Cliffs of Moher

I have dreamed for years of seeing the Cliffs of Moher, the small green rolling roads, and stone fences of Ireland.  If I was going to Europe I was going to see the Cliffs of Moher.  It did not disappoint.  We had to be at the pick up location at 6:30 in the morning.  As I mentioned there was no bus running and we had not slept much.  This resulted in us literally running to where the bus was going to leave.  I had so badly wanted to do this, but was also very nervous.  I get really bad motion sickness and was worried about getting sick on the big bus.  I took my ginger and hoped for the best.  We ended up stopping every 1 1/2 to 2 hours for pit stops, stretches and sight seeing.  Our guide was awesome.  His name was Eoin (pronounced Owen) and he was so good.  I really didn't feel like he was just reciting facts to us.  He had lots of added in commentary about people we passed and the skinny roads.  He was quite proud to point out this Tim Hortons to all the Canadians.

Like so many things on this trip, the roads are so hard to describe.  You really need to see it and drive them yourselves.  They barely fit a bus, no lines down the center.  So every time another vehicle was coming we would slow right down and move over on the grass.  Sometimes it was a very tight squeeze.  There was one corner in a town we went through that the bus had to do a few point turn to make it and just did then.  If the window opened I would not have even been able to stick my hand out.  The stone building was RIGHT there.  Our next stop was the Cliffs.

It was so gorgeous.  I wish we could have stayed there longer.  Our weather was perfect the whole trip.  I had read many accounts beforehand that it was foggy and people couldn't see very far.  We were blessed with a beautiful sunny day.

Really my pictures don't let you fully get the grandness of them.

I loved every minute of this.

At the edge of one side there was this little turret we walked around.

After a few hours there we got back on the bus and went to a tiny seaside village of Doolin.  I loved our guides accent.  Even as I type this I can hear all these names in his accent.  :)  In Doolin we ate lunch.  Next stop was The Burren.  It is acres of limestone.  Very barren and pretty.

Once back on the road we had a bit longer of a drive.  The kids had a bit of a nap, and then we arrived at Corcomroe Abby.  This is a 12th century Abby.  It was at the end of some little side road that we never would have found if we drove ourselves.  Such a nice treat.

Our last stop was Kinvara.  We just did a little pit stop and half hour stretch.  Dave wanted to make sure that himself and all the kids touched the ocean.

Those are very skinny moss covered steps.  They all put a finger in.  At this spot Blake was jumping around, up and down.  He dropped his phone right by this ledge.  So glad a man next to us saw and told us, and that it didn't fall into the water.

Love this picture.

Across the bay was a castle.  I had thought we were going in the castle as part of the tour, but it isn't open to public.  After a long, wonderful day we arrived back in Dublin and found a quick dinner.  Back at our apartment the kids wrote in their journals and we read.  Then bed time.  Dublin was neat, but if I went back I would go to Galaway.  It is on the west coast.  On the Cliffs side.  That was beautiful and what I had dreamed of seeing.  The Cliffs of Moher are what you see in one Harry Potter movie, I don't know because I don't watch them, in Princess Bride and Leap Year.  So beautiful.  I am in love with the west part of Ireland.