Irish Eyes are Smiling

Today our luck held. With forecast highs of 62 degrees we woke to clear and sunny skies. Throwing caution (and potentially good sense) to the wind, we set off for a drive to the south and east of us. Our uber driver in Dublin had warned us against believing the forecast with the claim that he could turn one corner and the sun would turn to rain and then turn another and be back in the sunshine.

True to his little Irish proverb, about 30 minutes out the clouds rolled in, and that the abbey in Timoleague looked like this:

Undaunted, we carried on passing through a bit of woodland where we were sure we might see a leprechaun or at least perhaps a gnome.

Sadly, we did not, but it was still a magical little area as proven by the fact that once we came out on the side the weather was already clearing again. Our goal was Inchydoney and its Long Strand beach. We wanted to see a beach in Ireland ("real" sand as it turns out, not the gravel or rocks that some desperate places try to sell you as a beach) and then we needed to gather a bit of that sand for our collection back home. So here's how things were looking at noon.

 

Not knowing how long our good fortune would last, we stopped at a hotel for tea and then headed back up to Kinsale, strolled down into town and had a bit of ale and Guinness at a little pub where we sat outside withOUT our coats on for the rest of the afternoon enjoying the colorful street. (see the blue sky, sunshine and shadows!)

 

We spent some time talking to a couple who live down the way. They had their recommendations for what to see in the next towns on our itinerary. We commented on the fact that everywhere we go everyone tells us what pub to visit. Never a castle. Never a church. Only and always which pub. He laughed heartily at that saying simply, "well, they are both spiritual experiences."

So tomorrow we will carryon with our pilgrimage.