A wee stroll around the estate and through the village

Today was our day to explore the grounds of Castle Leslie and the village of Glaslough.  There are over 1,000 acres that make up the estate...there are several lakes and pastures, an equestrian center, a church and tennis courts. The castle itself has 20 guest rooms, each with it's own name and décor.  In addition, there are rooms in The Lodge (children are not allowed to stay in the castle) as well as rooms in the Old Stable Mews.

 

Back of the Castle - our room was on the top floor with the bowed out window

 

Old Stable Mews

 

No, this is not a tree...it's a holly bush!



The Lodge

 

 

Entrance from the Village of Glaslough

After exploring the estate, we set out to explore the village and have some lunch.  Turns out we were able to explore the village in about 10 minutes and there are only 3 pubs in town that open at 4pm. 

Since it was only noon and according to the sign post, Monaghan was only 7km away, we thought it would be a nice drive so back to the castle we went to get the car.  Well, remember when I said yesterday that our GPS was a bit insane?  Today was further case in point as it took us 30 minutes to get to Monaghan AND 45 minutes to get back!  I have a theory there is a conspiracy between retailers and the makers of GPS systems to ensure they take you the most impractical route only to get you to stop in their establishments...today Penny took us by the same gas station at least three times!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a huge lunch in Monaghan...they were seriously concerned when we didn't opt for the three (yes 3) types of potatoes that came with the meal...on top of the carrots and cauliflower.  This was probably the 4th meal since we've been in Ireland where there were at least three types of potatoes as part of the meal.  We can completely understand now why the Potato Famine was so catastrophic. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, and remember when I said Penny takes us down roads that are seriously laughable? Well take a look at this road that is designed for two way traffic!  Nothing like barreling down the lane, going around a sharp curve and bam...there's a big ol' tractor in your face.  Thank goodness Julie has fast reactions or else there were several times it could have been ugly.  These folks definitely have nerves of steel when it comes to driving.

 

 

Living like a Royal and having a Spa Day

After yesterday's adventurous drive from Belfast to Giant's Causeway to Glaslough, today's spa day was much needed.  Before heading to the spa for our 4 hours of treatments, we awoke to this lovely view from our room.

 

We took a wee little 5 minute walk from the castle to the lodge for our spa treatments.  Since July, I have been trying to detoxify my body so thought why not start my spa day with a detoxifying sea weed bath.  Well, clearly I didn't think this through thoroughly...sea weed and a bath?!  For a type A personality that can't stand weird textures, to have my therapist tell me to just hop in the giant claw foot tub full of water and sea weed and relax was seriously laughable!  Finally I succumb to the fact I had actually paid to sit in sea weed so I better suck it up and jump in.  After awhile, it wasn't that bad but must admit, I was not disappointed when she knocked on the door letting me know it was time for my facial.

 

Julie started her day with an Indian Head Massage followed by Reflexology.  We took a break from the strenuous spa activities for a snack of scones, cream and jam...and an ice cream sundae...it is vacation after all.  It was then time to head back to the hard work of relaxation.  I had a Pleasure Pressure massage and Julie finished up her day with a Seaweed and Hot Stone massage.  Sea weed for everyone!

 

It was dark when we arrived last night so we didn't get to see the castle until this morning and what a lovely place it is.  Our day of relaxation was topped off with a five course dinner at the restaurant on the estate.  To our surprise, Sir Jack Leslie, owner of Castle Leslie, treated diners to a tune on the piano.  We asked our server a little about him and as it turns out we share a birthdate, however, he will be 98 on December 5.  Tomorrow we are going to explore the estate grounds and the village of Glaslough. 



 

Whiskey and Giants...no drinking the whiskey did not make us see giants!

 

Since we were so close to the Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Distillery, we decided to take the scenic route along the coast up to Bushmills.  What a gorgeous day - though the locals told us it was rather dreary out.  Before really getting out in the countryside, we saw Carrickfergus Castle (built in 1177).  Sadly it wasn't opened that early in the morning so we only saw the outside.  Have no fear, we'll see other castles along our journey through Ireland!

