Ireland, the land of a thousand welcomes: That phrase from the Irish
Tourist Board kept echoing in my mind as I traveled with a group of
obviously American tourists in Ireland the first week of November.  My
family had been a little anxious about my leaving the country, but I have
never felt so welcomed and safe anywhere I have gone. The openness and
generosity of the Irish people was evident everywhere we went.

Since I was traveling internationally, I went to DIA early - four hours
early.  I was using a carry-on bag so I had to go through the lines that
included lap tops and electronic equipment, which was interesting -
everything had to be opened and x-rayed, which does take longer.  Some
people even had to remove their shoes because of the metal in the soles.
The line through security was almost disappointingly short, though, so I
had plenty of time to read before the flight.  We flew into Dublin and out
of the Shannon airports, so I got to see how easy it is to fly into the
country.  Both airports are small and very close to town.

We were met by our excellent hosts from Brendan Tours, and taken on a
quick tour of Dublin's beautiful parks and squares on the way to our
lodging for the first couple of nights, the Burlington Hotel.  It was in a
lovely neighborhood, and I spent the first afternoon exploring the streets
around the hotel, where Georgian architecture and beautiful gardens
abounded.  I was overwhelmed with the number of flowers that were still
blooming that late in the year, as well as the number of palm trees
growing there.  The gulf stream flows to Ireland, keeping the climate mild
year round. So their gardens are fabulous.  

The tour I was on was like a survey course in college, so I got to see a
little bit of a lot of places.  It was designed specifically for travel
agents, so we moved around a lot faster than most tours.  The first night
we were treated to a traditional Irish dinner and show at the Abbey
Tavern, where I saw the first of many peat fires during my week there.  I
wasn't very enthusiastic about what I had thought would be a boring dinner
show, but I was wrong - the food was wonderful, and the show was really
fun, a pleasant, relaxing evening..  It was the perfect way to start the
week.

Next day, we had a real tour of Dublin, the highlight of which was seeing
St. Patrick's  Cathedral and the Trinity College Library, which houses the
8th century Book of Kells.  It was incredible.    After lunch we went on
an excursion south of Dublin to Wicklow, in the "garden of Ireland". 
First we stopped at Glendalough, famous for its 6th century monastic
ruins.  There I saw the first of the round towers that priests used for
protection from the Viking invaders, and the first of the ruined churches
that fell to Cromwell.  So, of course, I took pictures like mad.  By the
end of the week, those sights were so common that none of us bothered
anymore.  Our trip continued on to Powerscourt Gardens and House at the
foot of the Wicklow Mountains.  It was so beautiful. 

The next morning, we set off for southern Ireland.  We passed through the
Currough,  the heart of Ireland's horse country, on our way to the Rock of
Cashel, where St. Patrick actually preached.  It's a huge limestone rock,
with religious ruins all over it, and it dominates the flat countryside
for miles around.  We then went on to Blarney Castle, where a lot of
kissing was going on.  The grounds are really very beautiful, and I
enjoyed a solitary walk with trees and flowers all around.  We also had
our first great shopping experience there, at the Blarney Woolen Mills. 
Waterford crystal, Beleek china, and numerous sweaters made their way back
on the bus with us, and the people of Ireland seemed very glad we had
brought our money with us.

We spent that night in Killarney, a charming little town on a lake, which
was our home for the next few nights.  Next morning, we left for the Ring
of Kerry, a road that winds around the Iveragh Peninsula.  This is
undoubtedly one of the most magical places in all Ireland.  Bogs,
mountains, valleys, lakes and sea blend into a breathtaking landscape.  My
only regret is that I didn't see the rhododendrons in bloom - I'll have to
go back in June.

For dinner that night, our group split up and went to various bed and
breakfast hotels used by Brendan tours, so that we could see what that
experience was like.  I went to the home of a retired professor, his wife,
and eight children, three of whom still live at home.  All of the homes
have ensuite bedrooms for guests, and the food was great.  Our group was
the first they had hosted since September 11th, and they were very
interested in our thoughts on the travel industry in America.

One our way to County Clare, we had a day visiting the past.  The biggest
surprise was how much we enjoyed the Flying Boat Museum in Foynes, center
of aviation world during World War 2.  It's a small museum, only four
rooms, but the curator is so filled with enthusiasm that everyone came
away vowing to get funding from here for them.  We then spent hours at the
Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, a 25 acre living museum with authentic
thatched farmhouses recreating rural living of bygone times, and a
Victorian village, complete with village stores and schoolhouses.    

   Our last day in Ireland held what for me was the most spectacular
   scenery: 
 the cliffs of Moher.  High above the Atlantic, the limestone cliffs rise
 668 
feet above the waves.  We traveled next through the Burren, a stark and
barren landscape that reminded me of some parts of Colorado.  We had lunch
that day at Rathbaun Farm, meeting an Irish farming family as they carried
out their daily chores.  It was great watching a sheepdog demonstrating
his skills with his flock.

Although my time in Ireland was short, I came away convinced that Ireland
holds something of interest for everyone.  Museums, architecture, gardens,
golf courses, spectacular scenery, even scuba is available here.  I was on
a group tour, which afforded me the ultimate in ease of travel, with
everything arranged for me in advance.  All I had to do was show up at the
appointed time. When I go back, I will probably go with a tour group
again, because it's much easier to see the country if you don't have to
worry about watching the road.  Afterwards, I'd like to rent a car and do
some personal exploring without a schedule.