canny good: Day 2: Irish Countryside + Cliffs of Moher

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Hopped on a Paddywagon tour bus shortly before 8am, after stopping for coffee and a muffin at Starbucks. Very American of us, I know, but apparently most coffee and breakfast joints don't open before 8!

Our Paddywagon bus driver was named Richard and he was a great tour guide. We stopped at the Dunguaire Castle in Kinvara for a quick photo op. Then sun peeked through the clouds just long enough for a nice golden light to hit one side. Legend says that if you walk "anti-clockwise" around the castle, something in your life will change. I'm still trying to figure out what's different now...

Next up were the "mini cliffs" of the the Burren. As we drove through the Irish countryside, we passed quite a few thatched roof cottages. The thatchwork is quite impressive. Apparently, thatching a roof is really expensive (around £50,000 for a small house), there's a long wait list (because only 26 people in the entire country are licensed to do it), and you have to re-thatch it every 7 years. #nothanks. We then ate lunch at Fitpatrick's Pub in Doolin. I had vegetable soup and Steven had a traditional Irish beef & Guinness stew.

We finally arrived at the Cliffs of Moher and, unfortunately, they were shrouded in thick fog. We didn't really see anything, which was a bit disappointing... But, that just comes with the territory. It's apparently a hit or miss thing. When I visited the cliffs 12+ years ago, it was a bright, sunny, summer day. At least we can say we've been there!

On our way back to Dublin, we stopped in Bunratty for an short break. The Bunratty Castle dominates the landscape. Lots of little touristy shops in Bunratty, too.

Got back into Dublin around 7pm. Wandered into O'Neill's Pub next to the famous Molly Malone statue. Steven ordered fish & chips, and I got the traditional Irish stew. It was super tasty once we figured out how to order food at the bar!

Tomorrow we'll explore the city of Dublin more. Got tickets to the Guinness storehouse where we'll tour how it's made in their distillery, and get to taste a wee pint at the end.

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Travel tips:

Brekkie: Most stores don't open before 8am - including coffee & breakfast shops. We had to be on our bus before 8am, and Starbucks was the only thing open at 7:30am. If you plan to be out before then, get used to pastries and muffins for breakfast.
Bus tours: If you're stationed in one city for a while, day bus tours are super popular and a great way to see the rest of the country. You don't have to worry about driving or navigating around a foreign place. The drivers know exactly what they're doing, they share fun stories and interesting history, and all you have to do is sit and enjoy the view.
Restaurants: It's rare to find a sit-down restaurant where you get waited on the whole time. In most places, you order food at the bar and tell them where you're sitting. If you don't know what to do or how to order, just ask one of the staff. They're used to clueless out-of-towners like us :)