{"id":3520,"date":"2019-09-18T14:17:41","date_gmt":"2019-09-18T21:17:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/noreimerreason.com\/amberandgreg\/?p=3520"},"modified":"2019-10-13T19:32:31","modified_gmt":"2019-10-14T02:32:31","slug":"ireland-day-4-part-2-blarney-castle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/noreimerreason.com\/amberandgreg\/?p=3520","title":{"rendered":"Ireland, Day 4 (Part 2 – Blarney Castle)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our second stop on the bus tour was Blarney Castle. This was my favorite part of the day.
\n\"Blarney<\/p>\n

\"Blarney<\/p>\n

Murder Hole!<\/p>\n

\"Murder<\/p>\n

View at the top<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

To kiss the Blarney Stone (after an hour’s wait, that included winding around through the castle and up a *very* narrow and low-ceilinged staircase where the “stumble steps” became smaller and smaller), I had to lay on my back and scoot my rear to near the end of the ledge, while holding on to the iron bars. Then, I had to lean my head down (you can’t lay just flat) to actually reach the stone to give it a kiss. I felt like I was going to slide down! It was terrifying, especially knowing that how far down it is, even though there are some bars there and a person helps hold you.
\n\"Kissing<\/p>\n

For an idea of how up the Blarney Stone is, here is a view from the ground. The Blarney Stone is up at the top right under the ledge!
\n\"Blarney<\/p>\n

I remember learning about the Blarney Stone as a kid and thinking it was a fun story. So to actually be in Ireland and get to see it for myself was a dream. Which was also why I just HAD to follow through and kiss it, in spite of my fear of heights. Of all the countries I’ve been interested in visiting *someday*, Ireland was one that topped the list so this has been so amazing to be here.<\/p>\n

The grounds around Blarney Castle are so beautiful. I didn’t have time to see everything!<\/p>\n

\"09182019_055\"<\/p>\n

Druid’s Cave<\/p>\n

\"Druid's<\/p>\n

The Wishing Steps. You close your eyes and walk backwards down them while making a wish.<\/p>\n

\"09182019_069\"<\/p>\n

“Sing me a song of a lass that is gone. Say, could that lass be I?” I made sure to not get to close to the stones, just in case!
\n\"Seven<\/p>\n

Nothing really to see in this video; I was just fascinated by the overall peacefulness and the sound of many unfamiliar (to me) bird songs, so I took a quick video to try to capture it.<\/p>\n