CLIFFS OF MOHER

We reached Cliffs of Moher in the morning:

I knew it will be so touristic, and it was !!!!

Huge huge parking just near the cliffs........

At the entrance, a museum touristic center like an airport, 

full of people from all over the world...!!!!

The cliffs of Moher stretch for 8 km and rise 214 m.

They were formed 320 million years ago, by accumulation 

of sediments from the ocean

that gave rise to strata of sandstone schist and limonite.

The cliffs are home to biodiversity: more than 20 species 

of seabirds are living here.

The panorama is impressive, the natural colours, 

turquoise, green, black, plants and stone,

wind and water...

The wind was so strong there but we were equiped!

We walked a bit but we were unable 

to do our planned mini hike: the access points were closed,

probably due to tourist overcrowding...

Look at this crowd;...!!!!!

As usual there was a minivan 

where you could buy coffee, chocolate, ice cream and crêpes...

And then the mist came and settled everywhere.

Magical !

We took the opportunity to have lunch

until the mist cleared again...

and that most of tourists go away...

In the museum center, an immersive 4D video 

(with wind, water splash) transformed us into a

seabird meeting our fellow birds: flying above the cliffs,

observing nests and species, diving under the ocean,

discovering the fauna and flora there

and climbing the cliffs again.

I loved it !!!

But since the Saltee Islands and my sunburn,

one of my ears was more and more infected...

I decided to go to a pharmacy to buy some desinfectant.

But the pharmacist explained that the infection

seemed little severe and referred me to a doctor 2 doors down.

They accepted me quiclky and the doctor was........ french!

even if it was difficult for him to speak suddenly in french.....

After having me examined by his colleague,

they preferred to send me to the emergency in Gallway....

As Yuta says this episode which lasted 4 h 

in the emergency room of this university hospital

showed us the inner workings of Irish society.

The staff was South Asian, the patients from all

walks of life, mixed children and ederly, trauma and

mental health...

As in France, the Irish hospital system is suffocating,

but all the staff remained so patient,

professional and incredibly friendly 

despite their degraded working conditions.

My doctor was a beautiful young lady from Malaisia

she was taking a week vacation the following week in Chamonix.

She really desserved it !!!

She gave me some antiobiotics.

As I was waiting my turn at the hospital

Amané and Yuta went to the city:

they saw a pro Palestinian demonstration.

``and found a strange  (Amané said this) chinese irish restaurant !!

but I know they enjoyed their first pasta 

since one week: a real challenge for both of us.....!!!!!!!!!

 

Dingle Peninsula 2nd, DAY OFF

 

We decided to put a day off during this trip:

one day we don't change B and B...!

And we ere lucky because it was in the best B and B

and because this day, it was raining or really grey !

As in Bretagne, hortensia (and fuschias!!) are everywhere !

Cloudy and rainy on mount Brandon.

Walking to Brandon creek.

St Brendan the navigator is an irish monk from the 6 th century.

According to the medieval tale The Navigation of St Brendan, 

he set out from Brandon Creek with 14 disciples to reach

the promised land of the blessed..

                                            

This voyage lasted 7 years, it's a kind of Celtic Odysseus.

Brendan and his disciples could have reach America 

900 years earlier than Colombus.

                                                

To test this idea, in 1976 TIM Severin built a curragh 

(traditionnal irish wood and leather boat) using ancient techniques).

He also set out from Brandon Creek 

and after several stops reached North America.

This experdition demonstrated that such  voyage was

technically feasible using 6th century techniques and means.

Today, Brendan creek is a small, quiet cove,``

where people come for swimming as we saw this morning...

Going back we met a gardener Tom and talked with him

about Irish society today:

prices are too high, they miss people for some works (as in medicine),

people from south Asia are coming to help, 

his family as many Irish people is all over United States 

but they are coming this summer.

Then because of the rain we decided to reach

 the little village near (Ballyferriter)

in order to visit his museum.

It was a really small  Museam Chora Dhuibhne 

linked to a coffee irish bookshop.

It displays on the geology,

archeology and history of the Dingle peninsula.

A doll made by stone founded in a tomb.

There were some nice explanations about Ogham alphabet

we have seen on stones: it's an ancient celtic alphabet, f

rom the 4th to 7th century. It consists on lines carved along

a vertical line (often the edge of a stone).

Each sign represents a letter (20 main).

It can be called the tree alphabet

because each letter bears the name of a tree or a plant.

Then we had a lunch in this pub (not our picture)

It was funny: the waiter was really young...

Teenagers are often working in Ireland.

And yes,  14-15 years old can do odd jobs as baby sitting, farm work,

helping family, only during holidays with limited hours.

This pub was full of funny sayings.

Then we came back to Dingle, Amané wanted to visit

an cafe liteartha, a bookstore with a coffee place.

Amané said she'll do the same when she will be retired.

The owner was a beautiful old man, wearing irish and casquette suits...

And going back to our B and B with the soup of the day !!!