Friday, November 20, 2015

Ireland: Saturday, October 24th



They call sleeping in “lie-in.”

Tonight is their fall-back night.  We will set our clocks back 1 hour. 

The Monday following their clock-turning-back is always a Bank Holiday.  On this particular bank holiday, they are running a marathon in Dublin so there’s a chance that we (all the people on the tour who are departing on Monday) will have to leave for the airport at 6:45 a.m.  The city closes the streets around the hotel for the marathon.

When we stopped in the town of Donegal for lunch and shopping, our guide directed us to a smallish shop which really didn’t have many gluten-free options aside from some snack bars. Knowing that this sometimes happens, I had resigned myself to consuming multiple packs of the delicious snacks called “Nibbles.”  {I’m hoping I can get these in the States.}  Before purchasing all the Nibbles I would need, we inquired of the clerk about other gluten-free options in town.  She sent us to Toni’s Bistro.  It was a bit of a walk but nothing too serious.

Toni’s was worth the hike!!!  The fish and chips was amazingly fresh!!!  My “fish and chips” was cod, mashed potatoes, steamed carrots, and mushy peas.  The kitchen staff made me a delightful mocha topped with one of those trademark Irish frothed milk designs that I described in my last post. 

After lunch, we walked off what we ate by perusing the cute little shops.  In my attempt to procure a souvenir for my friend Nancy, I found a delightful altered book about friendship, only to flip the book over and read “Made in the USA – Kansas.” 

Tonight we stayed at a 120-year old hotel.  It’s been owned by the same family and passed down through the generations.  We were in Room 101.  The old-fashioned furnishing warmed my heart as did the easy to figure out shower. 

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