Princess in a Castle

Wednesday was a rainy, rainy, rainy day. After our last Irish breakfast, we tried to go to a sheep farm... but the next demonstration was in the afternoon and we had too far to drive. Instead we stopped at a little hike to Torc Waterfall. Next stop in Adare... and the castle wasn't open for the season yet. We headed to Bunratty Castle... but it was too expensive. (I may have missed the turn into the castle and taken a little detour through Sixbridges town.) After all that, we decided to finish shopping at the Blarney Woolen Mills.

When we'd sufficiently spent our Euro, Michelle and I headed to Dromoland Castle where we were staying. Yes, you read that correctly. We got to sleep in a castle! We explored the walled garden...

...Mercury...

...Hermit's Grotto...

...the lily pond...

...and duck crossing.

We ate dinner in the fancy restaurant there. The dining hall was exquisite and even had tapestried walls. A few chuckles of the meal... we overheard a British kid call the chips 'french fries'... the head waiter yelling in the kitchen... German waiter enthusiastically unveiled the food when it was served... our waiter confused our orders and kept changing our knives when we would switch them after he walked away. Michelle had potato and leek ravioli, halibut and (sans) prawns while I enjoyed a lobster and prawn salad and sirloin steak. Isn't the food beautiful?