Driving in Ireland is not for the faint of heart.  While these tunnels may look rather large...they are not!  And to add to the fun, they get narrower as you go through them and there is usually a very sharp left turn as soon as you exit.

 

It is also nearly impossible to go more than a mile without a roundabout...sometimes you exit one and there is yet another!  At least this roundabout had a crown.

 

We arrived in Bushmills in time for lunch so we popped into The Bushmills Inn.  The inn was started in 1608 and is one of the oldest still operating inns in Northern Ireland.  After a quick bite, we headed to the town's main attraction...Bushmills Distillery.  Clearly they knew we were coming as we arrived just before the start of a tour.  Unfortunately photos are not allowed along the tour and too bad I couldn't capture the smell...surprised we didn't have a contact high from the smell of the whiskey!! 

 

 

After the tour, we had a chance for a tasting.  I had the Bushmills Black and Julie had the Bushmills 12.  Personally not a big whiskey fan (except in an Irish Coffee of course) but I did have to try it since they are the oldest continuously operating whiskey distillery.  The distilling process is pretty fascinating and makes you appreciate the time that goes into making whiskey.  Unlike most whiskey, Bushills is triple distilled which apparently makes it a smoother drink.  What was very interesting to learn is Bushmills buys all their aging barrels second hand.  For the original Bushmills, it is aged in old Kentucky Bourbon barrels.  The Bushmills Black is aged in old Sherry barrels.  The color of the whiskey when it is placed in the barrels is clear and over the minimum 3 year aging process, it picks up the color from the barrel.

 

 

Our trip to Northern Ireland would not be complete without a visit to The Giant's Causeway.  Legend has it that the Giant's Causeway was created by a giant Ulster warrior named Finn McCool so he could spy on his Scottish rival, Benandonner.  While stalking his rival, he discovered that Benandonner was much bigger than he so Finn came up with a plan.  He headed back home and had his wife, Oona, dress him like a baby and place him in a giant crib.  When Benandonner came knocking to look for Finn, Oona told him to be quiet or else 






wake the baby. When Benandonner saw the size of the baby, he feared any man that could sire such a large child and ran back to Scotland.  Not being one to tempt fate, Finn promptly knocked down the bridge.  Now geologist have a much more boring story that involves volcanic eruptions, lava cooling, blah blah blah.  Personally, I believe Finn's story of how the over 37,000 hexagonal pillars were created!  But I'll let you be the judge as to what really happened.

 

 

The lower rock on the left that looks to be a silhouette of a person is Finn's Granny

Finn's organ...if you arrive at 6AM on Christmas Day you can still hear Finn play

The faint hill in the background is Scotland. 
We were fortunate to be there on a very clear day!

 

As I mentioned earlier, driving in Ireland is not for the faint of heart so we had planned to be well on our way by 2:30pm in order to arrive at Castle Leslie by dark at 4:30pm.  Well, so much for all good plans thanks to no cell reception and a completely crazy GPS.  The town where the castle is located is so small that the only address is Castle Leslie, Glaslough, Monaghan Co, Ireland.  Turns out GPS needs a little more info so we picked the town of Monaghan and headed that way since we couldn't ring the castle.  Again, GPS is completely bonkers and would have us turn on roads that didn't exist and then "recalculate".  We finally got to a location where we could get cell reception and called the castle and got their GPS coordinates.  Turns out you can enter GPS coordinates into my European GPS...who knew...only had the thing 4 years!!  Penny (aka, GPS) must have been sipping on some of the Bushmills because she had us on the smallest possible roads in the world...to call them roads is actually laughable.  We finally arrived at the Castle Leslie four hours after we began what was supposed to be a two hour trip.  Our first stop after checking in was the pub on the estate for a drink as we had definitely earned it.  Thank goodness tomorrow is spa day!

