When it comes to the question either to write this travel blog in German or in English I decided for German. Sometimes I think I can´t say things in English the way I would like to do. And of course I´m much quicker in German. And after all this blog is written for my friends at home. But of course the huge fascination of the internet is, that my blog could be read all over the world. So the best idea would be to write two versions of every entry: one in German and one in English. The bad thing is, that I did not only pay too less attention to my English lessons at school (so now I have to look up vocabulary all the time), I also completely skipped the typewriting lessons…. So it would took me ages to write down a translation of my own blog entries and I simply can not effort this time. So I tried out a translation software. Oh my goodness, the result was even worse than my translations (at least I hope mine are better…). But with a few edits (at least the complete nonsense) I think I got a translation that was at least understandable. And so much quicker than a real selfmade translation.

So this is a machine made translation with a few edits. I noticed a lot of bad grammar, but I left this as it was to save my time. Hope you´ll understand that I´ll better use my spare time for travelling and sightseeing….

Here we go: The Ireland Trip April 2011

My intension was to travel to Dublin for a concert and planned the trip around it. But then the great master has postponed his concert date, and my flights were booked non refundable. Nothing against a family holiday in Ireland, without concert, but I certainly would not choose a time when it rains either permanently or I suffer birch pollen allergy. But in the end all was well. I've buried all my prejudices about Ireland. We had two weeks of sunshine! At Easter, sat in the cafes and have been in short pants on the beach. And no hay fever, for nature was actually ahead in time than at home and the birch was almost finished. And the concert? Sure, will travel again, because it's so beautiful in Ireland!

Tuesday 19 April 2011: Almost starved to death in Dublin. Flight in the afternoon, went with the bus into town, taxi to the hotel. And because daughter had to swim first in the hotel pool, it was almost 9 when we are going out. And purposefully walked in the direction that was in a dead town. In the end, desperately bought dry bread in the closing train station kiosk. In the next street we first saw a snack and then an open market (already close to the hotel) ....

Wednesday 20 April: Went through Dublin and felt totally exhausted But beautiful it was. And the weather was good, quite incredible. First breakfast in the Spar market in the Pearse Street, then courtyard of Trinity College, Grafton Street, Park St. Stephens Green (my goodness, all the meadows crowded during lunch time), next to the shopping center in white (very impressive), Food in college, then Temple Bar, a band in the central square (the singer balancing on a rounded pole).

Then we went to the Guinness Storehouse, very far, arrived at the last minute before closing, then too bad time was too short inside. Had a Guinness in the Gravitiy Bar, nearly a half at least, was disgusting. Adventure in the staircase (went through an open door, walked down, all other doors closed, with the words "fire door". Got panic (closing time), ran back to the top, five floors! Much later, I did not realize that "keep closed" does not mean "Do not open".....). Back to the bus. Change busses at O'Connell Street was our plan. Eternally waiting, no connecting bus arrived. Finally took a taxi. Recovery at the hotel spa.

Thursday 21 April: Today started with a stroll around the docks. Seen O2 Arena, where today would have been the Chris-concert. Daughter and husband went on the big wheel. Next took the tram to Market Hall, St Henry Street (pedestrian zone north of the River Liffey, very busy, at least as interesting as Grafton, the fruiterer use old fashioned baby strollers as market stall). Eat at an Indian, very sharp. Survived by a miracle. Then daughter was finally able to ride a bike-Cab. So we ended up back at the Temple Bar unplanned No band this time outside, a pub too loud for daughter. Walking all the way to St George's Dock. Much celebration evening crowds in the bars and cafes. Cafe to go. Daughter bad-tempered. Stroll through the city is not her favorite program. Walked to the hotel over futuristic bridge. Pool Time again in the evening.

