Kiss & Tell

After fortifying myself for the second day with porridge & Jameson, we set out to kiss the Blarney Stone.  On the way, our awesome guides described what we were about to encounter and warned anyone who is claustrophobic or unable to climb narrow steep stairs to perhaps bow out of this adventure.  I could feel the sweat start to pool in unmentionable places.  I kept telling myself if I could survive an MRI, I could do this.  They had insisted we get an early start today for good reason. If we had been delayed by even 10 minutes and met up with a crowd, we could be 2.5 hours on the line to kiss the Blarney Stone.  Thankfully, we sailed right through; the first in line.  We saw the sign like they have at DisneyLand that says, "an hour wait from this point".  Gulp.  But not us.  We were told to hang on to the rope and to keep moving and climbing.  This is so not for the faint of heart.  Not only are the stairs like 4" deep so you barely get a foot on them, it is windy and narrow with no light.  Sometimes overweight people insist on doing this climb and get stuck in the stairway.  Not sure if they use lard to get them out but can you imagine being behind them, stopped in the dark, dank stairwell with barely a rope to hold on to?  I would have had a psychotic breakdown!!!
So we make it up in less than 5 minutes and walk along the rim of the castle to THE spot.  A man is there to instruct you which hand to grab the railing with, turn and lay backward.  He is there to hold you as he tells you to go back, go back, and down, all the while holding on to the railings on both sides of you until you are under THE stone and then you kiss it.  Well, you know my lips were never going to touch that stone!  I came within an inch; good enough for me.  Besides, the real reason for kissing the Blarney Stone is to assure you the gift of gab.  If you know me, you know that I really don't need anymore "gab"-ability.

A view from the top.

The grounds of Blarney Castle are beautiful with a lot of places to explore.  There are caves, waterfalls, a poison garden.  Some people took a 45 minute walk around a lake.  We explored the "Rock Close" which houses the Seven Sisters rock formation, Druids Circle, Wishing Steps, yada yada.  We came upon Blarney House where there was filming of some sort going on.  Just a really cool place that you have to see once.

On to the quaint village of Adare in County Clare for lunch.

For the next 3 nights we are staying at Dromoland Castle which was built in the 15th century.  I must say that we were met at The Killarney Park Hotel with hot chocolate or Irish coffee.  Today, at Dromoland we were ushered into one of the spacious parlors for cold drinks and a welcome by the Asst. Manager who gave us a history of the Castle.  Whenever we enter a restaurant or hotel we are greeting so warmly and made to feel right at home.

And once again, our Disney guides have made sure that we were treated to very special accommodations.
Once settled, Dom & I checked out the golf situation in preparation for his maiden voyage onto an Irish course.  He will play tomorrow afternoon while I relax with a massage at the spa.

Before dinner together on property, we were treated to a "Whiskey Tasting".  Has this been a fun and educational trip!!!