Belfast: A City Divided

Our drive from Dublin to Belfast was somewhat uneventful...Julie quickly got back in the swing of driving a standard car...and on the other side of the road to boot!  We may have a driving lesson for me at some point...just not in the city with others around...no need to start an international incident.

Before our Black Cab Political Tour of Belfast, we headed over to St. George's Market for a look around and bite of lunch.  The market was definitely the place to be on a Saturday afternoon.  You can buy everything from meat, seafood, vegetables, wool, jewelry and sweets, etc. 

 

For lunch we had a very tasty mac 'n cheese and seafood chowder.  All of the food served in the St. George's Bar comes from the market vendors.  Farm to Table dining isn't just in the US.

For your listening pleasures, there was a duo performing.  Here's their very slow rendition of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun".  Personally not sure how much fun the girls they're singing about want to have!

 

For our tour of Belfast, we met up with Ken Harper for a Black Cab Political Tour...a very popular way to see Belfast.  Ken has been giving tours of Belfast for over 20 years and definitely knows the city like the back of his hand.  Not sure if it's just the friendly nature of the people or if he's that popular but it seemed like everyone we passed waved at him.  Note I did not say the friendly nature of the Irish because not everyone in Northern Ireland considers themselves to be Irish.  The Protestants (Unionists) consider themselves to be British subjects while the Catholics (Nationalists) consider themselves to be Irish.  Thus the conflicts of Northern Ireland (Norn Iron).

 

Ken drove us around the Shankills (Protestant) and The Falls (Catholic) neighborhoods while describing the history of the conflict.  We stopped at several of the political murals...the Irish definitely feel connected with any one person or group of people they believe are oppressed.

 

Names above the murals represent Irish rebels
imprisoned in the fight for a united Ireland

Belfast is a city divided philosophically and physically.  Throughout the city there is a "Peace Wall" stretching through a large portion of Belfast (and in other towns) to keep the Catholics and Protestants from mischief mostly in the evening hours.  The wall went up in the late 1960's and was only supposed to last a little while but yet it still stands today and each night at dusk, the gates close keeping the factions at bay. 

 

 

Walking through the gates of one section of the Peace Wall, you find the Cross of Crosses.  It has 45 crosses representing the 45 years of conflict in Northern Ireland.  There is a plaque that says "let this be the year the conflict ends".

 

On the Protestant side of the Peace Wall
looking back to the Catholic side.

An office of Sinn Fein (the political arm of the Irish Republican Army) was closed on Saturday but is active during the week.  On the side of their office is a mural of Bobby Sands.  Bobby was a member of the IRA and died in a hunger strike in 1981 while in prison.  The IRA prisoners said they were striking to gain recognition as political prisoners, however, the Protestants and English saw it as a way for them to gain international publicity.  His death sparked more rioting and enrollment in the IRA. 

 

We stopped off at Church of the Most Holy Redeemer and what a magnificent church.  The church was built in 1911 and in 2011 it closed for a year to undergo £4 million renovation.

 

 

Never hurts to have Jesus, Mary and Joseph
looking over you especially when traveling

Ken dropped us off at our hotel and our intent was to take a little nap before heading to the Christmas Market at City Hall.  Note I said the plan was...well, we ended up sleeping into the late hours of the evening and then early morning.  Oh well, we'll catch the Christmas Market in Dublin.

Ireland Here We Come!

Our much awaited adventure to Ireland has officially begun!  Looking forward to exploring Belfast, Glaslough, Kilkenny, Cork and Dublin but before we'll have a little fun on the flight over.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dinner started with Grilled Shrimp over Grilled Pineapple, followed by Tomato Bisque

and Wedge Salad, Fontin Cheese stuffed Chicken and ended with a Sundae Bar. 

 

 

 

 

 

                                   

 

                  

                                         Snug as a bug in a rug

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The short 6 hour flight was topped off with breakfast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upon arrival at Dublin Airport, we picked up our rental and headed to Belfast.