Friday 22 April: Tram and bus back to the airport to pick up the car and then back to the hotel to pick up the suitcases. Luckily not much traffic at holidays (Good´s Friday), but quite time consuming. I admire my husband how he get along with the left-hand traffic. On the way south into the suburbs an American pizza. The first time that it tasted well for daughter in Ireland. While we are in a pizzeria, a brief rain shower (by then we had great weather only) who is already gone when we got out. Soon the sun was out again. Dun Laoghaire and Forty Feet, the swimming area, there was I think in the 80 times a CdeB promo shot, one of my earliest memories CdeB. Contrary to my expectations, my husband found the place quite fascinating. Then took a wrong way for a while to Bray and eventually found our way into the Wicklow Mountains. Our target was signposted Glendalough, but the narrow road so narrow that it probably was not on our map. At one point a wonderful view of similar to a sugar loaf mountain. My husband was fascinated by the views and parked in the driveway of an upscale property. Somewhere around here lives CdeB I think and I hoped that it is not there. Went further on the smallest roads, ice-break in a picturesque village and so we arrived much later than planned at the ruin monastery of Glendalough. It was rewarded with the most glorious sunset. Walk around the lower lake, the scenery is so moist, mossy, swampy, that reminds me of the rainforest. In fog, certainly very mystical, but we had pure summer weather and did not even want to change. After that we went to the monastery itself, very atmospheric with the graves and ruins. Then we drove to Arklow, where we had a hotel for one night, one of the most expensive on our trip and a huge disappointment, because totally worn and musty.

Saturday 23 April: The morning started with breakfast at the hotel and swimming in the not quite as desolate hotel pool. Then continued towards Wexford. Traffic jam on the way out of Arklow. A town we better forget in our travel memories. Somewhere along the way my husband saw a reference to a motor cross event, just in the small town we passed through. Should be easy to find, but it was not and after we had left almost all the streets, we asked some young men that could actually show the way. It was pretty outside, but the roar told us that we were correct. And suddenly to have changed the face of my husband (by then he was often sometimes grumpling). If there is something here, and it makes Roooaaar and has a disgusting smell, then this raises a very different light on the small country. And so we lost some time trying to watch as well as motorcyclists and biker kids jumping over hills. I began to feel uneasy, because I wanted to see along the way something, and that is before it gets dark. And so it happened that we had in the very pretty town of Wexford and also at the beach of Rosslare (the first "real" beach this vacation) much less time than either deserved. From Rosslare, we went on a small road across the south-eastern tip of Ireland country. Not the fastest, but perhaps the shortest route to the destination of the day: Waterford. And finally, Google knew why I wanted to drive just along here. Because somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere there it was, the Castle of Chris de Burgh. We nearly rushed past, because you can see from the road only for a moment through the trees in the right angled branching driveway. But from there you could see it clearly, precisely from the point from which you can see it on Chris's first album. And it looks exactly as it was almost 35 years ago.


I snapped a few photos, hoping that the gardener is not just around the corner. And no, of course I have not ventured through the gate wide open, because first I am well educated enough to grope not on any private land, and secondly, I really do not want to meet the gardener. The small road led us on to a ferry across some kind of fjord, which was really beautiful in the evening sun. And then we were almost in Waterford.

Easter Sunday 24 April: Today was not quite so much on the agenda. Therefore, we started the day with long sleeping (I especially, daughter less) . We spend time with searching for chocolate in the hotel room (there were actually no colored boiled eggs ready to buy) and the morning in a park with playground. There, my husband hid our only (sparkling) chocolate egg. But faster than daughter has found a crow. Daughter was not amused when she saw the black bird flutter away with the egg in its beak. Meanwhile, it was really warm, too warm even for T-shirt and long jeans. At noon, the city of Waterford that has nothing to offer really exciting. Then on to the beach of Tramore. Too bad I had no beach clothes there. Who expects beach holidays in April in Ireland? My husband has seriously considered going to swim in the sea-but only until he was in there with his feet! The water was still icy, of course, but there were a number of fearless people. On the beach there was such turmoil like in mid-summer. But with the first cloud it also cooled off very quickly. We then have a "theme park" - a kind of permanent fun fair visits and then drove along the coast road. As always on the smaller roads it was slow, but it offered a wonderful view of a rocky coast. The second half but then dual carriageway to Cork. The hotel wanted to charge us not believe that we really "child in bed with parents free of charge" wanted to use and gave us with the remark "same price anyhow" a triple. A dream of a room, plenty of space, skylights cute in an old building and a huge bathroom and wifi in the room. And for the fantastic four nights. I began to doubt whether I had seen on the internet booking the right price, because that was half of what it had cost the degenerate case in Arklow and only one-fifth of the price that was written at the door.

