August 18. We drove to NYC from Beulaville. Hertz gave us a fancy Cadillac with phone and Sirrius Radio as a rental for our trip to NYC. The gas mileage on the Caddie was better than expected-27mpg. We stayed at the Howard Johnson in mid-town for $132 and they gave us a two bedroom suite, which was real nice. We went to see the play "The Pillowman" with Jeff Goldblum and Billy Crudup. It was written by an Irishman and was quite complex and intellectual, but very good.

Met with a real estate agent on Friday and saw a two bedroom place on 9th and 44th that Nancy loved, especially after she found out it had a washer and dryer in the apartment-all for $475,000-460 sq.ft. and $700 per month common charges!

August 19. Flew to Dublin Friday evening on Aer Lingus, 5 1/2 hour flight. One way ticket cost $302. Flight was uneventful, and thankfully, short as our seats were right beside the bathrooms on an Airbus 330. Nancy switched seats and sat next to a small child, not much better. Speaking of the flight, It was a mistake to go to NYC one day, for a flight the next day. Better to go on same day or fly from Raleigh-Durham.

August 20. We arrived in Dublin at 6:00 a.m. (it is 5 hours later in Ireland than NYC). We took a City bus to our lodging at the Dublin City University (DCU). Mich cheaper than Taxi or Airport bus but slower. The lodging was very nice at 59 Euros per night, but we had to take a bus to town for activities (about 30 minutes). We took two short naps on Saturday afternoon and that helped us make it through the day until bedtime, as we had not slept on the plane. Went to an Irish Music concert at the National Theatre in Dublin on Saturday night to see the group "Capercaillie"-very good. Also, went to see the Book of Kells written by Irish monks many centuries ago.

August 21. Went to the semi-finals Hurling Championship game in Dublin at Croake Park. Hurling is a cross between hockey and baseball, somewhat like LaCrosse-very interesting and the fans are very passionate about the game. We got standing tickets and stood in the rain to watch the game. The weather is sometimes sunny and sometimes rainy-wait awhile and it changes! Temperatures are moderate at about 70 degrees and 59 degrees at night. Had lunch at the oldest Irish Pub in Dublin-great Irish stew and the best Guinness stout! The Guinness is served cold and is real creamy and frothy. The Guinness has not been as good outside of Dublin.

August 22. Doug picked up our little rental car-a small Sisuka model with stick shift. We headed to Northern Ireland and Belfast, along the coast. The countryside is so beautiful and as you head north and it is very rugged. We stopped at Tara, a hillside where the Druids once partied. Also stopped at a big grave mound from 6,000 years ago at Knowth and Newgrange. We ate dinner at Sainsbury, a nice grocery store. Food is not cheap-20Euros (about $25) just to eat at the grocery store deli. We stayed in downtown Belfast at the Travelodge for 59 Pounds. In Northern Ireland, the money is in pounds, as in Great Britain, which oversees Northern Ireland. The Republic of Ireland (everywhere else in Ireland) uses Euros and has its own government.

August 23. Today we had lunch in Belfast with Patricia and Oliver, the parents of Doug's nephew's wife and their other daughter. It was a wonderful lunch at a local hotel. We also got a tour of Patricia and Oliver's lovely home. We headed on North. We stayed near Londonderry (known as Derry in the Republic)at a local hotel (69 Pounds), which included a full Irish breakfast (eggs, sausage, ham, tomato, potato bread).

August 24. Went to the most northern point in Ireland, Malin Head-very beautiful. Also, to the Giant Causeway, a huge bunch of black, basalt rocks along the rugged coastline.

August 25. Went to County Donegal and Donegal-very beautiful, but the town of Donegal was full of tourists. The smaller towns where the real people live are so much more interesting than the tourist towns. Stayed in Westport, a small somewhat touristy town. Went to Galway, which also is a very touristy town and crowded. Nancy was in Galway about 18 years ago and it is not nearly as lovely as back then. Stayed in a B&B in Westport, which was nice and included full Irish breakfast (64E)-the lodging prices are coming down, but are never cheap! Walked to town to hear Irish music at Matt Malloy Pub, owned by the flutist of the Chieftains, a world famous Irish singing group. Got lost walking back in the rain, but it was nice to get some good exercise even though it was late at night and we were tired!

August 26. Drove on toward Limerick, traveling through some barren land called The Burren. Over 400 people died in this area during the Irish Famine as they tried to walk in the snow to find food. It is a desolate, but beautiful landscape. Doug discovered he had been bitten by fleas at the B&B in Westport and had itchy arms and legs! Don't let the bed bugs bite! Stayed in Tipperary (it's a long way to Tipperary) at a nice B&B. Went to a festival (fete) in Bansha, nearby. Had dinner at the local Pub and afterwards watched pyrotechnic dancing-two people who danced with fiery ropes. Thought they might catch a few kids in the audience on fire at one point, but it was very interesting, to say the least! The whole village was there about 200 people.

