May 8, 2013   Day Two...Part Two

This afternoon our event planner, Jerry, is taking us to Clonakilty. 


Touring about this day in Clonakilty, awarded the "Tidiest Town Award" in Cork. All the shops and pub fronts are very picture friendly indeed. It is wonderful how the citizens are so proud of their community and have taken great strides to maintain their towns. You won't see any shopping centers or shopping malls here. You want to purchase meat, well go to the town Butcher. Here's one in Clonakilty...Edward Twomey, Butcher

O'Donovan's Bar where I experienced the best "Irish Coffee" ever. The barkeep actually whipped the cream by hand, in a festive manner, one I certainly could not repeat without whip cream all over the place.  He topped this warm and tasty treat with a whipped cream shamrock. 

The year 2013 Clonakilty celebrated the 400th anniversary of the town charter.  Jerry and Olga were there for the celebration.  A commemoration ceremony took place in O'Donovan's Hotel/Bar.

 


Next stop down the street, Mr. Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe. 

 

 

 

Of course we went in here.  Every Grandma has to come in here so she can tell her Grandchildren about this "candy wonderland" and surely every Granddad has to come in here to purchase himself chocolate and some licorice for Joanie.   You see folks...every day around 3:00 p.m., Wayne has two pieces of Hershey's Milk Chocolate Nuggets.  Well with no Hersheys nuggets here, Cadbury will be the chocolate of choice.  I also purchased some Shamrock lollipops for St. Patty's Day 2014.  The expiration date said 2015 so we'll keep our fingers crossed for freshness.  The grandkids will love them!

 

 

Another reason for our Clonakilty trip today is to purchase a phone.  Wayne thought it best to leave our cell phones home and purchase a phone. Entering the Vodaphone Store, I leave Wayne to make his purchase for I'm helping Jerry enter some numbers on his cell.  No we're not robbing the place...we're just sporting our "Irish Rain Attire."



 

Leaving the phone store, I look up at the sky...it's stopped raining, and while looking up I see a magnificent church steeple across the street.  That's our next stop.

 "Eaglais Chaitliceach" Roman Catholic Church built in 1880.

During the reign of Henry VIII, the Catholic Church, became secondary to the Church of Ireland (Episcopal faith).  This remained the case until the division of Ireland.  When the majority of Ireland became a free republic, the Catholic Church once again, became the heart of the Irish people, and folks could attend "freely" without hiding.  Few Protestant churches function in the Free Republic. (The Protestant Church in Clonakilty now houses the Post Office.)
Today the Church of Ireland services 40 percent of Irish citizens in the Republic and 60 percent of Irish citizens in Northern Ireland.



A beautiful stained-glassed window adorns the high wall, situated over top of the choir loft.

Walking down the street we come across a statute of Michael Collins.  If you've ever seen the movie  Michael Collins, starring Liam Neeson, well in Woodfield, Clonakilty, is where his story began. A true hero of the Irish Republic, Clonakilty is proud to place his statute here and refers to him as the Republic's Founding Father.

Statue of Michael Collins

Add caption

  Olga and Wayne at the Clonakilty 400th Celebration Statute






It's beginning to rain, but before leaving this charming town I've got to check out the General Store.  I promised our dairy friend back home, Patty, to check out the dairy products and prices.  



  Milk and butter, cream, sour cream and yogurts...

 

Cheese...my favorite....So many to choose from!

 

Olga waves to us from across the street as we leave the store...time to make our way back to O'Donovan's Bar.  You see...just as Wayne has a 3:00 internal clock call for chocolate, Jerry's is for Guinness.  Enjoying our stop at the bar, we warm up by the fireplace inside the bar. 

 

Next stop...Timoleague and the Friary.

 

 



We stop at Timoleague on the way home. St. Molaga was said to have brought beekeeping/honey to Ireland. Touring the old Abbey, founded in 1240. Blows my mind that we are seeing sites from the years of 1300 and older.

 

The sign below warns against grave digging.  Honestly...last thing on our mind was digging up a grave from the 1300's.

 Friars remained in the Abbey until the year 1629.

 

English soldier smashed all the stained glass windows in 1612

 

 



A swan graces the waters on one side of the Abbey.

May 8, 2013      Exploring our Clonakilty Beach, Clonakilty, Timoleague Abbey and Courtmacsherry

Part One

 

 

Surprisingly, I wake up by 8:00 a.m. and I'm in awe of the breathtaking site I see from my bedroom window.  Just who gets to wake up and see this every day??  Today and for the next several days, I'm happy to say "that would be me!" 