Monday 25 April: The largest part of the day we spent in Fota Wildlife Park. Although giraffes and zebras are not exactly typical for Ireland, it was urgent to plan at the time a kid's day. The park is mainly to see the less dangerous exotic animals, above facts, there is no grid, but only narrow moats or no barriers. Kangaroos, penguins, the Lemur, squatting on his upward curled tail and the comical monkey family (a very black, a very white and a black baby, probably not really a family) all look very cute. And a stuffed toy lemurs baby can now fly home with us. Later a short stay in the harbor town of Cobh. From here started millions of Irish emigrants to the New World. This explains well the huge church, there were certainly a lot of prayers due. The place stuck in a fascinating way on a slope. Down by the seaside, picturesque colored houses, next to the port even noble villas and palm trees, almost like in Nice (yes, there grow many palm trees in Ireland, they like the warm Gulf Stream). But two totally dilapidated buildings in the most central location tell that the place has seen his best days.

Tuesday 26 April: sipped throughout the day in the city of Cork. All pedestrians along zones discovered. There is a "boulevard" and pretty small alleys. And in the middle a very nice indoor market called "English Market" where you can sit on a gallery to eat. At the bakery stand, we have granted us a cupcake. As always and everywhere in this country, I have admired the painted signs on the stalls and around the city over the doors. Finally we endet up at Costa Coffee and(while it was cloudy in the morning) in the afternoon the sun came back and we sat and sweated out again (but that way the taste of iced coffee is indeed the best).

Wednesday 27 April: Today it was about time that my husband gets what he planned. So it was walking in Gougane Barra, the guide book said only few about it. What we found was a valley with a small lake with a small chapel on it (which admittedly very nicely reflected in the lake), surrounded by mountains. Too high to climb it, and too small to provide a truly impressive view from below. We got halfway up, and despite the look on the bare summit my husband thought that there should be way up, and a view of the ocean on the other side. I decided to turn back with our daughter. We went into a cafe on the lake, I had a very expensive salmon cream cheese bagel. The cafe was actually very cute, grandma served and her homemade vegetable soup was apparently so delicious that my usually snippy daughter has ordered a second serving. With effort, I could resist the seductive but also very expensive unbelievable mocha cream cake behind the pastry counter. Contrary to my expectations, my husband was actually returned to the agreed two hours. According to my expectations he had not found a way to the summit. Considering how we should spend the rest of the day (for a farer trip was not enough time left), we headed towards the sea to Bantry Bay, a short distance along, and then again in the mountains. And actually offered on this road (which limits the landward end of the Beara Peninsula) great views. The barren landscape and the mountains incredibly offer a nice view of the Bantry Bay. Somewhere along the way a great souvenir shop, a lovely old country house with a classic car in front. Otherwise, many rough hewn tunnels and many sheep, we were now in the Country Kerry. Popular tourist destination, but for us time was left for only one little edge of the Country. At the other end of the road, we came into town Kenmare. Beautiful old house fronts and door signs. Very quaint, deserves attention in the guidebooks, but all the traffic went through the middle of the town, as so often here. Return to Cork, in part on secondary roads, stop at Lidl, bought "German sausage"

Thursday 28 April: Today we had to leave after four nights the comfortable Hotel in Cork (to my relief was actually on the bill of fare bargains from the Internet). Daughter had been in the hotel pool more than once, met a girl from Dublin, and now changed with her addresses (very proud now to have a foreign pen pal). Unbelievable how the two have understand each other without speaking the same language (but that can still be ...). On the way out of town, we caught an arterial road too early and thought we could go somewhere across. So we felt the whole morning spent in the no man's land north of Cork. Incredibly small streets, many of them, with many intersections. But no signs. And our two maps showed a completely different road network! My husband wondered how the locals will always find back home. At noon we arrived very late but somehow in Cahir. After a walk around the castle, we had lunch at a sidewalk cafe. It was already warm. Next to Cashel (this time we got lost just a little bit, somewhere where a cow blocked the road and later a watchdog won´t let us pass). The famous Rock of Cashel, a big proud castle on a rock, was a disappointment as it had a scaffold. So we didn´t visit and instead gone to a ruin monastery at the foot of the cliff, where you could walk all the way around without charge.


