Weekend adventure...boom...Kerry...Gaelic

Saturday:

Up early on Saturday with Shaun, 6am.  For some reason he didn't want to sleep.  We had planned to get up at 8 so we would have time to eat breakfast and get ready so we could leave by 9am for Kerry Co., we had planned to go on the Ring of Kerry bus tour. Its a tour of all the little towns that are on the cost of Kerry Co. So we booked our tour the night before and we knew it would take a good hr to get there (tour supposedly started at 10:45am) so we figured we would have plenty of time. Well as we normally are...we were late getting out of the apt, left around 9:20 but we didn't think that was going to be a major issue...we would make up some time on the motor way...at least we thought. So we had a nice drive up to Killarney but ran into some traffic...so it was going to be close. But as we got closer and closer to Killarney (the first town on the tour) we hit a wall of traffic...we weren't going to make it. So I give them a call, around 10:40 to see if there was an alternative route to get to the departure location and the guy was like you are close but not going to make it because the bus is pulling off now! Then he continues to tell me "If you are around tomorrow you can go in the tour then...it leaves at 10:30"  That wasn't the response that we were hoping for...there is only one tour a day and it last for about 5.5hrs. So after hearing this we were pretty disappointed. First off the bus was leaving before the scheduled time (so we thought) and we just drove over an hr to get there. So we pull into a gas station and Mike looses it...he was so PISSED!!!! "how could the tour leave before the scheduled time? Why wouldn't they wait for us since we were so close?" So not to make him any more activated we just sat in the car...in silence for about 15 min so he could calm down. While Mike was cooling off I checked the website again to see why the guy told me that Sundays tour was at 10:30...and I found out it was because all the tours for that company leave at 10:30am daily. So come to find out we had the time wrong to begin with...oops. So finally we talked about options, it was the perfect weekend to go on the tour but we didn't want to drive back to Cork and drive back again on Sun and possibly miss it again so we decided we were going to get a hotel and stay there for the night and just make the best of it. As we were trying to leave the gas station a guy on a horse and buggy stopped us to try and help us. He ends up telling us thatthe reason for all the traffic was because there was a big explosion at the oil plant right near the city center!!! It looked like no one was hurt and everyone was accounted for but that's why the roads were all blocked off and kept us from getting to where we were trying to go. Then he told us that if we wanted to see the sights we could do the Ring of Kerry tour ourself...it's just a big circle and people just stop at the little towns and walk around then keep on going around the circle so no reason we couldn't drive it. So...that's what we did! Before we left I asked Mile what we were going to do about the €40 that we already paid the people for the tour we didn't take and be was like...just forget it...I'm too upset with them to deal with trying to get a refund!  I couldn't believe it...so since we got the departure time wrong and because there was a major accident that stopped us from getting to the departure site easily, we are just going to give them our €40???!!!! Seriously??? I guess so...unbelievable. 

Map of the ring...

The first stop was Killorgin...a bit of a dud of a town...it was small and not really on the coast but we got a cup of coffee and a muffin to try and make the best of it...it just made it worst. Hahaha...Mikes coffee was like water and my muffin was pretty dry. Anyway note to self...don't stop here next time we take the tour :-) 

Pic of the restaurant we stopped at for a snack!

View of Killorgin city center

Second stop was Glenbeigh...nothing to write about. Another small town, not really on the coast so nothing special to take a picture of...or even stop for. 

Third stop was Cahersiveen, but before we got there we had to stop for a really pretty view of the valley...the mountains and valley's out that way are just amazing!

We actually stopped in this town and walked around. It was a bit bigger than the other 2. 

Before we got to the 4th town we started seeing what all the hype was about...the views from road was just grand!!! The mountains then beaches and then all the greenery...nothing like it!  This is us on the side of the road to Watertown (the 4th stop).  

Forth stop is like the main attraction, Watertown is where the beach is 

Apparently some famous people like Catherine Zeta Jones and Tiger Woods have houses out here...I can see why. It's just unbelievable how gorgeous it is out here with all the greenery. So we walked around but the Main Street is so small it only took us 5 min to walk it...so we stopped to eat then headed out. Now some might wonder if we went into the water while we where there and the answer is NO!  Mike and I actually had a long conversation about it whole we where there. I don't particularly care for the beach...I hate the sand getting in my swim suit and I really don't like the smell of the ocean water after it dries on your skin. And Mike doesn't like the smell of ocean water either so neither one of us wanted to even put our feet into the water...so we just walked by :-). 

Pics of Watertown...

Cool lobster with a beer...this is for Alicia...

The family on the beach...

Plus Mike trying to eat me when we where taking this pic 

Shoreline in Watertown

From this point on everything we saw was like out of a magazine...so instead of boring you will a million "it was beautiful" comments I'll just share my summery of the views..."it is so beautiful out here, that pictures won't give it any justice...just amazing and breathtaking"

 

So after Watertown we pretty much just drove and didn't stop at the next town. The road was small ans really windy so of course I fell asleep...that's just a recipe for putting me to sleep. As much as I tried I couldn't hold my eyes open...thankfully my husband is more than use to this so it wasn't a big surprise for him...and he didn't complain...he let me sleep thank goodness. But when I did wake up I saw we were driving in the water (based on the Garmin's map and I tried to get a picture but it was too late...but anyway we were not on any road that was recognized...

By this point it was already getting late and Mike had been driving for over 8hrs!!!!! So once we made it back to Killarney we stopped to give Mike a little break...he got a coffee and we walked for a few min to stretch our legs. Then since everyone and their momma had an ice cream cone Mike decided to have one too. They put a piece of chocolate shavings in all the ice cream..Mike said it was good. 

