Howth

 Last week, on Kara's last day, we went to the little seaside suburb of Dublin called Howth (or Howth Head, technically).  It's basically a mountainous/hilly peninsula that has several hiking trails around it, as well as a cute little fishing town.  We went with Kara's friend Carrie and her friend Rob, who claimed to know where he was going and what he was doing.  He didn't.

This is a map of the peninsula.  Kara pointed out that it looked like a map of North America - and after getting completely lost following Rob through the wilderness and the mud pits of Ireland, we surmised that we had actually walked from Vancouver around to San Francisco.  

                             

It took about 2.5 - 3 hours to complete and we were worn out and muddy and HANGRY (Kara's version of Hungry + Angry).  After getting lost, we ran into an elderly couple who offered us a ride to the top of the peak to catch a bus back to town.  We gladly accepted their Irish hospitality - gotta love it.  A couple of Guinness and a bus ride later, we were back to Howth, eating fish and chips, watching the seals in the water, and enjoying ourselves!  Much like the Ring of Kerry, it was hard to complain too much - right after you'd soak your entire shoe and part of your jeans in a pit full of mud, the trail would open onto a view of the sea and the sun would come out from behind the clouds and all would be right with the world.  Here are some pics!

Me with hair in my face, Carrie, and Rob

Awkward solo shot.

This is a shitty picture of a big seal just dipping below the water!  Cooool!

I plan on taking Drew back here on a weekend before the weather changes too much, and any other visitors!

Now I'm going to watch "Murder, She Wrote", my newest obsession.  It's like Law & Order but without the disturbing gruesome stuff, and Angela Lansbury always gets the bad guy!  Yet another reason I need a job.  Ok, bye for now.