Brunei, Ireland and England

May - July 2015

Fly Royal Brunei Airlines to Ireland with a three day stopover in Brunei. Two weeks touring Ireland and then two weeks touring England. Read more

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Janette and John Brunei, Ireland and England
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- Jun 4, 2015
- ⛅ 13 °C
- Altitude: 27 m
- Northern Ireland Belfast Queens Island River Lagan 54.608021, -5.91008354°36’29” N 5°54’36” W
Day 8
The Titanic.
June 4, 2015 in Northern Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
The Titanic exhibition was highly recommended by one of Hugo's teachers. We spent a couple of hours there. It was really well done.
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Janette and John Brunei, Ireland and England
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- Jun 5, 2015, 12:23pm
- ⛅ 13 °C
- Altitude: 7 m
- Ireland Connaught County Sligo Easky Easky River 54.291927, -8.95733854°17’31” N 8°57’26” W
Day 9
Belleek Pottery, Bangor, Spiddal.
June 5, 2015 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
Sensational breakfast including potato cake with the Irish b/f and apricots with yoghurt and cinnamon. Farm stay real quality but also friendly. Set in large picturesque valley. We discussed the pending end of farming subsidies. It's a worry for them and they wonder if they'll be able to keep milking without subsidies.
Visited Belleek Pottery and did the interesting tour.
Longish journey so stopped for lunch at Bangor. Extremely cold and windy but reconstituted veg. soup and tea helped. Drove through peat areas - high altitude so very bleak. Rivers gorgeous - salmon fishing area.
Arrived in Spiddal to even more severe weather. A main reason for staying here is that it's close to the ferry terminal, for crossing to the Aran Islands. The Aran Islands are famous for their knitted sweaters. The main industry for the Aran Islands was always fishing. Sheep were kept for food and wool. The heavy, cable knit sweaters were knitted for the fishermen and each had a personal pattern. It is said that, in the unfortunate occurrence of a shipwreck, a fisherman could be identified by his sweater.
Geraldine is a friendly and helpful host. She offered to book the ferry for us for the next morning. The weather was so bad and the seas so high that it was doubtful the ferry would be running. If it was to run, chances are it will be very rough. The ferry runs from Rosaveel. We drove there just to have a look.
We decided not to go - a real disappointment as there were some things on our list of things to do or see. After Dublin and the Titanic Exhibition, this was number three.
Dinner at Tigh Giblin - fish stir fry as we are in a fishing area.Read more
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Janette and John Brunei, Ireland and England
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- Jun 6, 2015, 11:12am
- 10 °C
- Altitude: 10 m
- Ireland Connaught Galway Saliahoona Saliahoona Point 53.244438, -9.3300853°14’40” N 9°19’48” W
Day 10
Spiddal - Saturday 6th June.
June 6, 2015 in Ireland ⋅ 10 °C
Basic facilities but great breakfast and Geraldine is a very helpful host. Weather still cold and windy so glad not taking the ferry - looks really rough.
Took two bags of washing to get done. The man in the laundry was very interested in where we'd been and where we were headed. He asked if we'd seen Ashford Castle and the Cliffs of Moher. He said, “if you see nothing else you've got to see those two, and if you're not back by 5.00pm you'll have to wait till Monday to pick up this laundry.”
We drove into Galway to the area around the River Corrib and The Claddagh.
Then off on a drive through the Connemara to Clifden. The Connemara is home to the famous Connemara Ponies, a native Irish pony. You'd have to be extremely lucky to see any - we didn't see any. Clifden is a large village catering to tourists and fishermen.
Drove coastal route back and a new, spectacular view appeared around every corner.
Dinner at Donnelly's on the recommendation of Gerardine was amazing - scallops on a light mash on a great black pudding. John had seafood in a crepe.Read more
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Janette and John Brunei, Ireland and England
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- Jun 6, 2015, 2:13pm
- 12 °C
- Altitude: 28 m
- Ireland Connaught Galway Kilkieran 53.322492, -9.73726753°19’21” N 9°44’14” W
Day 10
The Wild Atlantic Way.
June 6, 2015 in Ireland ⋅ 12 °C
The Wild Atlantic Way is the longest designated coastal route in the world. It runs the entire length of Ireland's west coast.
It is 2,500 kms long.
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Janette and John Brunei, Ireland and England
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- Jun 7, 2015
- 13 °C
- Altitude: 9 m
- Ireland Connaught County Mayo Cong 53.535442, -9.28221253°32’8” N 9°16’56” W
Day 11
Ashford Castle.
June 7, 2015 in Ireland ⋅ 13 °C
Full breakfast then off to Ashford Castle (once the home of Arthur Guinness) which came recommended by the man at the laundry. It was sensational with an amazing setting on the lough. The castle has been renovated to a high standard and is now a five star hotel. The gardens are very beautiful and well set out. We had a good wander around.
Had a cuppa at the tea rooms and bought John some Guiness socks and an apron for me.Read more
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Janette and John Brunei, Ireland and England
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- Jun 7, 2015
