Ireland

We land in Shannon airport on time. The sky is cloudy but the sun occasionally gives reason to hope for the better. You complete formalities with the budget we have a Hyundai Accent with an automatic transmission. The vehicle is in poor condition but is found convenient to drive. Chew on the road and we head towards the Dingle Clare led dall'inossidabile voice.

As we approach the county of Kerry the weather improves and we reach our B & B on the Connor Pass Road under a sun almost Mediterranean. The temperature is pleasant, and we give ourselves a break in the beautiful porch of the House Dunin.

We decide to visit the cliffs to the west and enjoy the best views of the bay.

Here a stiff breeze and sparkling us back to normality of the Irish climate. Let's go back to town in time to book a table at the Old Smokehouse and prepare the stomach for one of the best fried fish in the area.

We conclude the evening migrating from one pub to another in the lively center of Dingle. Tomorrow we expect from the lovely beach of Inch.

It 'the first time, after so many washes in Ireland, I decided to change the routine and fly directly to Shannon. In retrospect I would say that is a very convenient choice for those who, like me, loves particularly the west coast of the island.

He takes the suitcase of the closet, you print the sheets for check-in and you write the last blog post before departure. Yeah it sounds a lot like the holiday 2.0.

By this time tomorrow I will be in Dingle and I am sure I will be sorry for having already spent a day in Ireland.

See you soon!

We wake up early and eat pancakes favolsi of wild honey in the veranda of the b & b that hosts us. The view over the bay of Dingle is wonderful and the spell is broken only by the rain that pours on the roof at times. The goal now is the magic Doolin in County Clare, a tiny fishing village that owes its fame to a musical tradition that is lost to the origins of Irish folk.

We decide to skip the usual Limerick and take the ferry to Tarbert on the Shannon. From Dingle we head over the Connor Pass and we stop on the shores of the ocean in a beautiful white sand beach. The wind is cold and the clouds promise rain. We are preparing to arrive in Doolin tradzionale blanket of fog and humidity.

The short trip aboard the ferry that crosses the Shannon is always nice to challenge the long standing cold over the bridge that runs along the sides of the boat. We cross the mouth of the largest river of reland and disembark in Clare, where we will have a heavy rain. I drive to Doolin and amazement the day turns into a few minutes and when we are in sight of the beautiful hills that descend to the village a warm sun is high in the sky of Ireland.

A compulsory stop at the Magnetic Music Café where a cup of boiling water and a free slice of cake with rich cream brings us back to the world. This place is really special, steeped in a mystical atmosphere and gathering where music is the main element. A quick tour of the negozzietti and head for the main lot.

From here you decide rilsalire the coast to the cliffs. The spectacle of rock's great if you feel like walking over a giant form of Swiss cheese. The afternoon was perfect and after a long walk we reach the base of the Cliffs from which there is a view indescribable. I sit perched among the rocks in layers. I like to think so that you hear a seagull here. I would take the flight and I also see this from Ireland. I'll be back with your feet and mind on the floor and slowly return to the path of wasting a lot through the fields bordering the beach.

Let's go back to the b & b to rest a little before launching into the atmosphere of the village at night.

Leaving Dingle and head towards Tarbert where we hope to take the ferry that will take us across the Shannon to Kilrush and saving us time and the miles needed to walk along the bay of Limerick.

The day side has the typical Irish weather: fog, rain now slightly stronger hours, wind and some sun piecemeal. We get on the ferry in the hope of spotting some dolphins along the way but have no luck on the Shannon.

Doolin reach as ever happened in all my travels, or wrapped in mist and rain. Doolin would not otherwise.

A meal and a pint of O'Connors and suffered a must visit to Magnetic Music Café: a truly unique place that houses both a music store (almost all traditional doc) and a cafe where you can taste the delicious homemade cakes . I do not know what's in this place so special, but I assure you that once sat at a table will be very difficult to decide to go out again.

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I want to say a few words to the verandas of the cottages in Ireland. I believe that the need arises precisely from the need to build light and sun in these parts are a luxury for everyone. Every single house shows off his porch oriented towards maximum sun exposure and possibly to some overlooking the spectacular view. They're like the giant screens that allow guests to enjoy the natural spectacle of the wild nature of the Irish regardless of external conditions. The b & b where we are today has one of the best patios I've got to find where location, decor and lighting are their greatest common expression.

