and I spent in a little on the morning of day five, but we timed our arrival perfectly.  As we walked into the Magic Kingdom I realized the wait time to see the princesses was 0 minutes and I knew this was my chance.  I ran through the roped off area as if someone may jump in front of me and I anxiously awaited my chance with the princesses.  Whether your 4 years old or 24 years old it doesn't matter, the princesses talk to everyone like they are the most special people they have ever met.  Cinderella asked me what kingdom did I come from, Belle told me my beast wasn't nearly as hairy as hers, and Aurora complimented my ball gown.  Best day ever!

After catching up with the princesses that morning, we headed into the wilderness to explore the Swiss Family treehouse and Tom Sawyer Island.  Disney does a phenomenal job of taking you back into time as you climb the steps of the treehouse and ride the log raft across the river to the island.  Tom Sawyer Island was a place I would have really liked to have spent more time exploring.  It was getting close to lunch time though and I was getting a little light headed.  On the island you will find caves, paths, bridges, and all kinds of things to explore.  You almost feel like Tom Sawyer himself, because you rarely run into other families.  

Little girls of all ages MUST eat at Cinderella's Royal Table at least once in their life.  The magical dining experience starts out with you entering Cinderella's Castle and you are immediately direct to your meeting with the princess herself.  After meeting Cinderella and having your photo taken you are escorted into the dining room.  Throughout your meal announcements are made as the various princesses enter the room.  Belle, Aurora, Ariel, and Snow White travel to each table to chat and take photos with all of the guest.  The food is delicious as well.  I had the "fried" chicken, baked macaroni and cheese, and broccolini.  It was really good, but not the fried chicken we know and love in the south.

I cannot rave enough about the quality of the firework shows at Disney.  You can find a show that will light up the sky on a nightly basis and it is always spectacular!  The show at the Magic Kingdom is especially magical, because Tinkerbell "flies" out of the top of the tower before the show and they illuminate the castle with different color lights throughout the show.



See you guys next Tuesday for another edition of Traveling Tuesday!  If you blogged about your travels today, share the link to your blog post in the comments section below.  I can't wait to see what you guys have to say!