Off to my right, I can see our dairy neighbor's Fresian herd, also known as Holstein cattle, on top of the hills.  I'm guessing the herd has already been milked and turned back out to pasture to graze.  Notice how the fields are divided.  Each field is sectioned off with a row of stone walls.  From the airplane looking down on the fields, they looked like a "patchwork quilt."

 

Houses are tucked in amongst the green, hilly scenery.  What a view!!

I smell coffee, following the smell leads me downstairs where I find Wayne.  He has finished breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast and coffee.  Yep...not even in Ireland does the man change his breakfast choice.  As I enjoy my coffee, this is my view from the kitchen window. 

Wayne is ready to explore, so off we go.  Our first steps lead us to pass our other neighbors, "The Germans."  They were away on sabbatical so we didn't get to meet them.  Anyways...their home is very neat and tidy, very quaint, and we continue down the path towards the beach.
 

 

 A wire cage encloses rock which is the

retaining wall to shore the earth.  This job looks hand done...lots of work there.  Looking up the hill from our beach view...another view of
"Do No More."

While we are exploring the beach, Jerry is up at "Do No More" taking pics of us.  Sure is a chilly morning this 8th day of May, but the sun is shining.  It is interesting how the outgoing surf, leaves little pools of water with all kinds of unique little sea creatures.    Lots of moss and seaweed cover the rocks.

 

 

Wayne and I attempt

to pry one of the white shells from the

rocks.  I'm thinking they are Irish Clams/Muscles, and they are stuck like glue.

 

Spoke too soon about the sun, it is beginning to rain. One last photo of Wayne,  before heading back up to the house.

 

May 6, 2013, depart Dulles Airport Flight UA126 10:00 p.m.
May 7, 2013, arrive Dublin, Ireland Airport at 10:25 a.m.

Dublin Airport

The flight over was a bit long, but really I was so excited and filled with such anticipation, that, forgive the pun...time flew.  The seats are a little snug, especially when the person in front of you decides to lay their seat back, but hey…we’re on our way to Ireland…it’s all good!  Dinner was served at 10:30 or so,  and breakfast at 7:30 a.m.  I honestly can't remember what we ate, so it must have been edible.  The third person on our row was a young college gal who was travelling with her brother and his friend.  They intend to backpack through Ireland, staying at “Hostels” and what was interesting was they have no reservations anywhere.  They’ll just wing it….she is really delightful and Wayne and I enjoyed our short time spent with her. 

Landing is very smooth and I was surprised how easily we were able to exit the plane. A quick glance around and we make our way through the airport to collect our luggage and then try to figure out where to catch the bus to Cork.  The plan is to meet Jerry and Olga who will be parked at the Quay Car Park across from Bus Eireann Station.   Bus Eireann is the bus we intended to take, but getting a little turned around at the airport, we purchase bus tickets for Air Coach.  This bus will take us in the same general area,  over the river and just about a block away. 
 Wayne finds a phone to contact Jerry of our bus change and...

Speaking of change, we haven't changed our US dollars to Euros yet, so I keep watch over the baggage while Wayne dashes over to the Airport Exchange.  Need some Euros for the bus and the phone. The exchange rate is 1.30 Euro for 1.00 US dollars. He's back fairly quick and good thing because the bus is departing at 10:45 a.m.  Got to hustle now and we make it down the ramp, catch the bus and at 10:49 a.m., we depart the bus station enroute to Cork.  Our bus ticket for the two adult tickets, on the Dublin Airport to Cork Express is 36 Euros.

Shew we...after a long flight didn't think I'd want to sit for a bit, but I'm glad to settle in for a ride…a three hour ride, that's ok though, the seats are quite comfy and we have considerably more leg room than on the plane.  Dublin appears to be a major city, we'll check it out before returning to the US.  Entering the highway, I'd guess it's as big as our interstates.  Once out of the city,  the view of the countryside is beautiful...a hilly little island we have come to.

Air Coach Bus
 

The highway sign says "Cork" so we're here and yep...I see him...out the window I spy Jerry, standing in the rain.  Because of course, we’re in Ireland, and it’s always raining.  

 Next we are greeted by Olga, who welcomes us to Ireland, handing me a bouquet of flowers.  She’s so thoughtful!!  We begin our block and a half walk to the car park, stow our baggage in their car, a cute lil’ buggy they picked up in France.  Off we head to find the Old Oak Pub and…no such luck.

Hey…that’s ok, we duck into the “Guiness Pub” and enjoy a toast of friendship,  as the four of us  begin our awesome adventure in Ireland. 

 As we walk out of the Guiness Pub, Jerry sees the Old Oak Pub, so we take the time to dash in for another “brew” before heading back to the car park.  

