Ireland Day 3

 Dublin to Fota Island

THB wants to talk about the weather. When we visited Alaska, all the natives wanted to talk about how they had not seen Mt Denali for 4 days in a row. Gosh, clear days were our norm. Now in Ireland, it is same-same, this is very unusual to have four days in a row of glorious weather and to us it  just seems the standard. Whatever, THB is certainly comfortable. 

The tour gets an early start as we move west and south. The coach is comfortable and Sam has pre-arranged the seating such that he can rotate where each "group" sits, apparently to give everyone a chance to sit in the front.

Even better, the twins have met L, the other 8 year old and kidnapped her to come sit with them in the way back. If this trio holds together for the rest of the trip THB's prediction will come true: gregariousness can produce good results. TBD!

Here are the highlights in pics:

before dinner on day 2, we have a potato chip tasting; per Sam, the original flavored version. Nobody impressed .... and THB continues to think "saving" a version of the rotated pic will result in corrected images

a last look at the lobby of the haunted hotel

a shift in breakfast for THB: 5 cereals, yogurt, fruit all in one bowl

all 6 of dine together

Pat our coach driver for the tour, Sam the guide, and a roomy coach

a few shots of Dublin before we sidle into farmland

a senior govt official pressy 

a view of the inside of the Trinity "gym" complete with rock climbing wall. CM wants to xfer from Neil Armstrong Elementary School for the fall semester

the first stop: govt owned stud farm and Japanese Gardens and lunch

a version of Debororah Butterfields's work

an interactive modeling of getting ready for a race: group is split up into pairs and you are either a buyer/trainer or a jockey. 

a race ensues: THB is matched up with the twins and two other jockeys. Good thing THB has been doing his squats. Bad news:  THB is givng away 7+ stones to his two younger rivals

and even worse, THB finishes 3rd and JM takes home the victory...and there is a video replay everyone gets to watch afterwards....over and over again

a famous stud 

a very clever intro, good for all ages...now to go see the real horses in the flesh

The twins have made a new friend; note, those necklaces are used by the guides to talk in our ears. The stud farm guide doesn't use hers....

The same role KM played in Paris 2024: offering to take pics of tourists 

after lunch in the Japanese Garden, a coach ride of around 1.25 hrs and a rest stop. This pic is taken from the restrooms upstairs, a shot of the multitude of snacks

The next stop is the last loading site of the Titanic, a town called Cove (spelled Cobh). Just outside of town is a structure owned by a couple who collect contemporary art. Get out your magnifying glasses and you will see a Roxy Paine "metal" tree on the roof. Unfortunately, the place is not open for tours

The main feature of town up the slope from the seaside

The Titanic Museum, another interactive exhibit where you move from room to room in simulated places aboard the ship. Your "entrance" ticket is a biography of actual passengers...and at the end of the tour you get to find your namesake and see if you survived or were fish food

The last pic of many of these passengers; the museum is the building in the pic

more shots of Cove

The hotel for the next 3 nights: Fota Island Resort

the twins would have stayed here for hours watching the Irish dancer and accompanying bagpiper

That might be a Ferris wheel in the distance above the trees

THB's small, heavy bag does not make it to room 137. After getting lost (almost impossible here, so maybe the haunting at the Shelbourne was operator error), THB returns to the coach and there is  tour member walking up with the bag....delivered to her room by mistake. 

After an hour unpacking (amazing, an hour to unpack!!!) it is time for dinner. We had our choice of fine or casual dining. Of course,