Day 4
This morning's breakfast at the Friar's Lodge was excellent. I had scrambled eggs with Irish smoked salmon. I just can't seem to get enough of the salmon! Breakfast is a great opportunity to sit with some of the tour members you don't know and learn a little about them. Rick Steves' tours seem to attract similar fun-loving, easy going people but there is still an amazing diversity in the group.
After breakfast the group met up with Don Herlihy, our local guide for a walking tour of Kinsale. I went on my own walking tour to find the pharmacy in town, to get some help with my "digestive distress". Pharmacies in Europe seem to be much more empowered than those in the U.S. I know from experience that pharmacies in Italy are able to dispense antibiotics without the need to see a doctor and get a prescription. As far as I'm concerned that's great news for the European traveler.
Don Herlihy
Robin returned with the group and filled me in on what I missed. Apparently, Don is a very funny fellow and his humor and local knowledge made the tour lots of fun.
After leaving Don, the group met up with Sir James and his coach and headed to Charles Fort. Charles Fort is a star shaped fort built in the late 17th century and is Kinsale's most well known attraction. Much of the original construction still remains. Charles Fort is an imposing structure with two bastions (star points) facing the harbor right at it's mouth. Directly across the mouth of the harbor is James Fort, which was built earlier in the 17th century.
Wind at Charles Fort
After the tour of the fortress, the group split into two segments. One group opted to return on the bus while the other decided to walk back, under the expert trailblazing of Pat O., our guide. In addition to some exercise, the group learned a new Irish phrase, Bóthar Dúnta - Road Closed.
In the afternoon I headed out on my own walking tour of Kinsale to shoot some photos. It was fun exploring a little town (make no mistake, Kinsale is TINY) which I knew nothing about. During my wanderings I found an old Norman church, St. Multose, built in 1190. The little, overgrown cemetery on the premises gave me lots of photo opportunities and I got a look at my first Celtic crosses.
Land without rent to you
A child every year to you
And death in Old Ireland
Our First Irish Lesson
Dinner this evening is a group dinner at "Fishy Fishy Cafe".......funny name but serious seafood. Luckily, our group has the entire upper floor of the restaurant because it's readily apparent this is a very popular place in the perfect location at the edge of the harbor.
Robin and I took the opportunity to sit at a table with tour members we didn't know yet. Our table included Pat O., our guide; Sir James, our coach driver (you realize of course he's not really a knight.....that's just what I've taken to calling him) and Pat and Bonnie C. Pat C. is easily one of the funniest guys I've ever met and I had the good fortune to sit next to him. It wasn't long before he and I were laughing so loud tour members at the other end of restaurant are looking over, trying to figure out what's going on.
Dinner at the Fishy Fishy Cafe
Robin was in heaven because haddock, her fish of choice, was on the menu. We don't see it very often on the Left Coast and she orders it whenever the opportunity arises. I had the signature "Fishy Fishy Pie" which was outstanding. I noticed that this dish was very popular with the tour members.
After dinner, in an effort to walk off our scrumptious seafood, some of us opt to join the "Kinsale Ghost Tour". This turns out to be a hysterical way to learn a little of Kinsale's history. Brian O'Neill and David Peare, two locals, dress up in period costumes and walk us from place to place. We quickly figure out that while one of them is regaling us with funny stories about our current location, the other quickly dashes to our next stop, puts on a funny costume and hides, waiting for the opportune moment to make his appearance known.
Al as a historical Kinsale redhead
We were still getting to know each other and we learned something important about Al......he was pretty much game for anything. Al was recruited to play a historical red haired maiden, complete with wig (I forget who.....I was laughing so hard I failed to write down her name). This tour was a fun cap to the evening and I highly recommend it.
