Monday was a beautiful, mostly sunny, but cool day. Great day for a spin around Slea Head Drive and see the sights that make the Dingle Peninsula the most beautiful place on earth (imho). Pictures tell it all.
Two things are happening hereabouts this week:
1) On Tuesday there will be substantial road closings in and about Dingle for the finish of stage three (of eight) of the An Post Rás, Ireland’s most prestigious bicycle race. We will probably plan on being in town for the finish.
2) Ballyferriter, a small town outside Dingle, is the filming base for the next Star Wars movie. Dingle is bustling because of it as a film crew is a lot of people.
Anyway, on our drive around Slea Head, we stopped in Ballyferiter for lunch in the small hotel. We got in just before a busload of French tourists made their scheduled stop. We sat at the bar – Elaine had soup and bread while I enjoyed a hearty beef stew. There was turmoil as the tourists flowed it, but we enjoyed our lunch and enjoyed the show.
After lunch we went into Dingle where Elaine was on a mission to buy a Mac in a Sac. to replace the one she bought here a few years back that is fast wearing out. McKenna’s, a favorite store, had them and she bought two, one fleece lined. I waited patiently (and happily) at the Dingle Pub where Tom’s daughter, Suzie, was bartending. We had a nice chat. Tom’s son, David, an award winning Irish dancer, is away in Vienna. We met and saw David dance on our last visit.
Dinner was at home. We had purchased seafood chowder the local fish shop first thing in the morning. Elaine got salad ingredients and bread, and that was dinner. Delicious with a New Zealand Pinot Noir (Oyster Bay). After dinner we walked back into town for some music. First stop was the Dingle Pub for one pint for me and a Jameson’s for Elaine. Then we wandered down to O’Flaherty’s where Mr. Fergus O’Flaherty, the owner, was performing a one man music show. He plays a LOT of different instruments and sings extremely well. He is Elaine’s favorite. Then home again to bed.