August 27. We arrived at our cottage near Adare, which is near Limerick (about 16KM away). Adare is a lovely town, a bit touristy, but quaint. We are staying in a beautiful thatched roof cottage in the country called "Angela's Cottage" and named after a famous book called Angelas Ashes, about an Irish family. The cost is very reasonable, only 300Eu, plus 100E deposit. It is on a country road that nobody drives down and we feel like we are on a farm in the middle of nowhere! Needless to say, it is quiet. The cottage is beautiful and has three bedrooms, a modern kitchen (even a washer and dryer). However, Doug only gets 4 channels on the TV set-he misses his Dish Satellite with 180 channels at home! They do show some US programs like "Desparate Housewives" and "CSI" and very good BBC programs. We bought groceries at a huge store (like a super Target or Walmart) called Dunnes Stores. We also went to the Dairy Market in Limerick to get fresh food. Nancy cooked steak from the local butcher shop, Irish potatoes, fresh, organic beans and carrots from the Farmer's Market for dinner. We also have bought some delicious Irish cheeses and fresh baked Irish Soda bread. Upon arrival at our cottage, the owner brought us fresh scones (the best, like a biscuit with raisin and fruit). We went to the Limerick Fair, a big event with equestrian events, lots of farm machinery, livestock, etc.

August 28. We are in Limerick, checking out the city. The weather is cool, in the 60's, with rain. But, Ireland is beautiful, even in the rain. Had lunch at the beautiful Glen Hotel in the Aherlow Glen. Price fix menu for 22Eu each. Had roast duck and good, fresh vegetables. Doug tried a pineapple trifle for dessert, which was delicious. We plan to take day trips all week from the cottage, to the Ring of Kerry, Cork, Dingle and other places in southwest Ireland. We will head back to Dublin next Saturday and return the car to Hertz on Monday, September 5.
PS: we just got 2 tickets back to NYC for Monday, 9/5. Cost $310 each.

August 29. Drove through the countryside. Visited a beautiful town, Lismore. Drove over the mountains to Cork, which we loved-very European feel with a very nice "English Market" with lots of different foods to buy and cook. Went to Kilamallock to the Farmer's Market and sat in on the "cattle auction" with the locals-interesting, but "stinky" with all the cows being herded in front of everyone. Went to Youghal, a town that was the setting for the 1956 movie "Moby Dick." Listening to the radio in car is interesting. Ireland is considering a levy on chewing gum because it litters the streets and they try at all costs to keep their towns tidy, awarding the "Tidy Town" award to those that are clean. Most are very clean compared to US cities/towns. A small town near our cottage we like is Rathkele.

August 30. Drove to Dingle and Dingle Bay Peninsula, a beautiful place on the southwest side of Ireland. Stopped at local dairy farm and bought a wonderful cheese with seaweed in it. We walked into a farm building where a woman was working scrubing the cheese wheels, surrounded by shelves upon shelves of large rounds of freshly made cheese. We bought a small amount and it was wonderful and delicious. The coastline is very striking with huge rocky cliffs. Stopped at the area where the movie "Ryan's Daughter" was filmed many years ago-breathtaking scenery in the Dingle Bay area. Lots of shops selling woolens and pottery, but since we are traveling light, we have done minimal shopping. Went to Blarney and visited the Blarney castle. We walked up 112 steps to lay down on our back, stick our head out over the castle (very high up) and kiss the Blarney Stone. It is not for the weak of heart, but a unique experience.

August 31. Took off for Kilkenny, Wexford County and Waterford today. Kilkenny is a neat town and we had lunch at a local hotel called Langton's-traditional Irish food served (23.50E for two of us)and it was delicious. Had a vegetable soup. Soups here are pureed, never chunky, but very good. Managed to avoid the Waterford Crystal factory. We decided we don't need any more "heirlooms." The countryside in Wexford County is rolling and hilly. We had some clouds and rain, but it's still beautiful. It rains 265 days of the year in Ireland, so you can't get upset about rain here! It even rains during sunshine, makeing for beatuiful rainbows.

September 1. Drove around the Ring of Kerry, a beautiful drive through lush countryside, mountains, ocean and lake views. Stopped for a seafood lunch at Con's Restaurant. Enjoyed steamed mussels, seafood chowder, and a fish seabake consisting of fresh salmon, and cod. Also, had a wonderful fresh fruit trifle, like a smoothie with cake and whipped cream. All this for $37 Euros ($44). The roads in Ireland are narrow and treacherous and we have been on many of them. The main roads are only comparable to our secondary two-lane roads. Doug is a good driver, but you never know what is around the next bend, a tractor, bicyclist, someone walking. It is not for the faint-of-heart. Also, you drive on the left side so you must always look in both directions when stopping at an intersection. We also drove around the Beara Peninsula, which is gorgeous-rugged and not very populated, better than the Ring of Kerry drive.


