Shannon airport day

IX Blog Toto Travels
19 May
The Mikes arrive! 


Good morning, County Clare. Joan fixes a great breakfast. It is definitely the thing to do in the British Isles, reportedly from the custom of a full day in the fields or at work with a wee bit o cheese n bread or something similar midday - so it is the "Full Irish" or "Full Scottish" or "Full English" depending on your location.  We opted for porridge, breads and fruit. Coffee for me and tea for Karen, although I have been drinking my fair share of tea. My Granny Davidson taught me the proper way to have English Tea - in retrospect, I am not sure how she learned the "proper way" - she was 3 when she became an orphan of Scot-Irish parents, so I suspect it was from her adopted mother, Ida Moore. 

Lakeside County Home has an absolutely wonderful setting. It sits back from R473 a bit down a short curvy lane. The spectacular part is the lovely bay window sitting area that overlooks a small lough (Killone Lough) and the ruins of Killone Abbey amidst gentle hills covered with lush vegetation. It is framed as you look through a large bay window by a lovely garden. Can you tell I am enchanted with the place since I described it in the last post as well! 
Joan is a woman of few words., but well- chosen ones. Her weather forecasts were concise with a qualifier. "It's promised to be clear this afternoon....maybe."  or
"Clear this morning, maybe."
She recommended a trip to Quin Abbey ruins for a quick stop before we pick up my Mike around 11:00.  Setting off to Quin through Ennis was easy down the typical narrow rural roads. We could see the ruins and turned too early, but got some nice photos. A stop at the chemist - I needed the toilet, of course - was helpful info as well. She told me how to get to the abbey ruins and I picked up a couple of items I needed.
Another cold, blustery day with intermittent showers at church ruins, brrr.  The man at the little office was very nice and helpful with info about the ruins as well as info about what to see around the Burren.  We were both fascinated with the full grassy area on the second level of the ruins and it was fun to tromp around up and down the stone stairs even if it was a freezing cold wind through the ruins.
We tarried a bit too long, had to skip the abbey ruins, and made a dash back to the car as it was starting to rain. Karen was hurrying and ran up to a silver car (there are loads of silver cars here), yanked open the door and scared the living daylights out of the woman in the driver seat and Karen herself as well. When I turned to see what her squeal was about, I doubled over laughing.

Karen has been so great about my driving. I had quite a lot of trouble hugging the left shoulder at first and it is still something I have to take care.  Her gasp is usually the signal to check my location in the lane. A couple of bumps over a curb and a few brief wanders off the shoulder, but so far no damage to car or body.   Karen has been apologizing for the "gasp" - especially if it proves to be unwarranted. Today, from one of my many wrong turns, I backed into a wide driveway to turn around and there was a brick wall there. For a change, I really did know where the car was. Karen was NOT gasping but suddenly flailing her hands in the air concerned about the brick wall. That was a new move and it struck me funny - I had the giggles for quite a while mostly because a flail was a new move for Karen. At least it looked like flailing hands to me.

Going back into Ennis, we were running late to drop Karen off at Lakeside for me to pick up Mike. And, naturally, we got lost in Ennis.  So Karen had to go to the airport with me. Again, she was ever so great about the abrupt change of plan.
We arrived at the airport just as Mike walked out of the arrival area.....with NO bag. He might have to dress like a local!   We may have to find the equivalent to Marks and Spencer in England or maybe like a Wal-Mart. 
He was ready for lunch, so after some discussion, we decided to try the pub across from Quin Abbey which Karen had noted was open all day and Joan and the chemist lady had recommended as well. Of course there was a pub by the Abbey and Church.
It was a delicious lunch - Mike had fish and chips of course, and so did I.
After lunch and driving back to the BnB to get settled there was not enough time to do anything else before we picked up Karen's Mike. 
Due to the change in plan, Mike and Karen were now renting a car at Shannon, and we were going to extend a day since Dublin was not desirable due to all the activity. 
My Mike checked on his bag which was in Zurich. (seriously?) Mike quipped, "My bag's having a better vacation than I am."
We were told it would be in on thee late flight in from Manchester that night. Right...
Got the extra day added to the car and added Mike as a driver - it's only money - sigh.
Back to Lakeside to freshen up and regroup. The Kennedys got their car, a silver (silver! What a surprise) Renault, much nicer than our Suzuki Alto. 
After oohing and ahhing over Lakeside again, we headed to Ennis for dinner. Mike K drove in their roomier car and it was nice to let him drive. He was getting oriented to a left side road  and a standard gearshift as well, so it was a little tricky at times. Karen did seem intent on avoiding gasping however, or probably she was much more confident in Mike's driving than in mine.
Parking at a car park on the River Fergus, we meandered through Ennis considering places to eat. We settled on dinner at Poet's Corner at The Old Ground Hotel across the street from the big church in the center of town.  It was a busy place. 
We crowded around the bar, but then were fairly quickly given a table. My Mike had a lager, but the rest of us had Guinness. There is not much better than a Guinness on tap in Ireland.
The food was great. I had seafood chowder which was the best chowder base I have ever had - creamy with a light red base as well. A great place to eat and a nice evening with the four of us.
Tomorrow we go our separate ways, but will take the same basic route around the Burren of County Clare.  Joan's words of weather, "If it's rain in the morn, go opposite way and end at Cliffs of Moher - hope for better weather."