Chris and Paul come to town!

In late October, when the air was cooling,  Josh's mom and Paul came to visit us here in the Emerald Isle.  Chris had a Fall Break from school so it was the perfect time to come and experience Ireland in all its chilly wonderment.  We visited astonishing historical sights, gambled in a pub, indulged in local cuisine, and sampled refreshing libations.

Chris and Paul at the Rock of Cashel.
The pair are standing in King Cormac's Chapel, which was considered one of the most sophisticated structures during the 1100's in Ireland.

The town of Cashel.
I love that behind the wooden sheep cut out, were tons of ... cows.

The Rock of Cashel is also known as Cashel of Kings because it was home to the Kings of Munster.

Hore Abbey.  
You can't help but laugh when reading the name of this structure.

Despite the chilly air, the three of us enjoyed exploring the ruins of this dilapidated Abbey.  Most intriguing are the eroded graves dating back to 1105.

It isn't a trip to Ireland without a stop to Blarney Castle, one of Ireland's greatest treasures.  

Paul kissed the Blarney Stone and was given the gift of eloquent speech.  Most don't realize that the Blarney stone is actually perched off of a high ledge.  You have to lie on the ground and lean backward just to reach it.  But not to worry, the man in the blue is there to ensure your safety - if you tip him! 

The land around Blarney is breath taking.  My favorite time to visit the landmark is during Fall when the leaves are changing color.

During this time the three of us were navigating our way through Rock Close, a  fairy glade that dates back to prehistoric times.  The glade included wishing steps, a hermit's cave and a Druid sacrificial alter.

Can you see the Witch of Blarney in this stone?  The hole as her eye?  Then there is her long nose.  It is believed that she is the one who told the king of the power of the Blarney Stone.  

Later in the week, we packed up the very tiny car and drove directly South to Mizen Head.  Mizen Head is the lesser known but equally impressive version of the Cliffs of Moher.

Mizen Head cliffs are also known as the tear drop of Ireland because of the way the coastline jets into the Atlantic Ocean and it was the last port of call for those immigrating to America. 

During their time abroad, Chris and Paul also visited London and Paris.  I met them for a day in London.    We took the Hop on Hop off bus to get the history of the sights we were seeing.  We also drove by the beautiful cathedral where the Occupy movement had camped.  And we walked through the gorgeous Hyde Park that sits just beyond the Buckingham Palace.  

This bridge is often confused for the London Bridge.  This is the Tower Bridge designed to allow passage of taller ships, whereas the London Bridge was once used as a place to hang traitors.

The London Eye

We learned that this building isn't actually called Big Ben.  Big Ben is the clock bell.

Also, included in their visit was a dinner at our friends Thomas and Frances' house in Kinsale.  They made a delicious South African meal complete with pumpkin fritters.  

We really enjoyed our time with Chris and Paul and are grateful for their opportunity to visit.  We were disappointed to see them go!

This is Halloween, this is Halloween, Halloween, Halloween!

Josh and I love Halloween.  This holiday was one of our very first celebrations together where I went as Marilyn and Josh as Beaker from the Muppets.  Halloween isn't a big holiday in Ireland, which made it very difficult to find decorations or costumes. The more important date is November 1st, All Saints Day, a day that celebrates those who don't have a specific day of remembrance.  Jokingly, a radio DJ stated that he felt that the Americans were taking over the holiday, that things should go back to the earlier times of children hunting for coins.

Here is an interesting fact about the origin of Halloween costumes during the Celtic times: On the special night, when the living and the dead were at their closest, the Celtic Druids would dress up in elaborate costumes to disguise themselves as spirits and devils in case they encountered actual devils and spirits during the night. By disguising they hoped that they would be able to avoid being carried away. This explains why witches, goblins and ghosts remain the most popular choices for the costumes. 

Josh and I enjoyed being creative with festive treats for our event and were pleased to see friends sharing in our affinity for this colorful holiday.

This year I was a pumpkin and well Josh went with, maybe I should just leave you with your own guesses...

The girls

The boys

Deviled eggs.  We actually made the eggs look like little devils :)

The spread complete with a hummus graveyard.

These eyeballs are basically like buckeyes, just made with white chocolate.

Josh and I love carving pumpkins.  This was the first time, for two of our friends ever carving pumpkins.

