This was our favorite day!! A short bus drive to Ashford Castle! WOW! It was so beautiful. It is an active hotel, so we didn't have time to explore inside, but the grounds were gorgeous! Our favorite activity: the Falcons! Everyone was given the opportunity to actually "hold" this magnificent bird of prey and have it fly away & come back to you! OMG! What an experience!!
Another example of our guide, Cathie, being inventive was today. She had our bus pull over where there was a known "bog". Thru the trip we had talked about bogs and the "peat" that was made from them to heat homes. We knew it was not something you want to walk on unless you are sure of the amount of water underneath! She had us line up in parallel lines (see photo). All at once one side JUMPED. OMGosh, the earth moved A LOT!! Then the next side jumped. What an amazing demo of the sogginess of the bog!!
This memorial hit home for me. My 3rd great-grandparents died enroute to the US. Very emotional day. The "sails" were skeletons. Sad.
We ended in Westport for one short night. But watched the Co. Mayo/Dublin soccer match. Unfortunately, Co. Mayo (where we were) lost...... Walked 4.2 today.
Sep. 17