 

What a beautiful, rainy drive from Cork to Clonakilty.

Making our way through the small villages, we arrive out in the country, pass a dairy farm (our neighbors) and here we are...our Irish home called "Do No More."  The most beautiful site, a lovely home perched on a cliff overlooking the Celtic Sea, Clonakilty Bay. 

"Do No More" is the name
 on the plaque

 

 

Ready or Not...Ireland, Here We Come!

May 6th...and we're off!

We've prepared as best we can, shopped for comfortable shoes, carry-on bags, backpacks, a Euro compatible blow dryer, etc.  I've packed and repacked my suitcase, weighed my suitcase and great...37.5 lbs., well within the 50 lb. limit.  I also measured my carry-on bag.  Our flight doesn't leave until 10:00 p.m., but we leave the house early enough so we'll be at the airport two hours ahead of flight time.  Heading down the driveway..."passport?  ticket information?  suitcases?"

 

Our son kindly offered to be our chauffeur to the airport, eliminating the cost of parking for three weeks and also the worry about the safety of our vehicle parked at the airport for that length of time.  Arriving at Dulles AP, Andrew drops us off in "Departing Flight Zone."  He helps us with our baggage, hugs goodbye and we're on our own from here.

After grabbing a luggage cart, we head over to United Airline Departures.  Boy am I happy that I made a folder with copies of our reservations and confirmation number, seat assignments, and all pertinent information for the flight.  Check-in was fairly simple, but I felt like a fish-out-of-water since my last flight.  I thought you still just handed all your information to the Steward behind the counter.  Nope...you now interact first, with a "kiosk" to check-in.  Once you've checked in on the kiosk, the Steward, weighs the baggage, verifies your passport, and hands us the boarding pass. 

Next stop, Baggage Security where your baggage goes through the scanning process before loading on the plane. 

Enjoyed the people mover, just step on the moving belt which takes you to the back of the airport. Welcome to TSA Passenger Check-in.  These folks have the process down pat.  I was greeted by a very friendly fellow, who not only checked my carry-on bags, but complimented me on my luggage as well, he also checked my passport and boarding pass, and wished us both a safe and enjoyable vacation. But TSA isn't finished with us yet...

Moving through the TSA area, we have the experience of removing shoes, walking through the security scanner and holding up your arms as "smile" your picture is taken.  Get your shoes back on, grab your baggage, and catch the train to the Departure Gates.  Hold on...it moves on out at a quick pace!

Once we arrive over at the Departure Building, check in at the gate, Wayne's hungry.  Hey we didn't eat dinner and it's 9:00 p.m.  We find a little sandwich shop, and surprisingly enough, it's not too expensive and the subs/sandwiches were really good. Finally 9:30 p.m., and we can board the plane. 

Find your seat, stow your carry-on bag, buckle in...

 

 

Ireland...Here We Come!!

Get Your Ducks In A Row...

One thing I learned from Dad..."get your ducks in a row," and that's exactly what this post is all about.

With our children grown, families of their own, you'd think we would have updated our will since they were younger right...wrong.  So now is the time to get our ducks in a row!

We have used the same attorney for many years to handle real estate settlements.  Previously we discussed with him obtaining a will.  Well...I'm sure he would do a tremendous job in the preparation of our Will and charge five hundred dollars, if not more for this great honor.

Several Will Maker computer packages from your local Staples store, Office Depot, or applications online are available for purchase.  We opted to use the same form I had used several years ago for someone else and thus began the process of preparing a Will for Wayne and myself.  Seems an easy task to undertake, but there really is so much to think about when you are the one deciding how your estate should be handled, and will be relying on a chosen individual to carry out the task.  After researching current Will and Estate laws in Virginia on the internet, our decisions were somewhat clear.

One great suggestion is to keep things simple.  You really can get too wordy and in doing so, open a whole new can of worms.  Be precise and accurate with your bequeaths and inheritances.  If there is something special you want to say to someone, write them a personal note.

In addition to the will itself, we prepared a form which detailed all of our current financial information, with account numbers, contact numbers, loan amounts, payoffs, insurance company accounts with numbers and contacts...well you get the idea.  My suggestion is to make a separate list for: banks, insurance companies, personal accounts, household accounts, etc.  This enables the Executor of your Will to have all the current information available.

Once the Will was completed, Wayne and I went to our bank where the Will was witnessed by two individuals and also stamped and sealed by the Bank Notary.



Now I certainly plan on Wayne and I returning home and if the Good Lord deems it so, live on to see our beautiful Grandchildren grow to become adults.  But just in case...

