I haven't been able to post yet, which I regret greatly. In our short time here, I have already experienced so much that it will take me a long time to process it all.
One thing is clear, however: I have discovered that I love the country of Ireland. I want to travel back there some day and spend the entire vacation just in Ireland. I'm happy with the way we're doing it now, jumping around the British Isles, but I want to focus just on that country next time. It is beautiful, and there is so much history there.
I will upload some pictures below, but for now I must summarize.
We spent two intense (and VERY rainy - apparently the right time to come here is actually May) days in Dublin. We visited the Temple Bar cultural district, as well as a number of historical sites around the city (such as Kilmainham Gaol, pronounced "jail").
On Monday, 8/19, we took a ferry from Dublin to north Wales. We then took a train to the village of Conwy (which reminds me in many ways of Ashland - small, colorful, interesting... though Conwy is by the sea!). The main attraction is a fortress castle, built in the 13th century so England could better dominate Wales. After visiting the castle, we went to a nearby store. This place actually had a number of real swords that were used in major films, such as Gandalf's and the Witch King's swords from Lord of the Rings, as well as the sword which made the cast for the rubber swords used by all the Spartans in "300". Also, they had an incredible family history area, including a computer that gave amazing details about various family histories. I learned a lot about the Kelley history, which further solidified my desire to return to Ireland.
Right now we're in Keswick, another Ashland-like village, this time in the Lake District of England. The terrain here is BEAUTIFUL - there are steep hillsides that swoop down into many lakes and rivers that run through here. Also, as a result of all this water, this is some of the greenest country I've ever seen - more so than the Willamette Valley.
Anyhow, I have to run. I will try to upload some pictures....
--Ben
- The sword from 300
- Me on the Irish coast
- The Conwy Castle
- Rachel, Nick, John on one of the Conwy Castle towers
- John, Rachel, Nick at the Guiness factory in Dublin
- The river in Dublin
The Jail
3 comments:
that is so cool that you are doing this trip... glad I talked you into it : )
Thanks for the update, Ben. Love how you tell stories, and the pic of the "300" sword.
Yehr Mohm
Heh. 300 sword. So awesome. You should have bought it.
Cuz it would be cool to have a sword. But the pic is super sweet anyway...minus the focus...doncha hate that!? Don't worry, its still a problem for me now, even L and a 3" freakn screen can't seem to get me to get what I want in focus all the time. Gah.
But. Awesome. Just awesome. I wish I could have held it. The face was particularly good.
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