Monday, April 18, 2005

Adare, Conair Pass & Dingle Town 10/19/04

Day 5

I have never taken an overseas trip without turning my life and my will over to either a parent, a travel agent or someone’s well-traveled secretary. This trip was a confidence booster in a variety of ways. Both Steve and I read various guidebooks, asked globe-trotting friends and family for their suggestions, sought council from AAA, scoured the internet and then began to trust our experiences and instincts. Our decision to trade warm weather and crowds at the tourist sights for an unpredictable climate, a few closed shops but relatively sparse crowds at all the attractions we visited was a wise one.

Fancying ourselves as quite the seasoned travelers, our stop in Adare was rather spontaneous. Stopping in Adare was on our rather loosey-goosey agenda but we didn’t have reservations ahead of time so that constitutes spontaneous in my book. Thumbing through our Irish Farmhouse book, we came upon Laccabawn B & B, a beef and barley (cereal) farm set on 100 acres of prime Irish land. Our proprietress Hazel Fitzgerald was a gracious if rather serious hostess. Her home was impeccably decorated, and the dining area and salon had a calming ambiance. This was our favorite accommodation so far.

Another crystal clear blue sky greeted us and we couldn’t depart without a photo with the infamous Laccabawn cows and a glimpse of a thatched stone cottage. Adare is the quaintest village and I wondered if Snow White with Sleepy or Sneezy would meander out to sign autographs anytime soon. Guess I had Disneyland on the brain yet again… The world is our oyster and Hazel suggested a drive through the Conair Pass as our pearl. We had not read about this gem of a drive in any of our guidebooks but she insisted it was the grandest way to experience the spectacular views into Dingle Harbor. Tralee Bay at the base of the pass boasted crisp white waves. On up the road we did pass several vehicles sporting surfboards on their roofs.

Burly workers with their bulldozers and dump trucks grinned (or was it smirked) as our little putt putt of a car chugged up the steep and rocky narrow asphalt hill. It appeared that work was being done to widen the road, a wise idea since it was barely passable for one car let alone two.

The higher we climbed the more spectacular the view became. This time we encountered “blue” sheep peacefully gnawing on the fresh mountain grass, oblivious to our photography or my exuberance upon seeing yet another flock of sheep. Oh, I just wanted to squeeze them all. Major squish factor as my kids would say. Steve found a fast moving waterfall for his photo op and I posed for my “top of the world” shot made famous on our trip to Orcas Island last summer. Panoramic views stir something deep within me that make me want to shout from the rooftops.



Conair Pass really was exquisite. It had a Kauai feel to it though on a grander, colder scale. Snowy mountain peaks and ocean views, lakes and meadows, sheep nesting in the boggy marshland and craggy rocks, salty fresh air swirling in the windy chill sums up the sort of terrain we braved, so grateful to have been led to such a place. A German couple shivering a bit in their boots was kind enough to snap one more digital at the peak of the pass minutes before we headed down to Dingle Harbor.

Once in the town we parked and wandered up the main street toward the Tourist Information (TI) building. Many of the cities and towns have TI’s that serve as a way station for out-of-towners providing maps, postcards and souvenirs for sale as well as knowledgeable people to help the tourists get acclimated. We made a quick stop at the grocery store to load up on lunch supplies before heading to the linens store to ooh and ahh at the delicate lacy napkins and hand- sewn table runners. I couldn’t resist and made a few purchases for family members back home.

Another rainbow gently graced the sky as we drove to our next night’s home away from home. Passing a large recycling center in the middle of town, I was once more awed by Ireland’s attention to detail when it comes to ecological concerns. Rows of bins for cans and glass items lined the parking lot beckoning townspeople to recycle those Guinness bottles and cans!

Cill Bbreac B & B set on the beaten track with a lovely waterfront view to the west and the back of Conair Pass to the rear. Our seafood dinner at Fenton’s was expensive though quite tasty. We were eager to experience some traditional Irish dancing and music after our meal but we petered out before the 9:30 show at the local pub. It had been a long day of driving, the temperature dropped considerably so we opted for our cozy, toasty warm bed instead.

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