Baggage Regulations, Packing, Check and Recheck!

Sure has been a while since I've flown, 1979, and boy have things changed.  There are a lot of regulations concerning baggage and the items you can pack, especially in your carry-on bag.

Due to the ever changing security issues in the US and abroad, TSA has enhanced their security in Airports for the safety of passengers and their luggage.  Let's keep in mind and appreciate that what they are asking us to do is really not unreasonable.  Really...well gee all you have to do is:  remove your shoes, walk through the detectors, they pat you down, and next...you hold up your arms in front of the camera and say cheese!  Everyone is rushing through this procedure, so now move quickly to retrieve your carry-on bag, slip your shoes back on, and thank the kind folks for the thrill of the experience.

  Check with your airlines for a copy of the regulations and follow them correctly to save time and inconvenience at the airport.

All passsengers should arrive at the airport one to two hours earlier than their flight is scheduled to depart.  Make sure that all gels, liquids or aerosol items packed in your carry-on luggage are in accordance with TSA requirements.
 

Personal items should be 3.4 ounces or less and placed in a clear plastic zip-top baggie, packed in the top of your carry-on bag.

 

 

Our airline, United Airlines, have their own policies in addition to the TSA requirements.  United permits one carry-on bag plus one personal item carried onto the aircraft.

 

The maximum linear measurement of carry-on bags is 14" X 9" X 22". 

 

All carry-on bags have to be stowed under the seat in front of you or placed in the overhead storage compartment.

Personal items consist of: shoulder bag, backpack, laptop bag. 

Coats, umbrellas, camera, diaper bags are not considered your personal items and may be brought on board.

Included in the price of our ticket, we were allowed to check one large piece of luggage, with the weight not to exceed 50 lbs.  If you exceed the weight limit, be prepared to remove some items, place them in your carry-on bag, or purchase another bag.  Each additional checked bag is an additional fee of $100.00.  Hint here: weigh your bags at home!

Here's a tip:  Verify the current weather and forecasted weather during your stay and pack accordingly.  Remember though, weather, well it's crazy, so pack lightly, but pack so you will be able to dress in layers.  Don't forget to purchase a rain poncho at the Dollar Store and stow in your carry-on bag.


When Are We Going To Go... How Are We Going To Get There??

First we needed to determine just how long were we going to be able to get away for.  One week?  Good grief...if you are going to travel all the way to Ireland and it costs quite a bit to travel there, might as well go for at least two weeks.  Oh heck, we're gonna make it three.  Really...can we get away for three weeks?  Ok ...throw caution to the wind...Absolutely!!!

Our friends, Jerry and Olga, were leaving in April and would be arriving in France before taking a ferry to Ireland.  As much as we would liked to have left with them in April, that just wasn't in the cards for us. Wayne and I had never in our thirty-four years  together had ever taken more than one week of vacation, let alone three.  I felt lucky and blessed for sure to be taking a three week vacation.  A three week vacation to Ireland...Oh Happy Days!! 

We wanted to be able to spend as much time in Ireland as possible, so we decided to fly.  Jerry had arranged a "house trade" with someone who lived in Clonakilty, Ireland.  This would be our "Home Base" for a bit.  Now back in April of 1979, I travelled to England and Germany for work. The weather in April was really quite chilly...actually down right cold so we decided to meet the Hills in May.

In January, I began researching for airflights to Ireland in early May and came up with several options.  The cheaper flights were transfers, once...maybe twice and this would take us 10 to 15 hours to arrive in Dublin. Wayne quickly decided to fly non-stop to Dublin, even if the flight was two hundred dollars more, we'd have a shorter flight, less chance of baggage loss and fewer worries.  Now here's some great advice...plan your trip and book flights early.  Each day the price of the flight increases.  I waited a few days to get my funds together and the flight went up slightly.  Finally...we were booked on United Flight 126 from Dulles Airport, non-stop to Dublin, Ireland, and our return flight booked as well.  Our flight was paid for.   Woo Hoo - this is becoming a reality now.

Money Money Money Money...MONEY!

Travelling abroad was presenting us with some choices regarding money.  The old fashioned way was to obtain traveller's checks.  Today there are several options: Credit Cards with the European chip, Travel Cards which you load a chosen amount of money on with a limited amount of reloads and charges by the bank.

The one we chose was a debit card from our bank.  The pros of this choice were: usage of our debit card at an ATM would be the same as in the US to obtain cash.  Dependent on the country you are in, you would receive cash in the currency of that country.  We could also use the card as a point of sale card. At the time of the sale, you decide if you want the sale to be , for example, Euros or US Dollars.

