Cross Country

Well, our early start to a long day of driving was unsuccessful due to the fact that we shut down the small down pub with our energetic hosts last night about 2:30am. So much for an early start, but what a fun night being part of the local crowd!

One destination we were both eager to see is one of Ireland's most-recognizable landmarks: the Cliffs of Moher on the island's west coast. We drove about three hours west to arrive at the cliffs. We were not the only tourists there. Like visitors flocking to see Old Faithful at Yellowstone National Park, fellow tourists from across the globe came to see the natural beauty Mother Earth had bestowed upon us. The crowds were well worth the trouble. 

Mother Earth went all out. The stunning, sheer drops of dark stone to the ocean below topped with emerald green grass is absolutely beautiful. The crashing waves below and high gusts of powerful winds were good reminders of the power she has. We wandered up and down the paths along the ledge of the cliffs, thinking each spot better than the last, thankful for digital photography. I'm not sure I could pick a favorite vantage point as all were equally impressive.

After a long wander and a little nourishment, we went back to the car to follow the coast to our next destination: Dingle. Dingle is a town (and peninsula) south of the cliffs. I had not imagined that taking a ferry there would be a logical option as both are on the same island, but looking at the map, we had two choices:

A 20-minute ferry or an extra eighty miles out of the way around the bay/river. Even though the ferry had a cost associated with it, we decided the time it would save, the experience of the ferry, and the gas money saved would all be well worth it. So, we opted for the little efficient ferry.

Knowing that many restaurants stop serving food around 9, and that that was our ETA for Dingle, we stopped along the route to eat a tasty meal before heading towards Dingle. We drove down a practically empty narrow road through a pass in the mountain which was engulfed with fog. It is a little terrifying when you can't see ahead of you, but you know there are large boulders above you and a steep ravine below you. 

Thankfully, we made it safely through to the quaint bay town of Dingle. After a little confusion, we found our hostel for the night and are all tucked in on this, the longest day of the year, a day we chose to drive cross-country.