Kenmare- a vacation from our vacation

by annie

The passengers on our flight burst into spontaneous applause as the plane landed in Prague. They weren't clapping because they were excited to be in Prague, like I was, but because they were so pleased we arrived 10 minutes early. It was surreal for me, partly because the cheers roused me from a desperate sleep and partly because my sense of time has changed over the last 6 months. Time, especially ten minutes, doesn't matter like it used to (unless of course, I'm running with my heavy pack to catch a tram because I -again- forgot about time). We had couchsurfed in Dublin the previous night, sharing the living room with two other couchsurfers, who stayed up watching a silly movie where Robert Downy Jr. plays a black dude. We woke at 5am to catch our flight. And we were already somewhat sleep deprived from an all-out friend-fest in Kenmare to celebrate Brian and Christine's back-to-back birthdays (aka Virgo Ireland Birthday Bash Extravaganza, VIBBE 2009).

Kenmare

We arrived in Kenmare via our helpx host Sean. He was kind enough to give us a lift on his way to a meeting. Jon and Christine scored a brand new, never-lived-in, 4 bed, 4 bath house for us to stay and play in for a week. The rent was ridiculously cheap in exchange for a couple of days work around the house and nearby B&B, who's owner, Siobhan, had agreed to this generous arrangement. Kenmare is a small, picturesque town with lots of Irish charm. It hosts an open market on Wednesday mornings, tons of pubs and B&Bs and links up to the Kerry Way walking trail. The vibe is relaxed and slightly touristic. The week filled up quickly with lazy mornings, outings, birthday celebrations and essential sleepover activities.

What a wonderful week it was! It felt like an oasis, a dream vacation; it was a whole week with people we already know and love to bits! Christine and I maximized our girl time, spending it baking in the kitchen, exploring Kenmare and having tea and scones with cream in the local tea shop. We adored the tea house, with it's 1950's lacy, frilly, pastel décor. We were even more pleased by the delicious scones with jam and fresh cream. Christine gave me a lesson on how to use a sewing machine and I practiced by sewing elastic into the waistband of a skirt I cut off of a dress.

We baked our asses off, whipping out apple cake with homemade goat's milk ice cream, chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, banana cake and brownies. It wasn't just that we had two birthdays and a potluck that kept us baking, but also that we couldn't waste precious resources- our very own fully equipped kitchen. What a rare treat for four weary travelers to have our own space to share together.

We played lots of cards and I'm happy to report that the Passion Power Princesses dominated the Manfreds (remember the Buddhist friend in Spain who is going to reach enlightenment in October? Yep, Manfred was his name). We indulged in the quintessential sleepover must- movies and popcorn. We shared travel stories, hugged a lot, laughed even more and ate fresh chips and vinegar while pondering why Guinness tastes so much better in Ireland than anywhere else.

We met some great fellow travelers and hosted a really fun potluck on Friday night. We got to meet Jon's cousin and his family, a traveling British couple and a Kenmare native. For Brian's birthday, we walked to the nearby fitness center for an evening of hot tub (ok, lukewarm tub), sauna and steam room. Jon met some guys at the Hemp Building workshop who offered to take us with them to the Skellig Michael islands, an UNESCO World Heritage site and ancient monastery. We tagged along for the ride, but couldn't afford the 50 euro boat ride out to the island. No matter, we had an amazing afternoon exploring giant seaside cliffs, patchwork farmscapes and the coast. It's hard, even with pictures, to describe the magic of Irish landscape. I quite annoyed myself by uncontrollable “wows” blurting from my mouth, sometimes three or four in a row as I surveyed a particular panorama. The land feels old and still, emanating a peace that hasn't always been reflected in the country's history. The green of the moss-covered trees and the hills of pasture is uniquely vibrant. On our way back to Kenmare, we stopped at an old fort and stumbled upon a magical fairy wonderland by a hidden creek.

Dublin

We departed for Dublin the next morning, sad to be leaving Christine and Jon. We only had a few hours to explore the city and chat with our sweet couchsurf host, Rory, who amazingly drove us to the airport at 5am! In Dublin, we walked around the campus of Trinity College, ate at a Hare Krishna vegetarian restaurant and enjoyed Guinness in a pub while listening to a live fiddle and penny whistle. I left Ireland feeling as if I had only scratched the surface in my three week visit. Ireland, I hope to see you again.

Here's some pics from the week:

Kenmare and Dublin

You can read about our goat farm adventures in Ballingeary, Ireland, HERE.