September 2. Went looking for an agricultural fair in a small town, Piltown in County Kilkenny. We forgot our maps and it took us 7 1/2 hours to finally find the town, only to find the fair was over. We did find a wonderful restaurant for lunch in O'Brien's Bridge and had traditional Irish food. Doug ordered a bacon and cabbage plate, which consisted of ham steak, 3 ice cream scoops of mashed potatoes, cabbage and carrots. Also, shared home baked apple pie and ice cream. Got to get home and get back to Lean Cuisine meals! We did have an enjoyable ferry ride and drove around County Clare, a beautiful place where there are nice farms and cottages. We have been trying to find traditional Irish music all week and got some leads from a local man. However, only one of his leads finally panned out and we had the best time listening to Irish music, a six peson group, in a small pub in Rathkeale, near our cottage. The place with the music is called Seabhac and is a small wine bar, near the main town. It was filled with the music group and about twenty of us listening to the beautiful music. The first song they sang was "I was born in West Virginia, but North Carolina is my home." They didn't even know we were in the audience! Their music was both Irish and bluegrass. We felt like we were in someone's living room, being entertained as it was small, cozy and intimate. There is now no smoking in Ireland in pubs and restaurants which is very nice. Many other European countries and towns are adopting no smoking laws so you no longer have to put up with second hand smoke.

September 3. We left our thatched roof cottage today and headed for Dublin for the weekend. First, we drove through the Wicklow Mountains on the way to Dublin. It is a beautiful area with rocky, high mountains and much greenery and wildflowers. We crossed Sally Gap, an old military road in Wicklow and saw old monastaries in Glendalough. We had lunch in Hollywood, a small town, at a local pub. Enjoyed pureed vegetable soup and delicious baked Irish soda bread-brown, grainy, dense bread that is so good. Shared a fresh rhubarb cobbler. Upon arrival in Dublin, we got tickets at the Abbey Theatre for a play. We went to see "The Importance of Being Ernest" by Oscar Wilde with an all male cast. They had two cheap tickets at 10E each, front row-a good deal. The play was wonderful and very good acting. Men played female parts-it was very arty! We got reservations at the Westpark Hotel, outside of Dublin in the suburbs for Saturday and Sunday nights since the university housing we stayed at our first weekend in Dublin was full. We got a pretty good deal with a two-room suite costing 70E each night. Got the reservation at www.laterooms.com, a good website for last minute deals. However, we got lost driving back to the hotel after the play and it took us two hours instead of 40 minutes. We saw a lot of the Dublin suburbs!

September 4. We drove south of Dublin to Dun Laghaire and on to Dalkey, which is on the water. It is like the Malibu of Ireland. Many stars and rich people live in or near Dalkey. The houses are nice, but the cars are nicer. Saw lots of Mercedes convertibles and Jaguars and other fancy sports cars. Also, there are lots of sailboats and beautiful walks along the beach. Had lunch at a pub and serving a "Carvery," which is a buffet with several different meats and vegetables. Doug had lamb and I had ham with carrots and turnips, and mashed potatoes (cost was 40 Euros). We usually share a main meal (not in this case since it was buffet-style) both to save money and calories because the portions are so big.

September 5. We flew back to Newark, NJ on Continental Airlines, 767 jet. Good flight, nice seats, sunny day. Nice to get back to the USA and Beulaville. We drove to NC in a rental car from Hertz. Shocked at the gas prices-paid $3.49 per gallon at one station to fill up the rental car on the way home, but also saw prices at $2.99 to $3.29 per gallon along the way. We got lots of news on Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans while in Ireland, both on the radio and TV-such a sad and horrific event. We used two travel books on this trip: "AAA Travel Guide To Ireland" and "Rick Steves Travel Guide To Ireland." Both books were excellent. We checked them out of the NYC library (Doug still keeps a NYC library card from when we lived there). We sent the books back to the library when we returned via two day mail. That was a lot cheaper than buying the books! Overall, this trip to Ireland was the most expensive trip we have ever taken. Ireland is not cheap, with the highest costs being for food and lodging. And, no deals on clothes, jewelry, etc. given the low value of the dollar to the euro. To save on lodging, we recommend staying in a cottage, house or apartment which is centrally located so you can take day trips by car or on foot, and by bus if staying in a big city. This applies to wherever you might travel in the world. The advantages are numerous: opportunity to get familiar with the local area and people; cheaper than hotel or B&B; cooking facilities available, which helps to reduce high restaurant bills; separate sleeping rooms if you and/or your partner snores or watches late TV; often laundry facilities available; don't have to keep moving your luggage around and unpacking and packing; always have a room to come back to-no hassle looking for a place to stay. Only disadvantage is it might result in more driving to see what you want to see.

Cost for the 17 day trip:per day:
Lodging $80
Grocery & Resturants $50
Gas $30
Car Rent $15
Mess $25
Total $200

Additionally, we spent $800 each getting from Beulaville, NC to Dublin, Ireland and back.