It was a somewhat sleepless night. We flew through the night
- by our time – and arrived before the sun came up.
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| Welcome to Ireland |
Baggage claim, zip through
customs, got my personal first stamp on my passport…all in the space of just a
few hours. Sleep did not fit into the agenda. We also suffered through airplane food and some of us were not sure if we were hungry or just tired. We did have a great, hearty buffet
breakfast at the Inn of Dromoland. Our bus then took us along the coast of
County Clare to the Cliffs of Moher. The day promised to be sunny and cool,
perfect weather for sightseeing along the coast.
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| Sunrise |
Our tour guide
promised us spectacular views of the cliffs. That man was a prophet, because as
we approached the cliffs park, the sun shone brightly, the dew hadn’t quite
burned off and light danced on the stone pavement and picnic tables all around
the park area. If I didn’t know better, I’d say that the light was like the
fairies, flitting about as we walked to the overlook.
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| Small town beauty |
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| Along the river |
It was not long before we were in the presence on one of
Nature’s scenic wonders. Anna remembers that the cliffs were so “imposing,
huge, and such a sheer drop.” She was surprised at the sheer size of the whole
area.
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| Welcome to the Cliffs of Moher |
As you hike up to the first overlook stop, you become aware
of what she speaks. You first see the side of one cliff. Then, as you move
closer to the sea, another cliff, then another, all come into view on your
left. You come to a fork in the road, and, as Yogi Berra said, you take it. Go
to your left and you have a hike to the top of the cliffs themselves. Go to the
right and you hike up steps to other overlook spots, one which includes a
castle-like tower.
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| The Cliffs |
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| View from the first overlook |
I went to the right and climbed steps to get better views of
the cliffs. Trish remarked later how astonished she was at the color of the
cliffs. Lichen gives the impression that even the cliffs had the good sense to
go green. In fog and mist, the dark color can give the area a spooky, eerie
feel. But today, with the sun shining brightly, the fog burned off to reveal
the awesome beauty of Nature’s paintbrush. Green lichen mixes with grey rock to
create a vision that mere words cannot describe.
One of our chorus goals was to sing in as many places as
possible. So, just before we were to board the bus for our next stop, we all
gathered by the picnic tables and sang “Gee, But It’s Good to be Here”. It’s
all on record, and hopefully someone will be able to cut it in with other
locations for a montage of the trip.
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| Cliff faces with lichen provides great visual contrast |
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| Local musician provides entertainment |
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| Long view of the last visible cliff |
Time to move on. Next stop is the ferry across the River
Shannon, then on to Killarney and our hotel. Most of us haven’t slept in a
while, and we definitely could use a shower! But we don’t rush… the countryside
scenery is way too lush and beautiful to hurry through it.
Once we arrive at the Malton Hotel, we get checked in,
rested up, and fed a fantastic dinner. After dinner, some members of the group
walked the block to the town to check things out. Pubs were the order of the
evening. Some chose to stay close by in the hotel and knock a few back in the
hotel bar.
It was soon time to search out the elusive lost sleep from
the night before. After all, the next day has an itinerary that is crammed
full…
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| Carol prepares to do some serious relaxing |
