Day 2 - Ring of Kerry

    We started day 2 with a traditional Irish Breakfast, 3 sausages, 2 rashers of bacon 2 eggs, half tomato, brown bread, white toast & coffee. With the rumors of lousy coffee over here we brought our own fixings. After sneaking a cup in our room we went out to find very nice french press pot full of coffee. Good stuff. After breakfast I posted day 1 to the Blog. We were picked up @ 10:00 by the O' Connor Auto Tours bus and brought to their offices where we were joined by the rest of the bus load (~30 people) We secured good window seats and off we went. John, the driver/tour guide,  lead a lively tour with colorful commentary.
    First stop was the Red Fox Inn and the Famine or Kerry Bog Village, 5 Euros each to get in, look through 6 old thatched buildings with mannequins inside, piles of peat next to them and a smoky peat fire in a few. I thought they were smoking salmon. We stopped in to take advantage of out 50 cent discount for a 5.50 Euro Irish coffee.

Bog or Famine Village

YouTube link of Accordian player at bottom of post.  

After a very short stop to take pictures of the donkeys with the little dogs on their backs it was off to see a truly amazing demonstration by the shepherd and his sheep dogs. He had just about every kind of sheep in creation, including a 4 horned one called the Jacob sheep. Really an amazing demonstration and well worth the 5 Euro entry fee.

Jacobe Goat  

Video of dogs on donkeys at bottom

On to Waterville where we stopped for lunch. John warned us to go have lunch first and after lunch go take the pictures of the water as there was a bus load of 60 Germans right behind us. This town has a statue of Charlie Chaplin as he was a long term visitor late in his life.

    After lunch it was to the top of the mountain for a spectacular view of the Atlantic & western most point in Europe. Down the mountain on the other side to Sneem for some shopping. After this it was a long ride on very winding & narrow roads with a coupe of stops for photos.

    After John dropped us at Larkfield House it was time to type some of this and take a short nap. Got up @ 21:30 just as the Ireland vs. Cyprus soccer match was starting. Left for downtown & supper as Ireland led by 1 point 20 minutes into the game. After parking we wandered the streets a bit looking at all the menus. "Too expensive", "too bland", " too noisy", "No ones' eating, just drinking, must not be very good". Finally found a menu on the edge of an alley. "Stonechat", 8 Flemming Lane, High St, Killarney, Co. Kerry.. VERY nice. Chris had Salmon, Mom had a smoked Salmon salad, I had Chicken parma ham. Everything was excellent, with large portions and great vegetables.
    Back to the B&B stopping for some Soymilk for mom on the way. To bed earlyish after finishing this and some iPhoto work. Early start tomorrow after mass to Blarney, Cork & points south.
          Well, posting this at the start of day 3, with an earlyish start, off to 9:30 Mass before heading south. 1 YouTube video in the process of uploading, taking a long time so they may not be a plrntifull as I would like. I will need to go back tomorrow and link it here.