- 12 °C
- Altitude: 10 m
- Ireland Connaught Galway Lynch's Castle 53.273434, -9.05171153°16’24” N 9°3’6” W
Day 11
Galway.
June 7, 2015 in Ireland ⋅ 12 °C
Headed back to Galway and found the old town with a myriad of laneways and shops and sensational buskers. It was really busy and had a really nice vibe.
Another 'to do' on our list was to look at the Claddagh rings. Traditionally they are a sort of friendship ring, but they also indicate a persons 'availability'. They have a crown protruding on one side of the band. If it is worn with the crown facing up (towards the one's heart) then the person is spoken for. If worn with the crown facing down, then that person is single.
The design on the band is two hands holding a heart and can be bought as wedding rings - no protruding crown. We stopped at the Claddagh jeweller and ordered lovely new wedding rings in the Claddagh style.
Had lunch then off to Doolin.Read more
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Janette and John Brunei, Ireland and England
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- Jun 7, 2015
- ⛅ 12 °C
- Altitude: 25 m
- Ireland Munster Co Clare Fisherstreet Aille River 53.019683, -9.37904253°1’11” N 9°22’45” W
Day 11
Doolin, Cliffs of Moher, music.
June 7, 2015 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
Checked into our B & B then off to cliffs of Moher. These were amazing and the visitor centre well done with simulated flights over the cliffs and lots of local information on the history and wildlife.
The name Devitt comes from County Clare.
Dinner and Irish music at Fitzy's. Two different Irish bands played - great. The bands rotate around the pubs during the night so we get to stay in one place and they come to us.Read more
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Janette and John Brunei, Ireland and England
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- Jun 8, 2015
- ⛅ 13 °C
- Altitude: Sea level
- Ireland Munster Co Kerry Tarbert Tarbert Island 52.600395, -9.37120852°36’1” N 9°22’16” W
Day 12
Doolin to Adare (with Galway).
June 8, 2015 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
Had breakfast with a great view of Doolin. The rooms of the B&B were named after writers. Our room was the James Joyce room. Across the hall was the George Bernard Shaw room. On the wall in our room was a famous James Joyce quote:-
I am tomorrow, or some future day, what I establish today.
I am today what I established yesterday or some previous day.
Headed for Adare via Kilrush and Tarbert. We crossed the River Shannon by ferry from Killimer to Tarbert.
Checked into our farm stay - Graigue Cottage - a beautiful old cottage on a dairy farm.
We then had to drive back to Galway to pick up our new wedding rings.
When planning this holiday, and while we are travelling, we used a book, Back Roads Ireland, as a reference. Our daughter, Candice, bought it for us as a way to encourage us to visit Ireland. On the page on Adare, there is a picture of the Blue Door Restaurant. We found it and went there for dinner. Lovely food, just one small issue and, as we're in County Limerick, I penned this:-
When I can't get a Guinness, I'll always have a beer.
But, in Ireland, there's surely no such fear.
In a restaurant last night
I got one hell of a fright.
The waiter said, “WE DON'T HAVE GUINNESS HERE!”Read more
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Janette and John Brunei, Ireland and England
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- Jun 9, 2015, 9:05am
- ☀️ 11 °C
- Altitude: 22 m
- Ireland Munster County Limerick Adare 52.548042, -8.7930852°32’53” N 8°47’35” W
Day 13
Adare.
June 9, 2015 in Ireland ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C
Slow start but because breakfast was not provided we were away at 9.00am after checking the milking in an 8 a side dairy. We again discussed the future with the ending of farm subsidies. What a different response! This time it was all very positive- they see it as an opportunity. They are already looking at leasing land from the neighbour, buying more cows and their son is coming into the business. The first dairy farm we stayed on is in Northern Ireland (UK) and this one is in the republic (Europe).
Walked the Adare river walk, window shopped, checked out the Blackabbey Friary which was founded in 1316. Had a coffee in Adare before driving to Dingle. Had lunch on the way in Tralee in a lovely coffee shop cum restaurant.
Spectacular scenery - vast valleys and coastal views. Stopped at a medieval collection of houses, farm buildings, and bee hive huts. After driving the loop we had apple pie and a cuppa in Dingle before driving back to Adare for pub meal at Aunty Lena's - bacon & cabbage in white sauce (nearest to corned beef & mustard sauce).
Back to Adare farm cottage to do the washing etc. before heading off to Cork tomorrow.Read more
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Janette and John Brunei, Ireland and England
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- Jun 9, 2015
- 15 °C
- Altitude: 54 m
- Ireland Munster Co Kerry Kilvickadownig 52.105015, -10.41007852°6’18” N 10°24’36” W
Day 13
Dingle Peninsula.
June 9, 2015 in Ireland ⋅ 15 °C
The Dingle Peninsula is a 'should do' drive. There are amazing coastal views, beehive huts, pre famine workers cottages and Dingle town.
This peninsula is Ireland's most westerly point. The next land to the west is America.
An old man in Ventry was once asked if he'd lived here all his life. His answer - “not yet”.Read more
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