Continued to Kilkenny, this time on the right track. Break at the hotel (this time my husband was really exhausted from driving) and in the evening went again to the city center. Pretty sunset behind the cathedral. Then we found another incredibly pub. Sure he was just for tourists and not a single Irishman among the guests. But inside there were two who Irish folk songs sung and played, with really good voice, including the two popular songs "The Wild Rover" and "The Irish Rover". Yes, now the Ireland holidays were complete.

Friday, April 29: After a little stroll in Kilkenny, we went to Dunmore Cave. The cave guide was a bearded little man and his guidance probably lived mainly from the witty talk, but we didn´t understand it all because of our lack in English. About the cave there are many true and false legends, but the cave itself is not spectacular, even if it has the largest stalagmite in Ireland. Next stop was Port Laoise (lunch), then on to Dublin. This time there was a highway, is finally nice again. I found our way across the city with help of a map, I am proud. Oh yes, we had sunshine all day again, even unnecessary to mention . Then the icing of the holiday was waiting for us, the Clontarf Castle Hotel. Looks quite cool, the tower is built almost in the lobby. In lobby and stairwell authentically old furniture, but the ultra-modern rooms (especially the great bed-backlit). The rooms are not really in the Castle, but in an annex. However, the bar is suituated in the floor below us, very late at night ther4e was loud party. In the room I would have expected that one can sleep peacefully. And with chart music I do not feel so knightfully, why not at least put on Blackmore's Night ....

Saturday 30 April: The morning began with breakfast at the castle (plush benches). Then Howth peninsula in the north of Dublin Bay. In the harbor there are many fish shops and fish restaurants. In the dock at the edge (water was very oily there) swam three rather pathetic-looking seals and looked up with moaning, hoping that someone might buy them some fish. After a little taste of sea air, we went on the long trek up the road to the "Summit Inn". Late lunch, in the pub was just a rugby game and all the other guests cheered and shouted. From there to the height of the lighthouse and there we found the cliff trail. On this narrow path back towards the harbor, that was all in all a pretty grueling tour. But wow, what views! the lighthouse, the Dublin Bay or just down the steep cliffs or to the harbor. Some ducks (!) were floating in the breeze like gulls. It was so windy that daughter was scared, she is blown off the cliffs. Pretty whacked we drove straight to the Castle in the early evening back to the hotel for our last night on this holiday. Hotel exploring found that there are countless bars and halls. Seems it is booked mainly for private celebrations. Again disco today. Hmm, that fits not to my idea of an Irish castle hotel (without heating, TV and hot water ...) in which a young bard entertains the guests with a self-written ballads. Situated in the the foyer (a glass attachment to the old tower), a piano is very decorative, where the not-so-young-anymore bard would look very pretty. Still, I'm not too unhappy with my choice of hotel (let's face it, a hotel with no hot water wouldn´t be great, also not one of those genuine luxury hotels around, I saw else in the catalog). The contrast between old and trendy together very well.

Sunday 01 May: Oh dear, this time it was 4 o´clock in the morning when the party guests went to their rooms, being very loud. I believe there we will never see the Clontarf Castle again. Slightly crumpled enjoyed breakfast, then, after that we went to the beach at North Bull Island, which is accessed via a narrow wooden bridge. What we thought were kites on the beach proofed to be kite-surfers when we came closer. And there were swimming places for ladies and gents separately, a dressing room with stairs leading to the rocky side of the bay. And although today it was quite chilly and very windy, were bathing there some people. Then we went to St. Anne's Park, because it was near. Squirrel, a playground and an estate, before there was coffee and a snack at a farm estate. And then we had to say goodbye to Ireland, car rental return, airport. A while after we had checked the luggage, my husband noticed that his pocket knife was still in the hand luggage. That it was some years ago happened before. He carries all kinds of survival utensils at all times. Men do this to survive in the wilderness. And you can not teach them so easy to know what the modern world needs. And again it took female intelligence to save him. The last time it happened was in Frankfurt, so I knew that one can keep the knife for a fee. That was my first thought that I can bring it when I come back in four weeks. Until I remembered that I will be traveling with only hand luggage. The second idea was to send it with post. And while we were looking for a post office, I had the third idea: We were able to check in one of our three cabin luggages additionally.

So we all arrived savely at home, even the pocket-knife.

Ireland Bye, see you soon!