Blarney

Today we went to Blarney, which was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Having been to other European countries, I think that Ireland is by far the most aesthetically pleasing. Everything about it is pleasant, the people are nice, the weather is mild -- I love it. Blarney is the perfect example of Ireland's beautiful countryside and greenery. It is not very far outside of Cork and is much more rural. We visited the Blarney Castle where the famous Blarney stone resides at the top. I have not climbed that many stairs in my whole life combined! The stairways are so narrow that if you were overweight even by a little you could not fit through. It was so narrow that my purse that I was carrying on my shoulder was scraping the wall as I passed through. It also has ingenious architecture for its time, with every corridor leading to another room yet somehow connecting all at the same time. We walked around the grounds, which boasted the most beautiful lush foliage and flowers. It was a little cloudy and misty today which added to the wet, lush feel of the place. It's easy to imagine what it might have looked like at the time of its completion as they have done very little to alter the castle. The Blarney stone, which is rumored to give you the "gift of gab" if you kiss it, is at the very top of the castle. You have to lie down on your back and lean your head over the side of the castle to get to it. (They have attendants there to help you keep from falling.) I chose not to kiss it, firstly because hanging my body over the side of that huge castle was not an appealing thought, and secondly because the germs on the stone were no doubt a formidable opponent for my bottle Purell. Meredith and Lindsey agreed with me on this, also choosing not to kiss it, but Linc, ever the adventurer, hung himself over the side of the castle and kissed it. I'm not sure he got the gift of gab, but I did make sure he brushed his teeth when we got back. :-) I'm so glad we went to Blarney. Just to see the castle alone made it worth it.