Luck would have it this very night at John Benny's sounded a trio of exception: Pauline Scanlon (that I already had the honor of listening to a memorable session last summer at the Magnetic Music Café Doolin), Donogh Hennessy (formerly guitarist for Lunasa an absolute reference for the modern folk guitar in Ireland) and Eilis Kennedy (wife of the owner of the pub and voice femminle sublime).

We present the pub early to look for the best seats in front of the musicians. We find a table for two in front of the mini-stage. We had dinner (a fabulous sea bass breaded with a memorable seafood sauce), a couple of drinks, and enjoy a thrilling concert. Donogh and the rest sounds divinely enchanted by his hands and his technique. The two duets of Irish unsheathe creepy and the evening ends with a couple of whiskey that they send me to bed really in heaven.

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We wake up in the violent un'acquazzone seems even stronger amplified by the glass roof of the verandah that welcomes us spelndida for breakfast. The time to finish the last sip of coffee and the sun begins to make white capiolno in the clouds now. We decide to explore the Dingle Peninsula in the northwest.

We take the Connor Pass road and the pass we enjoy a wonderful view: on one side of the bay of Dingle and the other that of Brandon both dominated by the mountains of the peninsula.

Descending towards Brandon Bay to Brandon Point. Before reaching the vantage point we see a beach as if made again to unleash the legendary kite. We challenge once again the strong winds that can rip back to one of the nodes of the sail.

Continue along the road leading to Brandon Point where we will have a splendid view of the ocean Atalanta. We chat with a naturalist intent on handling of powerful telescopes. He explains he is trying to spot the whales. After a couple of minutes and here is the show for the first time in my life I see very clearly a whale! An unforgettable experience.

We return to the Connor Pass and we stop for a hot soup (it takes just today .. despite the sun outside the thermometer marks 12 degrees) to Colaghane, a village nestled on Brandon Bay where time really seems to stand still: the smell of peat burning in fireplaces, donkeys, old and with a wave of their hand and welcome you seagulls playing on the slope. After 5 days now we are really sure of being in Ireland!

Let's go back to our b & b where we deserved a careful cup of steaming coffee and a couple of homemade sweets to those who will call in peace with the world. Today, Italy, but it seems very far away.

Dinner at the Old Smoke House was perfect. The salmon was a worthy representative of the culinary tradition of Irish food and ecstasy pushed me up to an amazing pudding with cream.

Then we moved across the street in one of the pubs of Dingle Institutional: Small Biridge Pub . Here a couple of guys were already grappling with reels and jeegs scanetati. They were joined by an simpaticcisimo Spanish boy who, unaware of a striking cast on his right arm, he put the dancing shoes and flashed a traditional repertoire of steps and time in perfect harmony with the musicians.

This is something that has always struck me as experienced in the traditional music session in the pub. The concept is unusual for us: there is never a set program, anyone can participate and everyone is welcomed with a warmth to the sound of all the Irish back-slapping and pints of beer.

The real craig (from the Gaelic untranslatable but piùo less means being together at the pub drinking, singing, dancing and telling stories) is an experience that I never found elsewhere in the world and here is widespread and shared at all levels social, ages and any membership.

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After a wonderful breakfast at the Woodlands-based pancakes and maple syrup Kinsale we are going to leave a little poorer than yesterday: the B & B (another very fine) it cost us more than expected. To hell ... we are still on vacation or not?

With the benefit of the sun we head for Dingle via Killarney. On the road between Cork and Killarney (more precisely, near Macroom) there 'Prince August of the visitor center. For those not familiar with is a completely factory handicraft pieces for chess, Miniature soldiers and generally all made of metal. Entrarti the factory seems to be in the kingdom of Santa Claus.

We continue our journey in a rain that seems to be more and more insistent. After a couple of hours we reach the spectacular and endless beach of Inch (near Dingle). Time for a soup (of the day) and on the beach to try the kite. The wind is unsustainable and more than once I disconnected from the ground for a foot.

At the end of the kite is detached from the rope and a kind of hurricane has shot down on the beach.

We recover the kite and we continue towards our goal. We arrive in Dingle where finally we again expect a warm sun and a beautiful rainbow!

We refreshed with a nice hot coffee on the veranda of the b & b of today enjoys a beautiful view of the bay.

We opt for a city walk and a hike in the hills in front of Dingle from which you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the sole company of many friendly seagulls.

We enjoy the sun behind the clouds breaking for dinner and decide. We reserve the Old Smoke House.

Dingle offers numerous nightlife and virtually all the pubs (there are thirty) host sessions of traditional music of the highest quality.