After getting a history lesson from my Irish friend Paul Casey, here is what I found out about this ice cream cone with the chocolate flake...called "99 ice cream"  

The origins of the name are uncertain. One claim is that the '99' was coined in Portobello, Scotland, in 1922, by the Arcari family, who owned a well known ice cream shop there. They sold ice-creams with half a large 'Flake' inserted in the top, and reputedly gave it the name simply because the shop was sited at 99 High Street. The idea spread locally, then further afield.

Another theory (put forward by a Cadbury's sales manager, but now proved to be unfounded) was that the name came from Italy: "In the days of the monarchy in Italy the King had a specially chosen guard consisting of 99 men (The Guard actually consisted of 110), and subsequently anything really special or first class was known as 99 — and that is how the 99 Flake came by its name". The Wordhunt initiative in 2005 found that the myth actually referred to the Vatican's Swiss Guard, which traditionally had 105 members, and now has 100.

...on our way out I saw that they have a Domino's Pizza...I couldn't believe it. I saw Papa John's in Cork but never would have expected a Domino's

 

Small view of Killarney city center. 

Then an hr car ride home and a nice walk to the city for dinner at Jacobs. It was a nice day, just driving around Ireland with the family.  This is a pic of Cork city center at night...since we didn't get home from dinner until around midnight. 

Sunday:

We were both pooped today, especially Mike so he slept in and I it up with Shaun. Mike was so out of it I had to take his pic...sleeping beauty <3

Since we had done so much driving on Saturday the last thing either one of us wanted to do was to get into the car so we stalled our normal Sunday shopping trip until after Rocky I went off...such a classic...we were glued to the iPad and loved every minute of it. First stop was to the gas station to fill up...talk about ouch in the wallet...

 Then finally we made it to Tesco for our weekly shopping, came home and walked to the city for afternoon lunch at Amicus. Last Sunday we have the sticky toffee pudding and it was amazing so we were looking forward to having it again but to our unpleasant surprise the recipe had changed!!! We were so disappointed. How could the recipe change from one Sunday to the next. At first we thought we ordered the wrong thing or that the sticky toffee was a special last week but after talking to one of the servers we found out that they had actually changed the recipe. I'm not sure if they got other complaints but this new recipe sucked...big-time!!!! Anyway the lady told us that she was going to tell the baker that the new recipe wasn't as good as the old one so maybe they would change it back...I guess we will see next week. 

We had planned to go to the pub after 

 lunch and watch the Hurling match...Cork vs Limerck but we were so behind schedule the game was already over by the time we got done. What is hurling you might ask well... 

Hurling is believed to be the world’s oldest field game. When the Celts came to Ireland as the last ice age was receding, they brought with them a unique culture, their own language, music, script and unique pastimes. One of these pastimes was a game now called hurling. It features in Irish folklore to illustrate the deeds of heroic mystical figures and it is chronicled as a distinct Irish pastime for at least 2,000 years.

The stick, or "hurley" (called camn in Irish) is curved outwards at the end, to provide the striking surface. The ball or "sliotar" is similar in size to a hockey ball but has raised ridges.

Hurling is played on a pitch that can be up to 145m long and 90m long. The goalposts are similar to those used on a rugby pitch, with the crossbar lower than in rugby and slightly higher than a soccer one.

You may strike the ball on the ground, or in the air. Unlike hockey, you may pick up the ball with your hurley and carry it for not more than four steps in the hand. After those steps you may bounce the ball on the hurley and back to the hand, but you are forbidden to catch the ball more than twice. To get around this, one of the skills is running with the ball balanced on the hurley To score, you put the ball over the crossbar with the hurley or under the crossbar and into the net by the hurley for a goal, the latter being the equivalent of three points.

Each team is made up of 15 players with match officials and scoring values the same as in Gaelic Football.

What is Galic Football...

Gaelic Football is a field game which has developed as a distinct game similar to the progression of Australian Rules. Gaelic Football is played on a pitch up to 145m long and 90m wide. The goalposts are the same shape as on a rugby pitch, with the crossbar lower than a rugby one and slightly higher than a soccer one.

The ball used in Gaelic Football is round, slightly smaller than a soccer ball. It can be carried in the hand for a distance of four steps and can be kicked or "hand-passed", a striking motion with the hand or fist. After every four steps the ball must be either bounced or "solo-ed the equivalent of three points. Each team consists of 15 players, lining out as per the diagram.

Officials for a game comprise of a referee, two linesmen (to indicate when the ball leaves the field of play at the side and to mark '45’ free kicks and four umpires (to signal scores, assist the referee in controlling the games, and to assist linesmen in positioning '45' frees).

A goal is signalled by raising a green flag, placed to the left of the goal. A point is signalled by raising a white flag, placed to the right of goal. A '45' is signalled by the umpire raising his/her outside arm. A 'square ball', when a player scores having arrived in the 'square' prior to receiving the ball, is signalled by pointing at the small parallelogram.

All that to say we missed the game and it was a big game...but I'm sad to say I don't even know what the score was :-/  I'm sure we won't let that happen again, hopefully the next time a big match is on we will have some friends to watch the game with. 

We got to FaceTime with Lino and got to see him jumping into the pool and he showed us the 14 new cars that he has collected while being in NY. And we asked him where did he get all those cars from and he told us PopPop has a car in his pocket when he gets home from work...so a new toy everyday. Talk about spoiled. But he is having the time of his life, we are starting to miss him but we are glad he's enjoying himself. 

All in all, another exciting weekend for the Cutaia's, now it's time to get ready for the work week. 

Happy Sunday!!