Ring of Kerry

Yes, I know this was about a week and a half ago, but I think it was about time I put up the pictures.

During our week off, Maggie, her mom and I went to the Ring of Kerry. We were very brave and toured it on our own... without getting on a tour bus that is. We used our maps and our shockingly high aptitude for reading signs mostly written in Gaelic and basically drove in a giant circle around a peninsula in Ireland. This drive offers some of the most beautiful sights in Ireland. You get to see mountains, and ocean and wonderful views of Killarney National Park. At times, you can be driving with the mountains reaching up on one side of the car and the Atlantic Ocean stretched out beside you as well. We had a few harrowing experiences with the narrow roads that made me sorely miss multi-lane highways. But we all made it through without a scratch.

On the way back to Listowel, we also stopped to see the Muckross house and the Torc Waterfall in Killarney. We took another jaunty ride as they are the most informative vehicles that offer travel. I am sad we missed the tour of the Muckross house but I am glad that I was able to see it up close. It is a large (OK MAJOR understatment) house that sits in Killarney National Park. It passed through the hands of a few owners before it was given to Ireland. The queen once stayed there and the owners went bankrupt in preparation. The house has 100 rooms, a chimney for every week of the year and a window for every day of the year. I am not entirely sure anyone actually NEEDS 52 chimneys that desperately. I am also glad that small children don't play baseball near those 365 windows.

Afterwards we headed back to Listowel as we were all exhausted. We had to rest up for Galway, the Aran Islands and the Cliffs of Moher of course!