saltwatersteve.com/travel

Had hostel’s continental breakfast and headed for the tourism office where the gal quickly whisked us off to a van that was leaving that second. Driver Damien told us about gorse (yellow flowers) - farmers in Ireland apparently grow them in hedges as fences. After lunch we headed uphill around the Guinness family land where we stopped at Lough Tay, a 15,000 yr old glacial lake that looked like a pint of Guinness (with foamy head). We learned how acidic soil caused by old forests no longer present causes red water in creeks and ground is black. Bog cotton grows in this and indicates the soil will not support the weight of a human. Stopped off the Wicklow Way (on the way back) to see a German cemetary adjacent the World Peace and Reconciliation Center. Damien also let us in on real estate prices: a 1200-square-foot semi-detached 3 bedroom for 450,000 Euro! Littering: 1905 euro fine imposed the same day the smoking ban went into effect. After the tour was over, we stopped at the post office to mail some postcards, wandered towards the tourism office (closed), and decided to go to Howth for some proper fish & chips. Took the DART and checked out the piers and boats after our experience at the chipper (way too much food). Before getting the train back to Dublin, we stopped into the store for a yorkie bar (not for girls). Got off in Dublin, stopped into the internet cafe for a second to send some “we’re still alive” emails, grabbed the bus back to the hostel, set the alarm for 3:30, had the gal at the hostel call a cab for us for 4 am. Ugh.