Postcard

Greetings from the road!

Let me begin this post by saying that Dwight D. Eisenhower doesn't get the credit he deserves. One does not appreciate a nice system of national roads until one ends up on a *very* narrow stretch for several miles behind one of these:

Let's just say that it's rather slow going...

Anyway, I write this evening from the village of Kenmare just inside the border of County Kerry. You see, E. and I set off Saturday afternoon on a semi-spontaneous road trip with our hearts set on the Ring of Kerry, one of the most picturesque roadways in Ireland. Our journey began with a tour of breathtaking West Cork and an overnight stay in the Atlanta House B&B in Bantry (which had the *best* scones I've ever tasted).


Today, we spent most of the day on the road, but made a few pit stops at Ghuagan Barra, Garnish Island, and Allihies. Ghuagan Barra, an enormous national park, boasts impressive views of Arthurian lakes, old chapels, and truly gorgeous mountainous terrain.

Seriously, I'm practically shaking hands with the Lady of the Lake here, people. Photos do not do the absolute vastness of this place justice. I am tiny. Nature is huge.

Garnish, a tiny garden island, lies not far from Ghuagan Barra in West Cork. The island is mainly known for its beautiful gardens and the striking Grecian architecture of its buildings. I, however, found the colonies of seals much more entertaining!

Unfortunately, it was on the lovely island of Garnish that my stupid knee decided to give out when I slipped on the damp roots of an ancient tree. My knee swelled up pretty rapidly, and--for a few minutes--I wasn't sure I could walk. So, I had to sit tight on the ground while E. ran to get help. I suppose if my knee had to collapse on me, at least I went down in a beautiful location. My surroundings were so pretty that I barely noticed the crowds of German tourists pointing at the fallen American girl and shouting, "Are you alright!?"

E. came back with two island staff guys who were kind enough to help me back on the ferry to the mainland. Once we hit the shore, E. and I shuffled to a local pub for some lunch and an icepack. After a warm bowl of soup, some Tylenol, and twenty minutes of ice, my knee was tender but fine enough to walk.

We spent the rest of the afternoon careening around tiny coastal roads, and made a brief pitstop in Allihies, a secluded beach town just at the tip of a peninsula. Mostly, we stopped to have a look at the beach. But, we stayed to play fetch with these two:

They brought us rocks. We threw them onto the beach. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Our trip is off to a pretty good start. So far, I've learned three things: Ireland is still beautiful. Seals are still awesome. Knees are still hurt when they pop out of socket.

I'll catch you on the other side of the Ring of Kerry.