The view out our window in Belfast....gonna be a "no rain" day....yea!!
About 2:00 a.m., I heard a lady stroll under our window, singing and singing. Couldn't see her, but sure could hear her....
Driving out of town....caught just a few quick pix
Aha! The Union Jack. It looks half mast, but it isn't. Double-checked and it is just the way it is attached to a lamp post rather than a flag pole. Gotta correct a HUGE misquote: When the Catholics gained control lot the Belfast City Council, they mandated that the British Flag would be flown only on holidays....just the reverse of what I said yesterday. What she DID say is that the Protestants/Unionists are protesting, sometimes violently.
We don't know what what the big globe is all about. We did want to show another flag as well. Actually, the flags were all over the place. It looked like a carnival!!!
Not the best picture...it says: "Viva Palestine"
Out of Belfast and on an "A" road.....The "A"s and the "M"s are the best.
About two hours out of Belfast, we pass through Enniskillen.
Enniskillen was quiet, little traffic, pretty river running through it. We made special note of this town, because Kathy read in the paper while on the ferry to Belfast that there had been a bombing incident here in the past week. So far, no one has taken credit for the incident and gratefully, no one was injured. Once again, we are glad to be leaving and just passing through Northern Ireland.
The road is narrowing....
The skies are blue; the fields are green
I hardly know how to express the surprise, joy, fun, pleasure at seeing bright COLORS!!!! No more dreary, drab, dirty-looking, black/gray stone.....Amazing what colour can do for one's mood! And, of course, the blue sky, too!
We loved Scotland, no doubt, but the change from dreary to bright is startling.....and a pleasant startle!!!
The Market House was a very interesting stop. We knew we were close to the border, but did not realise we were ON it!!!!
Maggie, pictured below, runs the Market House. She will fix you a cup of coffee, answer questions, sell a few trinkets. We noticed a post office across the street and wanted to mail a postcard. All I had was a few stamps left from England. I asked her if I could use one. "Oh, no, honey. You are in Ireland". I thought we were still in the UK, in Northern Ireland. She carefully explained that crossing that bridge....crossed the border.
I walked back across the bridge to see what we had missed. Sure enough, we just LEFT this sign which says: "Speed limit in miles per hour".
And we just entered the town of Blacklion and the sign reads: "Speed limit in Kilometers per hour". We missed it.
And here is the tiny little river which defines the border!
And we missed this one also. From now on, everything will be in Gaelic first, Ireland's national language, then English.
A learning experience.....by the way, Maggie mailed that postcard for us. She was going to Northern Ireland (just across the bridge) that afternoon!
We move farther into The Republic of Ireland. The roads don't get any wider. But are tree-lined in places and are beautiful.
OK, so this is grey stone.....
but it is surrounded by colourful buildings in County Mayo.
We slip off the main road on to a single tracker in search of an advertised waterfall. This local entrepreneur is offering carriage rides up and down the single track road....nothing to do with the waterfall.
Walking up to the falls, we follow a gushing stream.
These are falls but not The Falls.
THE FALLS! Well worth the short, beautiful walk.
Back on the (single-track) road again, the scenery continues to be beautiful.
The sheep like it, too!
We are on the way back to the main road around the lake and up the hill.
Shrines to Holy Mary Mother of God are plentiful.
A loyal guard of his hearth.
Our entrance to Sligo.
We find the support for Gaza/Palestine in Sligo also -- not sure of the source or reason.
We make a pub stop at The Belfry.
Tile art.
The River Garavogue runs through Sligo.
You see the name Kennedy and lots of JFK memorabilia in Ireland.
After crossing the river we find a fire department action occurring.
This oven caught fire in one of the pubs. The firemen were standing around while the smoke venting was going on. The pub was back in business a few minutes later with live music.
Lot of good eating places on the river -- this one was highly recommended....but looked too crowded and getting too cool to eat outside.
The Glasshouse where we are staying sits on the river. We, however, don't have a river view. As a matter of fact, we are checking out a day early.....tired decor, rude front desk, now charging for parking which they weren't when we booked, and some notice that "corkage fee will be charged for your own alcohol"????? They are "under new management". Seems to me like the new management needs to get a new owner! We are gone tomorrow!
This unpronounceable name was even higher recommended.
A fantastic meal. We both have lamb -- best yet for the trip.....maybe ever.....delicious!!!!!!!!!!!
The accolades are many and well deserved.
The area is known as Swan Point
As we leave the restaurant, we see a fly fisherman
Tom stops to talk with yet another fisherman...."What are you catching?" "Salmon and Trout"
At 9:30 pm, it is barely dusk...
Notice the colourful buildings.....Sligo is very pretty along the river....only along the river....
We listen to some Irish ballads for a few minutes before calling it a day.
