England / Ireland trip

Had a great trip to Ireland and London. Spent a few days in Dublin, then rented a car to drive to the south west (counties Kerry and Cork). Then to London for a few days before returning home.

Some things we learned:
- the weather in Ireland is awesome, even though everyone says that what we experienced was not normal. I think they are lying in the hopes that we don't all move there.
- weather in London sucks.
- best not to try to pronounce anything written in Gaelic. For example, something spelled as "Laoghaire" is pronounced "Leery"
- street signs must have been invented in America, as they aren't used in either Ireland or England.
- driving on the left isn't as hard as it looks, though shifting with the left hand felt weird. Only made a full lap around 1 roundabout when I couldn't get to the right exit.
- Irish dog owners are worse than Americans when it comes to cleaning up after their pets.
- Brits are much like the Japanese - public drunkenness on the subway in the evenings is normal.
- celebrities in Ireland can walk around with common folks without worries of being hassled. They may even plop down at the table next to you at a restaurant. Someone like, say, Bono. Without any entourage. Nor sunglasses or hat or anything to try to hide their identity.
- potatoes are served at ever meal in Ireland (except breakfast, which is all meat).
- Ireland would be a great country to kayak in.
- Irish roads are narrower than American driveways.
- the Irish like to take a 28 ounce steel ball and throw it down a road (yes, these same narrow roads, and one that still has traffic on it), then chase after it. 2 people throw the balls, 2 people place clumps of grass for the guy to aim at, and few dozen people bet on it. The betters stand down where the ball is going so they can better see how far it goes, along with test their dodging skills. They call this bowling.
- Heathrow has this way of trapping you there - not very efficient to get through. But it traps everyone, so increases the chances of bumping into someone you know while there.

Some pictures below.

There are stone circles all over Irelend.


This castle has marks from cannonballs


Good scenery


The Irish exercise their racehorses by dragging them behind powerboats


British fort


Sign to remind the tourists


More good scenery


What, no bowling alleys?


Jim Kennedy of Atlantic Sea Kayaking


House guest at a B&B in Skibberreen.


Rock of Cashell


View through an ancient island home for monks towards another island.


Puffins are cute


Short video clip of another cute puffin


Not the place to be driving an RV


Lots of these all over Ireland


Christine and Sylvia at a British Pub.