Moher Time Please. Owl'd like to Stay- Part 2

Part 2!

We left off at the Cliffs of Moher and their dizzying heights and I was just about to tell you the next part of our day when the fact that it was already 1 in the morning for me and we had to be up at 6:30 to drive to Dublin pulled me away.

So we left the Cliffs of Moher-it had mostly been nice but when it started to rain (and we had this next part coming up) we bounced out.

(Quick note: I've got a bit of sick brain going on-a cold has been manifesting over the last few days and it's a full on cold now. Not just the little tickle in the back of your throat. Oh no, this is a snotty, dark circle, throat clearing, slightly completely miserable kind of thing. So if I repeat myself, do forgive me.)

The drive to Dromoland Castle, and next and final destination was a brief jaunt away compared to the rest of our trip.

It was only an hour trip instead of another several hour drive.

And the thing about our drives is-yes they are beautiful, and I love them-but the thing is, they could be a lot shorter. We've been avoiding tolls and it's been extending our drive times. So, when we saw that the Castle was only about an hour from the Cliffs, we knew we could make this day happen.

So! The jaunt.

We tried to stop for lunch at a place near the cliffs in Doolin, a little family restaurant called Stonecutter's Kitchen but they were either closed for the season, or the holidays, or whatever. Apparently several of Sarah's friends recommended it, but alas, it was the curse of our luck--nothing shall be open when we really want to see it. / Eat at it.

We ended up eating from a gas station-no biggie, just not exciting. (And yet, here I am, telling you about it.)

And we got to Dromoland with a good bit of sun *back* in the sky- so I was very excited for this next bit.

Not check in-that thing was a breeze. They grabbed our bags, valeted (Is that the word??) the car, and showed us to our room which was a beautiful silver thing--I felt kinda bad. I've been wearing the same shoes all trip (I literally didn't bring a second pair) and they felt....too dirty to be in the room.

I was excited for

FALCONRY

Ka-kaw motherf*****

Fun fact: In 3rd grade, we were asked what we wanted to be when we grew up and we were supposed to create a pamphlet about our job. (I dunno man.)

And 3rd grade me was like: I WANT TO BE A HAWK TRAINER

If you asked me where I got that, I wouldn't be surprised if I had read an article in the newspaper about the hawks used at airports to keep birds off the runway. But I'm now 27 so who knows where I got that.

I digress!

So, I was excited for falconry, and it was even more exciting that it was just Sarah and I with the Falconer.

And yeah, you bet I took a bunch of pictures, but the best part was having a hawk land on my arm.

Plus learning some things I didn't know about falconry. (We all know that I'm a bit of a know-it-all)

We got a little tour of the Castle grounds while we walked with the Hawk (it's called a Hawk Walk officially so....yeah.) Took pics and videos and then we when to their version of stables where their were Peregrine Falcons and other Harris Hawks and Owls and a Peregrine mixed breed????? I forgot it's name but it's larger than a peregrine but has it's similar coloring and beak shape.

So that was a dream come true.

I will definitely try to do it again.

After that though, the night was spent eating, drinking, listening to music and packing.

We took some downtime after the walk which I used to do butt all, but it was so relaxing.

The TV said Sarah's name when we turned it on.

I hated going.

But all vacations must end. (And all men must die. I had to throw in the GoT ref)

Thanks for sticking with me- heading home now kind of sucks, but I will say that since I am now sick, it lessens the blow. Because being sick at home rocks compared to being sick abroad.