Ireland

In Dublin's fair city

Where girls are so pretty

I first set my eyes on

Sweet Molly Malone.

As she wheeled her wheelbarrow

Through streets broad and narrow,

Crying "Cockles and mussles,

Alive, alive-O."

The photo above shows Jon, Molly, and wheelbarrow in Dublin.

(OK, so that's not the song that you hear playing, but I couldn't find a MIDI version of "Molly Malone," so you'll have to settle for "When Irish Eyes are Smiling.")

Rosie with King John of Ireland in Limerick

Kylemore Abbey

Rosie and Jon at Ashford Castle (one of the five hotels we stayed at)

Ancient castle at the Cliffs of Moher

Beautiful green fields

Fields, stone fences, bay

Hills

Sheep

Jon kissing the Blarney Stone!

In order to kiss the Blarney Stone, I had to:

a. wait in line for an hour and ten minutes outdoors in the cold (Rosie gave up after ten minutes and went shopping, while I stayed in line and got to kiss the Blarney Stone);

b. climb up the inside of the five story ancient castle on a very narrow winding stone staircase;

c. lie down on my back and tilt my head over backwards and upside down, across a two-foot gap, to kiss the stone, which is part of the castle wall on the roof of the castle.

But I LOVED getting to do it! (And now I have an excuse for all that blarney that I spout.)