Back Across to the Island

I hardly know where we are.  Are we in Virginia?  Lexington Park?  Ireland?  I think we’ll choose the latter and bring this journey closer toward a conclusion.. really.  I mean it.  For sure..

A nice breakfast in the Malton Hotel in Killarney started our journey back toward the East, kind of leaving the Western coast to itself again..  This classic hotel had a classic breakfast, done with style - I like the names of what you're looking at

Served in a lovely setting

Not your snack room at Fairfield Inn

We checked out of our room that had a nice view of some ivy remembering it is fall, and will cease its climb up the wall for a while

So back on the coach heading for Cork enjoying the more rugged scenery, dotted with the requisite sheep. 

Our first stop was at

Which dates from the early 18^th century, and has been in the same family since that mid century, and now operates as a B&B.  Its full name is Bantry House and Gardens, which indeed it has

And some things were still in bloom

The building itself does show its age, which I suppose it is entitled to do.

After enjoying strolling around the grounds (I didn’t go inside) we once again boarded the coach, only stopping for lunch in Kinsale at our friend

Which enjoys a good reputation.  I think we’ve already discussed this lunch, good food, lousy and confused service, and a string of excuses from the owner, none of which contained the words: “I’m Sorry”.  I did enjoy a sign outside with a quote from Oscar Wilde

By the way, skeptical old me, I looked it up, and yup, it IS an actual quote from the raconteur.  

We then visited

As kind of an aside, i think by law they must include the Irish spelling of these things.  With a lot of languages, you can kind of get the drift even if you don't have an understanding of the language.  Not Irish!  Doesn't even look remotely like "Charles Fort".  Could say: "what's for lunch?" for all i know

It was built in the late 17^th century to protect the harbor around Kinsale (that was before Fishy Fishy opened).  At the time, it was built using the latest theories of defense and so on and in a style referred to as a “Star Fort” for obvious reasons

Can’t quite sneak up on them.  It was built overlooking the water (for protection), 

but for some reason, nobody worried about the higher ground behind the fort.  So, during the Williamite war, an enterprising Duke of Marlborough put his cannons on the hill and shot three pointers down into the fort.. One has to wonder..

Anyway, we had a guided tour of the grounds, overseen by some dour crows.  

Speaking of dour, and this is completely unfair, as I’m sure she was a very nice person, but this is pretty much how our tour went

And, although informative, it was kind of fry and humorless and the expression of Dr. Miller pretty much characterizes the group’s reaction.

Back on the coach to our digs for the night, the River Lee Hotel, where we dined in their dining facility as a group, with the normal Prix Fixe menu

For no particular reason, I chose the chicken (tastes like chicken) with the Fondant Potato, which came out looking like chicken with a Fondant Potato.  It was good, but it was also getting late in our journey, and hotel food is mostly like hotel food after a while..

Always watchful of the back of the house stuff, I did get a nice peek into the kitchen

Which provided a nicely framed portrait of the Chef..

We only had a couple of more days before heading home, and that starts to wear on you a bit.  Anyway, it was a good day (with the exception of the arrogant manager at Fishy Fishy) and we were glad to retire to our room where we undid

DFD

And hit the sack..