Kinsale Mad Hatters

When Josh and I first decided on moving to Kinsale, we were told that it was the culinary capital of Ireland. Kinsale chefs pride themselves on unique cuisine infused with local produce.  Each year Kinsale hosts the Mad Hatters party, which is a celebration of all the culinary delights that this town has to offer.  During this time folks retrieve their zaniest hats and parade through the town, drinking and sampling delicious morsels from the town's fabulous restaurants.

The whole gang: Hernan and Carrie who just moved from California and Thomas and Frances who we met in Kinsale.

The Mad Hatters is an Alice and Wonderland themed party.  We were lucky enough to follow the Mad Hatter himself.

In the spirit of Halloween, my hat had spiderwebs and was crawling with bedazzled tarantulas.

Josh went as an Irish tourist.  His hat was covered with patches and Irish trinkets.

This was the start of the party.  We began with a champagne toast at Actons Hotel, followed by delicious samplings at the Trident Hotel, on to a local pub for desserts, and ending with a dance party at the White Lady.  By the end we were crawling through the streets of Kinsale.

We are survivors of our first Hatters party and can't wait for the next!  Here is a link showcasing the event:
http://www.rte.ie/player/#!v=1123234
Watch around the 3:30 mark and just know in my defense there was a lot of wine and my hat was a bit big for my head :)  

Call me captain, or at least first mate

 “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”  Mark Twain

We are certified sailors!

What does that mean for us exactly?  Sailing the ocean blue, yes.  Charting a course to France, possibly.  Something out of the Captain Ron movie, of coarse! 
Josh and I, along with our friends, Michael and Maire, enrolled in a Level One Sailing course from the Outdoor Education Center located right below our house.

The Outdoor Education Center

In the first class we learned how to read and understand weather charts; wind directionality, wind force, tides, and weather disturbances.  The five of us, including Cloudy (our fearless guide), geared up, climbed into a dingy, and set sail.  On the water we learned how to tie various knots, set up the boat, and use the sails to effectively tack and gib our way around the beautiful Kinsale harbor.

Kinsale Harbor

 During our second day of sailing we learned about the rules of the water ways; who gives way to whom.  We were then ready to take the water once again.  In separate boats, I accidentally took to captaining our vessel first.  Petrified, at every turn, and second guessing every move, I questioned if becoming a future yacht-er was really in my cards.  With winds gusting and waves crashing it felt as though we were going to topple over a few times or blow all the way to France.  There was/ is nothing like having the support of my husband calming me down and reminding me to use our training.  After a picnic on the Summer Cove cliffs, we switched drivers.  Josh was in charge of steering and I manned the jib.  Josh and I made the perfect team.  He quickly took to sailing and was able to demonstrate how to slow the boat using the sails, he was a natural.  

Not our boat - but you can get the idea.

So what's next for these sailors?  Logging tons of hours practicing on boats, teaming up with crews to work their boats, and enrolling in the second week long course.  We still have a ways to go, but we are having a ton of fun along the way!

My Parents Visit

Just recently my parents came to visit Josh and me.  We enjoyed taking in new sights, delicious food, and each others company.  We road tripped from Killarney, Galway, Connemara and the Cliffs of Moher.  We saw Kenmare's Abbey, attended a tastefest with VIP tickets (thank you Pure Sushi), and took in beautiful scenery.

Anyone who knows me well, knows why this sign is my favorite!  A town sign directing people to not chew gum?!?  I am hoping this catches on!!

The start of the Ring of Kerry - the rocks are notifying us that we are on the correct path!

My parents:)

Josh and I with the Island of Valentia in the background.

Adorable!

All the signs of Ireland.

Beautiful views!

The fam!

My dad wanted to say he at least touched the water, even though it was freezing.

The Muckross House

The working farms. Ladies were still in the barns working away baking delicious bread over the fire and making homemade butter.

The golf open came to Killarney, it was really busy!

I love the golf bag flower pots decorating the building fronts.

Pointing us in the direction of very scrumptious food.

Enjoying delicious food in the VIP section!

We drove through bog land, pastures, and narrow rocky roads to discover the magnificent Conemara Abbey.

Parents at the Cliffs of Moher!

Frame-able!

These two love when their grandparents are in town - extra love and treats for us all!

Thank you again mom and dad.  We immensely enjoyed our visit and are very blessed for our time spent together!  We love you!!