one of a kind
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| Day at the beach |
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| Beautiful bluebells |
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| Didn't find a pot of gold! |
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| This used to be the view from my front door! |
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| Snowfall from 2009 |
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| Sunrise |
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| This was taken on the island seen in distance of previous picture! |
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| What are you lookin at?! |
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| St, Patrick's Day 2015 |
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| Beautiful October day |
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| Another gorgeous sunset |
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| Not the west coast but this was from landing in Shannon, I love this view welcoming me home! |
So ideally, this would have gone down something like this: boyfriend and I would decide to go somewhere to stay overnight without booking before hand, fill up on petrol and hit the road with no destination in sight. Though as I approach the deadline for this I realise it’s not going to happen (neither is visit a country I’ve never been to before unless I win the lotto or someone wants to pay for me to go abroad! *cough*).
So Saturday morning I had to drop my aunt off to the bus station early and I bought along my friend K who was staying with me for the weekend. We decided instead of heading straight back home we’d go on a drive, deciding where to stop along the way. Which lead to a mini tour of South and West Clare.
The first place we hit was Lissycasey, where we drove past this pub and then promptly turned around for some photo opportunities.
Next main place we hit was Kilrush, where we decided to visit the Vandeleur Gardens. Unfortunately, seeing as we were up so early, we were 2 hours too early to enter. Instead we went for a quick stroll in the woods.
And then off went again! Next we hit Kilkee so we decided to stop at the West Clare Railway at Moyasta. And would you believe it, it was also closed! (are you beginning to see a theme here?!). So I took this quick snapshot of the office and cafe.
From there we decided to head onto Loop Head Lighthouse. We looked up on K’s iPhone that it was open until early September. We weren’t sure if they would be open or not seeing as it is now mid-September! But we decided to take the gamble. And luckily it was open!
After we went for a quick walk around the cliff edges.
After our lovely walk, we continued on, deciding on a whim to stop in Doolin in the Tea Rooms. Unfortunately it was closed! Moving onto Quily we stopped at Seafield beach to look at Mutton Island.
We were then going to play some arcade games at Sugar Island Cafe but it wasn’t open yet! We figured that was the final sign to head on home and put our feet up!
The British Telephone box. An icon really. It’s one of those ‘have to take’ photos tourists do when in London (along with a picture of Big Ben and Buckingham Palace). So I when I was wandering around Covent Garden I was curious as to what all the jazzed up and made over telephone boxes were about. Turns out it’s the BT Art Boxes, a project to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee as well as raising money for Child Line’s 25th anniversary by auctioning off the boxes. Here’s some of the pictures I took.
The last two were found at Trafalgar Square. There are loads more dotted around the city, click here to see them (you can also view by map to see what’s close to you). I’m a bit sad I didn’t know about them until I stumbled on them, otherwise I would have made more of an effort to find some more! Especially the one that has been made into a couch! And even though I’m back again in London next week, the exhibition ends on July 16th. So if you are around London before then, keep an eye out for them!
I’ve spoken before about being a tourist in my own country (here and here). So when I heard a friend of mine was going to the Guinness Store House I thought it would be a great opportunity to try out something ‘touristy’ that I had never done before. It was a beautiful day too and it was great to get out and enjoy the weather.
Lovely brick buildings.
Once you’ve gone through and paid, you come to a tour guide who gives a brief speech about Arthur Guinness and the lease that was signed. And that’s the end of tour guides then. You get to see the lease in a glass display in the ground.
Loads of different Guinness bottles from the years gone by.
For there you progress through different parts of the building which deal with things such as how Guinness is made and the ingredients, how it’s stored and transported, different advertising and memorabilia, various things Guinness sponsors, interactive computers with test your knowledge of alcohol, cafes, bars etc.
Indoor waterfall
Entry to the Store House also includes one free pint of Guinness. This can be redeemed either at the Pour Your Own Pint bar or else at the Gravity Bar (where they pour it for you). However, if you want to do both, you can buy an extra ticket for the Pour Your Own Pint for a fiver and your original entry ticket for the Gravity Bar. I decided to use mine at the Pour a Pint bar. Here you are taught the main steps in pouring a perfect pint of Guinness. Very interesting!
From there, we went to the Gravity Bar. What a beautiful day for a beautiful view!
The Spire looking massive!
I had a great day at the Guinness Store House, it was very interesting and well worth it. I’d recommend it to tourists and locals!