Another pro was if there were any issues regarding the card, we had a number 24/7 to contact our bank regarding our account.  We also gave the bank our itinerary so they'd have an idea if there were any fraudulent charges against our account.

 The cons were pretty much the same as in the US,  fees would be charged at each ATM for cash.  In addition though, there would also be a conversion rate charged for money i.e., Euros, Pounds, etc.

We figured you have to pay the conversion rate somewhere, so we might as well just go through the bank.

The best advice we can give is "go to your bank and discuss your travel plans with them.  They are prepared to advise you which choice will meet your needs best."

First We've Got To Get A Passport!

Every U.S. Citizen desiring to travel to another country, including infants, need a passport.  Hoping to make this process easier for you, listed below are some suggestions for you. One important thing to keep in mind is "start early."  Give yourself enough time to collect all personal information.  Don't wait until the last minute or you might be delaying your trip.

Listed below is a lot of information, but hopefully helpful.

Fill out Form DS-11, Application for a U.S. Passport .  Both the paper and the electronic forms are located on the Department’s website at http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds11/ds11_842.html.

Next you'll need to locate appropriate evidence of your U.S. citizenship. Evidence of U.S. citizenship accepted by the Department includes:

• A previously issued U.S. Passport. Previously issued U.S. Passports presented as evidence of citizenship must be undamaged and legible.  If you submit a passport, you won't need to send your birth certificate.

• A certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state. A certified birth certificate has a registrar's seal and signature, and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar's office. This date must have been within 1 year of your birth. After March 31, 2011, all birth certificates must also include the full names of the Applicant's parents.
• Valid Driver's License. The driver’s license must have been issued by a U.S. state. Make a legible copy.
• Current Government identification card. Accepted government ID includes any identification card issued by a city, state, or federal government.
• Current Military identification card. Accepted military ID includes both military and dependent identification cards issued by the U.S. military.

Make a copy of your ID. The copy must include both the front and the back of the document, be on plain white 8 ½” by 11 ½” paper, and contain images only on one side of the page.

Obtain a passport photograph. Your photograph must meet very strict requirements, which can be found on the Department’s website at http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/pptphotoreq/pptphotoreq_5333.html. You may take the photograph yourself or use a professional passport photograph service such as:

• CVS. CVS offers passport photography services for under $10 at 1000’s of locations. Photographs adhere to the Department’s standards for passport photos.
• Walgreens. Walgreens offers passport photo services for just under $10 at most Walgreen stores.
• Post offices. Most post offices offer photography for passports and the charge is generally nominal. Visit your local post office, if you know when you are going to travel, then tell them the dates to hold your mail.
• Local photography studios. Many local photography studios offer passport and other government ID photo services at very reasonable prices. Check your phone book for studios near you offering passport photography services.

Submit your completed Form DS-11, citizenship documentation, present identification, copy of your ID, and passport photo to the Department in person. You may submit this information to either an Acceptance Facility or a Passport Agency or Center.

 

Accomplishing the above tasks were not too difficult.  Once we had our application forms filled out for the passport, we contacted the Vital Records Department for Washington D.C., as this was where Wayne and I were both born.   We filled out the application online for Birth Certificates, obtained the required personal information, made copies of our driver's licenses and paid the fee online. The certificates were mailed to us within two weeks.

Next, we contacted our local Post Office and set up an appointment to come in and file our applications.  Don't forget to take the required copies of personal information. I had a previous, though expired passport and that was acceptable in lieu of my birth certificate.  The fee to the Post Office was $25.00 per application for their handling fees which we paid with our check card. A fee of  $110.00 to the State Department for each passport application.The State Department only accepts personal checks or money orders. 

We also had our passport photo taken at our local Rite Aid store for $10.00 per person. Be prepared your photo might turn out looking like a convict photo...just kidding, but it won't be your most flattering photo.

We received our passports within two weeks.

 

Our trip of a lifetime...

                                     

 Friends....true friends are folks you don't have to see every day, every week, every month...well you get the idea. Last summer our long time friends Jerry and Olga visited us. Jerry was discussing his bucket list and mentioned he was going to Ireland next spring. Course I said I'd love to go and Wayne said..."well let's go!" Really?? He was for real and so thanks to these wonderful folks including us on their adventure, we'll be tagging along, making memories.  

How exciting is it...a once in a lifetime trip and Wayne and I are off to explore Ireland.

First though,  preparation steps.  Paperwork, passports, it's a lot.  I'm going to share our steps along this journey...from beginning to end.  I hope this information will be informative for those planning a trip abroad and also fun to share our experiences along the way. 

 So come on...travel along with us.            I'm sooooo excited!!!